Simple Joys of the Week, June 27th Edition

Hello from partial-vacation/staycation-land!

As you all know, my family has been in town all week and I've been taking some time off, so I'm in a weird half-working, half-checked-out state of mind that can only come from living in a total vacation-spot (and spending your days enjoying that spot in-between working and keeping life going). 

This week has been full of perfect Cape Cod days, sunshine, trips to the beach, lots of laughter, good food, and time spent outdoors. I think I fell a little bit deeper in love with the Cape every day this week, and I believe that my family did, too ;) 

That being said, here are a few of the things that have brought me joy over the past 7 days...

HEAR: "How Will I Know" cover by Sam Smith
Oh wow, ya'll, if you're looking for a good cover to make you smile today, this is IT. Sam Smith'e voice is incredible! And his cover of this song is epic! You can listen/watch below...and a *BIG* thanks to Sarah for sending this to me ;) 

SEE: My family!!
On Wednesday, my grandmother, great-aunt, aunt, and one of my cousins arrived here on the Cape. It's been SO wonderful to have them here and show them our new life (and our dog-child!), and their immediate love for where we live has been the icing on top of the cake ;) My aunt texted my uncle yesterday saying, "I want to move here," to which he replied, "Doesn't everyone?" I love it. And they'll be here through Sunday, so we still have lots of time together! Hooray!

TASTE: The Local Juice cold-pressed juices
Okay, let me start by saying that we've eaten A LOT of amazing food over the past week (we've eaten out about 10,000 times since my dad and brother arrived last Friday). I've been to so many good restaurants and enjoyed so many good dishes that it's hard to pick just one, but a taste that completely stands out to me is my weekly fix of The Local Juice, a new, local cold-pressed juice company started by the recently-profiled Jen Villa (yep, like I said, she has a hand in EVERYTHING great that's happening on the Cape!). This juice is incredible and I'm obsessed with their labels, packaging, branding, all of it. If you're local, you must try some stat! It is heavenly. 

SMELL: Everything beachy and outdoorsy--salt water, sunscreen, seafood, fresh ocean air, etc...
I know I've talked about my love for the scents of the beach before, but things have been kicked up a notch this week and I feel like I really live by the ocean now and have finally taken advantage of it. Spending the week outdoors and soaking up all of the sensory experiences associated with being outside has been really special, and I am just SOOOOO grateful for this place and this time! I can't tell you how much I'm adoring the beach these days...

TOUCH: Freezing cold water at Coast Guard Beach
Speaking of beaches, I have a new favorite beach on the Cape and it's Coast Guard. On Wednesday, my dad and I rode our bikes out to this beach, not really knowing what to expect, and we were amazed by what we saw: an insanely gorgeous view of the Atlantic surrounded by national park land, huge waves, sand and ocean for miles, gorgeous rocks, sandbars, and happy, smiling, active people. Because we were hot from our bike ride, we decided to run straight into the water when we got there (lest we chicken out!), and OMG the water was frigid. Like, my whole body is numb and I'm screaming and the cold air feels extremely warm type of frigid. But after we got out, it was crazy refreshing. 

I could go on and on about my SJOTW (our trip to Provincetown, Sayde's love for the new toy my grandmother brought her, having my dad in my yoga classes, watching my sweet grandmother put on her new CC sweatshirt, etc.), but I'll stop here. 

What made you smile over the past 7 days? I hope you enjoy your last weekend in June (WTF!?!?)...