There is something lovely to be found in each season; summer makes me want to go out and enjoy the sunshine in any way I can, fall is an exciting transition where all I want to think about are the holidays, winter is a good time to cozy up; but now that we are starting to peek into spring, I am wishing it was fully here. I am loving sun, warmth and am very much anticipating cheerier weather. This transitional time of year can be challenging, and that is why my family always tries to plan a vacation for the end of January- it gives us that exciting piece that may normally be missing from this time of year.

We stayed in Maui, Hawaii, and I am so thankful that I was able to go and experience such a beautiful place. I have to say that I absolutely love flight and travel (apart from the whole occasional turbulence thing…) but other than that I am in complete heaven whilst traveling to an exotic and fun place. I will do a separate post on the trip, but for right now I will just say that the location was insanely gorgeous and we were definitely blessed with consistently spectacular weather- thank you mother nature.

I have been to Maui several times and each time have never been brave enough to go snorkeling or truly swimming in the ocean. This time, however, I was able to step out of my comfort zone and give myself a pat on the back. Even though travel has always been huge to me, in the last few years I’ve realized how much I really want to enjoy the culture and take the most from each location I am able to visit. I believe I stand with the majority when I say that I find the ocean a bit scary and intimidating. Being suddenly submerged in the unknown, I find myself in a state of ambivalence because on one hand anything daunting can be beneath you and the intimidation can make the shore sound very inviting- on the other hand, beauty and adventure can be at your fingertips and sometimes it just takes a leap of faith to explore.

I will say that if the ocean does not strike your fancy, of course you shouldn’t feel obligated to dive in. For me it was always something that I didn’t do purely because I was scared. When I can look at a situation and determine that the fear is the component stopping me- that’s when I like to see what I’m made of (within reason, of course). This was a time for change. I grabbed a boogie board and just went for it. It helped that to my left I could see 10 year old children swimming about… that’s when I realized it probably wasn’t as big of a deal as I felt it was. But anyway, I faced my fear and swam out. I can’t say I saw anything too groundbreaking, after all it was more just floating around out there keeping an eye on the waves than an actual sight-seeing excursion.

It was a lot of fun though, and I’m really glad I took the plunge. Attempting to ride in the waves was hilarious. I in no way looked like a professional, there was not much technique that I displayed- it was more just hugging the board and squeezing my eyes tight for the anticipated action. I now have my fair share of entertaining videos! But for this day, I enjoyed playing in the surf, relaxing in the sand, enjoying the ocean breezes and taking in some much needed vitamin D.

For these days, the perfect swimsuit is definitely needed. I love this baby blue one piece that brought color in a subtle way. I have to say however, when I ordered it, it didn’t look quite so low cut and I was debating not wearing it… but I loved it, and I think it’s a beautiful piece. I normally just go with a simple two piece, but this time I decided to stick with my vacation theme and step out of my comfort zone. I must say, it put a different spin on the ‘typical shoot”. I certainly had a ton of fun playing around on the beach this day, but it’s always important to choose swimwear that is comfortable and makes you feel confident.

Through experiencing new waters, I learned that I can do things I didn’t think would ever be for me. I suppose trying new things really can pay off- after all, I did have a lot of fun pretending I was a mermaid. And as the wise quote says, “life begins at the end of your comfort zone” and that is something I am trying to remind myself daily.

xx Hailey

























OUTFIT:

SWIMSUIT: Out From Under Plunging V Printed One-Piece Swimsuit

The view from the top!


We found these gorgeous flowers a little off the path, and I had to take a picture!


A local vineyard that we passed on our way up.







Yesterday morning, my sister and I decided to go on a hike to what is called "Table Rock". It's basically a giant foothill with a plateau on the top of it which is perfect for looking out at the entire valley after your hike. It's an unbelievable view, and a pretty motivating reward I would say! Knowing what's waiting for us at the end of the workout generally helps us make it the whole way- it's a pretty long hike! The whole hike goes through the brush and wildflowers native to Idaho, and sometimes we even see animals like sparrowhawks or wild rabbits. It's a bit of a drive, and quite a walk, but it's always worth it.

Especially in the summer, we like to go before the sun rises over the hill so that we will be shaded on our way up. This requires getting up at about 5:45 and getting there around 6:30. Although I'm not particularly fond of the 'getting up' part, I love being there at early dawn because everything looks so calm and quiet. When we made it about 1/4 of the way up, we saw a young buck still with velvet on his antlers! He actually climbed up onto a hill right near us, and then went down the other side into some brush. It's SO cool to start off my day by seeing such incredible bits of nature. Luckily all the animals we tend to see are mostly small ones that aren't violent, like bunnies or deer; otherwise I probably wouldn't think it was so cool.

Exercising outside is my favorite way to get active, it makes me feel so much better when I can see whats around me, and appreciate the natural beauty! I love early morning- it's probably my favorite time of day. Being up when the everything is so quiet and I know that there are so many possibilities for the day to come always excites me. Combine those two things, and for me it's the perfect morning excursion :)

What are your guys' favorite ways to get outdoors? Leave your best stories in the comments and remember to follow me here!