We leave this week for our annual family trip to Maine, and I can’t wait! I’ve gotten so much better at really taking time “off” over the years, and making sure I have things (and people!) in place to help me actually have a vacation. That time is so important for us as a family, obviously, but I’ve also realized how important the time is for me as a person and also as an entrepreneur! Being offline and (mostly) off of my phone really helps me tap back into myself creatively and to re-energize myself for the work that I do. When a majority of your work is literally sharing of yourself, it’s almost impossible to pour from an empty cup. And if you’re depleted, your content is boring and void of joy. Or at least that’s what I think!

I’ve shared so much about why Maine is important to us as a family in past blog posts, but this trip gets more and more special every year. Watching the kids grow up and make memories at the same property I grew up going to, and hearing their growing excitement year upon year to return– that is as close to a perfect full circle moment for me as I ever could have hoped for as a parent. I’m SO excited that Mateo is (I think!) finally old enough to really, truly be along for all the fun this year. I can’t wait to bring him on some hikes…and probably not have to carry him the entire way back.

I’m packing up a storm this week, so I thought I would share a bit of what we are bringing with us! We have a washer dryer at the house, so I try not to overpack. We also drive the 7.5 hours in our minivan, so space is limited! Check out these picks below– I’ve shared a bunch of my favorites below in a few categories, but go check out the full shelf LINKED HERE of everything I packed for myself and the kids!

Photographs by Julia Dags | Copyright © 2024 Happily Eva After, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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