SNOWY ADVENTURES WITH MY MAN…
Well, Nashville, there’s a fair chance that this winter will be a snowless one from here on out. And no, a saltshaker’s worth of white doesn’t count, says the girl born in Chicago! 😉 There was a wee enchanting half-hour of soft flurries the other day that I caught out my window, but hardly anything stuck around to show for it. Not that I’m complaining though! I’ve found my body really struggles with handling the cold (and the dark, early nights) and so I gravitate more to the other seasons and celebrate the moderate winters that Tennessee enjoys. After the holidays are over, I’m all about the coming Spring. If I can find a yearly opportunity to play in a good snowfall to indulge my northern born sledder, I’m good. This year, that quota was more than met when Sean I took a trip to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge for a photography job.
SIDE NOTE ABOUT OUR TRAVELS: I’ve had people ask about our frequent travels this past year, wondering how we find time or the budget to make those adventures happen. The main answer is that Sean has his own growing business as a photographer and he specializes in outdoor and lifestyle content. (He has a new website under construction as we speak and I’ll be sure to tell you guys about it when it’s done – so you can see the amazing work he’s been cranking out!) He’s done numerous jobs for the state and tourism departments and as his wife, it’s awesome to see him be able to integrate his passion for photography and his natural love for his home state and the outdoors. I don’t always get to join him on trips and shoots, but we’ve made a point of finding ways to share as many of these experiences as is reasonable and responsible for us at this time in our life. So, I’m always totally tickled when I get to tag along or contribute in some way. I am working on my own business and creative endeavors too and our common entrepreneurial energy inspires us both on the regular. Sean continues to work part of the time in his hospitality job (to further grease the wheels of photography) and I am doing what I can to fund my goals and dreams in turn. All that to say, we are super determined to keep striving for a lifestyle that allows us to travel, create and collaborate on our own terms for a living one day – and hopefully soon!
Okay! Back to a fun throwback travel log: Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge! It was the end of November and were on one of those work trips of Sean’s and it turned out to be such an action-packed little getaway for us two. We had an exciting itinerary of local tourism stops and specific things we needed to capture on camera but my favorite thing was just being able to do it all with my partner in crime. He’d call the shots and guide us around. Need someone to jump on a giant snow tube? I’m DOWN. Need someone to drink hot chocolate and wear cozy sweaters while eating pancakes?! I’M YOUR GIRL. And that’s basically how it went. 😉
Due to the touristy craziness that is the Pigeon Forge + Gatlinburg area, I always feel like there are so many options for activities but I had no idea how many fun and awesome things I was missing in the area. This trip showed me how to fulfill all my snow adventure dreams in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee thanks to Pigeon Forge Snow and Ober Gatlinburg. Both have rocking snow-tubing lanes that I couldn’t help but immediately feel like a kid again once I started hurtling down. (Ober also apparently has snowboarding and skiing but I have NO skills in those areas…) We saw thousands of Christmas lights and displays set up for the area-wide Winterfest celebrations and even stopped by at dear old Dollywood. Now THAT was a blast from the past. Always a treat to stop by there; it brings back many sweet memories of music-making, rollercoaster-riding and cinnamon-bread-eating. My personal favorites combined with Sean’s own childhood memories made for new traditions – our new go-to being a required stop by the original Pancake Pantry for a mountain of fluffy griddlecakes! And as I sit in the 55 degree Nashville sunshine, I will enjoy all the snowy and cozy winter memories from these, my favorite pics from the trip! From here, I look forward to spring trips with young leaves, bright buds and fresh breezes. All with my camera wielding partner at my side. <3
