I did this for our Costa Rica trip and I like to recap our vacations this way while they are still fresh in my brain. We are in Washington DC tonight for a quick stop before we drive home tomorrow. In the last week, we have visited Baltimore, drove the Blue Ridge Parkway, explored Asheville and Lake Lure, played with friends in Charlotte and we are spending our last evening in DC. It was a good old fashioned road trip. So, here is a quick recap of some of the simple things that I want to remember:

I heard…


Southern accents. Birds singing. Peace & quiet. A good bluegrass playlist. So many episodes of the Presidential Podcast.

I tasted…


Cheerwine. Lots of local beers. The best crab cake benedict I’ve ever had. Fritters. Some diners, drive-ins and dives favorites. But sadly, no hushpuppies… this time.

I smelled…


Leaves on the ground. BBQ Sauce. Bonfires. New baby smell (thanks to the tiny human of our friends.) Wet dogs. The best hotel shampoo/conditioner.

I saw…


The view from above the clouds. One of the most beautiful lakes I’ve ever seen. Fall colors everywhere. Beautiful historic houses. New friends and old friends. The Blue Ridge Mountains. The history of our nation’s capitol.

I felt…


Fog on my face on top of the mountains. Genuine kindness of strangers. So many car cuddles from Lola. Awe of the history in this part of the country. Peace at the lack of email notifications.

A road trip was the perfect escape. We got to explore a whole new part of country while seeing some wonderful friends. I’ll share lots more pictures soon, but for now, I’m going to enjoy a glass of wine and some cable TV in our comfy hotel bed. 24 more hours of vacation.