A Cabin & The Beach: Our Vacation

Oh Christmas break.  I knew you were going to be interesting but I never expected what occurred. I’ll take y’all back to the beginning of the break though. That’s really only fair.

Nic and I have never really been on an actual vacation together. We’ve gone on overnight beach trips and trips here and there with our families but never a legitimate vacation just the two of us. After Nic got his car we decided I would fly up and then drive down with him for Christmas break; a fun little road trip. That somehow escalated into him finding us a honeymoon cabin on a mountain in West Virginia and us spending three days there.

When I say it was amazing, I mean it. We both have been dealing with so much between school, my crazy health, the drama with his family. . we really needed “us” time and we knew we weren’t going to get any once we got back. When Nic first booked the cabin he showed me a picture entitled “Winter Wonderland”. Everything was all white, and new, and just magnificent. Needless to say we prayed that it would be like that once we got there but snow wasn’t in the forecast until that Sunday, the day we were leaving.

We finally made it to the cabin around 11 on Friday evening. I was inside taking pictures of everything while it was still perfect and all of a sudden Nic starts yelling for me to come out. It had started to snow. I honestly think we would have been as happy as can be if that’s all it snowed all weekend. We sat outside kissing and hugging and smiling in the little snow flurries knowing everything was going to be just a-okay.

I woke up earlier than Nic Saturday morning and looked outside to find snow sticking to the ground. I was so excited.  I made a pot of coffee, grabbed my gluten free gingerbread spice cookies and just sat in front of the fire watching the snow fall. I haven’t been so content and just happy with life in a long time. I (and we) didn’t have to worry about anything else, or anyone else. The weekend was truly just about us. We decided to do a “no cell phone” rule which was partially implemented by us and partially by the overall lack of reception. It really helped out to not hear the constant “ding” of a text coming in. It also didn’t stop snowing the entire time we were there and by the time we were getting ready to leave Sunday morning the ground was covered and two inches had accumulated. It was gorgeous.

I need to tell y’all about the cabin before I get carried away on a tangent. We were on a mountain West Virginia. We had complete privacy. It was absolutely amazing. There was a hot tub outside that had a privacy fence around it so you were free to skinny dip ;) and oh, be in a hot tub in the SNOW! That has always been on my bucket list and I was able to do it.

As far as the bathroom is concerned, I want my bathroom to be modeled around this one but with an old fashioned tub in it as well. The floors were heated so your feet didn’t freeze as soon as you stepped out of the shower and they had a towel warmer. Yes, a towel warmer. We literally had towels that felt as though they just came out of the dryer. I was in heaven. The shower was set up for two, but there were six shower heads. You had the one that was above your head, one for your upper back and than one for your lower. Have I mentioned I was in heaven yet?

 

The entire house was heated by the fireplace. You set the thermostat and the fire periodically came on to keep the house at the correct temperature. While I would have loved to roast marshmallows, having a fire that maintained itself was nice.

The kitchen was superb, the dining room, living room and bedroom were gorgeous. It was a studio type cabin but everything flowed and was separated classily and flawlessly. It was perfect.

We decided to have our own Christmas and do presents at the cabin. We had tossed around the idea of getting a small little Christmas tree but after the cost of the cabin, an unexpected $100 grocery trip to Whole Foods, and everything else was calculated it didn’t really make sense. So we just used theirs. Nicy got me a gorgeous pair of pearl studs which I’ve been hinting at for the past few months and that match my pearl ring and necklace. And an apron. While some girls would have probably gotten offended by this I was ecstatic. I have wanted one but never actually took the plunge.

Our own little "Christmas" tree

I really didn’t want to leave.

Coming down from the cabin was the most atrocious part of the entire drive. Living in Florida I haven’t had to deal with winding roads much and am therefore not at all accustomed to them at all. We almost died at one point while we were going to the most windy road ever and assumed it must be a one way since the road itself was so tiny. We realized we were wrong when all of a sudden a car was coming at us.

In order to break up the 18 hour drive home we decided to stop in Myrtle Beach Sunday and Monday night and continue home on Tuesday.  While trying to get to Myrtle Beach the garmin also decided she was going to take us through a field. A legitimate dirt road called “Log Cabin Road” in the middle of the night where there were no lights and quail were flying up from the remainder of the cotton fields because our car was frightening them. I found this absolutely hysterical, Nic didn’t think it was nearly as funny.

We tried to find a dinner at 10 p.m. on a Sunday. In the off season. We found “Big Willie’s Diner”. It was the most sketch place EVER. We waited the hour and a half left to Myrtle Beach and went to Applebee’s instead. Life saving decision in my opinion.

We have also developed a love for antique shops – more I have converted Nic into a lover of antique shops as well. On the way home from Myrtle Beach we stopped at this darling little antique shop where he bought me the most precious little thimble as I was cross stitching a gift for my niece and kept poking myself.

A theme that stuck with us throughout the trip was the Navy. The cabin was on “Anchors A Way” which was off of “Nautical Lane” and the hotel we stayed in at Myrtle Beach had anchors everywhere. It was really cute.

We went from the snow to the beach in a day and got to experience both on our first vacation. I guess I can’t really complain that much. But let’s be honest, I would do anything to go back to the cabin.

Veteran's Day Weekend

Three day weekends are something I've loved as long as I can remember. They've always meant an extra day to study for an exam or a nice long weekend at the beach. The point is they're fabulous. Now that Nic's a second class at the Academy he gets to leave on Friday nights and on a three day weekend he gets to stay out that extra night. . which means three whole nights of cuddling. Hallelujah!

Eevah's first plane ride

Since last weekend was Veteran's Day weekend -- aka a three day weekend -- I decided to go up and visit, Eevah in tow. She has frequented the airport in her little pink and green purse since she came into our family as she always comes with me to pick Nicy up but she's never actually been on an airplane before. The last few times she has been extremely scared to the point of shaking (if you know her you know this is weird, she's the friendliest dog once she decides she likes you) which had me really worried. Contrary to my anticipations Eevah was absolutely perfect. I got her a new little crate and she just stuck her head out of the top and looked around while snuggled by wherever my legs were. It was really nice having her along, especially for the good-byes because instead of having to wait until I got home to hug her and feel closer to Nicy I got to hold her right when I went through security. A small, but nice and needed comfort.

Nicy dressing Eevah

The visit itself was quite fun. Nic has always sworn up and down that Eevah will not be allowed to wear any type of clothing. This rule gets thrown out when it's cold though because he thinks she needs a coat; he actually went online to try and find a Patagonia or Northface jacket for her but didn't prevail. . . and she was shivering something terrible when we were outside -- especially Friday when the high was maybe in the upper 50s so we went to Paws and spent about an hour trying on cute jackets and sweaters for her. We settled on a crocheted sweater with an anchor on it. And I must admit she really did love it and looked adorable. We also discovered Quiet Rivers (or Waters, I don't even remember) park where we had a little picnic. I love love love picnics and fall foliage and Nic and Eevah so I have to say I was in heaven. It was perfect.

Since this is the first time in four years that we won't be spending Thanksgiving dinner together we decided to do our own Thanksgiving Friday night. We assumed the Navy Lodge had ovens and planned out an entire feast, invited his friends, and I packed the spices in my suitcase. Once we got into the room we made a terrible discovery. There was a stove-top, but no stove!! You would have thought someone died from our reactions, it was quite devastating. . Nonetheless we survived and just went out to dinner. It wasn't the wine filled day of cooking and cuddling I was looking forward too, but it was nice.  And Nic cooked a fabulous breakfast Saturday morning complete with heart shaped chocolate chip pancakes (my favorite) and bacon that was burnt to a crisp and set off the smoke detector. It was the funniest, and funnest, morning we've had in a long time. Few things can make you laugh more than watching your love stand on a bed fanning a smoke detector with a pillow. 

The amazing breakfast, and burnt bacon.

Somewhere along the lines I had assumed the good-byes were going to get easier. I'm not sure if I missed the curve in the road that I was supposed to take for that to happen or what but they aren't getting any easier. It was hard leaving and knowing that I should be seeing him in less than two weeks but instead it isn't for another month. As excited as I am to spend Thanksgiving with my family and be able to eat the lovely food that I've longed for the last three years it is going to be weird not seeing him. .
 

But I don't wanna go!

 Ciao! xoxo

Mission Trip? I Like That Idea

I've been tossing around the idea of going on a mission trip for about a year now, but I've never really looked upon it. About a month ago I facebook messaged a fellow sorority sister who has gone on quite a few mission trips and who I look up to dearly for advice on how to really start the process. She responded with great guidance but the hustle and bustle of school and work kept me away from paying it any mind.

Now that I'm sitting here studying for my two tests and practical on Wednesday, it of course pops back into my head and I can't shake it. (Great timing eh?) I was considering doing Peace Corps after getting my nursing degree, but I decided against it. I think a long trip over the summer sounds extremely doable and rewarding. . If you know me you know I am not an outspoken person, especially not concerning God. I have my beliefs, I do strongly believe in them, but I'm not exactly one to go and yell at people for not believing in what I do. If someone is rudely going against what I believe and personally jeering at it I do not have a problem nicely telling them why I believe what I do, I will not sit and have someone makes jests at something that I live by. That being said I do think everyone has their own set of moral codes, but I also think that some places do not have any at all and that's where I would love to go. I want to make a positive difference in a persons life and help them see something that they may have not seen before, or purposefully shut out of their life (I'm guilty of doing this myself).

I just started looking and have already found two trips that I would love to go on. I like one specifically because it is closer to the US. Sad I know, but I've never really been overseas before (Costa Rica doesn't really count). This trip is focused around working with an orphanage in Tijuana. That being said the chances of my being allowed to go to Tijuana are slim to none; my mom was just reading in the paper about how dangerous Mexico is this morning. And she's rather protective, which I'm very thankful for. But I would love to work with children. The second trip which I am extremely drawn to is in Thailand and has to do with human trafficking, an atrocity that I have very strong feelings concerning. I first really became aware of human trafficking through a Lifetime movie and since then it is something that I will willingly get into arguments about and have always wanted to help stop but have never really knew where to start.  Click here if you're interested in reading more about it! And make sure to read this story to understand exactly what is drawing me towards this. It's so heartbreaking.

If any of you have any ideas or places to point me to I would greatly appreciate it as I feel like this is going to be a great journey that I'm just starting to put my toes into.

Ciao!! xoxo