Last week we were on vacation and went to see Niagara Falls in Canada and then visited the Finger Lakes in New York.

When you go on a vacation, it’s an opportunity to take a break from the daily routines of life and to explore new locations, especially if you go somewhere you’ve never been.

We also like having the time to work out most days, whether that means using a hotel gym, getting out for a hike or a bike ride, or walking through a new museum. It feels good to move and to see new things.

Niagara Falls was amazing in its massiveness and if you’ve never been, I definitely recommend it. Just don’t make our mistake of not getting an international phone plan before going into Canada!

Watkins Glen State Park in NY was another spectacular place to visit. Over the course of 2 miles, you can walk over, under, behind and beside 19 different waterfalls with 200 foot cliffs around some of the falls.

The third place we saw that was truly amazing was the Corning Museum of Glass which is the largest glass museum in the world.

They have ongoing daily demonstrations where you can watch incredible glass creations from the smallest ornaments to really large and intricate vases, bowls and other artistic formations.

We spent almost 3 hours at this museum, saw two different demonstrations, walked through rooms full of spectacular art and still didn’t see everything.

So getting back to the point of this post, besides sharing some new and very cool places that you could visit if you choose, is to think about what you appreciate.

While we really appreciated and enjoyed all that we were able to see on our vacation, we were also very excited to go home because there is so much within our home-life that we love and are grateful for on a daily basis.

Obviously (for us) that means the cats, but also all of the daily comforts of home like a full kitchen with the ability to make healthy food, a big comfy couch, good pillows on a great bed, a hot tub, a nice yard to putter in (when we feel like it), etc.

Daily life can feel a little humdrum sometimes but taking time to appreciate the little things on a daily basis makes all of it more meaningful. Plus, taking a vacation can help you value your home-life even more!

Action Steps:

• Consider what you really like about your home and your current life.

• Remember to value these these things on a regular basis, and also let yourself plan a vacation away from home if you so desire!