Hello and Happy Friday! Normally I check in on Friday mornings feeling excited for the weekend and while I am looking forward to the birthday party we have on our agenda on Saturday, I’m feeling the post-vacation blues beginning to bubble up inside of me. Today is the final day of our family mountain vacation and I’m trying to focus on enjoying the time we have left without feeling sad it’s almost over. It has been such a great vacation and I can’t wait to share more of it with all of you next week.
Below you will find a small roundup of things that are making me smile this week in true Things I’m Loving Friday fashion! As always, I’d love to hear a little bit about what you’re loving most this week in the comments section of this post!
Things I’m Loving Friday
- Date Night at The Admiral
To celebrate Ryan’s birthday last week, I planned a date night for the two of us at The Admiral in Asheville on Wednesday night. It was wonderful to have a special night out with the birthday boy and we had a great time dining on an assortment of delicious dishes, including the most amazing sweet potato tart, scallops, mussels, octopus and more. Sharing a variety of small plates is my favorite way to dine because I love trying a bunch of different dishes. We loved everything we ordered (including our cocktails – the Old Cuban was phenomenal) and left only after we practically licked our apple spice cake and cinnamon ice cream dessert plate clean. If you ever find yourself in the Asheville area, definitely add The Admiral to your “must try” list. It looks like a total dive bar from the outside but delivers some amazing food!
I briefly mentioned these puzzles in Monday’s blog post and they’ve quickly become an obsession on our family vacation. The mountain home we rented this week is stocked with a variety of Scramble Squares puzzles and we’ve been trying to crack them all week. So far my dad and Ryan are the only two who were able to solve them (granted I get frustrated and give up after about 5 minutes every time I try) but there’s still time for more of us to join the winner’s circle.
- Charcoal Cutout Shoulder Top
I ordered this top on a whim on Zulily (paired with my favorite moto leggings!) and it’s so crazy comfy that I’m now on the lookout for the same top in another color the next time it pops up on sale. My love for the cutout shoulder style of this top also has me looking for a long-sleeved version as well! Off the shoulder tops and cutout shoulder tops are my current fav!
- Exploring Black Mountain
My family and I had a great time walking around downtown Black Mountain, the small town located just outside of Asheville where we’ve been staying this week. The weather on Wednesday was perfect for strolling along, eating pizza outside and popping in and out of the local shops, including a fun Christmas shop where I had to hold myself back from buying a billion things to transform our house into the North Pole on December 1.
Oh my gosh this stuff is amazing! It tastes like the holidays in a cup. When we visited the Biltmore Estate winery on Monday, samples of their Wassail Spice Blend Mix were available and after trying one sip the question as to whether or not we were each going to buy a bag of it was a no-brainer. The fragrant spice mix can be added to cider, red wine or hot tea and the flavors of cinnamon, clove, orange, lemon and nutmeg are perfectly blended to make the Wassail Spice Blend Mix an instant hit in our family. If you love spiced cider, you must give this a try! I’ve also been adding it to a hot mug of black tea in the afternoon and think it’s fantastic.
Question of the Day
- What is one thing you are loving this week?
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I’m loving Chase’s outfit (those yellow pants!!!) and shoes. My 13-month old has a hard time wearing shoes. Do you have any recommendations that are comfortable and fairly easy to put on/take off?
It looks like you had a wonderful time on your trip. Did the weather from the hurricane affect your trip at all or were you inland enough to miss it?
Sounds like you’ve had a fantastic week!!! I need to check out downtown Black Mountain. I love all the little downtown areas throughout North Carolina! 🙂
This week I have been loving something very simple, but oh so good — Panera Bread’s Green Power Smoothie. At just 200 calories, it fills me up and gives me a boost of energy. I’ve been splurging every morning on one haha!
Hope you enjoy your weekend, Julie!!
-Sarah http://www.thefrugalmillionaireblog.com
I’m loving all of the leaves turning gorgeous shades of orange, red and yellow and the crisp weather! Looking forward to reading more about your trip!
I love Black Mountain!! I went to merri mac and when my parents would drop me and my sister off, we would always stay at the Red Rocker Inn and explore the town for a few days beforehand. Hope you enjoyed it!
This sounds really weird, but I just bought these Olly Smoothie things from Target. I’d been having a serious healthy breakfast crisis. Like, super not healthy and starving by 9:30, but it’s totally made my week that I discovered these 🙂
Looks like a fun trip!
I am loving camping with my family in this perfect Fall weather. In a year that included a new baby, serious health issues, and lots of time in the NICU, it feels like such a gift to get to do something so ‘normal’!
This seems like such a fun trip! I am also experiencing post-vacation blues. Happens every time! I just got back from Germany and Ireland and I’m missing it so much!!
-> http://www.poweredbysass.com
I’m loving your leggings and your hair! And I’m loving the cooler weather in Orlando (85…break out the boots!)
I woke up realizing today is Friday, and felt sad for you that you vacation is soon to be over! It’s interesting you wrote about it. But then thought “Julie’s such a positive person, I’ll bet she is just focusing on the good times she shared with her family.” Which I know you are. But it’s always bittersweet heading home from such a wonderful trip especially with family you don’t live nearby. I am glad you updated your readers throughout the week, (which you did a wonderful job of!) So we could share with you in your wonderful trip!
Rach <3
I totally get the post vacation blues too.
The only times I’ve ever had wassail was at an advent Christmas dinner I used to go to.
I can’t wait to try the Scramble Squares. It will be the perfect holiday game with family!
Such a fun fall vacay you guys have been having! It’s always a bummer when family time comes to a close. I bet Chase is having the time of his life!
Things I’m loving Friday? All of you!!! So happy you had such a wonderful time together, love you!
Yesssssss to the Wassail spice! Knew you’d love it! So so so good! Also I looove your cut-out t-shirt! It’s both flattering and cozy looking. Love! Also we’re twins in the way we like to eat – lots of sampling (which is why I LOVE a good pot luck get together. )
Looks like you guys are having such a magical time. You’ll just have to keep your spirits up by immediately starting to plan your visit down south over the holidays. I always love your Christmas/holiday posts, they’re some of my fave fave fave posts ever, because they are so festive and filled with traditions and warm-hearted family goodness (and food!) Anyhow, maybe planning a future trip will give you something super happy to look forward too. Have fun out there! 🙂
Yay for a date night, happy belated birthday to Ryan. My husband had a birthday a few weeks ago so we’re having some of his friends over today and hang out and watch college football. Loving that top. I am all about the off the shoulder or cut out looks this Fall! And I heard the best thing to avoid the post vacation blues, is to plan the next one…..
The best way to combat vacation blues is to start planning your next one!!
My Friday favorite is that I am running my half marathon this weekend.. can’t wait!
Hi Julie! I’m thinking about ordering a pair of the motto leggings (so cute!). Would you say they are true to size?
You wait until Dec 1st?! The minute the clock strikes Midnight on Thanksgiving day, I am in Christmas mode! I love love love Christmas music but have a strict rule of not listening to any until after Thanksgiving. This is challenging because one radio station in my city plays nothing but Christmas music from Mid-November to New Years!