We came home a day early from our mountain cabin this year. Jerry wanted to get a head start on some projects around the house, and honestly, it made things a little easier — especially with laundry and the start of cross country practice for our youngest.

But I’ll admit… I felt a little let down.

When we built the cabin five years ago, we were still in the thick of lockdown. All the kids were at home. School was remote. There wasn’t much we could do — so we made our own fun. We crammed five people and two dogs into fewer than 300 square feet, and somehow, it worked.

We cooked over the fire, swam in the river, played games and laughed and dried our beach towels on anything we could find. It was chaotic and noisy and sandy — and perfect.

So this year, when I carefully packed a giant IKEA bag full of towels and brought along a special octopus hanger to dry them all, I had those memories in my head.

But when we arrived, I realized: we didn’t need them.

Our daughter spent her time off visiting her boyfriend so she had to go back to work. Our oldest son had to work at his lab manager job (he’s getting married this fall!). Only our youngest came with us — and even he didn’t swim, just waded in. Jerry was busy fixing the stairs. I was the only one who actually swam.

The cabin was quiet. Comfortable. Peaceful.
But I missed the noise. The laughter. The full hearts and full hands.

I missed when the cabin was full.

And that’s just it — in my mind, they’re all still little. I’m still packing ten towels. Still trying to wrangle wet bathing suits off kids covered in sand. But life has moved forward, and they’re building stories of their own now.

Of course, I’m grateful. Grateful for the peaceful time we had, for the way my business supported our trip, and for the sales that rolled in even while my computer stayed mostly shut.

Because even though I didn’t make a ton of passive income this week — I had plenty of orders waiting when we got back — the system still worked. My shipping time was extended. My shops kept running. And when I came back, I picked up where I left off.

If you’re dreaming of that kind of flexibility — a business that fits into your life instead of forcing you to miss it — here’s your reminder:

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– 10% off any Etsy order (no code needed)
– Up to 50% off on eBay when you stack volume discounts and use the code AMERICANAMANDA
– Up to 25% off at my Redbubble boutique ~ PLUS get 15% cash back when you link from Rakuten. Join Rakuten here.

You’ll find all the links in my Shop Page or just visit the shop pages directly above.

And if you’re looking for a bigger picture — how to build this kind of lifestyle and income from the ground up — you need to join the waitlist for The Online Income Playbook Summit.

I’ve interviewed dozens of experts, from passive income creators to mindset mentors, and every one of them shares real, tangible steps to help you earn from home without sacrificing your time, your family, or your peace.

We go live in August. Get on the waitlist now so you don’t miss your chance.

Because whether your cabin is still full or newly quiet — your time is yours.
Let’s make sure your income is too.

With gratitude and a heart full of summer memories,
​Amanda