Woohoo! We did it! We just checked off another state from the list, and it feels great! If you’ve been keeping up with our travels, then you know the whole story. If not, our goal is to visit all 50 states by our 50th anniversary, and we have to stay one night in a state for it to count. Plus, Hayden and I have to be there together at the same time. I believe this is state number 14!! We’re making progress for only being married 5.5 years!

North Carolina was memorable to say the least. Our trip started off rocky…with a rat running across our mountain airbnb home (that’s a story for another day), and we quickly tried to figure out plan B for housing. Praise God for a great airbnb host that realized that was not ideal and made sure we got a full refund. While our trip had SEVERAL twists and turns – and I mean several – we had a great time. My parents were able to join us for a good portion of it, and because of the rat, our living arrangements changed. We were able to see our siblings Taylor and Hannah in Knoxville on our way home (and stay with them – Praise God!).

I have found that moments like this (you know, rat chaos) are awful, but they bond you together! Ha! So, we made the most of it, and we have several funny stories to tell now.

Asheville is gorgeous, and we would love to see the views at different times during the year. Most of Asheville was fairly green, but I do think the views would’ve been even better in another few weeks. Then again, I love greenery – so that’s my personal opinion.

We visited the Biltmore. It was my second time and Hayden and Beckham’s first visit. I went before third grade – so over 15 years ago, and things have changed quite a bit. While the house is still the same, the experience was a little different (and obviously technology upgrades!). It is such a cool experience – especially if you’re a history lover. The village is a newer addition, and it was our favorite part. They have lots of space for kiddos to run and see animals, and Beckham loved it. I would highly suggest planning some free time here to get your wiggles out! The gardens are absolutely beautiful and a must visit for me – but I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea!

We visited Elevation Church – Asheville for Easter Sunday, and it was so much fun! We loved it. We knew what to expect as we love listening to Elevation Worship and sermons online. In person, everyone was so friendly and kind. We loved it.

To top our experience, the food was a reason enough to go back and visit. My personal favorite was Okie Dokies. This was suggested by the person at the front desk of our hotel, and we weren’t sure what to expect. It was amazing. It was some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever had, and the hushpuppies were incredible. If you haven’t had southern hushpuppies, you are missing a part of life that is delicious. Another favorite spot, Witts ice cream. It was a hometown spot and so good! We also LOVED Juicy Lucy’s. We, of course, had to try a Lucy restaurant, and it was so great. The service was top notch, and we loved the burgers!

On Easter, we hiked the Craggy Pinnacle Trail, and it was short! The view was INSANE – seriously gorgeous. The drive up was on Blue Ridge Highway, and it was stunning. Seriously, you have to do this short hike when you visit. It is a must and easy for anyone who can basically walk up several flights of stairs. It was a 250 ft elevation gain for .7 so not too bad.

Here’s a view of our extended weekend!