travel – A Little Bit of This and A Little Bit of That

This past summer has felt like a tapestry woven with music, milestones, and memories I’ll hold close for a lifetime. Looking back, June and July were filled with moments so rich that even now I find myself smiling as I think of them.

A Night with Andrea Bocelli

In June, I had the privilege of seeing Andrea Bocelli in concert in New Orleans. This has been a lifelong dream that I honestly never thought would happen. Sitting there in the warm glow of the stage lights, I was reminded that music has a way of stirring the deepest places in our hears. His voice filled the room with both power and tenderness–and I found myself swept away not just by the songs, but by the beauty of the shared experience with everyone in that audience. It was a reminder that life is meant to be savored in moments of awe.

A New Chapter: Buying a House

July ushered in an entirely different kind of joy — we bought a new house! The process began on my birthday (May 19, 2025) when we saw our house for the first time. We knew this was the house for us…..this was the house God had for us. We put an offer in on June 14th (right before Ben’s birthday June 16th) and closed on July 11th. The process was both exciting and nerve-wracking, but God had His hand in it every step of the way. There is nothing like the feeling of holding those keys for the first time. This house represents not just a place to live, but a space to grow, dream, and create new beginnings…a place where we can hold our weekly life group and not have to sit on top of each other. Each room already feels like it’s whispering with possibilities – dinners with friends and family, quiet mornings with the Word and a cup of coffee, laughter echoing through the walls. (I will go into further detail in a later blog about just how miraculous our house journey actually was.) We will have been in our house for two months this September 12th, and already we have had a full house on several Friday nights. We’ve had our first women’s study luncheon, and we look forward to all the ways God will use this house to build His Kingdom.

Sister Adventures in the Smoky Mountains

As if buying a new house weren’t enough, July was also the month my sister and I packed up for a getaway to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Ben and I closed on our house on July 11th, we started moving our things on July 12th, and then I left for my sister trip on July 13th. (I won’t deny that I was ecstatic I did not have to do most of the moving–our trip was planned in November, long before we were nudged to start house hunting.) This was our first sister trip, and we laughed until our sides hurt, wandered through charming shops, had our adventured at Dollywood, and soaked in the beauty of the Smoky Mountains. One of the highlights was staying at the Inn at Christmas Place – a hotel that feels like stepping straight into the Christmas season no matter the time of year. From the twinkling lights to the festive warmth, it was the perfect backdrop for sisterly bonding. I can only thank God for the restoration of our relationship and the opportunity to go on our first sister trip.

A Season of Gratitude

When I think of this summer, what stands out isn’t just the events themselves, but the way they stitched together to form a season of gratitude. Music that stirred my soul, a house that grounds us in a new chapter, and a sisterhood that filled my heart — all reminders that life, with its ups and downs, also brings season overflowing with joy when Jesus is the center of it all.

There’s something about a sister road trip that hits different—part chaos (in the good sense), part therapy, and all heart. This summer, my sister and I set off on a five-day adventure to the Smoky Mountains, just the two of us, with snacks in the back seat and Christian music on the radio with a little mix of Bluegrass here and there. We packed memories into every moment—from long drives and belly laughs to holiday magic and mountain views. Here’s how it all went down:

Monday: The Journey Begins

We hit the road early, coffee in hand and playlists ready. Eleven hours of driving may sound grueling, but for us, it was a rolling catch-up session—stories, life updates, playing the yellow game (something my husband made up and we play on all our trips), and pit stops for gas station snacks because no road trip is complete without candy, cracklins, and coffee. By the time we rolled into Pigeon Forge, we were tired but giddy because we finally made it. Eleven hours turned into twelve due to horrific traffic, but it wasn’t stopping us from having fun. We didn’t have a strict schedule, just a schedule of fun. We checked in to The Ramsey Hotel for a single night, ate dinner at a nearby restaurant, and slept like bears hibernating for winter because we were so tired from the drive.

Tuesday: Old-Fashioned Charm & Feudin’ Fun

After a cozy night under twinkling lights, we kicked off the day with a visit to The Old Mill. The smell of fresh bread, the sound of water turning the giant millwheel, and the sight of folks just enjoying the simple things felt like stepping back in time. We strolled through shops, sampled fudge, and bought a few handmade goodies to take home. One cannot go to The Old Mill General Store and not walk out with a sack of some kind of mix. I walked out with unbleached flour, blueberry pancake mix, and yellow grits. Of course, I could not pass on a mason jar of apple butter.

Then we popped into The Incredible Christmas Place, a wonderland of ornaments, lights, and more Santas than we could count. Every trip to Pigeon Forge consists of a visit to this store, and every trip I peruse everything on the first round then return for a second round to purchase any items I just could not leave without. That practice gives me time to really think about any items that peaked my interest and if I really want it or not. This time, I walked out with nothing. Perhaps it was because I knew I was coming home to a new home that needed to be unpacked, or I maybe I was just unsure of how I was going to decorate this new home for Christmas. Nonetheless, this was my first trip to The Incredible Christmas Place that I came home with nothing more than the Christmas-opoly game my sister bought for me.

Later that afternoon, we embraced full tourist mode at the Hatfield & McCoy Dinner Feud—fried chicken, pulled pork, cornbread, and a whole lot of hootin’ and hollerin’. We laughed harder than we had in weeks. The show was pure Appalachian chaos in the best way.

After our bellies were full and hurting from both the food and the laughs, we checked in to what was to be our home base for the rest of the trip – the charming Inn at Christmas Place where it’s always December, and the halls are decked 365 days a year. Before turning in for the night, we toured the entire hotel taking in all of the different decorations in every corner on every floor. Such a night full of Christmas cheer and decorations galore. We went to sleep while visions of sugar-plums danced in our heads.

Wednesday: Dollywood Dreams

Dollywood day arrived, and we were ready. Rides? Check, but no thank you. Cinnamon bread? Double check. We soaked in the charm of Dolly Parton’s world, from the country music playing on every corner to the kindness of everyone we met. The vibe was festive and fun, and we even took the train ride through Dollywood where we managed to get sprinkled from the soot of the steam train and then drenched from the down pour during the ride. Even though we were soaked and sooty, we laughed and decided the best remedy would be a yummy funnel cake. Funnel cake is the cure for anything.

Our feet were sore by the end, but our spirits? Sky high. We returned to our Christmas themed hotel, played a few games of Phase 10, and making frequent trips to the lobby to fill up on the Christmas coffee. It was a great day.

Thursday: Gatlinburg Explorations

We spent our final full day in Gatlinburg, eating sweet potato pancakes at the Pancake Pantry, taste testing olive oils, smelling different types of teas, wandering along the Parkway, popping into boutiques, and visiting every candy store we possibly could find in search of “pickle” flavored gummies. Don’t knock it till you try it. The views of the Smokies were breathtaking.

We ended the day with a late lunch at the Jason Aldean restaurant looking over everyone walking along the parkway. We returned to our Christmas room to play more games of phase 10 and drink more Christmas coffee. It felt like the perfect wrap-up to a perfect week.

Friday: The Long Ride Home

Another eleven-hour drive, but this one felt quieter—less about catching up, more about soaking it all in. We were tired, sure, but happy. That kind of deep, content, my-heart-needed-this kind of happy.

Looking Back

This wasn’t just a vacation. It was a reset. A reconnection. A reminder that no matter how busy life gets, making space for each other matters. We laughed until we cried, took photos, and made memories that will live long past any social media posts.

So here’s to sisterhood, road snacks, Christmas in July, and smoky mountain sunsets. Until the next adventure… ❤️

Tag: travel

A Summer to Remember