Downtime, Away time, Beach time

Who needs down time?  

You need down time! 

Everyone needs down time, especially women.  

We do so much for so many, that we often put ourselves last.  

Ask me how I know…

Let’s go back a few years (okay like 25 years ago) when I was a stay-at-home mom, I would arrange a day or 2 away from my hubby and kids.  

My hubby, their dad, got one-on-one time with them and I got some alone time.

Oh, yall the comments and looks I would get for…God forbid…leaving my kids with their dad.  

It really was sad that those that made the comments NEVER had any down time (I really felt sorry for them.)  

Granted I only did this maybe 2 times a year, but that was enough to keep my sanity in check.  

I always felt I was swimming upstream when it came to that kinda self care.  

But ya know what, I did what was best for me and my family.  

And no one got hurt in the process…my kids survived and so did hubby.  

Imagine that!  

That makes these down time/self care trips that much more special. 

‘Cause I’m worth it! And I know you are too!  

Now that my kids are grown, my down time trips are a bit longer with May and June being my “travel” months.  

I have my business besties trip (where we laugh and come out of our shells with confidence-building photo shoots,) a family vacation (we went to Niagara Falls this year) to my sisters/nieces/girls beach trips!

This past weekend was the latest trip…the sisters/nieces/girls beach trip.  

We ended up in Destin, FL. and OMGosh, the beach did not disappoint…even though there were shark and rip tide warnings, we were lucky to not have encountered either.

The first evening we arrived we acclimated to our surroundings and each other in close quarters.  

The next day…was beach day!  

The weather forecast was for rain most of the time, so we had to make sure we got in our beach day first.  

I was in heaven.

The next day, luckily still no rain…so we rented a pontoon boat/party barge!

What a day for a boat ride out to an island (more like a sandbar) where we anchored the boat, jumped in the water and just floated and played in the water for hours. (You know salt water is great for your skin 😉) 

To our surprise (and a pretty creative business idea) there was a lady on a small rubber pontoon boat riding around selling boiled peanuts! Yes, you read that right!

She had a cool deal, buy a t-shirt and get free boiled peanuts. Of course, it was about the t-shirts, the peanuts were a loss leader, but it sure sweetened the deal.  

Day 3…rain! 

Ahhh, but not for long. The clouds broke up, the rain moved on, we put on our swimsuits and off to the beach we went! 

Have I ever told yall how much I love the beach?  

I love walking in the sand, for the exercise and the grounding.  

I love finding just the right spot, close enough to the water that you start to sink as the water comes up under your chair.  

With my toes in the water and the sand…I’m a happy beach bummette. Yes, I practice safe sunning and slather on a good sunscreen (especially the first day, so as not to burn.)  

It’s not the sun that’s bad for you, it’s the sunburn.  

And yes, every evening I relaxed in my Bubbleaux bubble bath! 

This is a routine I don’t leave at home! I wash away the day (and the sand).  A few years back I discovered a Bubbleaux bubble bath is great for sun-parched skin. Add after-bath lotion and my skin is perfectly moisturized.

Breaking out of the daily grind or routine is good for the soul.  

Enjoy the beach, cause yall know I gotcha back covered with great moisturizing, skin loving soaps, lotions and bubble bath.  

If you are not a beach girl, that’s ok…go where your soul is nourished.