Anniversary Trip

So I've been MIA of late because we've been soaking up a wonderful week full of visiting with out-of-town family and an anniversary getaway to the mountains one state over.  Josh's parents came up with all of the Brown family cousins and kept them here at our house while Josh and I got away alone for once.  We figured the 10 year marker was worth splurging on, no? :}  So we headed east for Ashville, NC to see the famous Biltmore Estate, yes, but mostly to just escape together.  We stayed up late, we slept in, we ate out, we saw movies, we saw sights, we wandered just for the sake of wandering and it was wonderful.  Happy Almost-10-Years to us!

The first night we were there, we drove a little on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  I love, love, love how green and beautiful everything is in mountain communities.  When I think of this trip with Josh, I will think of views like this along every road.

 

At the Biltmore House, we also toured the grounds, gardens, and winery.  We did some wine tasting and I discovered one I could actually enjoy - a Biltmore Limited Release Chenin Blanc.  :)  Anyway, the big, giant, dead, rich man's house that was wildly overpriced to tour looked like this.  We would have certainly enjoyed it more if we weren't choking at the cost of admission.

My favorite part of the house wasn't even in the house.  It was, and I quote in an uppity accent, on the Library Terrace overlooking the South Terrace and Tea House.

 

Here is the view from the bench where we sat to cool off in the breeze because it was freaking hot inside the house.  All that money and no AC.  Sheesh.

Some other Biltmore shots we took (all outside shots because you can't take pictures inside the house) ...

 

 

We checked out Chimney Rock also and thanked our lucky stars that the elevator was working because neither of us were in the mood to sweat hike on our getaway.  We were solely in the area to relax and take in the scenery and sights. (Fun fact, Chimney Rock is where the Last of the Mohicans was filmed.)

And Lake Lure there in the background is where Dirty Dancing was filmed, too. :)

 

Perhaps what we enjoyed the most was the free time (emphasis on the word free) spent window shopping in Chimney Rock Village and wandering along the little riverwalk area.

   

 

So thankful for the time away!  So thankful for Josh's parents being willing and eager to keep the kiddos for us!  So looking forward to getting back to the mountains somewhere soon.  We laughed at how much we found ourselves thinking how much Noah and Anna would have enjoyed the area. On a trip that was meant to be done without them, we kept thinking how much we wanted them with us. That's what 10 years of marriage and family will do to ya, I guess. :)