HILLYARD HAPPINESS

Yesterday we were invited to hike Mount Ellinor and almost didn't go because we've been busy revamping our deck all week. Needless to say, we made the right choice. The hike was a little extreme (haha) and we showed up pretty unprepared to hike 6 miles in 3+ feet of snow, but the view at the top was UNBELIEVABLE! We hiked basically straight up the mountain and I kept turning around thinking 'wow, is this real?!' It was so beautiful!! I say this all the time, but God is seriously incredible and his creations always leave me speechless.

When we made it to the bowl, only a few hundred feet from the top, my legs were on fire and begging me to quit, but every last step to that epic view of the Olympic mountains was so worth it. I think it's that powerful feeling of accomplishing something difficult that is the main reason I continue to convince myself to do crazy hikes like this. Standing there I felt so on top of the world but at the same time like a tiny little spec in this gigantic universe. We also picked the best day because the sky was clear and we could see for miles! It was amazing.

We rewarded ourselves by riding a little avalanche (apparently it's called glissading) all the way back down the mountain with trash bags tied to our behinds hahah! (Swipe to see) We probably should have been wearing helmets (and snow pants, a coat, and some gloves) but it was such a thrill. Still a little surprised that we made it home alive 😜 haha jk mom. And yes my hands are still numb and my bum is really sore. But honestly! We have so many adventures ahead of us the next 3 years and all I can think about is how blessed I am to be here living it with my best friend. I guess it's safe to say we love it here! ❤️

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I feel so fortunate to live amongst so much history right now. It's literally right at my fingertips, and I should probably be taking much greater advantage of it all while we are still here. So this weekend I had a fun photoshoot with the cutest family and their sweet little newborn. They had suggested Drayton Hall as a location and I was all about it -- gave me the perfect excuse to explore somewhere new! It was a pretty cloudy day with a high chance of rain, but we decided to brave it and prayed the rain would hopefully hold off for us. Luckily, not a single drop fell from those big grey clouds overhead. The grounds were so beautiful (especially that pond, wow) and the air was just slightly brisk. We walked down to the Ashley River and strolled through the giant oak trees, the spanish moss swaying in the breeze. After exhausting them all with pictures (and chasing their little toddler everywhere ha!) we stuck around to tour the mansion. I love how classic and simple the layout of these historic homes are, yet the architecture and embellishments on the insides are so incredible. The house was built in the mid 1700's and was passed through SEVEN generations before the property was finally turned over to the hands of the preservation society, with the most important request that the house would remain in it's original condition and always be available for the public to experience. So many intriguing stories are held within these walls and while I have never considered myself to be a history buff of even the slightest degree, those darn tour guides always suck me in. I imagined the lives that occurred in each room as the antique wooden floors creaked beneath my feet. (What I would give to have those amazing floors AND that grand staircase in my future house) What was life like for them and even more so for the dozens of slaves who lived there. Wouldn't it be so crazy cool to have a time machine?? The guide talked about the formal greetings, the business deals, the fancy dinners and balls that most likely took place here, as well as the door frame that held nearly a hundred markings of children's names and heights as they grew. Unlike most other historical museums, the entire house was empty and completely lacking furniture (for preservation purposes). But supposedly the society is developing a digital rendering of the what they might expect the interior to have looked like when it was furnished. Super cool stuff. I have a feeling I would get really into genealogy if I made more time for it, because I genuinely love learning about life in the past. I must get that from my sweet grandma who lives and dies by family history :) Well, if you ever have the chance to visit Drayton Hall or any of the other plantations in Charleston, definitely do it. You won't regret it.