Happy New Year!

   Wow I can't believe it is 2017 already! This year literally flew by for me. I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe new year.
   This past weekend was a big jump for me out of my comfort zone. I have been struggling with anxiety for about 6-7 years now and over time it has gotten worse. As I got older it just got worse. Yet many people do not know I struggle with anxiety or even the type of anxiety I have. Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. My type of anxiety may seem stupid to others but to me it is very real. It is hard living with this and I try to push myself has hard as I can sometimes.

   For me this weekend was a step. I went camping for 2 days at Itchetucknee Springs. Not only did I go camping but slept in a tent with little to no bathroom for 2 days. To me that just screams nightmare or even worse hell. I have always had a fear of not having a bathroom around me or in other ways (not having an out). Yes it sounds dumb and I know it is but it is a very real fear that I suffer from personally. Yet this weekend I actually had so much fun with my fiancé, family and great friends that made it worth it. Not to mention I had the best equipment there is and very smart friends who bring everything ahah.

   Props to Ozark Trail for making hotel like tents! First night was 29 degrees and was absolutely miserable (because I hate the cold) but the second night was about 50 degrees and much nicer. I have not been camping in about 18 years so this was like a whole new experience to me but with the help of everyone there it was good!

   The first day there my cousins and I got to the camp site about around 7:30 PM which kind of stunk because we could not see anything. Not to mention the back woods roads we had to go down. But the guys had everything already set and ready for us to relax and enjoy. That night we sat around a warm fire and just talked and shared stories with each other. As the temperature started to drop I started to freak. For me my body seems to not handle cold well. Anything under 70 degrees and I am miserable and cold. I am not a pants and long sleeves girl what so ever. Yet again because of my amazing fiancé he comforted me and I made it through the night. Frozen but I made it through.

  The following morning we woke up and had breakfast. My cousins husband made eggs, bacon and pancakes. As the temperature for the day started to rise we all agreed me wanted to go down the Itchetucknee river and just relax. My fiancé and I opted for a canoe since I love them and everyone else enjoyed the freedom in their own kayaks. When I say it was one of the most relaxing things I have ever done I promise you it was. Just going down the river with the flow of the water and seeing all different types of nature was simply breathtaking.

 

   I apologize for the sleepless/makeupless face, I mean hey we are camping lol. It took us around 2 1/2 hours to go down the river. Some of the best few hours of my life! I may be a primadonna at times but nature just soothes my soul and makes me not have a care in the world. Once we got back to the camp site we sat around and just enjoyed each others company while chowing down on no other than the best! Publix subs! I mean come on if you live in Florida you have to love publix just like everyone else.  After we ate I set up my hammock and just relaxed.
 

Again props to Grand Trunk for making such a great hammock! Most comfortable hammock to hangout on while camping! My cousins husband even took a nice little nap in it! 

As the dark started to settle in the camp ground informed us they would be having a large bonfire with the whole campsite as well as a raffle. A 60/40. Of course we decided to go and have some fun. And of course with my bad luck of never winning anything, my fiancé and I left empty handed. While a good friend won the second prize which was 40% of the earnings and my cousin and her husband won the third prize which was from the owners and ended up being a free two night stay at the camp ground. Yet we didn't win I was happy to see some of the greatest people I know win! And it was still a fun time by the fire.

After the raffle we headed back to the camp site and hung around till 12. For us that was a struggle, considering we are all a bunch of old people and love to be in bed by 10 lol. Yet we had a camp site a few over do a few fire works which was nice to see.

A very different way to bring in the new year but it was one for the books! As well as a step in the right direction for me to kick anxiety in the butt!!

Sorry for rambling on about my weekend but I mean hey this is my blog right? :)

Feel free to check out some products we used to make this camping trip amazing!

Hammock: http://www.backcountry.com/grand-trunk-ultralight-hammock

Tent: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Trail-8-Person-2-Room-Instant-Cabin-Tent/42120623

Campground: http://www.ichetuckneespringscampground.com/