THANKSGIVING + MARRIAGE GETAWAY + FAMILY TIME

Vacation is so much fun. But there is also nothing like coming home after being away! I suppose the older I get the more the old home sweet home means to me. I love to travel and see new things and all that, but just as much I love to be in my home. It is absolutely inspiring and invigorating to be surrounded by sights and experiences that aren't familiar to the every day, but there is something so….settling about routine and being surrounded by all the familiar things.

I love unfamiliar things like new coffee shops and quaint towns and hotels, but I really love familiar things like my own bed and my kitchen and my couch + throw pillows to snuggle up to in the morning with a cup of tea and my Bible.

Ben and I were away for the past two weeks, and we managed to squeeze a whole lot of different things into our time in the south. We were with my family for Thanksgiving, which was a total blast. We had Thanksgiving with one side of the family on Wednesday and with the other side on Thursday, so our holiday was full of lots of good food and catching up and relaxing. Best kind of holiday!

// my absolute favorite pastry from my absolute favorite coffee shop //

After Thanksgiving in South Carolina, we spent a few days in Franklin, Tennessee together as a sort of marriage retreat/getaway/vacation. One of our yearly goals is to make a time for marriage input at either a conference or retreat or some such thing, and there were a few actual conferences we would have loved to attend but weren't able to due to schedule conflict, location, cost, etc. So we took a few days and booked a room at the darlingest Airbnb home in Franklin and created our own marriage getaway. We had a ton of conversation and did a lot of reading (this book…we cannot recommend it enough) and a lot of coffee drinking and exploring. It was the best time and I came away feeling so refreshed and inspired and more in love with my husband than ever.

// Franklin is the sweetest little town…visit if you ever get the chance! I recommend Frothy Monkey for coffee + food, The Iron Gate for browsing/interior design heaven, and The Red Pony for any special date night out // 

After our marriage focus weekend, we spent a few days with Ben's brother + family in Tennessee. We've missed hanging out with them since their move last winter, so it was fun to have some time with them again in their new home. Then we headed back down to South Carolina for a night out to celebrate my sister's twenty-first birthday + a Christmas dinner for Ben's work + my old roommates wedding. So much fun stuff!

It was a super great two weeks of family + vacation, but like I said, it was so good to walk in the door to my home.

What about you: do you find yourself ready for the routine of home after a while on vacation?

I'd love to hear your thoughts!