So Happy Together

Sparks of romance. Have you experienced them lately, perhaps while holding hands with your plus-one? Keeping up with life’s quick pace can zap those energy reserves in a snap, making it a challenge to keep those sparks bright! It’s so important, though, to set aside intentional time … a date night, a day trip or even a weekend to rekindle your affection and reflect on the beauty of two. Heck, even just having an uninterrupted conversation is a win! Our guest blogger, Courtney from the beautiful  Mama Bear Life is a golden soul, and I’m ever-grateful for our friendship. Courtney and her hub planned a memorable North Shore getaway earlier this spring. Here’s a snapshot of their sweet time together. Thank you, Courtney & Steve! 

In April, my husband and I took a long-overdue, weekend trip to Lutsen to celebrate our 6^th wedding anniversary. With a young daughter & busy schedules, we don’t often set aside time like this for each other & this was a much-needed adult escape.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day of our normal lives and routines – work, school, chores, cleaning. We’ve been working on our mindfulness in our every day life, and this was a great reminder to disconnect from the world and turn our focus to each other.

 As we traveled further away from the cities (and cell service), the views of the woods and the water were peaceful and calming. Plus, there was a giant snowstorm happening at home, so we were quite glad to be getting away!

When we arrived at Caribou Highlands, we were greeted by a warm, cozy retreat in condo unit 142C. Not only was it stocked with everything we could need, the views of Moose Mountain off the deck were incredible. Though we had every intention of getting outside hiking and exploring, the chilly wind and allure of the wood fireplace called to us. After enjoying a yummy dinner at Mogul’s Grille and Tap Room, we corked our bottle of wine & walked back to the condo to enjoy it snuggled up by the fire.

After a peaceful and calm wake-up (note: no 5-year-old feet or hands in my face), we headed out for some coffee & found our way to Fika – the cutest local coffee shop in Lutsen. We learned that fika is a Swedish word meaning coffee break – a moment of quiet indulgence in an otherwise hectic day. It was the perfect little reminder of enjoying the little moments of life.

In true carefree living, we headed to Duluth.

We planned to celebrate our anniversary by getting matching tattoos. This is something we’ve been talking about & found a local tattoo shop with great reviews and walk-ins available. While waiting for our turn, we braved the wind and cold for yet another cup of coffee and some breakfast at Bakehouse Duluth. This family run bakery was the perfect escape from the weather & cozy place to connect with each other – another reminder to enjoy the little moments.

When it was our turn at Anchor’s End Tattoo, we worked with a great artist who sketched up our idea: “Clann,” which is Gaelic for family, written in Ogham, ancient Irish text. I love that we will have this special reminder and memory of our trip for the rest of our lives.

Since the storm was moving in, the waves on Lake Superior were incredible to watch. We pulled the car over at one point to take it all in, and even the locals were coming out to see the impressive waves.

 

We decided on dinner at the Bluefin Grille in Tofte, since we knew that we would be right along the shore & could watch the waves.

While enjoying an anniversary dinner & bottle of wine from North Shore Winery,  we were able to soak in this special time together enjoying good food, wine and uninterrupted conversations with each other.

Our weekend away was a much-needed escape and reminder to take advantage of all the time, big or small, with your loved ones. We found ourselves talking about the next time we come and how much our daughter will enjoy all there is to see and do.

We headed home refreshed and connected & ready to take on the week ahead!

We’re quite grateful that Courtney, guest adventurer + blogger at Mama Bear Life, partnered with us to share her story in exchange for a stay at 142C.