cabin christmas

Hope everyone had a HAPPY CHRISTMAS! I can't believe this week is the last one of the year.

details of the cabin
We just got back from Asheville, North Carolina, after spending some cabin-Christmas time with my family. We arrived earlier in the week and had a few days of very chilly, yet clear days. Went hiking at Chimney Rock, found some streams, tried not to get too sick on the winding mountain roads, checked out some restaurants in the city, (I even fit in a yoga class at a studio there), and trotted around the big estate property where we were staying.

hiking Chimney Rock

All throughout the week we watched the weather reports, and it looked as though our wishes may come true - that there would be a white Christmas. Supposedly it was supposed to start snowing on midnight Christmas Eve. We stayed up to watch for flakes, but saw none before falling asleep...

...then within just five minutes of waking up on Christmas morning, some small flakes started falling...


and the snow never stopped before we headed out the next day. Christmas became whiter and whiter, and we ended up having to be plowed out to the main highway by a friend, so that the little Prius could make it through the snow. Luckily the interstates were clear the whole way back home.

mini snowman • full size • snowbird

It definitely was a fun week. Lots of Scrabble, reading, hiking, Monopoly (appropriately 'Christmas Story' themed board), snowman (and snowbird) making, cooking, eating, and of course SLEDDING!

Here's a little video of me, Chris, and my dad riding the hills:
*email readers must click through online to view

florida, holidays, islands, & photos

This week there's supposed to be some of the lowest temperatures so far all season. And this past Sunday brought in the cold front. It was rainy and really windy all day.

Then, one by one, the clouds moved on, just in time for the beautiful evening light - and our scheduled photoshoot with the amazing photographer, Ben Sasso.

It's been a few years since we had some proper photos made, so we decided on a Floridian-holiday theme, and then some fun any-time-of-the-year shots. Here's some of my favorites.


Look closely at the blurry rectangle on the right of the little islands in the background. That's Fort Matanzas, built in 1740 by the Spaniards. This entire area at the south end of Anastasia Island is in my opinion one of the most beautiful in the region.




Ninja Christmas + Florida holiday attire.


Yes, in case you were wondering, the wind chill was around the 30s.....and it was WINDY! There was a blanket and jacket between the photos. Also, we didn't see one other person either on the Intracoastal or Atlantic side of the island....but we did see one puffer fish washed up, and a few jellies.


Happy december from the sunshine state!