Circle of Healthy, Happy Friends

Every year, our circle of friends venture to Higgins Lake, Michigan to celebrate Labor Day weekend.  More so this year than any other, I was moved by how much we have grown over the years to become the people we are today.  While so much has changed since college, our values remain the foundation, and from that, we have each in our own right built what stands a unique individual. Even with life's changes and our individual molding, it amazes me that we still fit rather perfectly - together. 

There are without a doubt many traits that make our group of friends great.  However, during this most recent gathering, I was awestruck in our shared belief to actively pursue a healthy lifestyle.  While we each have our own definition as to what living a healthy lifestyle looks like, we seem to naturally respect each others' beliefs as it's all towards the same end goal.   Even more so, we support each other - and that support was reflected time and time again during our weekend together.

I was overcome with so many moments of pride - here we are a group of twenty-something year-olds (okay, okay, all closer to thirty) away together for "vacation", yet we all packed food and ate as if we were at a "Get My Body Back" Bootcamp Retreat.  Other than alcohol consumption, we were all pretty much clean eating saints.  Especially us girls.  Not only did we eat clean, the entire time, we moved our butts.  We got in our morning runs and made for an upper body adventure with the kayaks! Us girls made the kitchen a creative cooking studio - and with contribution from the guys - we whipped up some amazingly fresh, mouthwatering meals.   

It was the ultimate weekend away; satisfied bellies, achy muscles, loads of laughs, a little gossip, blue skies, bluer water, sun-kissed faces, and a bottle of memories to remind us just how blessed we are to have so many like-minded souls in our corner. 

Mr & Mrs. soaking in the sun's rays and enjoying the beauties of Pure Michigan.

The girls. Without any prior arrangement, we all packed food that made for the perfect combination. It was pretty impressive!

Below is just a sampling of our many tastings! Fresh was the underlying theme! 

 

Us Girls venturing out on the kayaks while the guys sailed... 

Does it get any better than this? Soaking it all in!

"It was the ultimate weekend away; satisfied bellies, achy muscles, loads of laughs, a little gossip, blue skies, bluer water, sun-kissed faces, and a bottle of memories to remind us just how blessed we are to have so many like-minded souls in our corner." -  MSF 

Keep it Clean & Enjoy the Ride,
Mrs. Skinny Fat