The essence of life is not in the great victories and grand failures, but in the simple joys.
Jonathan Lockwood Huie
Going into 2019, we did like any other year, we set goals and discussed our plans. One of our main goals this year was to travel more. Due to a hard pregnancy in 2018 we were not able to do much of anything. But this year we took full advantage and traveled with our kids, our friends and even got to travel solo. This made for a very busy year. Now don’t get me wrong we had an amazing time on every trip. However, each trip was packed with activities from the time we reached our destination until the time we left. I’m sure this goes for you as well, I found myself needing a vacation to recover from vacation. It’s true, I felt more burned out when I returned than when I left. I knew our last trip of the year was approaching and I planned to get some much needed rest and relaxation. I did make sure to take one day out to do activities but the other days I found joy in just being still.
Let me start by saying if you’ve never been to Blue Ridge, GA, you are missing out. The scenery was so beautiful. The vibe was so cozy and peaceful. The weather this time of year was nice and crisp. It made for the perfect bonfire, hot cocoa sipping, pajama wearing, game night time. When I travel I never know what to expect. Of course we always pray for the best but honestly you don’t know if the weather will hold up, if the airbnb will be up to par or even how the attitudes of the people you are traveling with will be. I can honestly say everything went exactly as I planned.
Once we arrived to the cabin we picked our rooms and dove straight into our itinerary. First thing first- taco night. This alone set the perfect mood because really, who doesn’t like tacos, Lol. We burned a fire out on the porch, played hide-n-seek, talked and laughed until we passed out. The next day we had a full agenda. We went apple picking at BJ Reece Orchard, my very first time and it was awesome. Guys, I never knew Greg would find so much joy in picking apples off a tree but he was super excited and thoroughly pleased with this activity. Let’s just say we have a new fall tradition and we will be apple picking for years to come. We headed into Ellijay (a surrounding town) for lunch and after many failed attempts to find a restaurant we landed ourselves at a Ellijay Wood Fired Pizza. Now pizza is not my go to food at all but this pizza was delicious! I had the shrimp scampi pizza, so yummy. With our bellies full we headed to Sharp Mountain Vineyard. Now if you know me you know I am not big on hard alcohol. However, I do love a good glass of wine. I’ve been wine tasting before but never to a vineyard so I was stoked. I got to try several glasses of wine, some better than others but overall it was a good experience. The day was perfect! I got to experience something new but more importantly I knew I had a full day ahead where I could just relax.
Lazy Sunday just might be my new favorite day of the week. It felt great not to have an agenda. Our plans was to stay in our pajamas and not do a thing. That mission was accomplished. It wasn’t until noon when we decided to pile in the living room to watch movies together. Even still, we didn’t worry about the time or what activity was next or running crazy to get to the next destination. We lounged around the cabin, hung out on the porch, ate too many snacks, played games, napped and enjoyed the downtime. The relaxation I craved was in full effect.
This trip reminded how important it is to relax, rest and recharge. Most of us are parents, students, employees, wives or all of the above and it is so easy to lose yourself in those roles. However, finding the time to indulge in other things that bring you joy is just as important. So take that break, pick up that hobby, neglect your phone, go after that job, whatever it is that brings you joy…just do it!
Xoxo
Chelle B💕