Palatka Camping

For Christmas, Hamilton and I decided we would take my mom and nephews camping. So we came up with a date and decided we would go for the first 3 day weekend in January! It was such an awesome trip. Plus Ham's sister ended up coming too and that was so fun!

We went camping at Rodman Campground and it was the most beautiful campsite I have been to yet. I think it's my favorite because it isn't as cleared out as other sites. There are so many trees and still some pretty thick brush everywhere, which makes the sites pretty closed off from everyone else's, which is pretty nice when camping with a dog.

I honestly don't like to have a solid plan when I'm camping. I usually just do some research on the area and pick out a couple things that I MUST do! So for this trip, I found Ravine Gardens State Park. That was the only state park really close to us, and the pictures were absolutely beautiful! So the first full day, that's where we went. Once we had been back at the site for awhile and rested a little, we drove down the street where our campsite was and I was in awe with what we found! As we drove down, there was a huge river, or lake or some sort of body of water. The shore was just all dead trees, and we could tell they had been there for a long time. It made for some awesome pictures, plus it was so gorgeous. We climbed way out onto the trees, and I was amazed at how thick the trees were! I would like to know where they came from. A little further down the road was a dam. It wasn't huge, but it was the biggest one I've seen!

The next day we just drove down SR 19, which goes through the entire Ocala National Forest. We just looked for hiking trails or random dirt roads to drive down. We found a couple, and they were some of the prettiest trails I've ever seen!

I am so grateful that we are able to take these trips and have the flexibility to take off work. I love hiking these trails and sleeping in the woods, especially in my hammock (which is WAY more comfy than I thought it would be!). And an added bonus is that the food always tastes better when your camping!


xoxo, Jacquelyn

Read More

14 Things

So I totally spaced last week and didn't write a blog post for either of my blogs...whoops!
Back to my plan of posting 10 things a week I'm thankful for! I added a few to this post though to kinda make up for the lack of a post last week.

1. State Parks and forests. I am so grateful for these beautiful places that are protected from us ruining them. I have it on my bucket list to visit each state park in Florida, and I will say that I'm doing pretty well so far.

 2. All the fishing memories I have with my family. They are some of the best memories I have, and I always hold them close and think about them often.

 3. I am incredibly grateful for the country I live in and for all those who have fought for my freedom. I am guilty of taking those simple freedoms for granted. I have such great respect for our veterans because I am way too scared to do any of the stuff they do.

 4. High school. I am not one of those people who loved high school. I did have a good time and I did meet some wonderful people. I am grateful for all the lessons I learned and for the things that I was taught both by teachers and by the choices I made.

 5. Call me whatever you want, but I am grateful for Disney! I love it there and cant help but feel happy there! I have had some awesome memories with friends and family. I've spend Thanksgiving here and lots of other days too. I would still love to be a princess or fairy at some point in my life haha.

 6. The creatures in the ocean. I feel at peace when I am close to the ocean. I love the sounds it makes and I love to watch the waves. My favorite is snorkeling around and seeing all the creatures. Dolphins, manatees, sharks, turtles, lionfish, eels, crabs, and tons of other creatures! I love them all and swimming with them is like home to me.

 7. Donuts. Do I really need to elaborate on this one?

 8. Concerts. Since Hamilton and I have been together we've been to several music festivals and concerts and I have really been missing out. I have the next concert planned and I can't wait. I feel so alive and inspired whenever I go.

 9. Architecture. I love having beautiful and intricate things to look at. It makes me think and it makes me want to explore more cities and towns.

 10. Dancing. Hamilton has taught me to love dancing in a new way. I have always loved ballet, and my dad would always dance around the house. But Hamilton LOVES to dance, if he could go out and dance every night, he would. He loves to spin me around like a top, and I have really grown to love it so much. I am so grateful that he has taught me to enjoy such small and simple things.

11. Where we live. We live in a tiny little duplex. We rent from my aunt, but I really love it. I love making the space our own and adding our own personality to it. I am so grateful everyday that I have a roof over my head, and a comfy bed to sleep in.

 12. I am grateful for the colors of the sky during sunsets and sunrises. I don't think you can find anything more beautiful than the colors that occur during them.

13. I love to watch the storm clouds roll in. I really just love storms. They make me want to curl up with my favorite movie and a cup of soup. I just love the smell of rain and the sound of storms, it is so relaxing to me.

14. The Earth. I am so grateful for all the opportunities I've had to travel all over the world. Every time I watch the stars or look over a mountain I am reminded of how small I am. There is a great big world out there waiting to be explored.


xoxo, Jacquelyn

Read More

Giving Thanks

10 things I'm grateful for. There are so many more than that, but I figured the beginning of each week during November I would share 3 things I am thankful for. I know I already missed a week, but better late than never. 

Thanksgiving is such a good reminder of the things we have in our lives. I have had some struggles this year but that doesn't mean that I'm not grateful for so much. My life is full and I have so many amazing people surrounding me.

 1. I am grateful for sunsets and the ocean. I love spending my days on the boat fishing, snorkeling,  or just swimming.

2. My fur babies. I love them all so much! The white and grey kitty is Kate Wiskerton and the multi colored kitty is Hermione and our dog is Bowzer. They fill our home with joy and lots of laughter. There is definitely never a dull moment with them.

3. My best girl friends. I love them so much. They make my life whole and add so much joy to every life experience I have. I am so grateful for each and every one of these ladies. They are always there when I need them most.

 4. Whale sharks! They are my favorite animal EVER! And I was lucky enough to go to the Atlanta Georgia Aquarium to see them up close and personal. The next step is going to Mexico to swim with them.

5. My parents. I am so extremely grateful for my parents. They have given me a wonderful life. I was blessed enough to be able to travel with them and be homeschool up until 7th grade, which allowed me to spend my days on the boat fishing with my dad. I hold those memories near and dear to my heart. They are also the best examples. My mom is currently in nursing school and I couldn't be more proud of her. 

6. My in-laws. I am so happy to have another set of parents and so many more sisters and brothers! I love them all so much and they all mean the world to me. Hamilton's mom and dad are my parents too and it is so amazing to have in-laws that I am close with.

 7. My nieces and nephews. They are growing up way too fast! I remember when they were all born. It is really not okay how fast they are growing up! They are so smart and so loving. They are the best and funniest bunch of kiddos ever.

8. I am so grateful for my calling. I am the young women's 2nd counselor in my ward. I love those girls so much already and I hope that I can teach them as much as I know they will teach me.

9. I am grateful for the gospel. I am grateful for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am so grateful for the temple and that I am able to go there with my husband and friends. It means so much to me to have a place to go where I feel safe and at home. I love having the knowledge that my Heavenly Father is always watching over me and helping me along the way (way more than I will ever know).

10. My husband. Hamilton Aaron Birkeland. I am so grateful for him and all he does for me. He is kind and patient and all the things I need to work on. He is an example to me each and every day. I love him more each day and can't wait to see what the future holds for us.


Tell me what you're grateful for! This month is all about being thankful and grateful. Pass it along and share what you're grateful for.


xoxo, Jacquelyn

Read More

currently...

currently - supposed to be writing my humanities essay/project. that just doesn't seem like it's going to happen anytime soon. when's it due? tomorrow in class. will i have time to finish it by then? sure, if i don't sleep. i have work at 5, so i may just skip the sleeping thing tonight. i don't know why, i just can't seem to focus. oh well.

yesterday was my dad's birthday. he would have been 65. i woke up at 9 to get ready for my yoga class. it kind of slipped my mind, until i was in the car driving to campus. it takes me about 35 minutes to get there, so that gives me plenty of thinking time. by the time i got there, i was just not very happy. it was the first real event that happened since he has been gone.
and if you've ever taken a yoga class, you know that the last 5-10 minutes is just straight meditating and time for deep thought.
my teacher is very spiritual and talks to us during meditation and it just brings out so many emotions. i remember laying on my mat. on my back. arms at my sides. palms up. shoulders down. deep breathing. all these thoughts were popping into my mind and i may have had a few tears roll down my cheeks. i just remember thinking i couldn't do it. i couldn't go to my other classes. i couldn't get through this day. i just had to go home and stay in bed all day. that's all i could imagine doing. but the word can't isn't allowed in yoga either. so i pushed those thoughts out of my mind and started telling myself that i could. i am strong, i can get through this. it's okay to struggle. it's going to be hard. i miss him. and it's hard. there's nothing that can make it any easier. but that's okay. it's okay. i'm allowed to have a hard time.
so all this was going through my mind while i was laying there. then my mind just went blank. i stopped thinking all together. it was the strangest, most comforting thing ever. i didn't know what happened but i knew that by telling myself i could do it, i was given the strength to do so.
i went to all my classes, and it wasn't the easiest day. it was really hard actually. but i got through it.
i went to hamilton's after and he had freshly baked cookies, one in the shape of a J waiting for me on the counter. he knew it was a hard day and wanted to do what he could to help. < little did he know that i was going to ask if we could make cookies. it's like he read my mind  > anyways, i stayed and had dinner with him and his family, and then we had fhe all together. i was grumpy and got a little fussy with him during it. but he handled it like a champ, and for that. i am just so grateful.

i feel so blessed for the people i have in my life. my friends are so wonderful to me. they do what they can to make sure i'm okay. hamilton is so great and i feel so blessed to have him. he makes me want to be the best i can be and he really just helps me so much more than he will ever know. and my family. they are my support and i know they are always there for me to lean on. i am so grateful for each person in my life and don't know what i would do without them!

 i just love him so :)

 doesn't he look like the happiest man you've ever met? that's because he was. always.

and today is my hippie parents anniversary. 36 years. the love they shared was so amazing. it is something i pray to have with the person i marry. they have had some of the hardest trials, but have always put their marriage first and gotten through everything together. they were a single unit and i will always strive to be like them.


xoxo,

jacquelyn

Read More