At the Orange Grove

A few weekends back our little family of three took some time to ourselves and drove about 20 minutes out to Clermont!  Ever since we moved to Florida, I had been dying to get out to an orange grove and pick my own oranges!  A friend of mine told me about this spot called the Showcase of Citrus where you can ride a monster truck bus (Linc’s favorite) and take a tour of the groves, have a creamsicle slusie and then walk through the different groves and pick your own lemons, oranges and citrus galore!

We spent the morning at Linc’s soccer game and then headed out after a Panera lunch for some special quality family time!  I’ve also been teaching Tuck how to use the camera which is something he was never interested in back in vb!  He’s amazing at landscapes and objects but people and portraits was never something he’s been interested in.  It was nice to just take our time and spend the day as a family.  It was also nice to share something I’m so passionate about with my husband!

There was a lot of walking involved which we all loved! Well, maybe not all of us… Linc was pretty tired and whiny after the soccer game to be honest!  I just loved being outside and the day was kind of perfect in Florida… not too hot and a bit breezy!  The property was amazing and I was already planning out all the session possibilities!  How amazing would a family session be here ya’ll?!  Anyone want to schedule a session in the orange grove?!

One thing that I have cherished since moving here to Florida is the amount of quality time we have been spending together as a family!  I can’t quite put my finger on why it’s so different, but we intentionally spend more time together as a family with purposeful intention.  When we are together we put our phones away.  We make sure that we are having meaningful conversations!  We talk to Linc more about his day and ask him more questions.  Tuck and I talk more too and not just about Linc but about things that matter to us!  We aren’t sitting in the house anymore either and I’m sure the weather has a bit to do with that!

Before (and it’s not just a location thing, I can’t blame it on where we lived, it was the people we were) we weren’t spending great time together.  We weren’t intentional and we weren’t having quality time.  We were on our phones constantly.  We were talking to each other or talking with Linc but we weren’t actually hearing each other.  We may have been listening but we weren’t truly hearing him or paying attention.  Tuck and I would hang out, but it was more like two people being in the same room together and nothing more.  We were often acting like roommates instead of truly being connected as husband and wife.

We also went out and did stuff together on the weekends but it was merely to say we were going and doing.  How often do we do that in this world today?!  I think a lot of people live life this way, rushing around but not really participating?  I mean… we were!  I didn’t really notice it until one day, I just did!  I don’t really know what flipped the switch on!  I”m thankful that it did!

From that moment though I realized we needed to make a change~!  No more phones at dinner especially when during the week we don’t often get a chance to eat dinner all together that often!  During the weekend, we need to spend time together as a family without anyone else competing for that time, especially someone that’s not even present like social media!  Social media is amazing!  I adore it and it has it’s place!  I’m a small business owner so trust me when I say I LOVE me some social media!  But I try to keep it during the week or maybe even first thing when I wake up on the weekend if I must.  Tuck and I try to come up with a plan each month that will work for the family and then we adjust as we need.

This is just works for us and what works for us today.  Who knows… it might change tomorrow!  For right now, we are just enjoying our time together and we especially enjoyed our orange grove… all three of us!

Linc decided he needed to ride on daddy’s shoulders so he could make it about two feet down the road… to the lemons!

Then our little monkey came alive!!!

From Tuck’s perspective… can you spy a monkey in the tree???

mmm I love the smell of citrus!

We kept walking… and walking, and we found this incredible bus!!  I wanted to get closer but the boys were getting over it!!!  hahaha

Seriously… this is real ya’ll!  I couldn’t believe it… it’s a meyer lemon the size of Linc’s head!!!  I’m making lemonade with it today!  I’m seriously excited about this!!!  EKKK!!!  Anyone have any good recipes to share?!

and because you know… life is just funny!

Hope you all are having a wonderful week so far! Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the middle of the “things” we need to do!  We need to do all the things and make sure we get them all done just so.  But those things, well they just pile up and continue to grow and grow!  We need to make time for ourselves and do the things that fill US up!

We need to intentionally be engaged in the things and the people especially that bring us back to who we are and ground us!  Remember that those “things” they don’t come with us.  They aren’t our legacy and they never will be.  People will remember what you did… maybe.  People will always remember who you were and the impact you made on their lives.  So maybe sit down and really think about that!  Sit down and think about the quality time you have with people and what that looks like.  Take time for YOU and only you and think about what fills you up and brings YOU JOY!

Carve out time for that during the week and make it time that is free of any and all distraction!  If it’s family:  dedicate it just to your family… free of the phone and any other distractions!  If it’s time by yourself (because I’m with ya friend) take a half hour just for YOU and do something that you love and be free of guilt!!!

Try it out for a week… then two and then maybe a month!!

I promise… you will feel better, be more productive, happier and lighter!!!

xoxo