Thank you first full week of August for showing me what summer is really made of! July really brought me down, so I am really excited to report all of the great things August has shown me thus far. I figured I haven't done a fun Friday post in awhile so I am going to list some fun things that happened this week and continue this high right through the month.

1. I FINALLY crossed something off my bucket list that has been sitting there for awhile. I went on a self guided wine tour with R and some friends around Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes. We had a gorgeous day with good wine, good food, good laughs, and great friends. If you missed my post Monday about it, recap it here: Wine Tour: Seneca Lake

 
2. Guys I am officially happy with my scale. I stepped on it the first time in months and it actually told me I lost some weight! This was HUGE for me. It has been a long battle and to see 15 pounds gone really make me feel good. I talked a little about my struggle on Wednesday. If you are interested in my weight loss journey you can read about it here: My Weight Loss Journey

Guys I have a butt! Hard work is paying off!

3.  My House Party kit arrived! These boxes always make me so happy because the goodies inside are always so much fun. This is my 5th party in 2 years and the first one that was sponsored by an adult beverage and was geared not only towards women. This one is fantasy football themed and sponsored by a Whisky.


4. Having wine is always fun especially when it's free. My local wine store hosts weekly wine tastings on Thursdays and this week they were hosting wines that come from Italy and Greece. Its really cool because not only do you get to taste new wines, they educate you about how it was made and what region it comes from in each country.

5. I have finally laid out a plan for the blog for the Fall. So many new fresh ideas and making the blog more fresh and clean. I can't wait to share it all with you. One thing in particular that I'm excited for is the third Blog Staycation! So much learning to be had!

Have a great weekend folks!

Linking up today for H54F , That Friday Blog Hop, Oh Hey Friday!

As I stand in front of the mirror, I have a glimmer of hope that something has changed. Thought after thought enters my head as I stare intently at myself. "My pants seem to be fitting looser and I think my shirt feels more comfortable." "I think my stomach might look smaller, hard to tell today". Then the thoughts go the other way. "Maybe I am just hallucinating. No weight has come off." " You're not beautiful. You are fat." "Nobody likes you anyway."

Self esteem plays a large part in this battle. When you are used to hearing negative things from the people around you, it is hard to believe in the good things. A year ago this month I went on a "sleeping" medication to help me get better sleep which was the excuse my doctor used for my stomach issues. I had been battling stomach pains, fatigue, and weight gain.  She claimed I needed to get better sleep and eat better.

 I became very active at the gym and even took a regular yoga class. No matter how hard I pushed myself the pounds kept packing on. I changed my diet, even eliminating foods with no change. Good news was my stomach stopped hurting and I thought I was sleeping better. Although I wasn't quite sure I wasn't sleeping good prior to the medicine.

I went in for a 3 month check and the doctor asked how I was doing. I told her my pain was gone, but I just couldn't get this weight to come off. She once again told me I needed to exercise more and eat better. I explained over and over again that I've been the most active I've ever been and my diet was the cleanest it's ever been. She sent me away with only asking that I continue to take the medication and continue to be healthier.

My job hosted a Biggest Loser competition in January. I weighed in at the heaviest I have ever been in my life. Each weigh in I barely lost anything if I didn't gain instead. I was frustrated and ashamed all at the same time. Nothing fit. I wasn't comfortable in my own skin. I had to make a change. I finally made an appointment with a new doctor. The first thing she confirmed was the medication was causing the weight gain even when my previous doctor told me that wasn't my problem.

Another thing she confirmed was my life environment was stressful. I needed to cut my stress out to get feeling better. I stopped taking the pills that day. Although my home environment is still very stressful and some of the people surrounding me are still verbally abusive, I am doing better.

For the first time in a year I stepped on a scale and was happy with the result. I am down 15 pounds since I stopped taking those pills back in April. I feel like I have some control back in my life. I am finally allowing myself to see the positive changes. No more negative sound bites in my head.

People do not have the right to make you feel insecure in your own skin, why should you do it to yourself?

Whew! What a week it was last week! I recapped all of my Blog Her 2015 experiences along with my conference essentials to help you survive your first or even 100th conference. Then I wrapped up my Summer Tea Swap. It was a pretty action packed week here on The Trish List.

Today I want to give you a sneak peak of my weekend. Me and R were finally able to get together with some friends to do a wine tour. I will be living in the Finger Lakes for 4 years in November and haven't made the time to do one. It was a last minute decision and we had a blast. The weather was absolutely gorgeous this weekend with blue skies and barely any humidity. We decided to do the Seneca Lake Wine Trail and I was super impressed.

I will let the pictures tell the rest of the story:

Seneca Lake

Wine, Swine, and Stein

We asked and it was CHOCOLATE COVERED BACON :)

This place is GORGEOUS!

<3

After attending my first blogging conference in a big city (NYC) I came up with a list of things to pack to make the experience that much better. These items don't only apply for blogging conferences. You can use these items for any type of conference you are attending.

• Comfy shoes: I know you want to look fashionable and pretty thought out the conference, but if you are planning to do a lot of walking, especially if you are not staying at the conference hotel, having comfy shoes to put on is a must. I picked a pair that were light in weight, yet still comfy and fashionable.

• Deodorant: Conferences make for a long day, especially when they fall in the summer. Having a good deodorant that works all day is highly recommended. I was glad I packed my Dove Advanced Care 48 Hour anti-perspirant. It kept me dry and smelling good even after running around NYC in 90 degree weather.

•  Sunscreen: I am pretty white. If I don't wear sunscreen I end up looking like a good ol' fashioned Coca Cola can. It ain't pretty! I rubbed on some SPF 60 sunscreen and off I went. Even while sweating like there is no tomorrow, it stayed on and did the job. Remember, even if your conference is in the winter, you can still get sunburn! Be safe and pack it regardless. 

• Collapsible Bag: You never know what kind of swag you are going to come across at a conference. Sometimes you are provided with plenty of bags, and sometimes you only have 1. I always carry a bag that can easily fit in my purse just in case. This also comes in handy if you are exploring the city and decide to buy a few souvenirs.

• Business Cards: Always, always make sure you have business cards on you at a conference. You are going to be mingling with not only other bloggers (or others in your field if this is a work related conference) but sponsors and brands. You don't want to be caught off guard when someone asks for your card. Make sure to bring at least 250 just in case. 

• Portable Power Charger: Guys can I say how much of a life saver this is? This day in age EVERYONE has a smartphone, so everyone is looking for a place to plug in. To help ease the panic mode when you phone goes into power saving mode, invest in a portable charger and save yourself some grief. You can charge right in your purse and have a totally charged phone in less than an hour. 

I hope this list was helpful for your next conference! What do you consider an essential? Share them with me in the comments!

*I received the Dove Advanced Care from Influenster free for review purposes. All opinions are my own.  
 

If you like tea, you have picked the right day to read my blog. Today I will be posting about the yummy teas I received from Jenn over at Optimization, Actually. Earlier in the month I decided to host a Summer Tea Swap. The Winter Tea Swap went so well it sounded like a great idea to introduce some great teas that could be enjoyed in the summer.

Without further adieu, here is what I received!




1. Starbucks Iced coffee: It's not tea but that's okay in my book! I can't wait to try this out. Hopefully this weekend :)

2. Dandelion Tea: I have heard good things about dandelion tea. Maybe it will help this bloat I've got going on lately!

3. Tulsi Jasmine Green Tea: This stuff smells so good! I think I have found my new favorite go to tea!

4. Twinnings Chai: I have had this tea in the past and it is a good one. So glad to have more of this in my life!

5. Tazo Ice Passion Sweetened Tea: I haven't tried this yet but I am a fan of the passion tea when I go to Starbucks so if it's anything like that I will like this.

6. Harris Green Tea: Gotta love the green tea. Some people don't like the taste but I think its pretty calming and has just enough flavor.

7. Kirkland Green Tea: This looks interesting. I can't wait to try this and give a formal report!

Thank you so much Jenn for the awesome teas. I love trying new things and these are all certainly right up my alley! I am planning my 2nd annual Winter Tea Swap this November so keep an eye out for that!

I have opened a link up for all participants to link up what they got! I am also okay with anyone linking up their favorite teas! Recommendations are always welcome!

Day 3 (Check out Day 1 and Day 2)

I didn't feel as tired today when I woke up. I was however supposed to go do some early yoga and that didn't happen. I also decided missing breakfast wasn't the end of the world and I didn't have as big of an interest to that morning keynote, so I went in a little later. It was Saturday so there was no rush hour to worry about. I arrived at around 10:15 with just enough time to get me to a session I was interested in attending; You As a Brand: Brands on Bloggers.

This was an interesting panel. So much insight was given on what brands are looking for and what they avoid. I learned a lot about what I should be doing moving forward to help me connect with brands better. Very informative and glad I attended.



I had a lunch time private event with Good Health. I was really excited about this one because I am all about living a healthier life these days and any tips I can get works for me. I sat with some pretty great ladies and we laughed together as we all attempted some yoga in the crowded room. Lunch was pretty yummy and we sat and learned some food tips.

After lunch I headed to another session that was set up once again as a round table discussion. Building a Media Kit with Erin Baynham was one of the top sessions on my list to attend. It was apparently on top of lots of peoples lists because it was PACKED! I was lucky to have a seat close to Erin so I heard everything clearly but others got frustrated and I think next year this type of session needs to be in a bigger setting. I took a lot out of this session with all of the amazing ladies who spoke up and gave insight. I don't currently have a media kit but am working on one this week. I am excited to see what I can come up with and where it can take me. Do you have a media kit?

I ended my conference experience with one last visit to the Expo. In case you are wondering what the Expo is, it is a huge hall where all of the sponsors are set up ready to meet you. You have opportunities to hand out business cards, mingle with fellow bloggers, and sample new products. This is where most of your swag comes from. It can be really overwhelming.

Just a peak at some of the swag I went home with

I unfortunately did not attend the closing party. I really had every intention of doing so but had some insecurities about getting back to my cousins safely at that hour of the night. I ended up heading home and spending more time with my cousin and organizing everything for my trip home. I had a great experience and can't wait to attend more conferences in the future.

Stop back tomorrow to see some of my conference must haves when attending for the first time. These tips could also be helpful for your 100th conference.  I hope you enjoyed the journey with me this week. Now I want to hear about your experiences with conferences. Tell me all about your experiences in the comments!

Day 2 (Check out Day 1!)

Tired does not even begin to describe how I felt when I woke up. I sluggishly made my way to the city and barely made it to breakfast and the morning Keynote. The keynote was amazing with Anna Maria Chavez, Soledad O'Brien and Samantha Skey. I felt so moved and inspired by these ladies stories. I left the keynote feeling pumped as I headed to a private event with Sears Connection. This was a panel of ladies talking about all the new technology Sears has to offer as well as how we can use it in our everyday lives. One of the panelists was Randi Zuckerberg. She had so many great ideas about keeping families grounded in this techno world we live in. We all received a little goody bag along with Randi's book Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives. Looking forward to reading that!


After that amazing panel I ran to lunch where Gwyneth Paltrow was speaking. She spoke about Goop, parenting, her divorce, and dealing with criticism of being in the spotlight. She spoke so candidly and open. I really felt like she was just another blogger/business woman trying to make it in this crazy world. She laughed, she cried, and she inspired. Such a great person to bring into a conference for blogging. 

I felt like she had some pretty good advice on how to deal with life in the spotlight. Even as bloggers we may not be huge celebrities, but we are putting ourselves out there for criticism. Some days it is harder than others to deal with the real dangers that come along with public writing. I have said this before and I will say it again, not everyone will like you or your writing. Gwyneth spoke about how she deals with these issues and how they made her really look at herself. Some of the negativity that comes out of the criticism helps to shape yourself and work on things that may be your own insecurities. 


I left lunch feeling a lot better about some of the stuff going on in my life. It was a great way to remind myself to keep moving even in difficult times. I moved on to my first session since coming to the conference. I attended Humor Writing in 140 Characters and Beyond with Sarah Maizes. This was meant to be a round table discussion but quickly became pretty crowded where it became very hard to hear. I took a little out of this session, but I wish it would have been a little better organized.

Conference OOTD Day 2

After the session there was an Expo break. I used this time to visit with any of the vendors I hadn't already talked to. I had an opportunity to meet country music artist Billy Currington courtesy of Best Buy Wedding Registries.  I also sampled some Coca Cola Life. Tasted yummy to me! Quenched my thirst and got me ready for the Voices of the Year (VOTY) ceremony. It was so inspiring to see what people have been doing this year in the blogging community. They have been inspiring and helping people understand some tough times. Such an amazing ceremony. 


Immediately after the ceremony there was a champagne reception. I was starting to get tired and wanted to spend some time with my cousin, so I decided to head out a little early. I was smart today and did not get to much swag so the trip back to Penn Station went smoother. I was able to take the subway. Much quicker and cheaper than the cab ride. Unfortunately like I mentioned in yesterdays post, you must come prepared for everything. This includes all trains being temporarily suspended due to "police activity" at one of the stations you needed to pass through to get home. 

My idea of getting home earlier to my cousin was delayed and of course this was during rush hour on a Friday when EVERYONE wanted to just get home. It was hot, people were angry, and that just leads to chaos no matter how you look at it. Finally we learned 2 trains had side swiped eachother on the westbound tracks (I was headed eastbound) causing damage and derailment. After a good hour or so they opened the eastbound tracks allowing me and the hundreds of others to finally head home. Saying the train was crowded was an understatement! 

Day 2 Lessons Learned + Tips 

• Go to bed at a normal time! Being exhausted especially when traveling is never fun.
• Pack a water bottle. I was pretty thirsty at times and when the train was delayed and the stations were scorching hot, water would of been a good idea to have.
• Don't forget your comfy shoes. I left with just my sandals and at times my feet were very angry at me!
• Check news alerts before heading anywhere. I could of stayed at the conference enjoying some champagne while the train situation sorted itself out. 

I  hope you enjoyed Day 2! If you didn't see Day 1 you can recap that here---> Day 1! Also don't forget to come back tomorrow for Day 3!    

What happens when you decide you MUST go to a blogging conference 3 weeks before it happens? Well if you're like me you read every article and post you can find about the previous conferences as well as the one coming up. I jam packed myself with so much information about the BlogHer conferences it's no wonder people start to get anxious. I felt their pain.

When I decided to make the trip to NYC to attend, I also knew I was going to be traveling alone. No big deal right? I read all over the place that even if you attend alone, you will still feel super welcome and everyone is really friendly. I decided it would be okay and I would make due. To make that traveling alone thing even trickier I decided I needed to also save some money so I opted to stay with family on Long Island (about a 50 minute train ride to the city). This did not help my anxiety when it came to meeting new people.

Follow along with me this week as I recap my first ever blogger conference. I will be talking about my experience and offer up tips for newcomers. Everyone has a different experience so I hope one of you can relate to mine. 

Day 1

It was about 12:30pm when I arrived via a Coach bus into New York City. It was hot, sticky, and I had been awake since 5:30am with no coffee. Scary thought, I know. I was meeting my cousin whom I would be staying with for the time I was spending in NYC. Stepping out into the sunlight after emerging from Port Authority showed me the first lesson I learned about attending a conference and NOT staying at the hotel it was being offered at; if you bring bags, you kind of have to carry them with you from that point forward. Thankfully the Hilton where the conference was being held allowed me to "check my bags" for the day. Amen to the Hilton!

I was what I felt like a thousand pounds lighter and starving for lunch. We decided to head out in search of sustenance. Which actually meant I was in search for wine of course. We settled on the Olive Garden in Times Square. They had this pretty amazing deal on a wine flight for $9.00. For Manhattan that is pretty darn cheap. I also figured it would be a good idea to actually eat something so the endless salad and breadsticks sounded like a plan. It was nice to feel full and a little less sweaty. Going back out into the world seemed hard at this point though.

Lunch! I mean my drinks? ;)

We headed off to find the Coffee Bean cause when in Manhattan you can't pass up one of those yummy blended drinks they made. We strolled in during "happy hour" and got our drinks for half off. Not to shabby. It was nearing 4:30 and I still needed to officially check in and meet up a group of ladies for a drink. We headed to the hotel and I realized I really needed to change.

Lobby

The current condition of my "travel" clothes (capri's and a t-shirt) were wrinkles and sweaty. Not exactly the first impression I wanted to make. Fast forward to me in the lobby bathroom changing my clothes and freshening up. I felt better and was ready to mingle. My cousin joined me for a bit and then headed off to meet up with a friend. I befriended a few ladies and we headed into the Expo together. The Expo was crawling with bloggers and brands. So much to do in so little time! I made my way from booth to booth, eventually losing my new conference buddies (not on purpose!).

I quickly caught on to the fact that I was going to be leaving with quite the swag and not much room for it. Oops! I wandered around a few times trying to avoid more swag that I didn't need and grabbed a glass of wine. There were wine and drink stations set up all through out the 2 floors. I had my picture taken with some sponsors and all in all had a fun experience. I briefly stopped up at the Multi-Culti party before exhaustion completely took over and I needed to call it a night.


My cousin was still in the city so after accessing the swag situation I decided there was no way to walk the 20 blocks to Penn Station or even try to get on a subway so I hailed a cab. After a pretty frightening cab ride I was reunited with K and on the train to Long Island. Whew! What a crazy first day!


Day 1 Lessons Learned + Tips!

• Stay at the hotel the conference is being held at. This will save you lots of frustration.
• Pack comfy shoes and be prepared to walk A LOT. 
• Sunscreen! Needless to say I had a little redness after day 1's adventures.
• Wear really good deodorant if you won't have time to shower. 
• Be patient. Things can change quickly in a large city. Be prepared for anything.

I hope you enjoyed day 1! Please come back tomorrow for day 2 and more tips! Follow along all week as I talk about all things conference related!

Happy Wednesday! I am still a little conference drunk after my first ever experience with BlogHer 2015! That being said, I have not yet written about my experience as I am still riding the wave and coming back to reality. Here on this space I don't like to write out blogs for weeks and just post them conveniently most of the time. I like to come and sit down and really write what's speaking to me. So bare with me as I recover.

Today I am checking in to let you all know I am still recharging and catching up with all the emails, notes, and contacts from the past 6 days. I have not forgotten you and I will be back here next week with my experiences at the conference, what I learned, and what I want to do next to connect with you!

I want to thank BlogHer, all the brand sponsors, keynote speakers, and fabulous bloggers who made the experience possible! Thank you all!

I'll leave you with this little gem:


Make it a great day! :)

Hello Listers! <--- Is that a thing? Happy Friday! I am currently hanging out at BlogHer 2015 in New York City! Where my conference goers at? For any of you who are unfamiliar with what BlogHer 2015 is, it is an enormous 2.5 day conference that brings bloggers and brands together. It gives bloggers an opportunity to mingle with fellow bloggers, build relationships with brands, learn new things, and have a good time!

After the week I've had I needed this. I arrived in NYC yesterday afternoon where I met up with my cousin for the day. We had lunch and then hung out with some fellow conference goers. The official kick off of the conference started last night at 6pm with The Expo followed by various parties. SO. MUCH. SWAG.

The next 2 days are jam packed with speakers, sessions, parties, and special events. I am hoping to learn some great new things to share with all of you here on the blog, as well as things I can apply to make this blog better.  I have a couple of opportunities to meet up with some brands while I am here and I am looking forward to building relationships for possible partnerships. Really excited about that!

Anyone else at the conference? If you're here, say hello! I want to meet you all :)

Have a great weekend folks! I'll be back Monday with more on how the full experience went. (Okay don't hold me to Monday as I may be sleep deprived, but I will get it out next week!)

I'm not sure if you heard the news, but... I'M GOING TO BLOGHER 2015! This will be my first time attending and my first blogging conference ever. With that being said, I am beyond excited and beyond nervous all at the same time. I put "attend a blog conference" on my bucket list for 2015 so I am beyond thrilled that I am crossing that off. Now onto more important things.. Because I have never attended any conference I do not have any advice or tips from experience, so I decided to put together my own "first impression" tips and advice from all that I have learned so far.



Conference: BlogHer 2015: Experts Among Us
When: July 16-18
Where: New York City (NYC)
Subject: Tips and Tricks from a Newbie: Comedy Style
*This list is meant to be funny and is not intended to offend anyone. I believe laughing through life can be the best medicine and at a time of being anxious or nervous, this is how I get myself though.

1. First and foremost make sure to pack wine. Lot's of it. If you are not a wine drinker, replace wine with your favorite alcoholic beverage. Consumption can not be avoided.

2. Pack as many people as you can into a hotel room. This will save you money and the hassle of lodging in NYC. It may also cause you extreme anxiety and turn you into an alcoholic as all potential roomies promise lots of wine. (See you will make lots of friends if you follow my first tip!)

3. Bring the largest suitcase and/or bags you own but leave them empty. You must save room for all of the free stuff you will get thrown at you from all the sponsors.

4. As far as the "what to wear" question has to go, make sure you just be yourself girlfriend (Or boyfriend)! But, make sure you read all of the outfit tips. You know.. so you make sure you are in "code" and are "in the know".

5. Make sure to stay connected (to the WiFi that is) at all times. Who are we bloggers fooling? We can't live without our screens and wifi. We must be able to Instagram, Periscope, and Tweet about everything we are doing.

6. Make a plan. There are about 70 million things to do (Okay I exaggerated a little) and it seems impossible to do everything. Between keynotes, sessions, invites, and parties, there is something for everyone, but don't plan on attending everything. That just leads to Stresstown, USA.

7. Meet new people! I hear the hallways are a great place to do this, as this is where the real parties happen. You know with the wine and lots of giggling. This again keeps you in the cool kids club because once again if you followed my first tip, you will be famous already :)

8. Bring business cards. Whether you hand draw your own or spend a small fortune on some professional ones, make sure to proof read them before ordering them/handing them out. The genius I am got so excited when making mine, I put the wrong Twitter handle. Yes folks, I will be advertising someone else's Twitter. (Who am I  kidding, I placed stickers over that mistake with the correct info. So fancy, I know!)

Well there you have it fellow conference goers. That is what I have learned so far in the amazing journey leading up to BlogHer 2015. Truth be told, if you are going.. the best advice I can give as far as someone who has never gone before is, just have fun. Make the conference about learning, socializing, and networking.  This is my plan. I am in introvert to the max but I am going to put myself out there and let the good times roll. I am so excited to meet all the fabulous bloggers, speakers, and sponsors who will all come together to make one heck of a conference.

If you are going, please reach out! I would love to meet you! I promised myself I would come home with a new tribe and friends for life. If you are on that same mission, get in touch! We can do it together! These are the events I am planning to attend:

When I started this blog a little over a year ago, I always wanted to have a respectful blog where you wouldn't have to shield people away from it. I rarely if ever use swear words, I don't attack people or post controversial topics, and I always get permission before writing about anyone when it comes to using their full names, ages, or photos.

This is a space where I write about my life, my journey, and tips and tricks along the way. I enjoy sharing the things I've learned and experienced with all of you. Sometimes that is going to include a small glimpse into those not so great moments. While I rarely write about negative topics on this blog, as a human being there will be days when I just want to vent about something in my life.

I have never intentionally sat down and wrote a blog that would hurt or upset someone. That is not what this space is all about. I also understand that putting yourself out there for the world to read may cause some unwanted attention at times. Not everyone is going to like you or the things you choose to write about. I am okay with that. You should be too.

Have enough respect to walk away from something you do not like or take a moment to send an e-mail to discuss the issue you have with something I have posted here. Lashing out and and being cruel is never the answer. Almost all conflict in given time can be resolved in an adult manner without trying to hurt the other party. 

Lessons are learned, people move on, and content is created.

The weekend before our move into the new house, I surprised R with a weekend getaway. It was also his Birthday so that was part of the inspiration to where we went. I knew the next few weeks would be crazy (and they are!), so getting away for a few days was just what the doctor ordered. I searched the internet high and low for cabin rentals that wouldn't break the bank. I never took into consideration that R's birthday fell over Father's Day weekend. That made it a bit more tricky.

I searched places like Groupon and Livingsocial hoping to find a deal. All I really knew about what I was looking for was, R wanted to go camping and I wanted to go glamping so we had to meet somewhere in the middle. This is when I came across a cute little property 2 hours north of us called Wellnes:ste (Pronounced wellness stay). It was located on a river with 4 cabins. It looked perfect for what I was envisioning for our weekend away.

I immediately inquired about the Leopold Cabin, which I received a response from Jessica that it was booked for the weekend already.. booo. She also suggested another cabin, Thoreau that was available. I accepted and we were booked for 2 nights! I was so excited I could barely keep it a secret from R. One thing I had to plan for was food. Shopping secretly here and there was fun. The cabin did not have running water, so I didn't want to make anything that was to messy.

2 days before check in, I received an email that Leopold Cabin was now available, and wondered if we wanted to move in that cabin. I decided to stick with Thoreau and I was glad I did. We arrived on the property just before 8pm on a Friday night. It was beautiful and really set back from the road. The cabin was super cute and Jessica and her family were really welcoming. We enjoyed some lounging outside by the river before we settled in for the night in our loft bed.

We explored the property and did some hiking. We also explored the neighboring towns and visited a fort in Rome. We had a really amazing time and I would go back again in a heartbeat. The property is pet friendly and has so much to offer. 2 of the 4 cabins do not have bathrooms. We stayed in one of those. The bathroom is a full bathroom with shower that is attached to the main house. You share it with the other cabin without the bathroom. We lucked out, as no one was in the other cabin, so we had it all to ourselves.

All in all it was a great trip, and I see myself going back in the future!

Our Cabin

Guard chicken?