After such a crazy past month, this sweet time of Christmas is just what I needed. A week and a half break with my sweet family and friends along with a little much need R&R has already done the soul good. The older I get the harder it is to leave home. I cry everytime and take advantage of every second I get with the people who are my whole world. Christmas was so simple this year. The reality of what Christmas is truly about was there this year. I laughed harder than my Cherokee cheeks could handle every single day, and cried tears of joy. There is nothing better than a family’s love. Coming home is my favorite place to be. And the best part of it all was going back through the pictures and seeing the joy on my grandparents faces when the love of our family overcomes one room with sweet sweet memories.

Part of the way through my break I decided to take an adventure in nature and discovered more than what I had intended. John Muir once said “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” Today I realized how true that simple statement is. Today, I received far more than what I knew laid before me. The mountains have always been a special place for me (hence why I will be moving to Colorado in 2016). There is just something special about them that I have never been able to put into words. Is it the crisp mountain air or the sound of the tricking waterfalls, or is it the smell of the earth or even the views that will never have the capacity to be explained? I think it’s every single one of these feelings and more. I love living on the ocean but being so far away from the mountains has my soul reaching for a feeling that I can only grasp when I come home. The first sight of a peak lets me feel home ❤️ After living in the Carolinas for over 20 years, I had yet to experience one of the most magnificent views to the Carolina hills. It’s a place called Short Off mountain outside of Morganton, NC. It is most definitely not the easiest place to find, but in my opinion those are the best ones! The hike was definitely a difficult one climbing straight  up river beds, but Is every bit of worth it! As we climbed we would stop and stare in complete awe and question how it could get anymore beautiful, and with each climb and each new overlook we realized it was easy. The beauty is indescribable and pictures will never explain the magnificent art that laid before our eyes. Sometimes in our everyday routine, life seems to get mundane, and our teeny little worries and fears take over the blessings that flood our lives. Sometimes it takes getting back to the beauty and simplicity of what it is all truly about. I love places like this that make me feel so tiny, humble, and inspired. And I am beyond thankful for eyes that can see such majestic beauty, legs that have the ability to climb Rocky Mountain sides, and family to share these special moments with.