I can’t believe we only have one week left in our vacation! Tomorrow we are off to Athens for a few days. I can’t wait to eat some Greek food.

In the meantime, please welcome Mandy from Knowing the Difference. Mandy writes some of the most beautiful and thoughtful posts in my reader!

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While Amber is off on her dream vacation gallivanting around Europe, I find myself thinking about my dream vacation.

Growing up my family took annual summer vacations to fun locations that were jam packed from the moment we woke up until long past our bedtime. We took vacations to the beach that included side trips to historical places. A Disney World trip also included a trip to the Kennedy Space Center so we would have a little bit of education thrown in too. There were summers spent traipsing around Gettysburg, Williamsburg and Washington DC. When I wanted to sleep in, an alarm went off early. When I wanted a nap, there was someplace to be. When I wanted to sit and read, we were on the move. While these vacations were always fun, they were tiring and I often returned home feeling like I needed a vacation from my vacation.

Regardless of what our summer vacations entailed, my family always managed to rent a house on a remote, largely unpopulated island in the middle of Lake Erie. It was during these trips that I could completely relax and unwind. The island boasts one restaurant and one grocery store that is stocked once a week with items from the mainland. Golf carts and bikes are the main modes of transportation and the island is only accessible by a ferry. It’s the sort of place you can rise early in the morning with the sun, sipping coffee while sitting on the edge of the lake watching the sun rise as Canadian geese fly off into the horizon. With nowhere to go and nothing pressing to do, one is free to read all day, go fishing off the dock, or simply nap in the hammock. After the sun seemingly sinks into the lake, a bonfire quickly follows and burns into the wee hours of the night. Then the day is capped off by lying on your back watching for shooting stars only to go to bed to repeat the whole thing over again the next day. The gentle waves lapping against the shore provide a soothing soundtrack for the time. It’s absolutely glorious.

When I think about my dream vacation, my thoughts always return to island. It’s always the most relaxing time where I can just decompress and just be. Of course it’s always nice to visit new places, see new sights, and experience new adventures but when I want a vacation, I simply want to relax and enjoy my time doing as little as possible, just restoring the natural balance of my life.

What about you? What does your dream vacation entail?

We should be in Cinque Terre, Italy today (the part of the trip I was most looking forward to!) In the meantime, please welcome Lauren from Sassy Molassy for a guest post! I’ve been reading Lauren’s blog for a lonnggg time now and this fall I get to meet her when I run the Portland Marathon. I can’t wait!

Oh, and I miss you lovelies! XO

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I’m positive Amber and Eric are having a fabulous time venturing through Europe right now. Just a year ago I boarded a plane for my first European vacation with a great friend from high school. Now days, I dream of going back and hopefully timing it to watch a little of the Tour de France (in person).

But on to timelines…Do you have one? A clear (or fuzzy) timeline for your career, relationship, personal growth? As you may guess, I most definitely have a timeline or two.

Career: I’d prefer to have found my DREAM JOB, say yesterday. But since that’s really not practical, I need to get my rear moving toward something that professionally excites me. And I want that career all figured out by the time I making real decisions like children, home purchasing and such. Do you believe your career is just something that pays the bills or something that defines you?

Relationship/Family: You know when you were little and you thought you’d be married by 23 or so and with kids shortly after (or maybe I’m the only one)? Well, now days my family timeline is to have my first child by age 30. I’m 27. Working backwards, that means I need to get engaged, married and knocked up in just a few short years. No pressure, eh?

As I inch closer to this perceived deadline, I realize it doesn’t REALLY matter what number I am (as long as it’s before that ticking clock stops). Just knowing that it will happen in due time should be good enough, but still I pester the manfriend about said timeline.

Personally: This is the area I don’t really have a set timeline for because I know personal growth is something that is never just accomplished. done. move on. We can only become our best selves if we’re constantly working to discover who that is and what she/he looks like.

I know that when I go to my bootcamp class, the instructors small comments about remaining in the present and letting go of all that negative sh*t really inspire me and feed that part of me that knows I really need to push myself harder in this arena. What in your daily life makes you want to push yourself outside your comfort boundary?

What are your career deadlines? Relationship/family? Personal deadlines? Have you already achieved one or more of them? If so, how did you do it?

Too many questions, I know. Feel free to pick one and answer. I’m interested in your feedback!

Hi lovelies! How are you? We arrive in Paris today!!

In honour of that, I’ve asked Lisa from Lisas Yarns (one of my favourite bloggers and close friends) to do a guest post on the time she studied abroad and spent three weeks in Paris! Enjoy! Looking at these photos before leaving on my trip made me SO excited!!!

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If you read my blog, there is one thing that is fairly obvious.

I am head over heels in love with Paris.

In the summer of 2008, I was accepted into a 2 week MBA course hosted by the Universite de Lyon. I knew it was going to be a super intense program so I decided to fly in early and spend a week in Paris.

Best. Decision. Ever.

My friends and family often ask why I fell so hard for this magnificent city. After all, there are plenty of travelers who are ambivalent about the city or might even say they hate it! (gasp!)

So why did I fall in love? Partially, I think I fell in love because Paris came into my life at the right time. I had spent the spring prior to this trip nursing a pretty massive heart ache. The clouds were finally parting when I departed for this trip. My heart was slowly opening up; I was ready for love. And boy did I fall hard for Paris!

I can gush on and on about my time in Paris, but I think my love affair is best shown with pictures….

In Paris, I…

Gazed up the Champs-Elysees at the Arc de Triomphe

Saw the Eiffel Tower up close…

And from a far. Isn’t she a beauty all lit up?!?

Started each day with the perfect breakfast: pain au chocolat and fresh orange juice (thank God I didn’t know I couldn’t have gluten back then!!)

And ended each day with a delicious nutella and banana crepe (again, so glad I wasn’t gluten free back then!)

Wandered aimlessly along the Seine, falling in love with the many bridges.

Rested my tired feet in the Place des Vosges

Admired the beautiful stain glass windows of La Sainte-Chapelle

And returned to that very same church for a classical music concert.

Le sigh.

Now do you understand why I love Paris? We’ve been apart for nearly 2 years – I am definitely ready for a rendezvous.

Have you been to Paris? If so, did you fall for the city like I did? Why or why not? If you have not been to Paris, is it a city you would like to visit?