It's so easy to get wrapped up in our daily lives. Unintentionally, we set ourselves on autopilot with our routines. Next thing we know the things we value are suddenly on the back burner. To avoid this, it’s healthy to take time to unplug. The way in which you decide to unplug may vary. It could be from social media or technology. It could also mean taking a break from work or day to day responsibilities. This provides space to focus on other things that matter. This may look like nurturing relationships (with God, family, friends), health (mentally, physically, emotionally), or realigning your personal desires. It all depends on the person. Unplugging gives room to reflect so you can refocus, realign and reconnect to what's important. When was the last time you unplugged? Why did you make the decision to unplug?
Last week I decided to unplug from social media to focus solely on the people around me, family. I wanted to be as present as I could. Unplugging from social media allowed me to remove outside distractions and focus on the present time. We went on a family vacation with our extended family visiting Buffalo, New York. Family is paramount. And after experiencing an unexpected season of quarantine it was great to reconnect with family again. The morning after we arrived I noticed, out of habit, I was sitting on social media. Scrolling, liking photos and commenting where I felt needed. I realized it rather quickly then reminded myself where I was and who I was with. Everyone I’d needed to talk to at the time was around me. I removed the apps off my phone. And stopped carrying my phone around so much. I didn’t need it. I mean, it’s rare we are all under the same roof together, why not embrace the full experience. We laughed, played games, ate well, talked and experienced nature together. We visited Niagara Falls and explored the city of Buffalo a bit. We stayed at a lovely AirBnB which was located on a quite peaceful street. Our house had much character. I believe the house was about 120 years old. It had a beautiful front porch where several of us ate meals, sat and talked or sat in silence taking in the neighborhood. The homes there reminded me of a cross between DC and New Orleans. They were close in proximity, varied in color and rather historic.
Leading up to our trip I’ve heard several people express the beauty of Niagara Falls. It was a site to see. Our first visit to the Falls was fulfilling. It had a trail along side the river which lead to the top of the Falls. This was a pretty spot to sit and observe, walk along side or take photos. It was so many people out and about. And the weather was perfect. One of the main attractions there is Maid of the Midst. Maid of the Midst is a boat ride along the bottom of the Falls. It's a completely different experience than the view at the top. We attempted to get in line the first day we were there however the wait was outrageous. With a large, hungry family the decision was simple; return later in the week. When we did, our experience became that much sweeter. Thankfully the line for Maid of the Midst wasn't too bad the second time around. Once we were able to get our tickets, it wasn’t long after we were able to get on the boat. The weather was a bit chiller than it was at the beginning of the week. Thankfully, the raincoats they provided kept us warm. The boat ride was absolutely breath-taking. I couldn’t help but to reflect on how beautiful God's creations are. There were moments during our ride where we were actually able to feel the midst from the Falls. It was shocking at first yet the overall experience was calming. My daughter just laid her head on my chest as I covered her face with hair raincoat. Hearing the Falls flow from the top, rushing off the edge only to hit the rocks at the bottom sounded like a sweet song nature sang towards Heaven. As we embraced this beauty I was left in awe of God. His presence was made known in the midst of it all. Feeling the midst from the Falls was a demonstration of how God showers us with His love, favor and grace ever so gently. Beholding the fullness of the Falls with our eyes was but an image of the work of God's hands. The river our boat rode on also was a site to see. The water was green and appeared to be rather clean. All of this makes me think about a purification process. When running water goes through rocks it cleanses the water. It’s to the point you could even drink it. When we experience rocky seasons in life, we ought to remember running water. We have to continue moving through the season, flowing with whatever rocks, twists, and turns life throws at us. This is an internal purification process where we have the opportunity to come out better than we were going in. If we look for God's hand in every situation - the good and the challenges- we can hold on to our faith that He will bring us through.
Though it rained throughout our stay we were still able to experience Niagara Falls and Buffalo. On one the rainy days a few of us took our children to the Children's Museum. I had no idea what to expect going in however we all had a blast! We were there for about 3 hours. The museum had 3 active floors for the kids to play and explore. There were so many different activities on each floor. It was so much to see and do that words can’t fully describe all of the options available for the kids to try. As a mother and an Aunt it was fun to watch the children play. Even my 18 month old was able to get involved with the various sections. I was extremely proud of her courage to climb one of the jungle gyms. She took her time climbing up the robed stairs. With the help of one of her big cousins she was able to walk across the robed bridge and climb down the stairway. I was filled with joy watching her try something new and so big. I could tell she felt safe with her cousins along side her. She also colored, she climbed up the tree house and enjoyed some slides. On the very top level there was a large kitchen area. I think my daughter was her cousin's favorite customer. They brought her cupcakes, fruit, vegetables, cookies, and charged me for the food. The older kids were able to milk a cow, race, play doctor and even worked on a construction site. The educator in me loved this kids museum because it was a way to see what they were interested in. Also, it gave them the space to try new things. How awesome would it be for children to have career day at school then visit this type of a museum to see how they like a certain field. Everywhere you looked there was some kind of hands on activity for your kid to explore.
To all my “foodies” here’s the scoop on some food options. We actually had a list of potential places to eat but only tried one. And though I wasn't so fond of the food there I did have a few good things. Aa a family, we enjoyed Franco’s Pizzeria. It was a rectangle shaped pizza which was rather cheesy and the marinara sauce was flavorful. I heard Buffalo was the originator of buffalo sauce so I really want to try there buffalo wings. I got the Smitty Style Hot wings from Forty Thieves which were good. I’ve just had better in ATL, GA. My husband always tells me no-one can make wings like ATL, I have to agree at least this time. Now a really good stylish restaurant I’d recommend is Patina 250. Several things on this menu was delicious. We tried the grilled flatbread, Erba Verde Chicken (dry chicken breast) and Brussel sprouts. The kale that accompanied this dish was mouth-watering! I honestly thought I was eating collard greens. Unfortunately, I cannot think of the name of the salad we ordered. But that too was delicious. My husband greatly enjoyed it and he doesn’t even care for salads much. It's very rare that I am able to find Moscato d’Asti specifically in a restaurant. So I was shocked to see it on the menu, let alone sold by the glass. For all my sweet tooth friends, we did not order dessert. One of my sister-in-love's put us ALL onto a new dessert we baked at home; Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix. It was so good; moist, fudge-like and melts in your mouth. We were making Brownie Sunday's near bout every night we were there. It included a brownie, vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and nutella. Sinful yet delightful! Honestly, it's so good that my husband bought a box when we returned home. I will add that we did not continue having Brownie Sunday’s when we returned home. We’d gain too much weight if we did. In an attempt to eat something light with nutrients we tried smoothies from Squeeze Juicery. My husband, daughter and myself really enjoyed the "Into The Mystic". This had wheatgrass, spinach, kale, mango, pineapple and apple juice then I added B12 and D3.
If we ever have decide to visit Buffalo again, I would love to try some the restaurants near Niagara Falls. There’s a culinary arts school close by. One of the restaurants I wanted to try, Savor, had a grill outside the restaurant. Whatever they were grilling smelled quite delicious. I was definitely interested in trying them out. If you are thinking of visiting Niagara Falls, I’d highly recommend you ride Maid of the Midst. I’d love to experience it again myself. Due to the rain we unfortunately didn't locate a hiking trail. I would’ve enjoyed either the walking trial along side Niagara Falls or to find a hiking trail near wherever we are staying. If I could do the trip over again, without the rain, I’d also like to spend more time at the other attractions near Niagara Falls. It seemed to have a lot of food options and other activities we were unable to take advantage of. Overall, I enjoyed my unplugged vacation with our family. Although Buffalo, New York wasn't quite what I expected, we had a great time. I found myself catching myself, reminding me where we were. Buffalo, New York is nothing like a New York City. I was surprised not to hear accents from the natives in the area. Nevertheless, new memories were created and new experiences were had as a family.
