40 Before 40: Go Skinny Dipping

 There is something so freeing about being in your birthday suit. Especially as we age, knowing that our bodies are warriors that have been on an incredible journey. While I have run around naked as a kid, as a college student living with 5 other girls {127 University say what?!}, as a mother showering with little baby bums, and even still in the privacy of my home from the laundry room to grabbing my pajamas. But I had never actually skinny dipped in a "public" setting. 

Insert a romantic getaway with my husband and our own private pool overlooking the beach. What better way to celebrate 40 years of life than returning to my original birthday suit and soaking it all in?!

40 Before 40: Wear My Honeymoon Bikini

Almost 12 years ago, I bought this teeny weeny bikini for our honeymoon. The cutest swimwear shop in San Luis Obispo on the coast of California where Sue {from Lincourt} sold me on it. 

I wore it in Fiji on our private beach with a fit body; one that hadn’t birthed 4 kids and was still in her prime of late 20s.

I’ve never been able to part with it. Maybe because I think it’s adorable. Maybe because I hoped one day I’d have the chance & courage to wear it again. 

Insert Barbados. I wore this bikini on the beach. And while my body doesn’t necessarily look the same as it did all those years ago, I definitely felt the same confidence wearing it at 39 years old as I did at 28 years old. 

 

40 Before 40: Go On a Boat Ride

Boat rides have been a favorite pastime of mine ever since I was a kid. My grandparents had yachts~ where we’d cruise the Ohio and pretend like we lived on it. Sometimes we even had sleepovers docked at bay. 

My parents had speech boats~ Cigarettes to be exact. We’d race on the river with the wind blowing our hair all over while getting what I deemed a free face lift. 

It had been a few years since the sun & salty waters had blessed my life as the thrill of a speeding boat rocked the waves underneath. So when we made our trip to Barbados, a boat ride {or two} was in order. 

We set sail on a snorkeling excursion to swim with sea turtles & the exotic fish. We even had a chance to see an ancient ship wreck still soundly in the sand. 

At our resort, we sailed out on a Hobie Cat with our guide. Sun on our skin. Sand in our toes. Salty breeze taking us away. 

 

40 Before 40: Visit One New Country

Barbados~ an eastern Caribbean island and an independent British Commonwealth nation. Bridgetown, the capital, is a cruise-ship port with colonial buildings and Nidhe Israel, a synagogue founded in 1654. Around the island are beaches, botanical gardens, the Harrison’s Cave formation, and 17th-century plantation houses like St. Nicholas Abbey. Local traditions include afternoon tea and cricket, the national sport.

Barbados is as charming as it is tropical. It was the perfect new country to visit, especially in the middle of January where winter blues it hard in our house. We were greeted by a sophisticated driver sporting a Rolls Royce {childhood memories rushing back} and then whisked away to our resort. Perfection at every turn. Romance all around us. The beach. The flavorful food. The music & entertainment. The company. 

A truly unforgettable week with my husband, visiting a new country & making memories to last a lifetime.

 

40 Before 40: Have a YES Day with My Kids

So much of my parenting time is spent saying NO! It often feels like that is all I say most days & nights. So it was only fitting that I work on having a full day of YES! We split it up into girls morning & boys afternoon. This way it wasn't overwhelming or as costly {wink wink}. I had the kids write down some ideas prior to the day so that they had time to think about it.

Adelaide chose "Target toys", talking about getting a new dog, & Chipotle for lunch. Salem chose "Target toys", Defy, & ice cream for dessert. Brighton chose "Target toys", getting a UK jersey, & Great American Cookie Co for dessert before dinner. Aspen chose "Target toys", Dominoes pizza with Cherry Coke, a Dunkin Donut dessert & games at the Main Event. 

It was truly a treasure to be able to say YES and be the fun mom/parent for a day!