last weekend was one of those heart-filled up, laugh until you cry, memories made that we’ll talk about forever weekends. the ladies from our church community & i packed up & left for a night away.
we left our kiddos, jobs, housework, unread emails, responsibilities, stresses & worries with the promise of renewal & rest.
we laughed & we cried. we played games & went shopping. oh how we ate & drank! we swam in the pool, relaxed in the hot tub & painted our nails. we chatted until the wee hours of the morning & woke up to more soul-filling conversation, coffee in hand.
we received that renewal & rest & so much more.
sisterhood. it’s important & it is so necessary.
so often we get so deep in the thick of life that we forget to pour energy into those around us. we also forget that we – ourselves – need a break! just like a regular date night with our partners, we need that connection with our girlfriends.
earlier this year i decided to start pouring energy & love into the ladies within our church community. i felt a lack of connection, due in part to my laziness, & i wanted to remedy that. my solution – i began inviting these ladies to weekly coffee dates.
don’t get me wrong, we are all so different – in our interests, our life seasons, our ages, our backgrounds, our politics & our beliefs – yet we bring so much to the table when we share our thoughts, perspectives & experiences.
these early morning conversations among coffee & scones began growing & soon turned into a deep sisterhood. each week as we shared coffee together, it was evident that we all carried so many responsibilities as caretakers, homemakers, employers & employees, single parents, students, partners & wives. we needed a break together to rest & rejuvenate from the richness of our roles.
do you plan regular getaways with your tribe? do you have that group of girlfriends in need of a break & craving rest? call them up right now & plan a weekend or just a night away!
here are some ideas & tips for girlfriend retreats & getaways:
– plan in advance. it takes time to arrange childcare, take off work & plan your getaway. contact your gal pals well in advance & you’re more likely to have a successful, well-attended getaway.
– invite gals who are already connected to ensure an authentic, rich weekend. it could be women from your church, mothers from your play dates, old high school friends, or co-workers in your office.
– choose a retreat or getaway that’s affordable for everyone. we spent $50 each for gas, lodging & two meals. we kept fees low to ensure this retreat wasn’t a financial burden to anyone. have a conversation about your retreat ahead of time & agree on a budget.
– use your resources! perhaps someone has a family cabin in the woods or a lake house. use your resources to find interesting, unique & affordable retreat locations.
– mix it up. try different places for your retreats. if you stay at the beach during one retreat, plan a quiet getaway in the woods for another retreat. mixing up locations keeps the tradition fun for everyone!
– get away often. plan yearly or even seasonal retreats. with each retreat, your friendship will grow deeper & you’re sure to feel rejuvenated in your everyday roles if you frequently plan getaways.
do you get away with your tribe of gal pals? i’d love to read your experiences, tips & ideas for girlfriend getaways!
love,
natalie
i simply couldn’t do what i do without these fantastic natalie creates blog love supporters!
big high fives to this month’s small businesses & bloggers-
interested in joining in? there are some spots left for this upcoming month! just take a look here & purchase an ad today. it’s easy, inexpensive & means the world to me!
thank you!
love,
natalie
on wednesday, over at tend, i shared the progress we are making on our 1,000 sq. ft garden. it’s amazing how much goes unnoticed, in terms of growth, unless it’s captured in photograph.
here’s our garden just eight weeks ago:
here’s our garden this week:
june 18th, 2014
isn’t that so amazing? i was blown away when scrolling through instagram late one night & i came across that first photo & the date.
that’s why i love amanda soule’s practice of capturing her garden & it’s changes each week. it’s proof that the little spare moments we have between this & that to weed, water & love really do add up to something much bigger than ourselves.
i thought i’d take you on a little tour of our current garden happenings…
we’re harvesting bags full of basil for farm customers. our cucumbers have yet to grow up our trellis. that’s another project for another day, yes?
we grew some of the most beautiful cabbage this year. luke has big plans for jars of kimchi & sauerkraut. our annual flowers are doing so well. the only change i will make for next year is to plant zinnas in front of the road. they’re covered up by our giant sunflowers!
we’re slowly adding homemade tomato cages to each of our 48 tomato plants. i insisted on a garden full of tomatoes for putting up jars of homegrown goodness. our perennial flower bed is just stunning. this is truly the garden of my dreams.
here are a few of my other favorite gardens & gardeners:
– i love elise’s approach to gardening. she started with containers & has since moved up to raised beds. her approach is simple & invites others to dig in!
what are some of your favorite gardens? are you capturing the progress of your garden? please share! leave a link in the comments so we can all see!
love,
natalie