How to Make Your One-Bedroom Flat Feel Like a Mansion

Sleep in a two-person tent for two weeks and live out of your Corolla.

Yes, we have finally returned from our journey down south. It was so great to get away from everything and have uninterrupted time together. I also enjoyed the fact that we weren't connected to anyone via internet or phone (service in the mountains is pretty much non-existent). Yes, the quiet, alone time was good for us :) And now, for some of the highlights:

- The Southern accent. I forgot how much I missed it.
- Having s'mores every night!
- Civil War Days, complete with a battle re-enactment and cannon fire. So cool.

- Two cave tours at Mammoth Cave National Park. Growing up, my family rarely went into caves, because my mom is claustrophobic. It's been really fun to explore them now with Josh. And speaking of people being claustrophobic, as we were heading through Fat Man's Misery and Tall Man's Agony (very skinny, low-ceiled places), one poor elderly lady started having a panic attack. It didn't help that she had vision issues, so the dimly-lit passageways were doing nothing for her nerves. The rest of us were stuck in the cave behind her as the ranger helped her crawl through. Emergency services had to come, but it still took over three hours to get her out of the cave!

Part of the Drapery Room

The Historic Entrance

- Eating at Chick-fil-a whenever we saw one on the side of the road. I am adequately stuffed with the goodness for a little while, but I will still miss that Chick-fil-a sauce!

- Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. Can I say "BEAUTIFUL"? Don't worry, I'll dedicate a whole post to this monster :)

Biltmore Estate, the largest home in the United States

- Our beautiful campsite at Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It was right on the Little River. It was so great listening to the water (and all the bug/frog noises) as we fell asleep.

Josh taking a dip in the river, a chilly substitute for a bath.

- The four-inch long (and half-inch wide) centipede that greeted us when we first got to our campsite. Surprisingly, it didn't faze me. But then again, it wasn't inside the tent.

- All the historic cabins, gristmills, churches, and schoolhouses. I absolutely love learning about the people who first lived on the frontier, about their struggles and their joys. Seeing their houses and the way they lived, is a great way to get a glimpse into early American life. 

One of the many cabins we found in the woods.

- Having friends come up and join us for the weekend for even more hiking and exploration.

At Clingman's Dome, the highest point in TN. Not only was the view spectacular, so was the temperature!

- Accomplishing my longest mountain hike--five miles roundtrip--to Abrams Falls, which was gorgeous. We stopped there to have some lunch and dangle our sore feet in the freezing cold water. I can't even express to you how refreshing that was! And, for those of you who care to know, I gave in and peed in the woods. But that's not the worst of it. I think we showered a grand total of three times in those two weeks. Oh yes, that's how primitive we were. ;) But washing your hair in bathroom sinks can do wonders for your soul!

Abrams Falls.