It had been almost 4 years since Zonya and I had been together in-person.

A couple of weeks ago, I was blessed to spend a weekend in Michigan with my nutritionist partner in crime, Zonya Foco!

Not only were delicious meals prepared (I know you are shocked!), but we were also able to spend time on the spectacular Sand Lake, enjoy her beautiful home, shoot some videos and one of the most refreshing parts…I was able to escape the scorching 100+ degree heat of Kansas!  (I still owe my husband for that one!)

We invited a few friends that lived within close proximity and even planned out our meals so everyone had the opportunity to cook and contribute to the deliciousness!

Of course, Zonya’s right-hand master-mind Director of Operations, Debbie Yates, was front and center in all that we were celebrating.

Can you believe this was the first time I was meeting Debbie in REAL life?!

This amazing woman does so much work so Zonya and I can do what we do!

Thank you Debbie!

When it doesn’t always go as planned…

Zonya has been working for a while on some home remodeling projects and, as we have all experienced with home projects, progress was not going quite as planned.  (Most of us have experienced the agony of waiting and waiting on parts, supplies, and scheduling…especially since our memorable 2020!).  She was hoping and praying for door accessories, faucets, and countertops to arrive before the weekend.

And guess what?  They didn’t!

Needless to say, Zonya was a little stressed.  When I talked to her the day before I arrived, she said, “What am I going to do?  I invited people over and we have no doors on the pantry, closets and laundry room?  And, worse, we have no countertops or faucets in two of our main bathrooms.  What are they going to do, brush their teeth in the kitchen sink?”

We laughed and both said, “I guess so!”

As friends were arriving, Zonya met them at the door apologizing about the missing doors, cabinets and faucets.  Of course, everyone was flexible and more than happy to accommodate!

So busy, and so fun-filled…

Our few days together were filled with a trip to the farmers’ market, hiking on local trails, boat rides, paddle boarding, kayaking, pickle ball, and outdoor yoga!

There was so much delicious flavor-loaded food, including the Pumpkin Spiced Smoothie, Mediterranean Breakfast Burritos, Grilled Veggies with Pesto Pasta, Pineapple Baked Oatmeal, Summer Explosion Salad, Montana Inspired Beet Salad, and much more!

We even discovered we cut cantaloupe differently and wanted to share a tip with you!

Plus, we were able to celebrate an incredible friend, on her milestone birthday with the No-Bake Strawberry Delight with added blueberries as the celebratory dessert!

And the laughter…so much laughter, along with life-long friendships secured!

A great reminder!

This time spent together was absolute proof of something we sometimes forget.

As we mentioned in our coaching tips, How To Make Your Summer Gatherings Unforgettable! and How to Have an Unforgettable Holiday Party, all the stuff we worry about (the house being clean and, yes, even asking guests to brush their teeth in the kitchen sink) doesn’t really matter…what really matters is incredibly good food, great friendships, and making memories.  That’s it!

I guarantee the missing doors, countertops and faucets were not a nuisance, but something where people will say,

“Oh yea, I remember that!”

and then laugh hysterically about it years from now.

I am so grateful for Zonya’s hospitality and, stay tuned, we can’t wait to share some of the content we put together during our few days together!