Ever talk about doing something and never do it? We said we would visit Lexington again so many times. And this past weekend was our first time back in years. We got married on a mountain in this town over four years ago! The same grumpy baristas at the local coffee shop. Washington and Lee's gorgeous campus. A dog friendly breakfast spot. The apartment where Max lived during law school! It is just filled with wonderful memories for us. I am happy we went back, finally, if even for a quick visit.
A weekend away is a great time and this getaway marks our third time renting a cabin in the coldest months of the year. I've learned a thing or two about what to bring and what to expect. There is something so utterly cozy about staying somewhere else and feeling the magic of snow. I hope you give it a try. At home, it is so easy to be caught up in the nuisance of snow, but away, it's really all good!
I found this cute cabin on VRBO. When we arrived there were only flurries and by the next morning the whole place was covered in a thick blanket of powdery snow.
This used to be a schoolhouse in the 1800s. Then it was a barn, and now it has been renovated as a home. Wild! The property has a stream running through it and is surrounded by mountains.
I chose this snowsuit for Miles when I was still pregnant. I just had a feeling the pattern was so him. It makes me happy to see him wear it every single time. I wasn't sure it would even fit him this winter but it totally does! How is he so big?!
Here is what else we packed...
keep in mind the cabin had a washer and dryer so we threw gloves and socks into the dryer between playing and walking in the snow, and washed things as needed at the end of the day.
Pack just enough. For the big kids (aka adults): 1 pair of PJs, 1 sweatpants, 2 thermal tops, 1 snow leggings/pants, 1 jacket, 1 hat, gloves, 1 pair of wool socks, slippers for inside. Snow boots.
For baby, 10 months old: 1 snowsuit, 3 sweatpants, 5 tops, socks, winter booties, 1 hat, 2 pajamas, 1 sleep sack.
Other fun things: an Echo dot or Google home dot to play music. Your own food (more on that at the end of this post!) and snacks. The night before: get gas, check tire pressure, have an ice scraper!
The place you stay is going to make all the difference. Here's my checklist:
- Location suits our desires. Within a reasonable driving distance (typically no more than 3 hours). We wanted to be in nature but also be a close drive to town and W&L.
- There must be a stocked kitchen, and ideally a washer/dryer.
- Enough space. Never go by the "sleeps" count. People count couches as beds and that is misleading. Look or ask about the actual private bedrooms as well as the size and number of beds.
- Wifi! To stream music and movies.
- Extremely clean. I have never had an issue with this in all the times I have used online booking services like Airbnb. I guess because there's a cleaning fee anyway?
To make life simpler, I packed us all of our meals. We knew we would eat a few meals out but for the most part, it is nice to have everything ready to go. The one time we didn't do this, we ended up having to order every single meal and that got old really fast. By time Saturday morning rolled around, everything went into one freezer bag in the car. I made two smaller, single serve jars of the overnight oats and fruit so we could eat quickly the morning of and get on the road. This was all very portable and simple to prepare.
- Whole wheat pancakes and maple syrup
- Overnight oats made with cashew milk with stewed winter fruits
- Chanko-nabe stew (vegetables, veggie broth, miso paste, turkey meatballs, tofu). It all gets cooked in one pot. Another time we made pasta and meatballs and brought that to have for lunches/diners.
- A dozen eggs and toast
- Ripe avocados
- Trail mix. Especially good for the drive!
- Coffee (we brought a pourover as well, just because)
- A few baby food pouches for Miles for snacks between meals.
You may be thinking, why the heck would I want to cook and do dishes when I'm getting away? I get that! Somehow it has always felt really easy to prepare these meals while away. On the way home, there's no food to bring back either. We typically have 1 load of dishes to run before we leave which really is no big deal. If you know you will be near a town or area with some local food, you can plan to dine out as well. We got breakfast at Sweet Treats because we knew we could bring Logan inside and it was fun to go the bakery that made our wedding cake!
Coming from Florida, wintertime was a season I dreaded. The first year or so of living in DC I gritted my teeth and grumbled my way through every chilly day just wishing it was warm. Something changed after I went on a yoga retreat one fall. There was a snowstorm out of nowhere! In this situation, there was nothing to do but accept it was going to be incredibly cold. The forest was covered in snow and it led me to feel grounded, and very calm. (This retreat was in the Berkshires.) We wore whatever layers we had and ate the most warm, nourishing meals. It showed me that winter can be a time to welcome a slower pace. Earlier bedtimes. Warm, steamy soups. A season to think deeply about my roots and what I am becoming. Now, every time there's a snowfall, I feel the happiness I had on that retreat.
A few other winter getaways to browse:
wishing you joy on your journey,
kristen
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