The Joy of Summer

What I've enjoyed the most this summer is definitely going to the beach and getting to spend a lot of time with family.

The Lovebirds, Mom&Dad.

Having my family from Norway and Finland come visit us was a lot of fun. Of course we also had a couple of arguments, that's inevitable when you have family come stay with you for two weeks in a row. But I don't find arguments to be a bad thing, as long as you solve them in the end. Arguments teach us things about ourselves. Each one of us learns where we still have room for personal growth. Nothing helps us grow and mature as much as human relationships do. Relationships are difficult because they challenge us to become better people every year.

Once I heard a pastor say: "God sees that we need to grow so he gives us a husband/wife. If that's not enough he gives us a baby, and if that's not enough he gives us one more baby." LOL. Yep, few things will make you grow more spiritually and mentally than close human relationships. :)

Another thing I'm enjoying this summer is the beautiful gifts we got for our Renewal of Vows. My stepson gave us a nice candle and my brother and his girlfriend gave us some encouragement to hang on the wall. "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain." So true! :)

My summer obsession: Watermelon lemonade. I can't get enough of this drink!

One of my favorite summer memories: Spending many hours in the sun with family at Cobourg Beach.

The Summer bummer:

Nr. 1) The bugs. There's way too many bugs everywhere in August! Every time I try to relax outdoors the bees chase me out of my own backyard! I'm so happy that they have a very short lifespan.

Nr. 2) The rain. This summer has been much more rainy than the average Canadian summer. One minute you're enjoying a nice day at the beach and the next moment dark clouds roll in and you're forced to run towards the parking lot as the rain starts pouring down. When my Scandinavian family came to visit we went to Wasaga Beach and got about one hour of nice weather before we had to run to the car. The upside of a rainy summer is that you appreciate the warm and sunny days even more. When it's weekend and happens to be sunny you scratch all your plans, pack the car full of beach toys and head to the beach. It's called "summer priorities".

The rainy spring and summer has also led to Lake Ontario being flooded. The waterfront of Lake Ontario looks quite messy at certain places.

The Workout

It's been rainy all week long but yesterday the sun came back out. I needed to walk to my Women Connect meeting in the morning so I was very happy about the perfect timing for this beautiful sunny day. After Women's Connect I decided to do a biking workout because days like these don't happen all the time, it's best to make the most out of them when they arrive. It was +24 degrees outside yesterday and clear blue skies, beautiful weather for a 60 min bike ride.

I went biking along the lakefront of Lake Ontario as usual, it's my very own "Day Spa".

Halfway through my workout I stopped to rest and drink lots of water on the beach. I also read one of the devotions in "A Fresh Infusion of Joy" by Sheila Walsh.

As it was time to head back home I felt very grateful for this enjoyable workout. Today my legs are soar so it seems like the workout served it's purpose, it gave me new physical strength and I got an opportunity to relax my mind and enjoy the nature around me. Today it's rainy and colder outside again so I'm glad I took the opportunity to enjoy the day yesterday.

A Day Trip to Cobourg

On Sunday we took a day trip to Cobourg, ON. I love visiting this cozy small town in Southern Ontario.

Cobourg has a nice sandy beach, the perfect place to enjoy an evening swim on a hot day.

Cobourg also has many nice little restaurants and cafes like this colorful place where you can enjoy some ice cream.

The town is built on the shores of Lake Ontario and has a big marina.

Summer is the perfect time to take little trips to different small towns, many towns that are asleep during winter come to life in the summer.

Back to Healthy Eating

All the kids are back in school and I'm back to healthy eating. I love having seasons during the year when I enjoy more treats than usual, after a season like that I usually start craving healthy foods again. This approach keeps me from getting bored with healthy eating.

During summer I treated myself to ice cream for dessert many days per week and burgers and hotdogs for dinner. I also enjoyed healthier foods during summer, but only when I felt like it. I naturally eat more salads for lunch during the summer months because we grow our own vegetables both in Canada and at the cottage in Finland.

My favorite workout during the month of September is to take a long bike ride in a beautiful natural setting. Biking is more than exercise to me, it's like meditation at the same time whenever I get the chance to take a bike ride along Lake Ontario. That's life quality to me!

The Lake

 

 

Lake Ontario is one of my favorite things about Toronto. I grew up on an island so I crave spending time by the water year round. In the summer the lakefront is more beautiful than ever, it becomes my oasis. The great lakes add so much livability to all of Ontario. It's easy to forget that you don't live at the coast of Canada when you are able to enjoy so many beaches and lakes here in Ontario.

The Day Spa

 

 

The lakefront is my Day Spa during the spring. After many long and cold months I'm fully enjoying the warmer weather that allows me to hang out by the lake for hours. This weekend we spent our Sunday afternoon hanging out on the beautiful lakefront with family. Few things are as relaxing as strolling through the park and sitting by the water listening to the waves rolling in and the birds singing. Lake Ontario is one of my favorite things about Toronto!