Virginia Is For Sisters

This is my new favorite pic and now resides on my desktop so I can smile every time I see it and remember the FABULOUS weekend I spent with my sister in Virginia!  Julia has lived in Charlottesville, Virginia for a long time now, and with the exception of her wedding, I have not been able to visit her and spend time really enjoying the area.  Now that I live only 3.5 hours away from her (Can you believe it?!), I couldn't pass up the opportunity to hang with my salsa last weekend.  Knowing my penchant for all things fall, Julia planned and executed an amazing, whirlwind fall-fest just for the two of us.  I had the MOST FUN seeing why Julia loves Virginia so much.  Texas peeps........ GET OVER HERE!!  It's so awesome I can't really even explain it.

I have for you a mostly pictorial overview of our sisters weekend.  I hope you like big pictures (of me and my sister... we're so modest!) because I went extra-large on these babies.  (I am in love with the new Blogger platform that makes big pictures so easy!!)

I drove to Charlottesville Friday evening (got totally lost... but that's a story for another day).  Julia & I had a lovely dinner out and then saw the Charlottesville Symphony.  Saturday morning we picked up a picnic lunch of gourmet sandwiches and headed out for our hike!  We hiked the humpback rocks off the Blue Ridge Parkway.  The hike was pretty steep, but it was a perfect length (40 minutes) and led to an AMAZING view!!!  It was in the 40s in the mountains and I was loving it.  That's right folks... I like the outdoors!  Who knew?  Turns out, I just hate being hot :-)

After hiking, we decided that we should have a little reward.  Namely, wine.  At three different vineyards.  Don't judge.  When in Virginia... do as the Virginians, right?

We had so much fun doing a tasting at each vineyard, and at each one I bought a bottle of my favorite wine to take home to Brent.  Each vineyard was tucked away in some cute little valley, and they were all beautiful!

Julia may or may not have had one too many tastings.  Good thing they put out that warning sign!

Sunday morning, we went to church and then got our farm on.  This was one particular instance where I wished there was a service where you could rent-a-child.  Farms and pumpkin patches just aren't as fun if you don't have a child, but we did our best!

At the farm, we picked our own apples - Gala and Jonagold.  I've always wanted to pick apples in the fall, and this experience did not disappoint.  I brought home a whole bag.

After picking apples, we ate the BEST homemade doughnuts ever. I NEVER eat doughnuts, but these were to die for. Apple doughnuts fried fresh in front of you and served hot with hot apple cider.  And you eat them in the crisp wind on a deck overlooking the mountains.  Yes, please.

After leaving the farm, we took a lovely tour of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.  It was pretty cool to see the house and brush up on our history.

So as you can see, we thoroughly made the Charlottesville rounds!!  I drove home Sunday night through some adorable small towns back to my hubby & puppy. 

Toby says bye-bye Aunt Katie!  Hug my cousin Blazer for me!

Thanks, Salsa!  It was the best weekend ever!!  It was a fall bucket list extravaganza!!