living proof of God's grace & living free to share hope, encouragement & adventures
If you're a fan of those HGTV home reno shows with the major before and after reveals, this post is for you. Buying an old house to renovate Back in 2021, my husband John and I started casually looking for property somewhere along the Gulf of Mexico to purchase for a short-term rental. Ideally something …
Continue reading Renovating a Mid Century Modern House: Before & After
When John asked me if I wanted to tag along on his work trip to Savannah, GA, it was an easy YES. Granted, it's easier for me to say yes because I have a remote job; however, I would've made it work regardless because Savannah holds a special place in my heart. It was the …
Continue reading A Long Weekend in Savannah, GA: Our Itinerary
Those of you who know me are no doubt thinking... wait, what? Didn't you and John get married in 2020? Yes. Yes we did. That's also when our Colorado honeymoon took place. July 2020. However, I realized recently that I never wrote a recap of our Colorado trip. Blame it on being a newlywed at …
Living less than an hour from the Smoky Mountains, we are not lacking for hikes. Unfortunately, Smoky Mountain National Park does not allow dogs on trails—and we have a dog who loves to hike. So, we're always on the hunt for new dog friendly trails near Knoxville, TN. A few weeks ago, my husband John …
Our 2021 Christmas Beach Vacation For the second year in a row, John and I took a Christmas trip to a beachy destination that I'd never been before. In 2020, it was coastal Georgia—St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island to be exact. It's a beautiful area with stunning beaches; however, being on the Atlantic Ocean, …
Continue reading Things to Do in Gulf Shores, Alabama & the Florida Panhandle
How do you feel about New Year's resolutions? Maybe it's just me, but it seems like—this year more than ever—making resolutions is a polarizing topic. Darned if you do. Darned if you don't. Do you know what I mean? On the one hand, there's pressure to make one because, gosh, isn't everyone? No one wants …
Continue reading Simple New Year’s Resolutions—Progress Over Perfection
Is it possible or even practical to visit both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park in just two days? Yes. Absolutely it is. But let me amend that by saying I would only recommend attempting both parks in two days during off season months, like April, September, or October. Why? Far less traffic and people …
Continue reading Yellowstone and Grand Teton Itinerary: Two National Parks in Two Days
January 1, 2020. What an innocent day, looking back. I started off the year hiking House Mountain just outside of Knoxville, then shared my recap of 2019, that included hopes and goals for 2020. January 1, 2020: House Mountain solo hike On that day, Covid was simply something happening in China. I had no clue …
Continue reading 2020 Review: Expectations, Reality, & What I Learned
In January 2019, I wrote a blog post titled, When God Gives You Abundantly More, as a reflection on 2018—and I was awed by all that God had done in just one year. I hadn't dreamt big enough. So, I trusted Him for more in 2019. Bigger things. And still... Still. I didn't dream big …
Croatia is one of those up-and-coming countries. Gaining popularity, but still not as touristed (yup, it’s a word) as Italy and other nearby European nations. At least, not yet. And that, my friends, is why I’m urging you to add Croatia to your travel bucket list ASAP if it’s not already penciled in. Better yet, …
Continue reading Is Croatia on Your Bucket List? 5 Reasons You Must Visit
adventure and the girl 