Was Hiding...Decided to Return

For those of you who know a little about me, you know that my life has been in the fast lane for a while.  For example, two weeks ago, I raised $1000 for the Alzheimer's Association and participated in the Memory Walk as a team captain, I closed the musical production of The Pajama Game, Mom came to visit, I prepped for my Images of a Cure photo session marathon to raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, I interviewed for a new job and applied for another, I learned from my advertising agency that I will be the face of a brand new car dealership in Vermont, and I shot about 20 commercials in Atlanta for this and other potential new dealerships/clients.  All in the span of one week.  Whew.

But then something strange...atypical...surprising happened: I went on vacation.  No, not one of those vacations where you are so busy that when you come home, you need a vacation from vacationing.  (I have been on plenty of those.)  Jason and I had planned a vacation in the Northern Georgia mountains for a few months, and while I loved everything I was doing that kept me busy and active in my community, I desperately longed for some uninterrupted time with my family, 4-legged children included.  During all the craziness of the past few months, I held close the thought that the mountains were waiting for me at the finish line.

And so, we went.  And. I. Loved. Every. Minute.  The cabin we rented was INCREDIBLE.  Sitting high on the mountain, we had breath-taking views from the main balcony and the private balcony from our room.  We enjoyed the hot tub several times a day, every day.  Every night was warmed with a fire in either the indoor or outdoor fireplace.  We watched movies, listened to jazz music, took long walks with the 4-legged children, and explored the fall-colored mountain terrain through the lenses of our cameras.  We ate entirely too much homemade soups/chowders/stews and bread and drank entirely too much wine.  We took naps on the reclining couch.  And it was PERFECT.

After a week, we reluctantly returned home, even though home is pretty darn good.  And I've just put in a 5-hour day photographing some amazing families on Jekyll Island for my Images for a Cure photo session event.  But I vow for the next however long I can manage it to take it slow and enjoy the little things in life.  Thank you, mountains, for reminding me of some simple pleasures.

I'll get around to editing my vacation pics one of these days.  In the meantime, I'll leave you with these: images from our final morning in the mountains.  Spectacular.

 

Oh, mountains...how I love you.