Life's Sweet Journey

Thursday, December 21, 2017

The Biltmore at Christmas

Happiest of Thursdays before Christmas!! 
With our birthdays only a few days apart, Babe and I have been all kinds of birthday celebrating around these parts! To ring in 34 and 31 we took two very different tours through Asheville; a brew tour for his birthday and a step back in time for mine. I can't think of a better way to have spent my 31st birthday than checking something off my "30 in my 30s Bucket List"

Seeing the Biltmore at Christmas, all decorated in lights and bows, has been on my bucket list since I first went over 15 years ago! I was the literal definition of a kid-at-Christmas kind of happy! Minus, of course, the kid part (unless we are counting at heart)... hello, 31! The Biltmore at Christmas is beyond beautiful. I could gush for hours about the glorious Christmas feel, the hundreds of lights, and dozens of Christmas trees that filled the rooms, but I figure it might just be best to let the pictures speak for me!


Come with me and enjoy a walk through... 

The Biltmore at Christmas

Biltmore Banquet Hall at Christmas

Friday, December 15, 2017

5 Fun Things to Do in Kentucky for Adults

Happy Friday! 
We just left Kentucky and are now in Asheville, North Carolina! We will be calling Asheville "home" through Christmas and are looking forward to finally being in one spot for more than 4 nights. However, we couldn't move on without sharing all the places we explored in Kentucky! There is a ton to do in Kentucky, and while we didn't get to explore Churchill Downs (next time), we did drive through a lot of horse land on our way to explore these 5 fun places... 

5 Fun Things to Do in Kentucky 

5 Fun things to Do in Kentucky

We spent the first few nights in Northern Kentucky and really enjoyed our stay; exploring the different nooks and crannies around our spot in Hebron, Kentucky. 

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Our Maker's Mark Distillery Tour || Touring Iconic Kentucky Distilleries

Happy Tuesday Adventurers!!
Let's head to Maker's Mark Distillery!
Location: Maker's Mark Distillery, Loretto, Kentucky // It's the 2nd Tuesday of the month, which means it's time for another #TravelTuesday link up! Been adventuring anywhere lately? Explored somewhere new in the place you call home?! Join in at the bottom of this post! This month we are sharing one of our first adventures on the road, as well as our first installment of Road Talk Tuesday over on YouTube! Last week we headed to Maker's Mark Distillery for a tour and it was everything a Kentucky pit stop should be... 


The Maker's Mark Distillery Tour is Totally Worth It

While you can visit the Maker's Mark Distillery without paying, you only get access to explore the outside grounds and visit the gift shop (where you can dip your own bottle!). The tour itself costs $12 and is worth EVERY. SINGLE. PENNY!

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Stocking Stuffer Ideas for the Adventurer

Happy Wednesday All! 
We are back on the road, after a few more curve balls, and headed towards southern Kentucky! I can't believe there are only 19 days left until Christmas! In the holiday spirit I figured this Currently edition should be Christmas themed; so, here is how we are currently celebrating this December... 

{Lighting} My Mimi’s old ceramic Christmas tree! We are having a throwback Christmas this year, mostly because we only had room for about 4 decorations. Since we had no space for storing many ornaments, we decided that our RV Christmas tree would be one with sentimental value, that didn't take up much space! Once we get set up for at least more than a 2 day stretch in one place, it will go in between the recliners, right in the big back window. 

{Spending} Money on stocking stuffers for each other! We are only doing stockings this year (this new adventure is gift enough). For the most part they will be filled with the essentials; coffee, gloves, cozy socks… but I am going to try to grab him a few fun items for all our upcoming adventurers. Any adventures in your life?! Here are some of my favorite finds: 

Stocking Stuffer Ideas under $20 : for the Adventurer

For Her

Hiking Fanny Pack- I LOVE my fanny pack! It drives Babe crazy (hence, why it's not on his list), but it is so convenient and I much prefer having the weight on my hips than my shoulders! 
WineARoo- We love taking wine on-the-go! Adventure picnics or to the movies, foldable wine pouches are amazing! 
On-the-Go Phone Charger- I need this in my life! My poor little phone is on it's last leg and the charge doesn't last long. We have a bulky, portable charger, but need something smaller. Every adventurer needs a small portable phone charger. 
Adventure Fuel Mug- Because every good adventure starts with a warm cup of coffee! 

For Him 

Wallet Survival Tool- I got him one a few years ago and somewhere in the wallet switches that have happened he lost it! These little things are great for on-the-go adventure needs! 
LifeStraw- We have been wanting one of these for the longest time; we would love to taste water fresh from the mountain streams! 
Sipping Stones- Because Babe likes what I call his "man-beverage" after a long day of hiking! 
FloatPro: GoPro Wrist Strap- We have been using this old lanyard as a GoPro wrist strap and just try to make sure it's super secure before doing any crazy cliff jumps; it would be so nice to have one that we know would float to the surface should it ever slip loose! 


{Choosing} Where we want to spend Christmas! Since we hit the road for full-time RV life right after Thanksgiving, and had originally planned to be working in West Virginia (more on that soon), we knew we wouldn't be making it back to Orlando for Christmas. Since we won't be in West Virginia it leaves so many possibilities for where we should spend Christmas Day. A huge part of me is sad not to be in Orlando, but there is a part of me that's excited for our first Christmas just the two of us and to maybe even have a cold Christmas for once; should I dare say white Christmas?! Here's to hoping!! Best towns for Christmas experiences... and go! 

{Sending} Postcards! We have made promises to send postcards from each state we visit. So we are getting all our postcards ready to go, along with Christmas wishes to friends and family. 

{Singing} As much Christmas music as possible! This will be the first time these Florida natives have ever had a white Christmas (hopefully), so we are taking full advantage of it.  We're feeling super cozy this year and singing along to every winter weathered Christmas song that comes on the radio. With all the crazy changes that have happened in our first week on the road our theme song has become "to face UNAFRAID the plans that we've made, walking in a winter wonderland." 

And that's our December currently! What's going on in your world currently?
Got your own Christmas theme song for this year?!





Friday, December 1, 2017

Leaving for Full-Time RV Life and a Stay at Forest Lake RV Resort

Happy Friday!! 

We are spending our Friday in the truck, with our home hooked up behind us and moving northward. We have officially been on the road for 5 days now! So, I figured I would share a little look at the mix of emotions and destinations that have been part of our first week of full-time RV life…


Goodbyes are Hard! 

Full-Time Rv Life

We kicked off the week with tons of goodbyes and TONS of tears! Saying goobye to friends and family was harder than I thought it would be and the surge of emotions accumulated into a very tearful goodbye.

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

5 Cities on Our Road Trip Bucket List

As we get ready to embark on our full-time RVing adventure, Babe and I have been making bucket lists! Most include outdoor adventures; which national parks we want to visit, what thrill-seeking activities we are excited to try. However, there are some cities that we are itching to explore! So, I thought I would take a minute to share the top 5 cities we are most excited to visit... 

The Bean: Things to Do and See in Chicago
Image via Flickr by Roman Boed 

Chicago

After friends came back raving about all the fun they had when they visited, we knew this needed to be on our list. I began scouring the internet for the best things to do and see in Chicago. At the top of our list?! All the best places to eat!! I have heard that you can find spots to boondock overnight, in parking lots on the outskirts of the city, and then bike in. We'd love to bike through the city, working up an appetite, then stopping at all the delicious restaurants! Once we have filled our bellies, I want to snag a picture in front of The Bean. We definitely can't wait to visit Chicago!

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

5 Great Black Friday Deals on Amazon for RVers

Happy Day of Shopping Madness! 
We are so excited to be spending tomorrow eating tons of yummy food and giving thanks for one last holiday to spend with all the people we love, before we hit the road on Monday (eek)! 

You probably don't know this about me, but I HATE shopping! Add the word Black Friday in front of it and I literally break out in hives! The one year my sisters convinced me to go with them- mainly so I could wrangle all their children while they scoped out deals- the one thing I bought was literally stolen from right behind my feet, while I watched the kids play on the little mall playground. However, now that Amazon is in on all the Black Friday fun I am ALL about it! 
Black Friday Deals on Amazon

Here are some of my favorite Black Friday finds this year... 

InstantPot- I have heard so many great things about the InstantPot; not just for RVers, but for anyone who wants to lessen their time in the kitchen. I am so intrigued by it! If it really does cook that quickly it would be perfect for a quick dinner after a long day out adventuring. 

Bike Rack- This is the same bike rack we have on the back of our camper. We have had it for two years and it is still going strong, keeps the bikes super sturdy while we are on the road, and it easy to use. It's over $100 off with the Black Friday deal! 

Hammock- RV life or not, everyone needs a hammock! You will thank yourself! We got ours from some sweet friends, a year into our RV adventures, and we thought, "why did we wait so long?! The hammock life rocks!!" 

Car Mount Phone Holder- Under $10!! We use the heck out of our car mount! It's so much easier to follow the GPS directions when the phone is sitting up on the dash. 

Kindle- So I actually kind of despise myself for putting this on here, but a good deal is a good deal. I still am not sure if I can bring myself to make the jump, but I feel like it's probably imminent. I love a physical book more than anything and have sworn against e-readers since they came out. However, the RV life just isn't suitable for a huge library. Trust me, I have found a nook for as many books as possible, but I am running out of room. Looks like a Kindle may be in this RVers future very soon! 

Those are some of my favorite finds this year, but there are tons of other great deals... head over and snag yourself something fun and skip all those crazy lines and crowds! 


Happy Shopping and may your Thanksgiving be filled with family, friends, and fun! 

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

#TravelTuesday 22 // A Goodbye Tribute to our Travel Trailer

Happy Travel Tuesday Folks! 
I'm super excited for this month's link up and to see where in the world you have been! 
Add your link at the bottom of the post and let's adventure together! 

This month I am throwing it back with a tribute to our sweet travel trailer, Florida ReVa, and all the great adventures she brought us during the two years that we had her. It was a bittersweet day when we traded her in for our new home-on-wheels, but we needed something a bit roomier for full-time RV living. Here's a little taste of our life with our very first traveling home...


Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Getting Road Trip Ready and Easy At-Home Teeth Whitening

It continues to be a little chaotic around here, so I've been a little MIA from the blog for a week or two, but I wanted to share a little bit about how we are preparing for life on the road! 

Here is how we have been doing on our "Get-Ready-for-Road-Life" mission... 

We're TRYING to Become Minimalists 

Ok, this is only partially true, considering we have been keeping WAY too much to really be able to call ourselves minimalists. However, the desire in my heart to really work on it is strong. We have been purging so much stuff and with every box that we take out the door my heart feels lighter and so much more free! 

Packing for Full Time TV Life

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

#TravelTuesday 21 // Hiking High Falls Trail near Cashiers, North Carolina

Happy Travel Tuesday Adventurers!! 
I can't wait to see where you have been recently! 
Add your link at the bottom of the post so that we can explore together! 

If you can't tell from the last few posts, my heart has been longing for a good hike, some cooler weather, and a beautiful morning in the mountains! Since that is not an option right now I figured why not relive those moments, with a figurative hike to a beautiful North Carolina waterfall! 

Beautiful waterfall hike near Cashiers, North Carolina


This beautiful hike can be found in Glenville, North Carolina (near Cashiers) and it is one of my favorite trails we've ever been on! If you love waterfalls as much as me, the High Falls Trail (also known as Cullowhee Falls Trail) is a must add to your hiking bucket list! Here's why: