Hello and happy Friday…and happy September 1st! The {-ber} months are here, and I’m ready for them.
Also…who is ready for a three day weekend?! {this girl!}
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
Last Saturday, Hayden (and Coach Travis!) had the first official cross country meet of the season. It was a pretty hot day, but Hayden ran a great race and placed 1st! The girls and boys team had a strong showing, considering many of the runners are in the sixth grade.
After the race, Travis and I hurried to get the kids home so that we could head to Nashville for a friend’s birthday.
We were a hot sweaty mess after the race, so we quickly showered, packed and got the kids where they needed to be before hitting the road.
It’s about a 3 1/2 hour drive to Nashville/Franklin, and once we got to our hotel, we had to quickly change to head to the party.
The party was at Stable Reserve not far from our hotel.
Two songwriters performed for about an hour. They have a total of nine number one country music songs…including Walker Hayes’ Fancy Like and a new that’s on the radio, Tucson Too Late which just now hit the radio.
It was really neat to hear them perform. Then there was a break in the music in another songwriter was there to sing for another hour long set.
We had a great time catching up with our friends including Lexington friends we don’t see often enough.
After the party, we made a pitstop at a wine bar before hanging out at the hotel lobby / bar just catching up.
Once we woke up Sunday morning, we headed home. I wish we had more time there, but we had to get back to the kids and get ready for the week.
Favorite Foods:
At our hotel, there was a little spot for breakfast. Travis and I picked up coffee to go and I saw these “grab the gold” bars. I’ve heard of them, but had never seen them in person. This was my snack for the car ride home, and it was really good. It reminded me of a no bake cookie.
On the drive home from Nashville, I placed my Kroger order and decided to make this Cheeseburger Biscuit recipe from Pinterest for dinner. It is definitely a family favorite now.
Hadley and I went to Trader Joe’s on Monday after school and the Salsa Verde tortilla chips were one of the samples. I had one chip and knew we needed to bring a bag home. Lol.
They are so good.
Favorite Mom Meme:
So tired by Friday…
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
Here’s Hayden running in the same spot on the same course in both sixth grade and now in eighth grade. He looks both so similar and so different to me now.
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts from the week which included a little bit of everything…memes, books, and musings!
What are your weekend plans? I’m so happy to not set an alarm for the next three days! The kids have plans with friends tonight, Hayden has a meet tomorrow, and maybe we’ll try to get some pool time in this weekend.
TGIF! This week has felt extra busy which made it go by pretty quickly. I think this is our last really hot day for now, and I never thought I’d be so excited about low 80’s degree days, but that’s on our horizon.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are a few favoritesfrom the week.
Favorite photo(s):
Our friend shared some of they professional photos from our fun evening a couple of weeks ago celebrating at Hadley’s friend’s bat mitzvah.
I loved this one…
…and this one with some of my favorite people
Favorite moment:
Seeing Hayden back on the race course this past weekend was fun.
…and I can’t wait to watch all the runners this season. Coach White and his crew kick off the cross country season this weekend.
Favorite food:
Quick and easy dinners were the way to go this week! I made thisCheesy Fajita Baked Chicken again, and it’s officially a family favorite. Like last time, I used peppers from our garden which was an added bonus.
Clothing item:
Did you catch my post on Wednesday? I’ve had lots of favorite outfits lately.
Favorite Amazon find:
I always wish I could burn a candle in my classroom, and I decided to try this Candle Warmer Lamp. I was sooo pleasantly surprised that it worked!
This week, I tested out a single wick candle as well as a three wick candle, and they both worked! The lamp helps warm the candle and it’s a subtle scent. You touch the shade, and it’s dimmable. There are three settings, and I’ve kept the light brightness on the second one. Anyway, I’ve looked forward to turning this on as soon as I get to my classroom every day this week.
Last Saturday evening, when we arrived at Hayden’s race, Travis and Hayden wanted to get out of the car in order to get his racing bib and get settled. So, they hopped out of the car, and I said to Hadley that they didn’t even say goodbye.
She said, “Cross country season…live, laugh, love.” 😆
Favorite Mom Meme:
This sure is the truth!
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday
In honor of cross country season starting, I love this throw back to the kids’ 5th grade year when Hayden placed 1st and Hadley placed 4th at their end of season county race. Who knew we’d have so many races in our future?!
How was your week? We had a good one. I’d say I feel like we are “surviving” rather than “thriving.” haha Nothing major…just getting in the back to school groove.
As always, I’m linking up with Erika and Andrea for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
I feel like I have a lot of odds and ends to share. We sure packed in the fun before heading back to school.
Last Thursday, I went to dinner with friends. We went to Lost Palm which is a new rooftop bar in downtown Lexington. I’d been there one other time with Travis and some friends after dinner one night this summer.
Anyway, one of our friends was in town, so it was nice to meet up with everyone for a few drinks and some dinner.
On Friday, Hayden and his friends had fun at King’s Island. They were celebrating one of the boy’s birthday.
Saturday night, we went to Hadley’s friend’s bat mitzvah. Hadley has known her since Kindergarten, and we are friends with the parents as well.
The short ceremony and reception were at Kroger Field which was really cool.
The weather was gorgeous, and the facility is so pretty.
More fun with my “mom gang!”
All these sweet girls had the best time celebrating their friend.
There were tons of boys there too, but as you can imagine, they didn’t care to have their picture taken 😆
It was a fun night!
Hadley’s back playing volleyball, and she had fun at a clinic over the weekend.
On Tuesday, we had our “Back to School Brinner” before…
Well, odds are that I will be in my pjs again by 7pm! haha
Also, cross country is officially back this weekend, so we’ll be busy with that. Not sure what else we have going on, but I’m glad I can sleep in tomorrow morning.
How was your week? We’ve definitely made the most of my last official week of summer.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are a few favorites:
The kids got to hang out with their uncle and cousin at a photo shoot for UK volleyball.
They had so much fun, and Hadley was excited to meet Azhani Tealer.
Travis and I have been in California since Wednesday, and it’s been so nice to have some down time before heading back to school.
He’s here for work, and I tagged along. I’ve had some beach time…
…and pool time.
The weather and views have been amazing.
Also…
Today’s a big day…it’s the 4th blogiversary of Show Me and Sweet Tea.
I don’t take for granted this community, and writing these blog posts is still my favorite hobby!
As a thank you, I will send a $40 gift card to one of you to Target, Trader Joe’s, or Amazon.
By end of day Sunday, just share a favorite thing you’ve done this summer in the comment section of this post for a chance to win.
Please bear with me with heading back to school on Monday and getting my life together after being gone all week. It might be a couple of days before I announce the winner.
Truly, thank you for reading my posts, commenting and making this space a fun corner for the internet for me.
Favorite Kid Quote:
On Tuesday, when Hadley looked at her phone, she said, “Ewww! It’s August 1st.” I could definitely relate 😆
Favorite Mom Meme:
This one made me laugh…
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts from this week in case you missed one:
*sigh* besides today, I only have one more Friday without school responsibilities…I guess I better savor these last few days while I can.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
On Sunday, we picked up Hayden from running camp. He had the best time. This is a camp for high school runners, but he was able to go this summer along with a few other 8th graders.
Throughout the four days, he ran 45 miles including 10 miles on Saturday with the big kids. He texted us and said, “I did it!” I love that he was proud of his accomplishment.
They definitely did more than just run. They had guest speakers, sessions for stretching, theme nights, volleyball, swimming, and more.
Cousin Jacob was there, so I knew he’d be in good hands!
After picking Hayden up, we headed to Louisville to celebrate Trav’s mom’s birthday. Most of the grand-kids were there…
Hadley and I have still been baking at least once a month. This week, we made Chocolate Zucchini Cake. I think this is one of the first recipes I shared on the blog. We usually add a dollop of Cool Whip on each slice. I got the recipe from a childhood friend of mine.
The neighbors shared some flowers from their garden with us…so pretty!
This week, the kids have been in charge of watering that neighbor’s garden as well as checking on and feeding their cat. This has been a good summer of responsibility for the kids. Hadley has babysat quite a few times, Hayden has mowed some lawns (including ours), and then they’ve watered neighbors flowers and checked on pets. It’s been good for them to have to have a few responsibilities and nice that they can earn a little money.
What seems to be more rare than a unicorn sighting? Seeing a smiling teen boy out in public!? lol #welcometomyworld
I’m kind of struggling with the fact that my boy is looking like a man!?! He gets the best tan in the summer, has grown a few inches, and has the best smile (when he shows it 😉 )
I had pool time with the kids a couple of days this week which has been so nice. They mostly hang with their friends and ask me for money for a snack while I read…but I’ll take what I can get.
I started this book, and I’m really excited to read it.
This week, I started my 3rd phase of Invisalign. Phases 1 and 2 were 30 weeks each. At the end of a phase, they re-scan you, and then it’s about 5-6 weeks before you get your new aligners. So, I had an appointment, and it really is the little things that are favorites… For this phase, I don’t have attachments (or buttons?) on my front teeth! That’s a win for me. Obviously, I wear the aligners most of the time, but it’s nice not to have those on my front teeth for when they aren’t in. Yes, those attachments (mostly) blend in, but it’s still something I think about when the trays aren’t in.
I think at the end of the 30 weeks,I should be finished, but we’ll see.
Last night, I had dinner with a friend in a favorite spot in town. I ordered the steak salad, and it was delish.
It was so great seeing her and catching up. I wish we could see each other more often, but when we do get together, it’s like no time has passed.
Favorite Kid Quote:
We had kind of a hectic evening last night, so before we all went our separate ways, I said, “Let’s get our ducks in a row.” Hadley said, “I feel like my ducks are all over the place.” haha That definitely sounds like something I would say! I was like #samegirlsame
Favorite Mom Meme:
Every dang time…(I guess I should be happy they are bathing!)
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday
This pic popped up in my Facebook memories from 2014…The kids with a couple of the horses on Trav’s farm.
Weekly Recap:
I loved all my posts this week –a few laughs, a travel recap (part 2 next week!), and a couple of fun link ups…
I can’t believe my summer Fridays are slipping away! I’m trying to make the most of what we have left of summer break.
As always, I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
This post will be pretty short and sweet because Hadley and I have been in one of our favorite places this week: Siesta Key, Florida. She brought a friend along too!
Here are a few of our favorite photos:
Monday night’s sunset was stunning.
We had a great time.
Siesta Key girl!
Living her best life…
A book at the beach is one of my favorite things.
As many times as we’ve been here, we’ve never been out on the water. I booked a two hour morning cruise yesterday, and we spotted dolphins …in front of Prince’s former beach house…peep the purple pool!
I was 4 for 4 catching the sunset which is my favorite thing to do.
And this was the view on the way back to the car last night. Stunning.
We had a great few days at the beach.
and…I think these girls have had lots of fun this week…Of course they’ve added a new sweatshirt to their collection 😆
While Hadley and I have been away, Hayden has been at running camp. Travis called me after he dropped him off and said that I shouldn’t expect much from him when we take him to college. Hayden was ready to roll and had no issues with saying goodbye 😆
I guess that’s what we want as parents, right? …for them to want to be independent and spread their wings.
Hadley has always been my more extroverted child while Hayden tends to be more introverted and a homebody. So while Hadley was always excited for camp, Hayden never really showed any interest until this year.
I’m happy he is going to camp on his own terms because then I don’t have to worry about him at all.
I can’t wait to see him though and hear all about it.
Friday Find:
On Instagram, I just recently found @matteicheldinger who is a middle school teacher. You must check him out if you don’t follow him already.
His student stories are funny, uplifting, inspirational. and he’s such a good story teller!
Flashback Friday:
Since we’ve been in Siesta Key this week, here are a few throwback photos…
A family photo in 2016…
This pic from the same 2016 trip is one of my favorites….
Every time we come to SK, Hadley wants to eat at the Lobster Pot.
Here she is in 2019 and 2023 😆
Weekly Recap:
I was a busy blogger this week. Also, thanks for all the love about Hadley’s hair tutorial…She appreciated the compliments.
What are your weekend plans? Well, it’s back to reality for us. Once we get home, I will have to unpack and get a few things accomplished, both at home and at school.
This has been a fun week with Hadley, but I’ve missed the guys…
How was your week? Ours was really good. It *finally* felt like a pretty normal week. We didn’t really set alarms, stayed up a bit later, Hadley had dance, Hayden had basketball, we had pool time and did a few other things too.
I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorite from the week:
Going all the way back to last Thursday…since Hadley wasn’t home for the 4th of July, we took a moment for sparkler fun. The sunset was so pretty too.
Friday was Trav’s birthday!
Friday night, we went out to eat with Trav’s brother and sister-in-law. If gnocchi is on the menu, I often order it!
We were pretty full after dinner, but Hadley convinced us to order dessert. Smiles for everyone.
When we got home, Travis opened his gifts. We just got him a running shirt, socks, and beer mugs because he loves a frosty beer! Overall, it was a really good night.
The next morning, Hadley left for the lake. I’m telling you, she doesn’t let the grass grow under her feet! haha.
She spent the day on the lake and overnight with her friend.
On Sunday, Travis had to work in the morning, but then his family came in town from Louisville, so we could celebrate him. My brother and his family also came over as well as a couple of Trav’s cousins who also live in Lexington.
We picked up fried chicken, and the rest of us made some sides. We had a few desserts including a Bundt cake for the birthday boy!
I also ordered cups from a local vendor…He really appreciated all this attention 😉
We got a quick photo before cake…
After everyone left, I got off my feet and relaxed on the back patio. The sunset was pretty, and the weather was great!
Speaking of the patio…
On the 4th of July, Travis and I went to Walmart to pick up a new couch for the patio.
We’ve had the same love seat for fifteen years…and Homer and #homered it when he was a puppy. This is the same couch we have in the sun room, and Travis noticed it was on sale. We figured we have loved that set for over three years, and it would be nice to have one more spot to sit with a couch vs a love seat.
So, the three piece set is $100 off, and we had to drive to a Walmart about 30 minutes away to pick it up. Hayden helped him assemble it, and we’ve been enjoying it ever since.
We have the cushions it came with , but we also picked these dark gray ones as well.
Hayden’s been playing basketball this summer like usual, but he’s missed a couple of games when he was out of town. So, that’s back on our agenda. It’s a laid back summer league, and fun to watch him play with different kids.
Wednesday night, we watched two episodes of the new Quarterback series on Netflix. Hadley even joined in on the fun! Of course, we’re excited that Mahomes is featured, but it’s interesting to learn about Cousins and Mariota too.
We’ve had some pool time this week. It makes me sad that pool days are already numbered. I’ve been able to go at least twice a week, but Hadley tends to go to the pool the most in our family. haha
Well, I didn’t mean for this to be the case, but lots of my “pampering” appointments lined up this week. On a whim Tuesday night, I decided to get a pedicure. It had been almost two months, so I was ready for a refresh.
I chose “Mexican City Move-mint” again because I like to choose one that I also have the color at home if I need a touch up.
I used my Mother’s Day gift card and had an hour long hot stone relaxation massage on Wednesday…and it was wonderful.
I probably end up getting two massages a year. While I will schedule my facials, hair appointments, and pedicures a few times a year, I usually only get a massage if it’s a gift…so I always appreciate those gift cards.
Then, I had my hair appointment yesterday, and it’s always nice to get fresh highlights and a trim.
Favorite Clothes:
I’ve been wearing this romper non-stop. It’s just easy to throw on with a tank and go.
I got this navy crepe set from SSYS, and I love it. I’ve worn it a few times and can’t wait to wear it more. (It comes in a few colors!)
Favorite Mom Meme:
We laughed when Hadley got off the camp bus wearing a new sweatshirt. She loves a sweatshirt all year long.
Weekly Recap:
I had a couple of posts this week including our monthly Not Just a Mom link up and tons of Amazon faves.
I feel like Fridays hit different in the summer…how is it already Friday again?!
We’ve had a good, but different kind of week again. Well, actually, I guess no two weeks have been alike this summer.
I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
This week, I’ve kind of shared what we’ve been up to and/or some favorites, so I don’t have much new to share today.
I’m going to keep it simple and break down my favorites with each of my people this week…
Hayden:
First up, is Hayden.
After Hayden got back from South Carolina with his friend, Hadley had already left for camp. That meant that Travis and I went from having 1:1 time with Hadley to having 1:1 time with Hayden.
This week, some favorite things we did were: watch sports together (as athletic as Hadley is, she doesn’t watch sports on tv), watch a movie, and run errands (yes, errands –Hayden went with Travis and I to Walmart, and then he went to Dick’s and Target with me on Wednesday.)
Having kids that are old enough to stay home alone means that sometimes we leave them while we run errands. Actually, Travis and I don’t run errands together too often, but we’ve started to do more of that recently. Anyway, it was nice to do some random things like that together.
Also, we loved watching Hayden run his first 10k on the 4th of July, and catch fireworks later that night. We’ve mostly eaten at home, but we did treat ourselves to breakfast after his race and some froyo later in the week.
Hadley:
Travis and I dropped Hadley off at a local church for camp pick up at 5:30 am on Saturday. She rode on a charter bus all the way to camp in Missouri. She had the best five days with her friends and leaders…and arrived home at 2am yesterday morning.
I took a nap from 10pm-1am before picking her up at 2! I was so happy to see her smiling face, and she was ready for her bed!
This is Hadley’s fourth year going to camp, and this one was the farthest away she’s been. When she got her phone back and texted our family group chat, she said the best part was “everything” and she wished that it lasted longer. I’ve always been thankful that Hadley has had the courage and confidence to go away to camp…and I truly think she could go for most of the summer if we’d let her…and could afford it. haha
She made some great memories this week, but we are happy to have her home.
How about this camp for me? 😆
My mom sent me this, and I feel it deeply.
Trav:
Today is this guy’s birthday!! It’s a big one…
We can’t wait to celebrate him this weekend. He deserves it.
I can’t believe tomorrow is July 1st! Where did June go?
I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Here are some favorites from the week:
After many days of rain last week, the sun finally came out on Saturday, and I enjoyed some time at the pool. I finished a book and started a new one. I was also able to hang and chat with some mom friends while Hadley ran around with her friends as well.
Not a favorite! I’m glad we got the pool time in because the past few days have provided hazy skies due to the smoke from wildfires in Canada!
I’ve had some one on one time with Hadley this week because Hayden has been in South Carolina all week with his friend’s family. I’ve really missed him, so I’ve loved getting the updates.
When meal planning for the week, I let Hadley choose a couple of dinners. I’m sure Hayden would eat both, but we’ve had salmon and chicken alfredo for dinner. She was a happy camper.
Apparently, Hayden got one of his favorite meals on vacation…oysters!
On Sunday night, Hadley watched a movie with Travis and me. We watched Flamin’ Hot on Disney +. It was about the guy who was a janitor at Frito Lay and later came up with the idea for Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. It was a cute and funny movie with a great message.
On Wednesday, after Hadley’s eye doctor appointment, she and I went to see The Little Mermaid at the theater. It was sooo good.
Favorite Clothes:
I have this Shop Style Your Senses dress in two colors. I was excited to wear it for date night last Friday.
I bought this romper earlier this summer, and I’ve been wearing it quite a bit. It’s cute and comfy! I wore it to school one day this week.
After the eye doctor, Hadley and I ran to Walmart. Since I don’t go there often, I looked or a few things that I’d saved on the app…including these athletic shorts…that are only $7! They are buttery soft, and I got them in pink and gray.
Funny story about my black t-shirt. Travis picked it up at Kohls recently…he put it on, and asked if I liked it. I said, “Uhh…I think it’s a women’s shirt!” hahaha…He gave it to me!
Favorite Foods:
For our anniversary, we went to Jeff Ruby’s…while Travis ordered steak, I ordered some sushi. It was so good.
Hadley and I have continued baking once a month, and on Sunday, she made theseOven Baked S’mores. Let me just say it won’t be the last time we make them. Delish!
I went to Trader Joe’s to pick up a few things. I saw these Key Lime Tea Cookies, and oh my word…if you like key lime, you’ll love these.
Favorite Mom Meme(s):
I have bad news for those of you with little ones…lol
…and this one made me chuckle.
Bonus Fave: Flashback Friday:
Something about the 4th of July that always has me in my feelings a bit. I love this sweet memory…
What are your weekend plans? We don’t have a ton on tap, and I’m happy about that. I’m officially finished with summer school, and Hayden comes home tomorrow…so my weekend is already off to a great start.
I’ll be back on Monday to share my Amazon purchases from the month.
I’m linking up with Andrea and Erika for this week’s Friday Favorites.
Well, instead of my more traditional Friday Favorites post, I’m sharing the details of our trip to Julep Farm last week. This is definitely a favorite place, and one that I hope we visit again.
A little back story: A co-worker of Trav’s told him about Julep Farms, and Travis gave me a gift card to Julep Farms for Christmas 2021. I’d never heard of it, but appreciated the gift, of course. All along, I’d hoped we could visit there in the fall, but I’m not sure what I was thinking…the fall is probably our busiest time of the year. I had kind of forgotten about it, but Travis organized this trip since my mom was available to stay with the kids a couple of extra days when she was visiting.
We don’t do the best job at getting away just the two of us, so this was a great trip to do so and celebrate our anniversary and Trav’s birthday a bit early.
So…here are the details.
Last week, we left on Tuesday morning around 10:00. Thankfully, we had an uneventful car ride and arrived around 3:00.
Super cute scene as we pulled in…
On the property, there are four cottages, and one bigger one across the road. We saw that they are actually building three more cottages, so there will be more options soon. We were staying in the Magnolia cottage. (There is one named “Sweet Tea”…seems like that’s the one we should have stayed in…haha…but really it’s bigger and sleeps six…I guess we didn’t need that one)
Totally my vibe!
I loved the little touches like the mugs, welcome note and popcorn, and the print of the property. Upon seeing the mug, I told Travis I had to have one to take home!
We unpacked and sat on the front porch for a bit.
Then, we walked around the property. There was a large venue that I’m sure people rent for parties and weddings. Next to it, was a silo and seating area as well as a garden.
The “Social House” is where the gift shop, coffee/breakfast bar is as well as the restaurant.
We headed back to the cottage to change for dinner.
While I knew Julep Farms was in Dillard, GA, I hadn’t really looked on the map. Travis had done his “research” and knew that Highlands and Cashiers, NC were nearby. Eventually, when I looked at the map, I could see that Dillard is close to Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina borders.
Anyway, we took the twisty route to Highlands, NC for dinner. It’s a super cute town.
We stopped in Four 65 for a drink and apps. It was really nice to sit on the patio. I was surprised by the cooler temps.
Then, we walked around a bit, and Travis made a reservation for dinner at a restaurant we saw on our walk. Since there was a wait, we popped in to The Ugly Dog for a drink. Since we weren’t going to stay long, we sat at the bar.
Well, while at the bar, we met Billy who chatted…and chatted…and chatted while he had his dinner. He raved about the food at The Ugly Dog and had clearly taken advantage of the half price bottle of wine that is the Tuesday special. lol
Anyway, after our drive to Highlands, we knew we wanted to be back “down the mountain” by dark, so we went ahead and ate at the bar. I had one of the specials, porcini and truffle ravioli with chicken, and it was good. Billy was right! 😉
There were two “scenic overlooks” on the way back to Julep Farms…and I made Travis pull over at both.
Like…how could we not stop and take in these views?
Julep Farms even looks pretty at night!
We sat on the porch for a few minutes before heading to bed.
It was so so nice to sleep in on Wednesday morning. I didn’t get up until close to 9. I enjoyed sitting on the porch with my coffee.
Travis did too…
To be honest, I’m not sure what Dillard, GA has to offer as we spent most of our time on the farm or in NC. That being said, Travis found Veronica’s Cafe in a strip mall off the highway, and we couldn’t wait to eat breakfast.
He got biscuits and gravy, and I ordered pancakes and more coffee. It really hit the spot!
Once we got back to Julep Farm, we stopped in the Social House to check out the gift shop and coffee bar.
Then, we got ready for our hike. We drove to Highlands to Whiteside Mountain. Travis had found a two mile hike. The first mile was a “gradual” incline to the top, and then the return trip was more scenic and downhill.
We made it to the top!
We hiked a bit more and took in the views.
The night before, Billy had told us about Whiteside Brewing Co in Cashiers, so we had planned on going there for lunch. Well, as we made our way to Cashiers, we realized Wednesday was the one day the brewing company was closed.
Pivot!…we ended up at Slabtown Pizza, and it was such a cute restaurant in the village. We split a BBQ chicken pizza.
Then, we headed to a waterfall in Highlands called Dry Falls which is in the Nantahala National Forest.
Travis knows I love a waterfall!
We didn’t have to hike to this one…we just parked a walked a bit down the trail…
It was so pretty…
There was a path to the other side, and it was cool to be behind the waterfall too.
After that, we headed back to Julep Farms and relaxed a bit before dinner.
Since we had no kids (Hadley!) on this trip, we had to rely on a timed selfie on the porch…it was nice to capture a pic since we were dressed up a bit…
We made our way to the restaurant on the property at the Social House. We sat at the bar for an appetizer before sitting outside for dinner.
The views (and the weather!) were amazing…as was the food.
After dinner, we sat on the porch for a couple of hours. I could have taken 100 pics of these sunset views.
Besides the planning, Travis packed a few extras for us including snacks, the cooler, my favorite blanket, and this lovely bottle of wine. It’s a very nice bottle of wine that a client gave him, and we weren’t sure when we’d drink it…
…but I guess he figured this trip would be the perfect time to do so.
Cheers to a couple of great days away!
The next morning, we took it easy. I drank my coffee and read for about an hour before we packed up and headed home.
We definitely could have stayed at least one more day. What would we have done? Probably much of the same…another slow morning, another hike, another good lunch…probably at the brewery we didn’t get to, a nap, and maybe dinner at the place we didn’t get to the first night! While I love getting home, on short trips, I typically wish we stayed one more day.
Not shockingly, I did come home with a mug…in my favorite color.
It’s easier said than done, but I’d love to make this a place we go back to through the years.
Weekly Recap:
Here are my posts from the week in case you missed one…
showmeandsweettea.com 