Mountain Weekend!

Happy Monday!

Hope you enjoyed your weekend. I sure did! As you read last week, I spent the weekend with 2 of my girlfriends in the mountains of NC. Thankfully, my mom and her husband live there, so their house served as our "bed and breakfast" for the weekend. And they gave us a great deal.  ;)

They live in Sylva, NC, which is in Western NC. GORGEOUS! Nearby towns you may be more familiar with include Highlands, Cashiers, Maggie Valley, Bryson City...

Our mountain weekend started out after work on Friday. I got home from a work trip in Charleston, went inside and unpacked/repacked my suitcase, and went to pick up Casey. It was her first time away from her almost 7 month old baby boy, so I wasn't sure what to expect. She did great! No tears (that I saw).

*Alyssa drove separately because she was coming from Charlotte*

Casey and sweet Colin

We filled up on gas, got some snacks, and hit the road. After 3.5 hours of jamming to old school Destiny's Child, Mariah Carey and Dixie Chicks, we arrived in Sylva. Alyssa had gotten lost about 1/8th of a mile from my mom's house (shocking) but when we pulled up, she had already arrived. We ended Friday night by demolishing some pizzas, enjoying some Merlot, and lounging in front of the TV in our PJs. Perfection.

Saturday morning, after Casey came and jumped on our bed (still on Colin-time), we went upstairs for coffee. The sunroom in that house is to die for. I got my coffee and went out to watch some news and enjoy the fire. 

The best part of waking up, is coffee in your cup. And a fire. And a breathtaking view.

I also got my dose of the glorious morning sun shining on the mountains. No joke, this is the view from their sunroom. There was a lot of fog in the mornings that burned off, so you can see a little of what's left in the picture.

Heaven on Earth

The Mike (aka one of the bed and breakfast owners) made breakfast with my mom. It's hands down my favorite breakfast: Biscuits and gravy, bacon, and eggs (over-easy). I ate WAY too much, but I'm not mad about it. My mom makes the greatest from-scratch biscuits in the history of the world. And that is no exaggeration.

Mike the gravy-maker

Bacon! Sizzle, sizzle.

After breakfast, we showered and dressed to head out for the day. Before we left, we snapped a few pictures in the yard. Because the sun was in our eyes, we had a hard time getting one where we all didn't have ridiculous faces, but this is the best we got. We also snapped a few by the fireplace inside. Love these girls so much!!

The ladies - L-R - Me, Casey, Alyssa

It's a Casey Sandwich!

Our afternoon Saturday was spent walking around downtown Waynesville. We visited the Christmas shop first, which is filled to the brim with ornaments and cute decorations. It really made me itch for Christmas!

While we were looking at ornaments, we got a call that our table at The Sweet Onion was ready. We met up with my sister, Jenn, and my adorable 10 month old niece, Avia.

Waiting on our food was the perfect time to catch up and watch all of the cute stuff Avia does (which is everything, of course). She loved the paper and crayons they brought her, but didn't quite understand that the two go together. She much preferred the paper!

The peanut showing off her 2 new teeth!

The food I ordered was so delicious. I started with the French Onion Soup, which is one of their popular dishes. After that, Jenn and I shared the Crispy Mozzarella and Tomato Salad. It's basically a Caprese salad with round mozzarella sticks instead of fresh mozzarella. Isn't everything better fried?

I also enjoyed a glass of Crios Malbec. Also delish!!

After that, we went to an ice cream and fudge store, a knick-knack store, and a kitchen store. I bought nothing, but really enjoyed walking, window shopping, and the beautiful weather! The company was pretty good, too. 

Avia and Alyssa

After saying goodbye to my sister and niece (which was very sad), we went back to the house and...ate some more!

We had chili for dinner. I'll definitely have to make it soon and post the recipe. It's one of my cold weather favorites, with an interesting twist :)

To mine, I added peppers, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and a dash of hot sauce. I also had a slice of cornbread with it. Yum!

We enjoyed this dinner as we watched the South Carolina vs. Auburn football game. I was expecting to lose pretty badly, so was pleasantly surprised with the result! It wasn't a win, but it was soooo very close. 
Speaking of "soooo very close," I also watched video of South Carolina Men's Soccer play Kentucky (which you already know if you follow me on Instagram: @yellowdoordiaries), and they fought to tie the game to go into overtime. They lost in the last minute of the 2nd overtime. So proud of the heart and fight they showed!

As if we hadn't had enough food for the day, we had to finish the night with the classic mountain weekend treat - s'mores by the fire!

We all basically crashed into bed that night, and enjoyed a good night's sleep.

Guess what's next? Yep, we ate again! On the breakfast menu Sunday morning was waffles and mimosas. I'm telling you, this bed and breakfast has great service! ;)

Unfortunately, it was then time to hit the road and drive back into the real world. But not before a stop at Barber's Orchard! They have the most delicious apples, baked goods, ciders, jams, etc. ever! We all stocked up on some of our favorites, and then enjoyed a turnover outside before we left. 

Ummm. Yum.

SO GOOD. That look is 100% joy and excitement.

Our treasures

My goods included 2 sweet potatoes, a butternut squash, some mild Mexican salsa, and a 1/2 peck of Fuji apples (my favorite!).

Then we headed back to Columbia, with full bellies, smiling faces, and happy hearts. We hit 3 separate traffic jams, but it was my secret plot to keep Casey trapped in my car a little longer. Mwahaha!

I have some of the best family and friends in the world. It was good for the soul to get away from everything for a couple of days. To spend some quality time with two wonderful friends and some of my family. Good food, good conversation, good laughs...definitely a much needed weekend!

Hopefully this time next year, I will be publishing a "Second Annual Mountain Weekend" post!

Before you go, here are a few more photos from the weekend. Hope your weekend was just as fun and relaxing!

Casey, Alyssa, Me

She kept headbutting me - this girl is so loved!

Sis trying on my shades. I like!

I'll leave you with an evening view. Wish I was still there...

Until next time - -