It’s been five years since we last made the trip to Huntsville, Ontario to visit uncle Frank and Aunt Judy's cottage. Who would have thought five years later we’d be returning with our mini-me!

Note to self: when deciding to plan a last-minute vacation, like literally leaving the same day you pack, make sure to pack the entire house! I’ll be the first to admit having to have packed and planned our last minute trip to the cottage was stressful, but I honestly think we all needed this. We needed the time together, the peace of the quiet surroundings and fresh air.

It’s been a very stressful year for us with so many obstacles in our way and moving to a new town, adjusting to being homeowners while having a toddler with a strong personality in the mix. Life can get a bit stressful and sometimes we forget about the important things. Five years ago hubby brought me to Uncle Frank and Auntie Judy’s gorgeous cottage out in Huntsville, Ontario, about a two-hour drive from home. I instantly fell in love with the hill of trees, the friendly small-town atmosphere, and the surrounding lakes. Although I enjoy the city as much as anyone else, there’s something about being outdoors and being surrounded by nature and not having to hear the busy streets or having the city lights blocking the beautiful night stars. I think being surrounded with stillness and silence reminds me a lot about my upbringing and having been told stories under the stars, the simplicity of life and how carefree my childhood was. I want us to give that to our son. He saw a deer for the first time, tried s'mores, ran freely in green grass and helped mama pick a few wildflowers.

After such a fast-paced, chaotic year including, but not limited to an unexpected flood (UGH), this getaway was hella needed. The stress was real ya’ll and I'm sure our little guy could sense it too. Although this trip was short, it was a sweet getaway that was well needed for both hubby and I to let go and recharge while being in the moment with our little man.

I won't lie - some parts of the trip were stressful, but having two of the most important people next to me, truly made it memorable. I believe you can get through almost anything as long as you have the ones you love next to you. Hell, hubby isn't perfect and they both tested my patience all weekend and vice versa, but it’s been amazing. I loved our mid-day breakfasts together and the dinners we had together courtesy of hubby’s grilling skills. We cruised out the rain a few times (this was more so me) and went for long drives together, crossing our fingers one of us (hmm wonder who?) would be fast asleep so we can all get some sleep.

This trip has taught us to be more patient, the importance of doing things as a family and showed us that we both have to slow down and enjoy what we have and realize that what’s really important is...

( our little family).

Five Years Later