Fun fact, my birthday is just 2 days after Valentine’s Day so I’ve always looked forward to the holiday and have always felt extra love surrounding February 14th and 16th. With 3 young boys of… More
Zion National Park – An ultimate 2 day guide
We spent more time in Valley of Fire State Park exploring than we anticipated but ultimately, we made our own schedule and didn’t rush through seeing all that we wanted to on our way from LAS to Zion National Park.
Day 1: Afternoon/Evening in Zion after arrival
After leaving Valley of Fire State Park, we drove to Springdale, UT which is a quaint town near the South entrance of Zion National Park.
It was around 4PM when we arrived to our hotel, Holiday Inn Express, which included a free (and healthy) continental breakfast every morning. For example, egg white and veggie omelets, fresh fruit choices, greek yogurts, oatmeal, DIY Waffles and pancakes, turkey sausage, freshly brewed coffee and a filtered water station to fill up your camelbaks and water bottles for a day full of hiking.
Springdale has a lot to offer including a complimentary shuttle service, shopping, restaurants, coffee shops, a brewery on the Virgin River and a greenway to walk/run or ride e-bikes.
After settling in to our hotel room, quickly walking the property grounds outside and resting for a little while, we were anxious to head out and hike one of the shorter trails that had promising views overlooking the town of Springdale.
A quick 5 minute drive to the South Entrance of Zion National Park, we handed over our National Park pass to be scanned, the ranger offered us a map (you will want this as it includes all of the trails, discriptions/difficulties and what stop you’ll need to get off for the shuttles to access each), and parked at the Visitor Center.
Watchman Trail – 3.4 Miles roundtrip. My watch calculated it was a bit further than that at 3.75 Miles which may have been because we did a smaller scenic route once we were at the top (definately do this…you will have better views) and we walked part of the Pa’rus Trail along the Virgin River which connects you to Watchman Trail.
We started this hike around 6:15PM and knew we needed to hustle before we lost daylight as the sun dropped behind the mountains. It probably only took about 45 minutes to get to the top and left us with plenty of time to take in the beautiful views.
We only passed a handful of people on the trail which was so peaceful. Having 3 boys at home that are all talkative from sun up to sun down, one of the first things we noticed while hiking either late evening or early mornings was the noticeable quiet all around.
We decided on a dinner spot, The Spotted Dog, and ended up having one of the best meals of our entire trip. Please go and ask for Freddy if he’s working. He was our amazing server and lead us to our dinner choices but more importantly, we had a wonderful time talking to him about his life and what lead him there, how much growth that has happened in the area in just a few years, and how it’s impacting locals.
Refueled with good food & a delicious cocktail, we were more than ready for a solid nights rest.
Day 2: Up and at ’em – Breakfast eaten by 6:30 and in the car to snag a parking spot at the visitor center to catch the first shuttle in Zion departing at 7AM. Our day’s objective was to see Angels Landing before the crowds.
Take the Zion Shuttle – Zion Canyon Line to Stop 6, The Grotto
Begin hike toward Angel’s Landing taking The Grotto Trail (1 Mile) to the West Rim trail which leads to Scout Lookout (4.2 Miles roundtrip) and Angel’s Landing (another .5 miles).
*Note* A permit is required to hike past Scout Landing and continue to Angels Landing. (Apply Here) Also keep in mind the difficulty and nature of the remaining .5 mile hike to Angels Landing. The most difficult part of the hike (for those afraid of heights) is the half mile out onto the ridge and back. Sheer drop-offs extend downward on both sides of the path in places. Some rock scrambling is also necessary. You will also have to hold onto the chain railing.
As you wind up the West Rim trail toward Scout Landing, the pathway will have many switchbacks leading up. The views continue to get better as you climb. This is one of our favorite viewpoints along the way.
Walter’s Wiggles is also another popular area on the trail.
After reaching Scouts Landing, there are restrooms and views that will take your breath away. You can continue right on the trail toward Angel’s Landing if you have a permit or left on the trail to continue on the West Rim trail as far as you want to hike. Keep in mind it’s an out and back trail so you have to hike back the way you came.
We continued on the West Rim trail and were quickly stopped by the rare sighting of two California Condors. We stood and watched them in complete awe.
While hiking the West Rim trail, I met a local couple who said “Angels Landing is so overrated. The West Rim trail is so much better and doesn’t have all of the traffic.” Hearing her say that made me feel better about our decision to not apply for the permit to hike Angels Landing. Pre-kids I wouldn’t have hesitated but something happened after kids and I have become too anxious when it comes to certain risks.
We had a picnic lunch/snack from this area on the rim trail and I have to say, the views didn’t disappoint. We were also alone until we packed up and began hiking again.
We probably hiked 2 miles on the rim trail before deciding we were ready to make the trek back down to our starting point and head to our next destination. The Condors were still on the trail and showing off.
It’s fun to hike the trail back down to see the views from a different vantage point.
Back at The Grotto stop for a bathroom break, we hiked the Kayenta Trail (2 Miles) leading us to the Emerald Pools trails. After taking the advice from a couple we met, we only did the lower and middle trails as they said the upper didn’t offer different views and there are no visible falls from that point.
Lower Emerald Pool Trail – 1.2 Miles
Middle Emerald Pool Trail – 2.2
Upper Emerald Pool Trail – 1 Mile
The Middle Pool Trail leads you back to The Zion Lodge which is another shuttle stop. Here you will find a restaurant that is a part of the Lodge, a gift shop and restrooms.
Next, we took the Zion Lodge shuttle from Stop 5 to the final Stop, 9, Temple of Sinawava.
Riverside Walk (2.2 Miles) – Takes you to The Narrows. Unfortunately, we couldn’t hike The Narrows as the water flow in the Virgin River was around 1400 CFS (cubic feet per second) and they require the flow to be 150 CFS or less for 24 hours before hiking is permitted. The extreme snow fall this winter caused the water flow to be at such a high volume.
This just means we will have to go back to Zion, right?!
Get back on the shuttle and stop at Big Bend, Stop 8, which is only available on the down-canyon shuttle. Take pictures and get back on to stop at the next stop, Weeping Rock. This .3 mile out and back trail is an easy and accessible trail for most anyone.
The shuttle service is an enjoyable scenic ride that also plays tour guide audio along the journey. We learned a lot about the sights we were seeing along the way that we had not already read in our research.
At this point we had hiked around 12-13 miles and it was only the early afternoon. We took the shuttle back to our hotel, had a much needed rest, then got ready for an afternoon/evening exploring Springdale.
Dinner at Bit and Spur Saloon – Walking distance from our hotel, we took the leisure stroll over to the restaurant. We had no trouble being seated right away but also discovered you can walk to their back property to seat yourself at one of their outdoor tables and order food from their taco truck and drinks from the outdoor bar. We requested to be outdoors and were able to enjoy the outdoor space on such a beautiful Spring day. It was kid friendly with open space, corn hole, a stage for live music performances and room to roam around. The views weren’t too bad either.
I ordered their seasonal margarita, Prickly Pear Margarita, which used locally harvested fruit. It was so delicious, we got a second after dinner.
Day 3: Observation Point (8 Mile loop) or Drive toward Bryce National Park. Unfortunately, access to this hike was closed as the trail was obstructed by a fallen boulder so we pivoted and began our drive. I read the views are worth the hike so try to incorporate it in your itinerary if you can.
Zion-Mt Carmel Highway – Arguably the most scenic drive in the entire national park system, this 26 Mile route winds around and through colorful rock formations, sweeping views, seasonal waterfalls and switchbacks. There are several scenic pull offs along the way. It’s hard to not stop at each one as remarkable beauty is all around and will leave you nearly speechless.
You will come to the Zion-Mt Carmel Tunnel along the way. Once we passed through, we immediately noticed a slightly different change in the landscape.
If you hope to see The Wave in Coyote Buttes, you’ll have to apply for either the advance lottery 4 months prior or the daily lottery. You can apply for the daily lottery when you’re in range of the GEO mapped area only. You need to apply 2 days prior to when you hope to visit.
For us, it worked out perfectly to apply when we were in route from Zion to Bryce as our itinerary had us in Bryce for 2 nights. Should we be accepted, we would stop in Coyote Buttes on our way to our next overnight destination in Page, AZ.
Mt. Carmel Junction on the way and is where we applied online, here. Our hope was that we would be accepted giving us entry to Coyote Buttes after our 2 days in Bryce National Park. Our lottery entry wasn’t selected so I was even more thankful we had visited Valley of Fire State park and saw the Firewave as it had a very similar (albeit smaller) landscape as The Wave. (All about Valley of Fire State Park, here)
Our time in Zion National Park was only a small piece of the magic we experienced on our trip.
Next stop, Bryce National Park. (Click here to read all about our two days in Bryce.)
Powder Room Refresh
What was once an item listed on our project list, the powder room, it quickly became an active project when my husband walked into the garage and returned inside with a hammer and crowbar. He took to a corner in the bathroom and began an attempt at removing 1/4 round and baseboards. All I needed to get going on this particular project was him taking that first step and saying “let’s start checking off these projects.”
DIYs are fun but now with 3 kids, we have to be strategic in planning when we can tackle projects -between his work travel and kid schedules.
Goals for this project:
- Try to be budget friendly, afterall, it is just a powder room
- Source a local company to fabricate a new granite countertop for the existing vanity. This granite was going to the dump, and we scooped it up!
- Find new faucet, lighting and accessories
- Add vertical shiplap
- Fresh coat of paint
Project Mood Board
You can find links to the lights, hardware, and faucet here, Product Links. The final faucet we went with can be found here. We have been very pleased with it. In fact, I installed it apart from connecting the drain to the p trap. I’m thankful for my dad who came over to connect them and teach me how they work.
First we demoed by taking out all 1/4 round, baseboards, disconnecting the water supply and removing the vanity.
We ended up having to purchase this set to help in removing the 1/4 round and baseboards. Even still, it proved to be challenging because the installers used 3 inch nails which is excessive in my opinion.
As you can see, the before was just “blah” and didn’t fit our style at all. As for the layout of the bathroom, we would have never designed it this way but we had to work with it.
After the space was cleared out, I painted the top 1/4 section of the walls White Dove and the crown molding, and ceiling. Then we added in new baseboards, 1×8 primed pine as the MDF was limited for us.
After baseboards and paint, we added a 1×4 piece of trim that was our finishing cap and would act as the point where we measured for each vertical shiplap board.
Once we both cut down our shiplap to size for our first wall, I painted the edges of each piece prior to nailing them to the wall. As I did this, my husband marked the studs on the walls.
As paint was drying on the walls, I decided to update the existing vanity and strip the brown stain. I saw this inspirational photo which solidified my decision. Our granite was very similar in coloring.
I first tried a couple rounds of oven cleaner as stripper but I didn’t love the results. You can see the beginning process in the left photo. Next, I went the route of Citri Strip and it did much better. I also coated the doors with Citri Strip and wrapped them in plastic wrap to let them sit overnight before scraping off the product and stain. The result revealed a beautiful color that was very similar to what I was hoping for.
With a little grit, I cleaned up the corners to get it to match using steel wool and 220 grit sandpaper.
Where this vanity got tricky was the fact that I had to update the side panels. They were not made of real wood but had a veneer finish; therefore, stipping them of stain wasn’t an option. I had to replace the side panels with new 1/2 inch sheets of plywood. We were out of scrap wood that met the size requirements so I purchased 2×4 sheets from Home Depot and cut those down to size. Without using a table saw, I used a guide, clamps and my skill saw to trim it to size. I feel much more comfortable with this tool vs. a table saw.
This also allowed me to try out my new router tool to create a ledge for the cabinet shelf to rest in, just as it did on the original side panels. This was such a fun tool to use. I look forward to future projects when we can try out different bits that it came with.
After the new side panels were cut to size and the ledge routed, I had the task of matching the stain to the stripped down vanity color. I did this with a combination of Special Walnut, watered down white paint as a white wash, and Dark Walnut. I ended up doing 2 more additional coats of dark walnut to darken it up more and found the perfect match.
After stain, the side panel was attached with wood glue and 1 inch brad nails. I then finished it off with 1 coats of clear Matte Polycrylic. This is my favorite poly and is easy to work with. Tip: Between coats, you have to use 220 grit sandpaper to get the smoothest finish.
Check out the progression of adding the vanity back into the space, the counters, doors, faucet and new handle pulls.
Similar Mirror, here.
Adding in the finishing touches was one of my favorite parts. To fill the dead corner space, I found this giant snake plant at Home Depot for $22! The plant stand was an awesome find at Marshalls.
My favorite piece is the room is this watercolor lily. It was a gift to my grandparents by one of their church members. They had is framed by a local business who made a special pocket on the backside to hold the card that was handwritten and included with the art. The special note is a reminder of the impact they had on so many lives and that motivates me to live life to the fullest.
Before we look at the completed space in its entirety, let’s remember where we started again:
LINKS:
Towel Ring and Toilet Paper Holder
What do you think about the Powder Room transformation? Would you believe it was completed for less than $600? Most of that cost went to lumbar because we went with primed pine vs primed MDF.
I hope this inspires you to make the most of your space and transform it with a little paint and a little elbow grease. The before and after can be exactly like your mood board.
Boo – 4 Easy DIY Halloween Costume Ideas
Having kids brought more excitement back to Halloween. I now understand why it was so much fun for my parents to dress my brother and I up in costumes. I may still question the logic behind some of the costumes <Insert this throwback below>
A walking present? I need to ask my mom if I requested this number.
I hope you will find inspiration in my attempts to DIY some of our costumes the past few years.
Football Player & a Baby Football
The first year we had 2 boys to dress for Halloween, I kept it simple and went with a football player and baby football. We had an ECU jersey which was gifted to us as my husband is a proud Pirate graduate.
I searched Pinterest for a DIY football padding template. I used this one, Padding Template. The only thing needed for this, foam, scissors, string and hot glue. I happened to have all these items on hand from past home projects that required these items.
As for the baby football, I bought a brown onesie from Blanks Boutique . The quality of their products are wonderful. I always bought from them for majority of my monogramming and embroidery items I made for clients when that was a business of mine.
I cut strips of white fabric to mimic that of a football and sewed them with a simple stitch down the center of each. I set the stitch spacing to a wider length as I knew I’d also be removing the white fabric after Halloween to add a proper fall turkey applique for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. (I’m always looking for multi-purpose uses for things in the home and with clothing.)
Where The Wild Things Are
Our oldest loved reading this classic children’s book beginning at the age of 3. His love for the book inspired their Halloween costumes. This dragon caught his attention at TJ Maxx which I thought we could easily work into the theme.
Wanting to find an option that had multi-purposes for our youngest, I took to finding ways to make his costume. I found a sherpa onesie on sale for 50% off at Baby Gap that was the main necessity for him to become Max. Here is a similar option for less, baby Sherpa .
Between Michaels and Walmart, I was able to find faux fur that had wire inside and oversized tan buttons that I could easily add to the sherpa and remove after Halloween.
The crown was a party pack (Target) left over from our youngest’s 1st Birthday party (which happened to be the same theme). I hot glued a small bit of faux fur to the base of the crown, then lightly stitched it to the top of the hooded sherpa onesie. I used more of the faux fur to attach the tail.
Once again, the sherpa was put to use after Halloween as I was able to easily remove the stitched fur additions.
I’m linking ready-made costume options below:
The Three Little Pigs and The Big Bad Wolf
I cannot take credit for this idea. One of my close friends dressed up in costume with this family theme the year prior and we loved it.
There were pig headband sets but I knew our boys wouldn’t keep them on. I opted to make a template for the ears and sew them onto hats and a beanie for our youngest.
I first sketched out a basic template for the ears on paper, then used the paper template to trace onto pink fabric that I already had. I made the ears double-sided, with two different fabrics. You could also use inexpensive felt sheets. I first sewed the ear edges then flipped them right side out before stitching to the hats.
The alligator clip pig tails were at Target last year (2018).
Overalls were found at Target. This year’s inventory at Target has more trendy detailing on the denim. HERE
As for the noses and wolf mask, Amazon had the best deals:
Pig Costume 1 Pig Costume 2 Pig Ear, tail, and nose set
Toy Story
This year’s theme is Toy Story. Our oldest wanted to be Woody and our youngest chose Buzz Lightyear, who he absolutely LOVES. I’ve just recently made the vest for the Woody costume which I will share soon. There will be more to come for this post once the final touches have been added.
Should you wish to buy a ready-made costume, here are some of the best deals I’ve found:
*edited below 2021
The Wizard of Oz
I don’t have a tutorial for how I made the Tin Man costume. I found an image of a similar costume and determined what I could buy fabric wise that would have stability and hold shape. A quick trip to the fabric store, I didn’t find a silver faux leather but did find it in black and decided to paint it. That idea worked!
I measured our oldest for shoulder width, body circumference and length and cut the fabric accordingly. I sewed the seams then painted it silver. As for the collar and shoulder detail, I also cut them to fit the body of the costume and hand stitched them to the bodice.
The scarecrow costume was fairly easy. The hat was made with black felt sewn together and adorned with jute and rattan. The fabric around his head and face was something I already had and had stretch to it. I cute out a hole for his face (not centered might I add) and loosely wrapped a piece of string to match the scarecrow look of the movie. We already had overalls and stuffed the pockets with rattan pieces. (Can be found at the $1 store.)
We had fun painting faces for the final family look.
It’s hard to believe Halloween is just around the corner. There were times when I was forced to DIY costumes because they had been sold out.
Birthday Party Themes for Boys
Admittedly, I was “that” mom who planned out a Pinterest worthy themed party for our first borns 1st birthday. Yes, it is something to celebrate but in hindsight, I realize he remembers nothing. My strategy for every party moving forward has been to keep things simple and family only until his 5th Birthday came around.
By 5, he had established a good group of friends and wanted to include them in his party (but only deciding so until the last minute). This Rock Party theme was pulled together in 1 weeks time. If you’re looking for a quick last minute party idea for a little boy, this is it.
I’m also sharing additional party themes we used in years past in hopes that you will get inspo and ideas to tailor for your kiddo.
Theme was derived from our boys LOVE of the outdoors, needing to collect every shiny & unique rock for his growing collection, and all things outdoors. A quick search on Pinterest and I knew what to do.
Materials:
- Rock Climbing Themed Cake (Wholefoods is where it’s at people.) We have used them for 5 years and they always deliver, and for a price that I’m willing to pay for a delicious and beautifully decorated cake. We’ve never paid more than $35.
- Rock – Mineral Poster: Loved this one from Retro Planet. $6.99 – DONE
- Geode Kit – Priced around and found this to be the best deal from Store for Knowledge.
- Pop Rocks, Small carabiners, and thin rock climbing rope for favors with DIY Tags.
- Party Invite done virtually per the last minute planning.
- Favor Tags designed by me and printed at home. Click here for a FREE download.
Previous party theme ideas for boys:
Airplane
Dinosaur
I was pregnant with our second child when we celebrated our boy’s second birthday. His dinosaur birthday cake doubled as a gender reveal. Celebrating our boy’s birthday and becoming a big brother to a baby brother was extra special.
Construction
Wild Things
Sources:
All Cakes except the Construction cake – Whole Foods, Construction Cake decorated by me.
Embroidered shirts – Stitched by me
Printables – Etsy
Crowns – Target in the party supply section
Sandbox – Amazon
If you have questions about specific sources, printables and homemade decor items, comment below.
Blueberry Power Muffins
After our first born was comfortable with finger foods, I searched for easy breakfast options that would pack in the nutrition and make our morning routine simpler. The ingredients are basic and almost always on hand in our house.
When I discovered the the author of this recipe deleted their website leaving me without the recipe, I was forced to come up with my version of the original.
These muffins are also freezer friendly. We often freeze 1/2 of the freshly baked muffins and pull them out individually as needed at a later time when a quick breakfast is needed.
Power Muffins
non-stick cooking spray
2 cups whole wheat flour (you can substitute almond flour, 1:1 ratio may work but if the batter is too wet, you may need to add more)
1 cup plain oats, quick or regular (we always have rolled oats on hand)
1/2 cup sugar (or substitute honey or coconut sugar)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1.5 cups of nonfat vanilla yogurt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5-2 cups of fresh blueberries (I’ve also used frozen and they worked fine. Do not thaw ahead of time if using frozen.)
Optional add-ins: shredded zucchini (1 small), chia seeds, & shredded carrot. Your little ones will never know!
Heat oven to 350.
Line a muffin tin with liners or parchment paper squares.
In a bowl, combine dry ingredients – flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a second bowl, combine the yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla.
Fold the yogurt mixture into the dry mixture and stir to combine well.
Gently fold in the blueberries. *the mixture should be very thick and sticky in consistency.
(If you’re opting to add in shredded veggies and/or chia seeds, fold them in at this step.)
Spoon the mixture into the muffin tins and bake until the top is golden and it springs back when gently touched, about 20-25 minutes.
Makes 12-15 muffins depending on how you portion batter.
Note: these can be frozen to use as needed.
*If you are looking for another gluten free option, try this delicious version from Sally’s Baking Edition.
Happy baking friends! – Amanda
Summer Favorites
This first recipe is pretty, healthy, & festive for any Summer party you’re invited to bring an appetizer.
Blueberry Salsa
Ingredients
2 cups course lunch chopped fresh blueberries
1 cup whole fresh blueberries
1/4 cup of fresh lime juices
1/3 cup of chopped cilantro
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1 diced red bell pepper
1/2 chopped red onion
Sea Salt to taste
Instructions
Coarsely chop 2 cups fresh blueberries. Stir together chopped fresh blueberries, 1 cup whole blueberries, fresh lime juice, chopped cilantro, 2 seeded and minced jalapeño peppers, diced red bell pepper, 1/2 chopped red onion, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Serve with a mix of blue and regular corn chips.
Any leftover salsa is great topped on grilled fish or chicken.
Corn-and-Lima Bean Salad
Prep: 15 min, Cook: 5 min, Cool: 10 min, Chill: 1hr (or serve immediately)
Also known as summer succotash, this recipe becomes a staple side item in our home, paired with BBQ chicken, grilled fish, or included in a veggie dinner. We have even used left overs on top of a southwest style salad.
Ingredients
3 cups fresh corn kernels (6 ears)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup of fresh baby lima beans*
1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
*1 cup frozen baby lima beans, thawed may be substituted
Instructions
Saute corn kernels in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 3 minutes or until tender; add lima beans, and cook 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook 2 minutes until slightly tender.
Remove from heat, and let cool 10 minutes. Toss together lima bean mixture and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
Cover and chill 1 hour. (You may also serve immediately.)
Given that we have an abundance of cherry tomatoes and okra in our Summer garden this year, I’ll be making this variation of succotash next.
Best – Ever Succotash Recipe Source: Southern Living
Shiplap + Bathroom Redesign
If you’re looking to add shiplap to a wall or room in your home on a budget, this post is for you. I’m sharing how you can update a standard builder grade bathroom into a modern farmhouse design.
We transformed this space:
Into this newly designed space for a total of $315. The shiplap wall only cost a little over $15.
Start by measuring your walls. In this case, we were only doing the mirrored wall which made for simple math when deciding how much 1/4 inch plywood we needed.
For ease, we had Home Depot rip down 2 sheets of 1/4 inch plywood into 6 inch planks. (we did have some scrap that we measured out to smaller planks that we knew we could use where some boards needed to be ripped down to less than 6 inches.) We also knew we wanted to continue the shiplap in the shower/toilet room and would use the extra planks in there.
Simple steps to hang the planks:
- Sand down all edges of the planks with an electric sander as there will be rough areas. This goes quickly. *Wear a ventilation mask, it’s not healthy to breath in the dust from the wood.
- Remove old light fixtures
- Measure the length of your wall and trim the board accordingly. Our wall was mostly to scale so we went ahead and trimmed all needed boards to the length of wall. Where there were slight discrepancies, I was able to use an electric sander to take off a small amount for a perfect fit.
- Using a stud finder, mark out the studs in the wall drawing a line all the way down. This is where you will nail your planks.
- In this case, we started adding our planks at the ceiling because we wanted a full 6 inch board at the top. When planking a full wall, it’s sometimes easier to start from the bottom and work you way up.
- Ensure the board is level & using a nail gun (with 1 1/4 nails), nail one end of the board. It’s easier when you have an extra set of hands to hold the board in place but if you are doing the job solo, double check that your board stayed level and nail the opposite end to the wall. Then nail along the board where you marked the stud locations.
- Use nickels for your spacers and put up the next board in place.
- Continue step 5 until you have to make cuts for outlets or light boxes.
- In this case, we had to trim the bottom of one board and the top of the next to accomodate for the lighting. We put the boards in place and traced out where we needed to cut.
- Use a jigsaw to make these cuts. You can always trim off more if your first cut isn’t perfect. (Continue nailing boards after these cuts are made).
- I recommend painting the edges of each board and the wall as you put up each one. This makes the painting process much easier as you don’t have to squeeze a brush into the cracks. We had to get this job done quickly with two toddlers running around so we opted to just get the boards up and I’d paint later.
- Paint the sides and cracks of the boards first.
- Roll the boards second. I needed 3 coats total when rolling because it went on much thinner compared to the brush.
- Caulk the seam where the boards meet the wall and the top of the vanity.
- Hang new light fixtures and mirrors and you can call it a completed project!
Our new lights against the freshly painted white shiplap.
I wanted to further update the space and bought these handles for our existing cabinet doors and drawers.
I also really like these handles but admittedly, I didn’t price around for hardware for the best deal like I normally do and just made a decision at Home Depot.
I also spray painted our existing towel rings to match. (This cost nothing as I already had flat black spray paint for metal.)
When deciding on mirrors, you do need to measure out what range in size you can shop for. I knew what my maximum height and width could be above each sink and searched online first.
Hobby Lobby frequently has a 50% off sale on their mirrors. Luckily for me, the sale was going on when I was shopping so I made a quick run to the store and snagged the last two. These mirrors had the perfect amount of coastal farmhouse vibe we were going for.
Here is a little video highlight featuring a trick for hanging hardware on cabinet doors and drawers. Click Here
A quick trip to Marshalls for accessories – rug, vanity decor, and fresh linens, I snagged YOU LOOK GOOD sign from the inventory of The Homestead Haven (my side gig with my bestie), and then shopped our home for the rest to complete this room design.
You can shop this sign and others in our Etsy shop, here. By the way, this sign is interchangeable. The wooden insert comes out of the base and can be changed seasonally or with other design offerings in our shop. I’m forever changing decor in our home and love this creation of ours making it easy to do so inexpensively.
The best part about the room design, our two boys (ages 5 and almost 3) complimenting each individual new detail in the room. They seemed to really appreciate the hard work and love that went into freshening up this space. Mission accomplished.
Please comment with any questions you may have and follow along via Instagram for our next project.
DIY “Shiplap” Deck Skirt
Before
After
Seeing potential in our home has always been a fun challenge for my husband and I. We prefer to start with a clean slate and add finishing touches that fit our style. One main thing our home lacked on the exterior when we moved was curb appeal. We made plans early on to add a patio and landscaping to the back so that we could enjoy the views, pond, and entertain friends and family.
If you are looking for a way to add a deck skirt but don’t necessarily want the look of lattice, this tutorial might be for you. We loved that there was great storage under our screened in porch but really disliked that everything was visible.
We sketched out the look we had in mind to send in to our HOA for approval and began measuring how much wood we would need.
Before
Basic Materials List:
1x6x8 pressure treated boards
2×2 pressure treated boards
Galvanized screws
Lag Bolts
The first step for us was to add new support boards to the interior of the posts that would allow the horizontal boards to be flush with the posts. You can see from the pictures above what this process looked like. New boards were added first, then the old exterior boards were removed from the sides.
Step two, we ran 2×2 posts along the deck posts leaving space for the horizontal boards to be attached to them and remain flush with the deck posts.
Each horizontal board had to be measured individually because the deck posts had natural inconsistencies that happened over time.
Use a piece of scrap wood from you cuts to make a spacer the width you want your boards to be spaced apart. Ours are space just under an inch apart.
It’s easiest to work from the top down when adding each horizontal board as your deck is already level.
The most challenging thing for our project was making a door for us to easily access everything we were storing. We originally planned to make two swinging doors that carried over the deck skirt design but we determined that the weight of the wood would eventually cause the doors to sag. We didn’t want that.
With some insight from my brother, he suggested making a removable panel that would match the deck skirt. The trick was determining a way to hang it so that it would be removed easily. We decided to add lag bolts, two on each side of the opening, from Home Depot.
We notched out the sides of the door panel, at an angel, to allow for the homemade door to easily drop on and lift off when we needed to access things.
We opted to wait for the treated boards to dry out in the summer sun and then prime & paint them to match our trim. After having the natural look of the wood for so long, we began to also love that look but ultimately went with a cleaner look with the white. It has brightened the space so much and now lets our landscaping colors pop.
It’s hard to believe we started with a small concrete slab at the base of the deck stairs and now have an outdoor living area that allows us to enjoy the outdoors so much more.
Please see this post for an easy DIY trash can hideaway.
As I’m typing, 4 yards of mulch is being dumped on the driveway so I guess I need to wrap it up and start filling the wheelbarrow to freshen up our natural areas. Don’t worry, the hubby is almost finished with work so we’re going to work together while the kids play outside on this beautiful Spring day.
Let us know if you have any questions. Tag us if you tackle this DIY deck skirt, @4havenssake on Instagram & Facebook, we’d love to see.
NC Wine Trails
Two of our best friends live in the heart of NC wine country, Yadkinville, NC. Starting in 2011, we ventured to different vineyards with them in the beautiful countryside and have found some hidden gems in our beloved state.
Here you will find options for self-guided tours as well as tour-guided NC Wine trails. I’ve provided tips for each trail but you’ll find some of the vineyards are repeats so tips won’t be repeated as well.
If you’re looking for a guided tour, you can book with Yadkinville Valley Wine Tours. They offer tours with pre-set vineyard stops or you can customize your own wine trail. They were wonderful to work with and accommodating to our requests.
Our first adventure throughout Yadkinville was a ladies only trip. It was a great way to see a few vineyards, have a tour guide who provided information on the vineyards and the wine making process at each, and safely navigate us along our wine trail.
Photo – Carolina Wine Crush
Trail 1: This tour was with YVWT and consisted of the following:
Laurel Gray Vineyards
Shiloh General Store
Shadow Springs
Dobbins Creek
Raffaldini
You could also use this trail for a self guided tour. (With a designated driver of course.)
Trail 2:
Laurel Gray Vineyards
Sanders Ridge
Hanover Park Vineyard
Flint Hill Vineyard for diner and tasting
+Tips for this trail, Flint Hill no longer offers full service dining; however, they do have regular events you can attend for amazing food prepared by their chef. Ziplining and Hiking trails are available at Sanders Ridge if you want to make it a full day at this vineyard.
Trail 3
Laurel Grey Vineyards (notice a trend in this as our starting vineyard, it’s beautiful scenery, great wines, homemade sauces paired with your wine tasting, & the best bread loafs & cheeses made by the homesteaders of Shiloh General store available for purchase. You will need your vittles for your day of tastings.
Dobbins Creek
Elkin Creek Vineyard
Raffaldini Vineyards
Shelton Vineyards
Rag Apple Lassie
+Tips for this trail – Enjoy wood fire pizzas at Elkin Creek & Diner at Shelton’s Harvest Grill. The brisket grilled cheese with gouda, caramelized onions & bacon jam, sweet potato fries, charcuterie board & spinach salad are a few things our group enjoyed at Harvest Grill.
Trail 4
(Perfect for a staycation or ladies weekend- book a cottage at Medaloni Cellars. Adorable accommodations, beautiful scenery, live music, and hiking/walking trails)
Raylen Vineyards
Raylen Vineyards
Medaloni Cellars with Gouda
Divine Llama
Divine Llama
Raylen Vineyards
Medaloni Cellars
West Bend Vineyard and Brewery
Divine llama Vineyard
+ Tips for this trail, West Bend Vineyard frequently has food trucks and live music, check their calendar of events. Their restaurant is across the street, Grapevine Grill, open Thursdays & Fridays 6-9PM. Medaloni & Raylen also have food trucks and live music regularly. For lighter fare, enjoy cheese & crackers at Medaloni. I recommend the Gouda because it’s just so “gouda”. Divine Llama offers llama yoga, hikes with llamas and more. Who wouldn’t want to sip their wine in the company of these friendly llamas?
JOLO Vineyards – If time allows, add this stop or schedule it for day 2 of your trip.
Trail 5
Chateau Morrisette
Views from Chateau
Chateau Morrisette
Sanders Ridge Vineyard
Shelton Vineyards
Chateau Morrisette (This vineyard is across the border in Virginia.)
Plan dinner reservations and allow time for a tasting ahead of time. You may just get lucky to see a beautiful sunset like we did.
+Tips for this trail – Hanging Rock State Park is not far if you want to add some outdoor adventure to your trip. You could easily set up your camp site ahead of time but keep in mind state parks close their gates at night.
Trail 6
Elkin Creek Vineyard & Winery
Carolina Heritage Vineyard & Winery Raffaldini Vineyards
Dobbins Creek Vineyards
Brandon Hills Vineyards
+Tips for this trail – Elkin Creek offers cabin rentals to make this a perfect option for a ladies/couples retreat.
Trail 7
Camp at Stone Mountain
Laurel Gray Vineyards
Raffaldini Vineyards
Piccione Vineyards
+Tips for this trail – Stone Mountain offers hiking trails with beautiful scenic views if you wish to add outdoor adventure to your trip.
Carolina Wine Crush
Carolina Wine Crush
Carolina Wine Crush
I hope you have fun planning your NC Wine Trail. I’d love to hear your feedback and suggestions if you venture to other vineyards I didn’t mention.
Cheers!
DIY Wood & Metal Hooks
This simple DIY project is perfect for a rainy day. You can plan ahead and snag these hooks for 1/2 off when they are in the sale rotation at Hobby Lobby.
Materials:
1- 1×6 Pine Board (1 board allowed for the 3 different wall hooks you see pictured)
Wall Hooks – sourced from Hobby Lobby (they are frequently 50% off)
1 inch black screws (quantity dependent on how many hooks you plan to make)
Stain color of choice (we used Special Walnut by Minwax)
1/4 inch drill bit (attachment for your drill to make a hole in the metal wall hook)
2 inch black screws (quantity dependent on number of wall hooks you make)
This budget friendly DIY can cost as little as $40 for all 3 wall hooks. Hobby Lobby frequently offers their drawer pulls and metal wall hooks at 50% off. You can find each hook at these links – Single Retro Iron Hook, Triple Retro Iron Hook, single iron hook (not available online). If you don’t want to wait for the hooks to go on sale, you can use a 40% off mobile coupon for one item.
Steps:
- Stain the board and allow to dry. Do not discard the towel used for staining as you will need it again to stain edges after you cut your board
- While your board is drying, you will drill the holes in the metal hooks to allow for ease of attaching them to the wood board. Attach the drill bit to your power drill, mark where you want the holes for the screws, leverage the metal hook on an sturdy surface to allow for some overhang for your drill, securely hold the hook with one hand on the surface while you drill a hole, discard metal shards and repeat until you have 2 holes in each of the larger metal hooks. No drilling is required for the individual hooks.
- Measure out the size you want for each wall hook. To utilize one board as we did, measurements are as follows: 1 Single Hook – 7 inches, 3 hook – approx. 23 1/4 inches & 5 hook – approx 41.5 inches.
- Stain raw edges after you cut each piece
- Center metal hooks on board and attach them using the 1 inch black screws
- Once boards have completely dried, you can attach them to your wall using the 2 inch screws. We recommend finding the stud in the wall to ensure they are secure and withstand holding the weight of your goods over time.
Our 5 hook set was added above a shoe bench in our garage to create a simple hall tree and catch all for jackets & book bags.
If you love the look and just don’t have the time or tools to make these, you can send us a message at The Homestead Haven as we have them in our shop inventory ready to ship. (They’re currently not online in our Etsy shop and solely made for our vendor markets.)
Chalk Paint DIY
I recently inherited a few items from my grandparents as the family prepared the home for an estate sale. One item, a solid wooden desk, I wanted for my boy’s bedroom and loved the idea that they would ledger on the same desk that my father and his brother used as kids.
The desk had stains from drinks, small divots and scratches in the wood but overall, was in great condition.
I knew I wanted to incorporate olive green into the bedroom because it matched an army trunk that was my Grandfathers’. I first checked out Magnolia’s line of chalk paint at Target, Magnolia Paint , but I didn’t like the $32 price tag. If you are one who likes convenience of a pre-made-ready-to-use chalk paint, they have a great selection of paint colors for your project.
If you’re like me and like to decorate on a budget, this Chalk Paint recipe is for you.
I ventured to Sherwin Williams to collect a few samples of olive green paints. Like any color, there are so many variations & shades I thought I’d like best but I ended up eliminated them from my final selection first.
Final paint selection, SW Oakmoss
This shade of olive green matched the army trunk perfectly and looked great with a black and white gingham pillow that I had already sewn for a desk chair.
Steps to refinish your furniture:
- Lightly sand the surface of the piece and apply more pressure to areas that may have damage to smooth out the surface
- Remove all debris
- Remove any drawers and hardware
- Prepare your chalk paint
- 1 cup of paint
- 1 tbsp plaster of paris
- 1/4 of hot water
- Add paint into a glass bowl, add plaster of paris and hot water and mix until there are no remaining clumps of plaster and you have a smooth mixture.
- Begin painting your piece, smooth and even strokes, let it dry then add a second coat once it’s completely dry.
- If you intend to distress your piece after the paint has dried, keep that in mind as you’re painting. You may not want to have complete coverage if you’re looking for a more distressed look.
- Once your piece has dried completely, distress if you want.
- I recommend adding a wax finish to protect the surface. I used Minwax Paste Finishing Wax in clear.
For an alternative chalk paint recipe, you can try out Natalie’s (of The Vintage Porch), here. She provides great tips on finishes, brush selection, and amazing before & after pictures of projects she has tackled.
Check out the before and after of the desk:
Before
Painted, Drying and waiting to distress
I found this sleek little chair at Marshalls & love how it brings out the original color of the desk and also ties in the wood of the boys bunk beds.
This refinish gives me all #thefeels #meaningfulspaces #meaningfulpieces.
Delicious + Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins
I recently saw Jennifer Gardner share a recipe for pumpkin muffins on her pretend cooking show, which I love, and had to give them a go.
After reading over the ingredient list, I knew I could make simple modifications to make them gluten free.
Let me tell you, they are delicious and were loved by everyone in the family.
In the past when I’ve made pumpkin muffins, I’ve topped them with either unsweetened dried cranberries and/or butterscotch or chocolate chips. Our boys requested butterscotch on them this time. They add just a tiny bit of sweetness without being too much.
I hope you enjoy these as much as we did.
Whole 30 Made Simple
Keep it simple. Think protein, veggies, fresh fruits and raw nuts.
Are you considering trying out Whole 30 for the first time? If so, I am here to put you to ease as it’s really not that difficult. Chances are you can make simple modifications to recipes you already know and love but make them Whole 30 Compliant.
I highly encourage you to do Whole 30 at least once. It’s eye opening to how much is in our food that is “approved by the FDA” as safe. I can promise you when you’re forced to read labels to avoid certain things in your diet, whether by choice or allergy related, you’ll quickly see that things you thought were already healthy choices, are not in fact, healthy.
Don’t stress about what you’re going to eat and meals you’re going to cook. You don’t have to do a complete overhaul but read the labels. You’ll be shocked to see how many products, including meats, have added sugars, nitrates, carrageenan, just to name a few (all things you need to avoid while on Whole 30), but there is always a substitution.
So what does Whole 30 compliant mean. Essentially, you are eliminating foods that are free from added sugars, grains, dairy, legumes, soy and you also avoid alcohol and processed foods. By doing so, you are choosing compliant options. All of the things you’re asked to avoid during Whole 30 are know inflammatories which can affect how you feel, your quality of sleep, joint and muscle pain, acid reflux, gut issues, and more.
Sugar is the number one inflammatory and is found as an additive in so many foods that it should not be in. I was SHOCKED when we first read labels. Even a label of “nitrate free” doesn’t mean it is sugar free.
As someone who suffers from carpel tunnel, the first time we followed this elimination diet, I saw instant relief within the first week. Four years later, I know what triggers my carpel tunnel the most from a food perspective and try to avoid it throughout the year. We maintain a 80/20 lifestyle eating this way, with a few exceptions during holidays of course but let me tell you, I pay for it later. Joint pain, check. Inflammation, check. Carpel tunnel affecting my sleep, check.
Recommitting to eliminating the inflammatories after the holidays is a great way to kickstart a new year for my husband and I. It’s something we actually enjoy.
When I meal plan for the week, I try to think about how one protein can be used in other meals later in the week. For example, if I cook a rotisserie chicken in the crockpot one night, I know I can use left over chicken for fajita bowls/salad, chicken salad (using Primal Kitchen mayo), or tossing chicken in our kitchenmaid mixer with the whisk attachment, pouring in either BBQ or Frank’s Hot Sauce to shred/mix it then put it over a baked sweet potato, light drizzle of Primal kitchen ranch (or DIY your ranch). Trust me on this last one. Buffalo Chicken over a sweet potato is the perfect balance of heat and sweet.
Simple Meal Ideas for 2+ weeks:
Snack Ideas: Hardboiled eggs sprinkled with everything but the bagel seasoning & franks hot sauce or wrap the egg with prosciutto.
Chomps sticks
Small sweet peppers sliced in 1/2 and filled with tuna, I like to drizzle Frank’s on mine but you could also pre-make a compliant tuna salad to fill the pepper boats.
Apple slices with almond butter.
Fresh fruit & raw nuts just no peanuts as they are considered a legume and should be avoided during Whole 30.
Breakfast Ideas:
Crustless egg and veggie quiche. Easy to meal prep in advance. I use mostly egg whites, add in spinach, leftover veggies, peppers & onions, mushrooms and bake at 350 degrees until firm, approximately 25 minutes. You can sprinkle on Nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor.
Sweet Potato Hash – Prep in advance on Sunday and portion out to reheat each morning
Egg Muffins filled with veggies and/or cutup sausage links or bacon. These are an easy grab and go option, paired with fresh fruit.
Dinner Ideas: I’m included this before lunch ideas because we often have dinner leftovers that we try to eat for lunches.
Whole Chicken in Crockpot with roasted sheet pan veggies.
– If you follow my Whole Chicken in the crockpot recipe, you can save the stock and use it in this recipe. I make this recipe in the crockpot as well.
-Debone remaining chicken after dinner and portion out for lunches over salad, cauliflower rice bowls with roasted veggies, fresh veggies, avocado slices, ect.
Eggroll in a Bowl – a family favorite we cook year-round
Sheet pan meatloaf patties with veggies – another meal we keep in rotation year-round
Fajita Bowls/Salads
Paleo Running Mama’s Stir fry (It’s so good!) serve with cauliflower rice
Spaghetti sauce over either zucchini noodles or roasted spaghetti squash (make noodles for kids if needed)
Baked Lemon Pepper chicken thighs with steamed broccoli or sautéed asparagus, and cubbed roasted potatoes
Pork chops with a sautéed veggie hash.
Grilled Salmon with sautéed asparagus and beets.
See this post for our family’s top meals that we keep in rotation.
Lunch Ideas:
Salads with left over proteins and raw or cooked veggies
Continue the theme each day. Breakfast on repeat, lunch can be protein leftover from the night prior over salad, and select a dinner option.
Our top recommended ingredients to buy:
Coconut Aminos, Rice Vinegar, Sesame Oil, Frank’s Hot Sauce, Ghee, Nutritional Yeast, olive oil, Tapioca Starch or Arrowroot flour
These are substitutes for soy sauce, inflammatory oils and butter and flour (when needed for thickening agent. We keep all of the above as staples in the home for cooking at all times.
If you’ve made it this far, I want to thank you. My goal for this post was to be brief and provide a very simple guide to being successful on Whole 30. It turns out, there’s a lot to say about this meal guide as it can really become a lifestyle, if you choose.
My hope is that you’ve found tips and tricks for success that can apply today and every day.
Key takeaway, read labels.
Happy cooking my friends.
Whole 30 Top Meals for our Family
Egg Roll in a Bowl
Paleo Running Mama Stir Fry
Crockpot Whole Chicken
Sheet pan meatloaf & veggies – Follow Skinnytaste’s Recipe but omit the oats and Worcestershire sauce, substitute coconut aminos and a splash of rice vinegar.
Marry Me Chicken
See my first Whole 30 blog post where I shared several favorite recipes, below.
DIY Oyster Shell Garland
Over the years, we have always collected treasures from the beach whether it be unique shells, beach pebbles, sea glass, sharks teeth, or drift wood but more recently, I started finding myself drawn to oyster shells. Each one is so unique and almost like it’s own piece of art with the various colors and shapes.
Like most things, these oyster shell collections were stored away and forgotten about. That is until I came across the recycled strawberry bucket on a shelf of our laundry room FULL of them.
Last year I was asked to collaborate with King of Christmas Trees and was delighted at the opportunity. Christmas is a favorite in this household, my husband included. He was all in for adding another tree to our dining room.
I needed to come up with a theme.
Insert me finding the collection of shells and my brain started to run with an idea. I’d seen oyster shell ornaments, Christmas trees made from shells and other various ideas but never had I seen a Christmas tree adorned with a beaded and shell garland.
I took to the challenge, collected items I needed and got to work.
While I waited on my shipment of wooden beads, I prepped the shells for paint.
- Thoroughly cleaned all shells with a solution of dawn, bleach and water
- Allowed them to dry completely
- Laid out my favorite shells on a protected surface
- Painted edges of the shells with this perfect gold paint
- Allowed to dry
- Drilled tiny holes in each end of every shell to allow for fishing line
The beads arrived and I began to layout the pattern of beads:shells that I felt looked best. Using a heavy duty fishing line that I borrowed from our boys’ fishing gear, I began stringing beads and shells. The two holes I drilled in each shell allowed for one continuous strand. My initial strand was 5 yards in length. I ended up adding 3 additional yards to the strand which was perfect for our 6.5 foot tree.
You could easily make a short strand and add it as decor on a coffee table with books, and other items.
My favorite accent color in the home has always been copper and coral tones. When I saw some of the oyster shells had this coloring in them, I immediately knew which color theme I was going with. I dug out the matte copper ornaments that are usually on our main living room tree and only purchased one package of glass ornaments that had a hint of copper coloring to them and these mini mercury glass ornaments. All other ornaments were some I’d collected over the years and had on our main tree year over year.
Ornaments + Decor links
For me, this tree represents our time living in Wilmington, NC and is a reminder of memories we have made at many beaches both as a couple and with our boys.
My hope is that each space in our home is a reflection of what brings us joy and fills our thoughts with moments of nostalgia.
I hope you find inspiration from this fun DIY. Don’t be afraid to create something outside of what is trending in popularity.
Make your home a HAVEN filled with meaningful spaces.
A Recap on our Getaway to Greenville, SC
I didn’t know much about Greenville, SC other than things I had recently heard from a few friends. Everyone said it was beautiful and the perfect place to travel with your family. I was intrigued and wanted to know why Greenville was on the map as a desirable destination for a getaway.
I’ve been following Getaway House for quite some time so when I saw they had a new location open in Greenville, SC, we knew immediately it was a top contender as a destination for this year’s annual trip with our dear friends.
I suggested the idea of Greenville and staying in a cabin to them and they said, “Yes, let’s do it!”
Spoiler alert, it was worth the trip!
Getaway House’s concept is based on the idea of encouraging you to get out in nature to rest, disconnect from the everyday while also being close to cities where you can explore all they have to offer. Yes please! Getaway House has two cabin types, a single queen or a bunk cabin with a second queen bed that is lofted. They provided me with a referral link that will get you $25 off in addition to any specials they are running, book here.
Our youngest is 3 and doesn’t require much space at all so I knew the bunk option would accommodate our family. I could tell from images online that there was a good amount of space next to the lower queen bed and would likely fit a toddler cot and our dog. I was correct and they both fit in that space perfectly.
Weekend Itinerary:
Thursday – Travel day and meet our friends in Downtown Greenville. The cabins were another 45 minutes south so we wanted to stop in and explore downtown, find somewhere to eat dinner, and burn that travel energy. Greenville is both family and pet friendly so please, don’t hesitate on bringing your dog along with you on.
The downtown is beautiful. The leaves were beginning to change and beautiful landscaping with open green spaces were speckled throughout the downtown area and around Falls Park on the Reedy.
While waiting for our friends to join us, Adam and I were in need of an afternoon pick-me-up and found this local gem, Spill the Beans, which is also a known gem for their creamery as well.
When our friends arrived, they too got coffee then both of our families set out to walk downtown, walked across the Liberty Bridge and then settled on dinner.
After dinner, we set off for our cabins at Getaway House. We stopped in by the grocery for a few items that were needed for breakfasts and dinner the following evening.
Thursday Night – Get settled and relax by the fire for s’mores.
Friday – Stay close by to our accommodations and hike Yellow Branch Falls Trail
The trail was less than 30 minutes away. We drove through a couple of cute towns, one of which we all agreed we’d come back and explore after hiking, Walhalla.
Our hike was beautiful with a few creek crossings, a range of forest trails and some climbing that lead to the serene falls. We didn’t see a single person on the way to the falls so it was so peaceful.
We ended up splitting up along the hike from our friends but they ventured on to Stumphouse Tunnel which they said was really cool to see. We all met back downtown at Trailhead restaurant. We loved their outdoor seating area for the kids and dogs to run around. The food was delicious and offered plenty of options for everyone.
After lunch we snagged coffee after lunch from a local shop then headed back to our cabins to prep Turkey Chili in the crockpot.
The cabins have everything you’d need for cooking on a 2 burner stove or on the fire grill grate. Knowing this, Ashley and I planned out dinner and I brought our crockpot from home. She prepped cornbread muffins in advance for the kids and brought them from home.
Our chili dinner by the fire was perfect and followed by more s’more making for the kids.
The adults enjoyed bubbles, wine and a fall cocktail.
The men and a few of the kids ventured to a local brewery about 10 minutes from the cabins. The said it great and brought back an app of peppery pimento cheese. When the chili was still simmering, everyone was able to snack on the app, and fresh chips and salsa.
Our cabins were next to each other which made it easy for us to continue hanging out when the littles went to bed. The monitors reached with no problem.
Saturday – Checkout wasn’t until 11 so we had a leisure morning making breakfasts and packing up our belongings before heading back into Greenville for more exploring, lunch, then hiking at Paris Mountain State Park.
(The men actually had to make a run to the auto parts store as something was needed for our truck but that’s another story for another time.)
First the kids hung out on the rocky area of the Reedy while the adults enjoyed coffees from Spill the Beans, again. We walked around a bit then the group ventured on the Gather GVL, ranked the 6th best food hall in America in 2023 according to the USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards. It was busy but such a fun spot for the families. Their website indicated pets aren’t allowed on weekends but they later told us they are allowed daily so just look into that before going if you have your dog with you.
Because we thought dogs weren’t allowed, I stationed up at the coffee shop for wifi and downloaded a couple movies for the ride home then ventured around downtown with the dog and our youngest. There was a crew breaking down the last of the setup for the downtown market which seemed to draw a big crowd on such a beautiful day.
Our two families went our separate ways after lunch. We ventured on to Paris Mountain State Park to burn off energy in prep for the 4 hour drive home while our friends stayed in Greenville for a while, explored and shopped.
Paris Mountain State Park was beautiful from the moment we drove in the park entrance. We were greeted with views of the first lake. Not really realizing how large the park was, we found parking at one of the earlier lots and set off to find trails.
I’m glad we didn’t venture further into the park because the 2 trails we hiked allowed us to stumble upon a Music in the Woods concert. The amphitheater was on the Mountain Creek Trail. As we got closer to the amphitheater, we were greeted by beautiful Greenville Symphony Ensemble. As you can see from the photo below, many were there to watch the show. I would have loved to sit and enjoy for longer but we had to head on and finish our hike.
The boys requested a trail with a creek so they could once again, hunt for crawdads. We hiked the Mountain Creek and a good portion of the Sulfur Springs Trail before turning back. In total, we hiked just over 4 miles. The trails were easy for all of us. We’ve hiked much more challenging trails with the kids but they did great.
Our youngest fell asleep in the hiking backpack before we made it back to the truck. He slept for hours before waking up around dinner time on our drive home.
As we were driving home, I told Adam that I see the draw to Greenville, SC and understand the draw of all that the city has to offer. You have the perfect mix of city nestled in so much green space, outdoor activities, and it’s close to so many other popular destinations. For example, Asheville, NC is only a little over an hour away and Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA are both around 2 hours away.
I’d say the general consensus on our time in Greenville was that we enjoyed the city and surrounding areas and would, without question, go back again.
Our time and adventures with the Boles Family continue and we look forward to making forever memories on future destinations.
Be sure to look into Getaway House and all of their current locations available in the US. Use my referral link for $25 savings . One other location I’ve looking into is in Asheboro and just minutes away from the NC Zoo and close to Raleigh and Charlotte areas, 45 minute drive to NC Wine Country.
See this post (coming soon) on our October day trip to the zoo and apple orchard during our two older son’s Fall Track Out from school.
Fall Apple Picking + Hearty Muffins
The crispness in the air that comes with Fall will always bring me the most joy.
It may be the nostalgia that comes to the forefront of my thoughts reminiscing of the annual trips my family took to the mountains of NC while visiting my grandparents cottage.
The aroma of soups and chilis filling the home, hikes and soaking up the changing of the leaves, the vibrant colors the season brings, sitting my a fire with friends and family, sipping on cider and warm teas, and baking seasonal favorites are just some of my favorite things about Fall.
Last year we visited The Orchard at Altapass for apple picking. The scenery was beautiful and apples plentiful. It was a sweet ending to our mountain trip and exactly what we needed after living through the experience of our oldest being stung by a yellow jacket and having a severe reaction. You may notice in the picture his sweet face was still swollen. We’re grateful for the swift action of the staff at the urgent care in Blackmountain.
We’ve started new traditions with our three sons which still include an annual trip to the mountains. Be sure to read about our favorite mountain town in this post.
Whether you’re picking apples fresh from an orchard in the NC mountains or you snag some from the local farmers market, you have to give my grandmother’s apple muffin recipe a try.
I’ve included my own modifications and added carrots to the original recipe to make them heartier.
I encourage you to get outside this Fall and try a new hike, bake something new, and do spend time doing things that bring you joy.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.
Hey Boo, You’re Cute
If you saw my post on Monday, you know already that I took on a cheesecloth ghost craft as a way to decompress. On occasion, I am reminded why I thrive when I create, paint a room or take on a DIY project in the home. It’s where I thrive and find Amanda, a moment of pause from mama and the joys and stimulation that role brings.
I am beyond grateful to be available for our boys, don’t get me wrong. There’s always reason to take time for yourself doing something that brings you joy. Filling that cup of joy will spill over when you step back into your role of mom.
This craft requires very few things:
Cheesecloth
Modge Podge
Balloons
Bowl for mixing
Drop cloth of some form
Supportive base to attach balloons
First, blow up the balloons at various sizes to add variation to your ghosts.
Next, drop the cheesecloth over each support and trim accordingly. Tip: Cut them slightly larger than needed so the cheesecloth can puddle nicely.
Mix the modge lodge with a little water to thin out the consistency. Soak each trimmed piece in the mixture, squeeze out the excess and slowly stretch it out to drop back over the base supports you made. I did two layers on each ghost.
Allow them to dry overnight.
Gently separate the balloons from the cheesecloth. Your ghosts may loose shape as you do this step but don’t worry, you can shape them back.
Next you will cut felt eyes or sew on black buttons. Hot glue them on to each ghost.
I decided to add paper flowers and ribbon to two of the ghosts to add a little extra flare, because I’m extra. Have fun with it and make them your own.
Fairy lights were the final touch I added to the ghosts. One long strand worked for all of them.
This tables cape will be a fun one to enjoy before a night out trick or treating. Our family has a tradition of filling up on a hearty bowl of my turkey chili with a side of cornbread before any candy is consumed. Be sure to save that recipe! It’s a crowd pleasure and simple to throw into the crockpot.
Happy crafting my friends.
A guide to Page, AZ & an unforgettable Glamping Experience
After two amazing days in Bryce Canyon National Park, we were so excited to head to our next stop, Under Canvas – Lake Powell Resort & Glamping.
If you missed the previous two posts, start here to see our trip overview with links to separate posts on each portion of our trip.
Travel day: Leave our AirBnB in Tropic, UT and head toward Page, AZ.
Itinerary:
Drive to Coffee at The Shop Coffee Co (which I found in a search for best local coffee shops)
Belly of the Dragon
The Sand Caves
Lunch in Kanab
Explore downtown Kanab
Continue drive to Under Canvas for our one night stay.
If you find yourself driving between Mt. Carmel and Glendale, you have to stop at The Shop Coffee Co. They are more than just coffee and have fresh baked goods, salads, açaí bowls and more. If you’re looking to book a tour via UTV, Jeep, horseback, or canyoneering slot canyons, East Zion Adventures is also located within the coffee shop and can help you take your adventures exploring to the next level.
With coffee in hand, we made our way to Belly of the Dragon. While it’s not much of a hike, it is a really neat place to stop. You can say, “I’ve been there.” It’s a manmade tunnel carved under the highway and is used for drainage from the upper canyons.
We hiked all the way through and then explored a trail that was on the other side before making our way back toward the entrance of the Belly of the Dragon. You could hike as much as 4 miles on the trail to a slot canyon. See map, here.
Next stop, The Kanab Sand Caves. You’ll see signs along the highway as you near the parking lot which is just off the highway.
When we parked, a local was nearby unloading his UTV. We talked to him and had a lovely conversation. He gave us confirmation on which way we needed to hike to get to the sand caves but also told us there are other sand caves located just down the road that aren’t touristy. In conversation, he invited us to join him, his son, wife and grandkids on their UTV adventure after we toured the caves. While I do regret not taking him up on their offer, they were all so incredibly kind, we ultimately decided we wanted to spend more time at Under Canvas since we would only be staying there for one night.
After hiking the 1.2 mile trail, you do have to scale a pretty steep rock to get to the sand caves. If you’re curious, check out the photos shared on AllTrails. I highly recommend shoes with good grip.
After checking out the popular Sand Caves, we did drive down the side road to visit the other sand caves the locals told us about. They were hard to get to as the trails are not very clear but we made it. The views were amazing. Our local friends told us we would see remnants of an old Disney movie that was filmed there, The Apple Dumpling Gang. Sure enough, we saw the old tracks and weathered set props on the side of the mountain.
Tip: travel with an open mind and talk to the locals. We have always taken this approach when we travel and love to take the advice of the locals which has always lead us to hidden gems.
Next stop: Downtown Kanab. Kanab is a popular destination for those who are visiting Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park. In fact, my parents stayed in Kanab and drove into Zion on their trip. It’s only about a 30 minute drive to Zion. We could have easily spent more time in Kanab as there are so many things to do. Most popular attractions are Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Buckskin Gulch (UTV or 4-wheel drive vehicle required to get there), Little Hollywood Museum, Toadstool Hoodoos, Old Prairie Ghost Town, and Moqui Cave. Check out the best 10 trails and hikes in Kanab on Alltrails.
We stopped at Wild Thyme Cafe for lunch and enjoyed the outdoor dining area. It’s a small batch kitchen where everything is made from scratch. We would recommend eating here, although it was a pricier lunch spot.
Walking distance from Wild Thyme Cafe, I stopped in Asana Juice after lunch to get something for the road. We met the owner and she helped me pick out a fresh juice. There were so many other options on the menu ranging from juices, smoothies, açaí bowls, fresh salads, toast, seasonal soups and protein bites.
As much as we were enjoying our leisure day, we were anxious to get to Under Canvas and to see if it lived up to all the hype. Spoiler alert, it did.
Kanab, UT > Under Canvas Lake Powell – Approximately a 55 minute drive.
We arrived and immediately saw the allure for the glamping experience UnderCanvas is known for.
There are designated parking spaces for your vehicles. From there, they load up your luggage on a golf cart and a staff member drives you to your tent. They have handicap accessible tents as well if that’s an accommodation you need.
This particular location has it’s own slot canyon and area to hike and explore. After we checked in, we set out to explore the property.
On this particular day we felt like we needed a nap before dinner. We made our way back to our tent and had the best breezy nap with only the screens zipped.
Under Canvas has a restaurant on property, they offer complimentary s’more kits at night, and will provide warm blankets to you while sitting by the fire pits. Their common areas were designed to encourage you to meet and talk with others, which we loved. We had the best time getting to know other couples visiting.
Horseshoe bend is a popular area to watch the sunset at night but we decided to stay on property and saw a beautiful sunset over the canyons.
The night got cool enough to light the wood burning fireplace in our tent. We kept it on long enough to cut the chill in the room while we stargazed from the porch. On the dates we were at Under Canvas it was shortly after a new moon so a few planets were visible.
I grew up camping with my family and it was often in lieu of hotel stays. Our time at Under Canvas was both nostalgic and also nothing like the camping I was accustomed to. Adam is not a big fan of camping but our experience at Under Canvas was one he loved and was grateful I booked. It also lead him to looking up all of their locations across the country to investigate for a future trip.
Checkout was mid-morning which allowed us to have a slower morning. Sad to leave our perfect little glamping rental, we had more places to visit and a scheduled tour at the Upper Antelope Canyons.
On the road again and stops along the way:
Scenic viewpoint overlooking Wahweap
Scenic overlook of Glen Canyon Dam
Horseshoe Bend
Scheduled tour at Antelope Canyon with Adventurous Antelope Canyon at 11:05AM.
One important thing to note about our tour time is that we actually had an extra hour with the time change from UT to Arizona. We also booked one of the more popular times as the light in the canyons is ideal.
We had the best experience and were in awe of the amazing beauty behind the canyon entrance. From the outside, you’d never guess the slot canyons were inside, shape shifting formations that have been given names by visitors. Your guide will point them all out to you on the tour.
Below are some of the highlights for us:
Our week was full of adventure, long hikes, great food and amazing experiences. When planning the trip, I knew we would both love time to relax poolside, possibly book a spa appointment or play golf so we added a 2 night stay in Scottsdale, Arizona at The Boulders Resort & Spa. We love the Scottsdale and Phoenix area and always welcome the opportunity to go back. I booked our stay though a 3rd party site and got a really great deal plus Adam had points with Hilton that we applied making our stay very reasonable.
Our room was a little chateau with beautiful views of the foliage and surrounding areas.
The property had a hilly and scenic nature path that we ran daily before spending the remaining hours of our days poolside.
The first night, we made reservations at The Spotted Donkey Cantina which our resort shuttled us to and from via golf cart.
On our second night, we went to The Henry in Phoenix that had been recommended to us by friends who’d recently been. It was a meal we both still talk about. The ambiance was also idealic.
Look at this outdoor space.
I was happy to discover they have multiple locations in the US and am hopeful someone will open a location near us in NC in the future. If you’re reading this, maybe it’s a sign it could be you.
Our return flight out of Phoenix was around 2PM which gave us another leisure morning before a long travel day back to RDU.
Our Southwest adventure was a trip we will remember forever and one in which we talk about taking the boys to when they are older and physically able to hike longer trails day after day. We were also reminded of how much we love traveling, just the two of us. Before kids, this was always a priority. Traveling as a couple and as a family are equally as important experiences.
Advice: book the trip. Don’t wait. Experience new adventures. You will recharge and gain new perspectives for this beautiful world we live in.
Here’s a brief look back on the destinations we visited:
Don’t miss the posts on Valley of Fire State Park, Zion National State Park, and Bryce Canyon National Park.
Bryce Canyon National Park – An ultimate 2 day guide
Many ask which National Park was our favorite between Zion and Bryce. If I’m being honest, I cannot choose either. They are both uniquely special and beautiful in different ways. Here’s a look back on our two days at Bryce National Park. If you missed the post on Zion, click HERE.
The drive from Zion National Park to Bryce National Park was only about an hour and 20 minutes at most. When we got closer to Bryce National Park, we were still in awe of how beautiful the Mt. Carmel Highway and scenic route was but little did we know, we’d continue to have those speechless moments when we saw hoodoos for the first time. I mentioned in the Zion post that we applied for the Coyote Buttes lottery when we were in the GEO range along the route from Zion to Bryce. See that post (toward the end) for more specifics if you hope to visit The Wave. You could also do this if your trip has you visiting Bryce Canyon before Zion.
Before entering Bryce National Park, you will drive through Dixie National Forest. This was the beginning of many moments when we were left, yet again, in awe of the sights surrounding us.
So much of Utah experienced more snow accumulation this Spring compared to the averages in years past. Lucky for us (because we don’t get much snow in our area of North Carolina), we saw a good amount of snow which had not melted as we approached Bryce National Park.
This made for a unique viewpoint and contrast of the hoodoos in Bryce with the snow that had not yet melted in contrast with the orange and tan hoodoo landscape. Seeing so much snow was fun for us. I also loved seeing my favorite type of Birch tree, the Paper White, nestled in the snow. It was quit picturesque.
Day I: Arrived in Bryce Canyon National Park by 12:30
We entered the park and went straight to the visitor center to look around and get confirmation on trail closures which are posted on a board daily. We also wanted to talk to a Park Ranger to confirm which hikes would be best to tackle the two days we were there even though we had pretty much decided what we thought was best.
Hike goal for the day: Peekaboo Loop Trail (5.5 Miles), Queen’s Garden Trail, Part of the Navajo Loop trail that was still open, Two Bridges Trail, and part of the West Rim Trail, and that leads you to the start of the first trail. This was approximately a 13 Mile total hike day.
You can view the trail map and descriptions of hikes HERE.
First, we decided to drive to the furthest point on the scenic area route that we wanted to see and then backtrack to park and begin our hike. This also gave us the opportunity to get our bearings of the park and possible lots with more parking.
Natural Bridge and Fairview Point were our first two scenic stops. They are located approximately 12 miles from the visitor center.
We decided to park at Inspiration Point which was a higher elevation overlooking the amphitheater. The views are incredible. Pictures cannot do justice of the scale of the amphitheater. Note, you will walk on the Rim Trail along the edge of the amphitheater until you reach the Queen’s Garden Trail entrance. This is mostly downhill so keep that in mind as the hike from this point to return is an out and back.
We weren’t able to hike the Navajo Loop Trail because of the melted snow that washed away most of the trail. We were still able to see the popular area from both the top and the base of the Navajo Trail. The switchbacks on the Navajo Trail are a popular highlight for many hikers but you will also experience views and hiking switchbacks on both the Queen’s Garden Trail and Peekaboo Loop Trail.
Bonus: Peekaboo Loop is a longer hike and considered strenuous. We felt the difficulty while hiking it as you ascend and descend a lot. We hiked the trail in a counterclockwise direction which, as I’m looking back on the park map now, it was recommended to hike clockwise. Given our experience and the views we had, I’d actually recommend hiking counterclockwise as we did.
See why from these views:
We’re so glad we pushed ourselves to hike one of the longer trails in Bryce on the first day and highly recommend it. Because there are so many places to stop and viewpoints to take pictures of along the way, you’ll have moments of rest throughout the hike.
You will also look forward to getting back to your car to sit at the end. Our leg muscles started twitched the moment we stopped and sat.
From here, we checked into our AirBnB in Tropic, UT which is only about a 20 minute drive. It’s a very small town with only a couple options for dining. The first night we ate at Rustler’s Restaurant. We barely made it before they closed but they happily served us. Adam ordered a Ribeye with sides and I ordered a grilled chicken Caesar salad. When you are as hungry as we were, it was an exceptional meal, particularly the fresh baked bread loaf they brought to the table.
We identified the only location we’d be able to get coffee in town first thing the next morning and made our way back to our AirBnB.
Day 2: Fairyland Loop Trail (8 Miles), plus The West Rim Trail out and back, totaling a 10 mile hike day.
We heated up oatmeal and leftover egg white and veggie omelets from our Zion hotel, I made lunches and packed snacks in our Camelbaks for the day and we headed for coffee at Bryce Canyon Coffee Co.
We decided to park at Sunset Point, hiked part of the Rim Trail until we reached Fairyland Point. There was a lot of areas on the furthest part of the Rim Trail that had muck and deep muddy areas. We passed a few people whose entires shoes looked like clay but realized they intentionally walked straight through those areas instead of making a path around them. You do you.
Fairlyland was widley different from the first day hiking in Bryce. The color of the hoodoos for one, was much lighter and almost a sandlike color. We also had more open trails with wide open views and weren’t down in the amphitheater looking up as we had the day prior.
We crossed one creek area that had the most beautiful pink rocks.
The coloring from the rocks and variations you see in the hoodoos are because of their mineral composition.
Do you know how the hoodoos come to be? They started out as a wall and over time, you will see a “window” form. As time continues, the top of the window breaks away leaving you will the individual hoodoos. If you want to read more on the history, this is a great source.
We felt this hike was much easier compared to Peekaboo Loop however, it’s much longer. It’s still considered strenuous on the trail descriptions.
We hiked relatively quickly and were done by lunch. We ended up eating our picnic lunch at Sunrise point and checking out the Bryce Canyon Lodge. There weren’t any available accomodations when we were booking our trip but I’d recommend looking into this when you’re planning in advance.
My mom had told us The Lodge had a restaurant that she remembered seeing when they visited and suggested we check it out. We looked at the menu, confirmed when they opened for dinner, toured the gift shop then headed to our AirBnB to regroup, rest and shower.
After a quick power nap, we decided to venture into another neighboring town that my parents stayed in, Panguitch. At this point, we were in search of finding another coffee shop in hops we’d make it to dinner.
The Flying Goat Cafe was our first stop in town. We walked to a couple restaurants down the street to check out their menus but decided pretty quickly that The Lodge was were we wanted to have dinner and planned to watch the sunset from Sunset Point overlooking Bryce Amphitheater.
Panguitch has a super cute downtown area with shops, restaurants and a couple Bed in Breakfasts, one of which my parents stayed on their trip the year prior. We ventured into two antique stores and had the best time looking at all of the vintage items. We shared memories with each other each time we saw something that reminded us of a grandparent, family member or a specific memory from our childhood. It was the perfect slow afternoon.
We made our way back to The Lodge for dinner as the restaurant doesn’t take reservations and seating is available on a first-come-first-served basis. Be sure to look at their menus!
Our meal was one of the best we’d had on the trip. Highly recommend it when you’re visiting Bryce. Don’t worry about being dressed up either. We saw a mixture of everything, people still in hiking attire (us included), and those who were dressed in casual dinnerware.
Two long hiking days in Bryce, we felt like we’d seen it all. We were ready for out next adventure, staying at Under Canvas in Page, AZ, visiting Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and more. We had a couple of stops planned along the way to Page which I’ll share in the next blogpost.
Our time at Under Canvas was unlike anything we’d ever done and was EVERYTHING we needed. Here is a peak at what I’ll share next.
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