Beach time!

Road trip! I spent this past weekend in Pensacola, Florida, visiting my sister, Rachael. SUCH FUN! I miss being close to a large body of water. We grew up on Lake Michigan, and it was amazing being only a mile from it at all times. Whenever I was troubled or upset, I'd go sit on the beach and enjoy the solitude and silence. 

I once read somewhere that populations of people that live closer to a large body of water have lower rates of depression and suicide. I know it always helps me clear my mind of my troubles when I sit on the shore and listen to the waves. It sorts out the jumbled mess in my head and I feel a million times better. I really need to move to a beach community again!

These past few weeks I've been in a funk in Augusta, just little things bothering me and eating me up inside. I tend to dwell on silly things and then I get stuck in a strange mood. I know a lot of it has to do with not being near family. They can always yell at me and say "snap out of it". This trip was exactly what I needed. I was so peaceful during my drive home. Clear head. Ready to get back to design and sewing. 

Enjoy a few pictures from our day at the beach:

 Beautiful white sand. 85 degrees.

 My buff hot sister. I'm jealous. She makes me feel so out of shape ha.

All that PTing with her students at Correy Station. She's a tough lady.

Isn't she gorgeous?!

Employees of BP. Cleaning up the little bit of oil on the beach. When I was picking up seashells on the shore, I thought I saw a brownish shell. I pick it up and immediately dropped it. At first, I thought it was dog shit. Then I realized it was all oily on my hands and smelt of tar. The only little bits of oil on the beach from the massive oil spill look like little rocks. It's sand mixed with chunks of oil. I went and talked to these workers to see what they were finding. 

 On the phone with my bestest friend, Kirsten. She was visiting Chicago. 

We both had adventurous weekends. I miss her!

 Men: please don't wear these kinds of swim trunks. 

They are terrible looking. ABOVE THE KNEE please!

 Rachael looking awesome in my $1 Goodwill straw hat.

I stole her black straw hat. It barely fit my huge head haha.

I want a boat like this! But I'd paint it peachy pink haha.

A bathing suit I bought for $1 at a local thrift sale that benefited rescued Daschunds. It was a little big but I love one-piece suits! It definitely needs some altering. After I went swimming the suit was really droopy and baggy. I had a baggy bottom; it was silly. 

Since most women, including myself, have a little tummy, one pieces generally hide them pretty well. This suit, a tad too big and very thick material, completely accentuated my tummy, making me look bigger than I really was.  Rachael kept telling me to suck it in when she was taking photos. We had a good laugh.

Regardless of diet or exercise, it's impossible to have a perfect, flat stomach. As women, we have higher fat percentages and it's completely okay to have a little fat and meat on our bones. I hate women that think a perfect body is big boobs, six pack, and super skinny. I spent years thinking the skinnier the better. I was so unhealthy, and my bones were always showing. 120 lbs at 5'8" is not healthy. As I get older, and my body fat gets higher (it may be all the southern cooking!), I am loving the curves!

The sun was so bright. Without sunglasses on, it was very difficult to keep our eyes open during pictures.

 Pretty Rachael. I'm so glad I went to visit her!