SUMAVA GREATNESS

Life is beauty full. My goal this year it to do more things I won't forget. I want to find beauty and greatness everywhere I go and not complain so much. I have found that beautiful thoughts make beautiful people. I am lucky to be where I am and who I am. No more complaining. (I might have to be reminded of this a few times...)

I used to complain about going to the forest house in Borova Lada with my Czech family (I even called it Boring Lada), but now I just look harder for the beauty and fun opportunities I have in the trips. Here is what I have come up with so far:

Every day is a start of something beautiful. Enjoy the heck out of it.

FOREST LOVE

I used to loathe coming to the forest house in Czech. It's funny how people change. Our ideas of things/people/places value changes. Sometimes it's for the better, sometimes for worse, or sometimes were just apathetic about things. 

My views on this place in Borova Lada, life, and every day has changed for the better. I now try to look for the good in every thing even more than I ever have.

There were bugs flying in my face as I was biking to this spot, but it was worth it to see the view...and at least I have legs that allow me to bike and I can feel those bugs hit my face and laugh. Life is beauty full. I don't want to worry about what I don't have or what I'm missing out on anymore. I want to enjoy where I am and love the now. I want to take in and love every minute I possibly can.

It doesn't matter what has caused me to change. I just know I have and I am thankful for that.

How could I not be loving this right now?!

FOREST POND

William and I have a favorite place we like to ride to when staying in the forest to give the Czech grannies a break. First, we stop for ice cream and Powerade. Ahem. Then we ride our bikes to this spot.

Park our bikes

Enjoy the playground a little bit

Then we walk on the path

 where we spot tiny lizards along the way

and flowers

Finally, we reach this spot:

 where we watch the ducks

It makes me laugh every time when they stick their head in the water and butt in the air

EVERY TIME. Crazy ducks.

BIKERS

Since we were in the heart of the Šumava forest for the weekend, we decided to be sporty and go for a bike ride.

Thanks to Ivanka, we were outfitted to look like professionals.

There are families who think 18 km is hard and have to walk their bikes up the hills, but not ours...

Ahem.

 Some people in our group couldn't wait for the chance to park at little pitstops along the trail...

Some had to be bribed to continue the journey with sweet dumplings...

others with ice cream...

and some were more into riding ahead of the group to snap photos...

But all of us enjoyed the ride down back to our village.