Our Weekend In Boone

Traveling to Boone, NC, is such a treat for us. It's almost as if you can hear a relaxing "ahhhhhhh...." sigh as you drive up the mountain. Life is easier -- fewer distractions, lots and lots of nature to take in, and good family times. 

Ian had a light work day on Friday, so we were able to leave town early and make it into Blowing Rock for lunch. We stopped at an Irish pub, Sixpence, on Main Street and had (literally) the best Reubens of our lives. Afterwards, we popped across the street and let Camille get tons of energy out before her afternoon nap on the great playground they have there. 

Once we made it up to the house, Camille napped and Ian and I unpacked and prepped the house for two sets of visitors we had coming. Before everyone arrived, we had some time to tool around in the ranger, and Camille even had an opportunity to "drive." 

My sister Laura and her husband T were our first visitors to arrive on Friday evening. They got in around 7:00, just enough time to hang with Camille for a little bit before she went to bed. Then we just had a low-key evening of standing around the kitchen island and eating take-and-bake pizzas off of paper plates!

The next morning, my bestie from college arrived with her family around 11, and all eight of us piled in the car and headed to Sugar Mountain for their Oktoberfest festival. Camille got to ride on a bus from the lower parking lot to the event, so she seemed pretty jazzed about that new adventure. :)

We loved listening to the oompah band, and the dads even danced with the babies. It was hilariously cute. Ian bought Camille this cute little Spyder cap that matches perfectly with one of her fleeces. It was drizzling rain, but we just braved it and had such an enjoyable time.

On the way home, we stopped for some good barbeque at the Peddlin' Pig, and Camille and Ella were able to sit together and steal food from each other. We LOVE seeing these girls together. They are so similar personality-wise and it's a hoot to witness. 

Back at the house, after afternoon naps for the girls, we all relaxed, watched the Clemson game, and then some of us took the babies to go see the horses at a nearby stable.

That evening, after getting the girls down, we picked up takeout from a nearby family billiards spot and watched (duh) more football. Our family and friends all left the next morning, but we were able to make two fun stops before we left town, which was nice. First, we took the ranger down to the stables again and let Camille say bye-bye to the ducks and horses. The weather was just perfect. 

And next, we stopped at this shop in Boone where Camille was enamored by a giant blow-up cat. She is seriously obsessed with kitties. It's adorable. 

We were tired from the weekend, but Sunday evening, Ian and I chatted before bedtime about how wonderful it was to get away to a place that means so, so much to us. If you've been to Boone, you know. Life slows down, priorities back home float away, and nature just shines brightly. 

The good stuff. 

Our Mountain Getaway + Favorite Things To Do In Boone, NC

Think fast: beach house or mountain house?

Beach house was always my go-to answer. But somehow, in the past three or four years, I've grown a real adoration for the ease and serenity of the mountains.

We took a few days off of work to go up to the mountain house and get some real R+R as a family. No friends, no other family members, no elaborate plans ... just some good ol' fashioned family bonding. 

We arrived in Boone around lunchtime and stopped at one of my very favorite spots, Coyote Kitchen.

The restaurant is small and the menu is so creative. My favorite menu item is the Taos Boat which contains rosemary chicken, crumbled cornbread, black beans, roasted sweet potatoes, roasted corn, fried plantains, roma tomatoes, chipotle cream cheese, and scallions, all topped with melted jack cheese. It is as delicious as you are imagining.

After lunch, we arrived at the house, unpacked, and then headed out for a big grocery store trip to hold us over the next few days. Dinner that night was grilled steaks, bacon caesar salad, and roasted carrots with thyme. 

Ian slept in a little the next morning so the baby and I held down the fort in the kitchen. I baked some banana bread the evening before that we had with sausage and eggs each morning. 

Thursday was probably our most adventurous day. We went into Valle Crucis and hit up the Mast General Store. 

Afterwards, we were so excited to try lunch at Over Yonder after hearing rave reviews from my friend and food blogger extraordinaire Allie. This farm-to-table "Appalachian kitchen" absolutely lived up to the hype... and beyond. We were both really impressed with our meals -- I ordered the tomato cobbler and Ian had the chicken fried chicken. The menu and decor reminded us of Husk in Charleston. We didn't have any drinks, but the cocktail menu looked phenomenal. We will absolutely be back. 

After lunch, we drove to Linville Gorge to take a hike to the different waterfalls. It was the perfect way to get in a little movement and spend some time outside. 

Back at the house, we all played around a bit before it was time for the baby to hit the hay.

Dinner that night was Brunswick stew and gelato for dessert. The Sea Salt Caramel was the winner by a landslide. 

Friday we ventured into Boone and had an afternoon beer at Boone Saloon before coming back home. 

So, I'm the worst at pool ... our game back home turned into a game for Camille. She got more in the pockets than her mama did. 

We were excited that night to try out a local gas station's chicken and waffles. Gas station food is usually scary but we happen to love the breakfast sandwiches from the little griddle inside this one -- so we knew we trusted them. Five bucks a plate. Freshly-fried chicken and the biggest homemade waffles. So incredibly amazing! 

Saturday was chilly and a LOT of fun. We happened to be in the mountains for Blowing Rock's annual Winterfest festival. At 10am they had the Polar Plunge where groups went one by one, jumping in the frigid water at Chetola! (ps, Ian looks so handsome ... this was his late father's hat.)

It was just so cold out, so we warmed up a bit in the lodge at Chetola and then drove in to the main street of Blowing Rock. We dipped into a few stores to warm up, bought a few little items, and tried on some clothes.

Those boots Camille is wearing above were a Christmas gift from her Aunt Laura :) And she was in fleece-lined jeans from my mom!

Before the sun went down Saturday, we drove to Grandfather Stables with a bag of carrots and introduced Camille to horses. She was in awe; it was really cute. 

Our days were full and we accomplished our mission of having a good balance between adventures and much-needed relaxation -- naps, couch-time, card games. With an eight-month old, we had to plan carefully; we didn't want to throw off her routine too much. We generally had relaxing mornings together, then she would go down for a nap around 9:30am, Ian and I would use that time to get ourselves ready for the day and pack up the diaper bag, and after she woke up we would leave the house. She takes another nap around 1:30/2 so if we were out we just tried to make sure that nap occurred in the car. Otherwise, we were home in time for her afternoon nap. She was delightfully adaptable :) 

We took a few photos with Drake before heading home as he hasn't been in the best health recently. He does love the mountains and we were happy to see him enjoying the sunshine before we jumped in the car to head back home to Charlotte.