Kelly Olson Creative

The Fourth of July tends to mark an unofficial halfway point in the summer. Reality sets in and we realize we only have a handful more weeks and weekends left of the sunshine and warmth.

For some, I think it’s a reminder to slow down, and for others, it’s the mad dash to kick things into high gear and squeeze the last little bit out of the season.

We’re somewhere in between. Choosing to forego a little trip here or there and opt for a bigger one at the end of the summer. Being intentional with our adventures seems important now more than ever. We don’t want to burn ourselves out too much, but we also don’t want to lose our sense of spontaneity we’ve adopted this summer.

So, with a handful of road trips under our belt and a few more trips and excursions on the horizon, I’d say we’re feeling pretty grateful for how these summer months have gone for our little family.

We returned home from a lovely little trip to Michigan over the Fourth. Dillon and I for the past ten or so years have spent the holiday in southwest Michigan. We spend time with friends and enjoy lake life as best we can.

I’d say these summers in Michigan have been pretty formative in mine and Dill’s big picture dreams for our family. The goal: build a cabin on some quiet land to be a sanctuary and escape for years to come. We both never really grew up with a lake house as so many around us do, but we’ve come to really appreciate it. It’s probably why we love camping so much- stepping out of our usual day to day, and enjoying the outdoors.

So, this dream is tucked away in our back pocket as we make the small moves in the short term to get there. But each trip back there helps us align our vision and excites us even more for what’s to come. Here’s a little recap of our most recent weekend.

Life is both the slowest it’s been and the most exciting at the same time. Nora is nearly on the move and every day with her is full of fun. We are just so lucky to love her and slow down as a family leaning into the small things that really bring us the most joy.