The Windy City

So my husband and I recently took one of our spur-of-the-moment weekends trips - but this time we decided to shake things up a bit and explore a place on the other side of the border... Chicago!

At first I was concerned that we were trying to fit way too much into a short period of time (when you take out the 7 hour driving time, we were left with around a day and a half). Turns out we had more than enough time to get a taste for everything Chicago has to offer - and we were blessed with incredible weather too!

We left early Saturday morning and hit the road - pulled into Chicago around noon. Once we settled into our apartment, about 30 minutes outside the city (much cheaper that way), we drove into the downtown core to explore a bit. Here are a few photos from our experience:

Road Trip Stop 1: Maine

As we approach our second wedding anniversary, I'm reminded of the road trip my husband and I took out East last summer - and also of the fact that I have yet to post ANY photos or posts from the trip as promised in my earlier blog (See: And So Begins Our Adventure). So here we go!

It Turned Into An Adventure

One of my absolute favourite things to do with my husband is go on little weekend adventures. I call them "adventures" because they are rarely pre-planned and often turn into something unexpectedly wonderful. (See: Hills of Headwaters)

Well, we definitely had one of those adventures this past weekend. It started as they all usually do. Matt and I were sitting around on Saturday morning, with the whole day stretched out ahead of us, when one of us asked: "So... what do you want to do this weekend?". Some of our go-to dates include the local farmer's market, maybe a hunt for a new coffee shop, or a Groupon for a restaurant we haven't tried. But this weekend, we wanted to do something a bit different.

I suggested we head down to Buffalo in the States for a bit of shopping. With wedding season approaching, I was in desperate need of a cute dress or two to wear. So off we went - hopped in the car for a quick two hour trip to Buffalo for the day. The ride down was pretty uneventful. As we neared Niagara Falls, we reminisced about the time Matt surprised me with a day-trip there for my birthday back when we were dating.

Staying Still

I'm so used to my life constantly changing. Growing up, there was always something new to look forward to every year - moving into a new grade, getting a new teacher, a new hockey team. Even in University, there was always something coming up next. Something that always got me through those late nights cramming for exams was the fact that, in four months time, it would all be over and I would be starting something new. Whether that was a new term with new courses, a new co-op job over the summer, there was always something coming up next.

Letting Go

I want this blog post to be honest.

Three weeks ago, I got the kick in the but I needed to start taking my walk with God seriously again. Before that point, I had been really struggling to get into the Word, to get on my knees in prayer, and put my trust in God. The more I began neglecting my relationship with God, the more my life began falling apart. Instead of trusting in Him for provision, guidance, and strength, I took it all upon myself and became completely overwhelmed with the weight of it all. My relationships with others became strained, my conscience became dulled, and my enthusiasm and passion for the church began fading. It was rough.

Hills of Headwaters

Up until recently, I never fully appreciated the beauty of the province of Ontario. Living here my entire life and not knowing much else, I guess it's just something I began to take for granted. Having had the opportunity to experience more of Canada this summer with our road trip out East, I now find myself becoming more aware of the beauties here at home.

Jumping on the Bandwagon

Over the past couple years, I've been witnessing a widespread "health food craze" emerge. When I use the term "health food" I'm referring to the general shift to all things organic, all-natural, and locally grown (...let's go ahead and lump dairy and gluten-free in there too).

I've always been one to shy away from this route - claiming it to be too difficult (and expensive) of a lifestyle for where I'm at right now. But, I have to admit, this past year I've definitely been intrigued. It only took a few hours of online research to convince me that this type of lifestyle holds serious value.