Places to Visit ↠ Anchorage Coastal Trail.

If you take a trip to Anchorage, of course one of the first things you'll want to do is drive down to the coast and look out at the amazing Alaskan oceans with mountains off in the distance. Since Dave and I live right off the coast, I watch a lot of people drive up to the gate that separates the park from the ocean, they stand there for a few minutes/hours and take it all in, and then hop in their cars and drive off.

As gorgeous as that view can be even from the park, that makes me a bit sad, partially because it took me so long to realize there was a trail right below the park that runs along the coast. It twists and turns, runs by a lake, and generally has some of the most breathtaking views. And even though there are usually a lot of people down there (especially right now since it's the perfect temperatures), it's so peaceful.












There are benches along the way that you can sit and just take it all in. I love to take my book down there and read, constantly looking up to soak it all in. Problems seem so small, and the world feels so vast looking out and around here, but our Creator took a little extra time and creativity with Alaska...that's one thing I know for sure.

For more places to visit, go here.

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Hello from the road!

Oh how I've missed this space the past few days and all of your lovely comments in my inbox. I am coming at you from Austin, TX...as in my LAST stop on the way to Alaska! I am having a blast on my Texas trip, seeing familiar faces and making friends with new ones, but I am over the moon that this time tomorrow I'll be at the airport headed to be reunited with my love!

It's been two months since Dave left me in Kansas to get started in Alaska. This is the longest we've ever been apart since we've met and it was way too long if you ask me. I'm going to be such an anxious wreck tomorrow and I don't know how I'll handle 9 hours in the air, plus airport time, knowing that I get to see his smiling face when it's all over.

Oh and get excited for ten million some Alaska pictures! If you don't already follow Dave and I on Instagram, make sure to do so, if you're as pumped about Alaska pictures as I am. Dave has already posted some gorgeous mountain pictures (like the one above) and mine will be coming Friday. Can. Not. Wait.

Savoring every moment...

Tomorrow is my last day with Dave before he heads to the great state of Alaska. I'm sad and excited all at the same time. As much as I hate to be apart, I'm excited about our new adventure and for Dave to jump back into a job he loves! I can't wait to join him and start our new adventure together, but the silver lining is getting to spend some time with my family here in Wichita...

Photo >> c/o Eureka Photography

Until he leaves, we are savoring every moment we have together. And although we're the crazy people who love to spend all day every day together without wanting to kill each other, I know we'll be just fine during this time apart. We've done it before and we can do it again. Thank goodness for facetime so I can still see his adorable face while we're apart!

 

Alaska Q&A:

Since I've gotten a lot of the same questions from friends, family, and on yesterday's post...I thought I'd do one big answer session. If you have a question that doesn't get answered, feel free to ask and I can answer it another time or in an email. :) And if you have no idea what this is all about, check out yesterday's post!

What town in Alaska are you moving to?

>>We'll be living near Anchorage, AK.

When are you moving?

>>We leave North Carolina later this week! We'll head to Kansas and Dave will fly out from there, I'll be meeting him in a month or two. So, if you're in Wichita (or nearby), make sure to email me if you're interested in a photo session!

What will Dave be doing?

>>He'll be a satellite technician in communications.

Are you driving there?

>>No! We'll be selling our car once we get to Kansas and finding a new (to us) car in Alaska. Our poor old car would probably never make it to Alaska and it will be cheaper to ship a few things to ourselves (and pack them in our suitcases) than to rent a Uhaul and make the truck up there.

What about the music?

>>Like I said in yesterday's post, Dave plans to record his next album while we're in Alaska and having the funds to put into the music will be HUGE. Believe it or not, Alaska is already one of the top places playing Dave's music! He plans to play shows when we get out there as well.

How long are you staying?

>>Of course we'll have to feel it out once we get there, but we plan to stay for a year or two and hopefully we can transfer somewhere closer to friends and family in the midwest.

picture via

Spilling the beans... our big news!

Ok friends, it's time to share the news that I had to make you wait to hear...

About two weeks ago, Dave got a call from an old Air Force buddy who gave him an out of the blue job offer. It's an amazing opportunity that we would be crazy to turn down! He was offered a position doing what he used to do in the Air Force (and loved) and I couldn't be happier for him. So, we're moving...again...

...to Alaska!!!

Now before you all ask, yes Dave is a musician, and will continue to play. Since he is a fully independent artist, we are the ones who fund every piece of the music. He was signed to two record labels before and was offered a few more opportunities to sign after South by Southwest in Austin last year, but it's just not how we want to proceed with his music. We love having the creative freedom and sole ownership of his songs. This will be great for the music as we'll finally have the funds to record album number two!

As for me, this will take a lot of financial pressure off of me and my photography business (although I have BIG plans for my little biz)! And just look at the gorgeous picture above, I can't wait to see what kind of pretty shots I can capture in Alaska! I'm so excited to finally be able to visit family and friends and just have a little bit more freedom than we ever have since we've been married.

That all said, YES, we are super nervous, very excited, and our minds are blown. We have moments where we think, what on earth have we gotten ourselves into? We're exhausted from the packing and unpacking dance we've been doing the past few months, but I've got my coffee and we're powering through. What keeps us going is knowing this will be a great adventure, and even more so, a wonderful opportunity for our little family and our future.

I'm so excited to have you all on this crazy journey with us and we hope you'll join us on this new adventure! If you don't already, I'd love to have you follow me on instagram...there will be lots of travel/road trip pictures coming up very soon. And since there are changes coming soon to google/blogger, make sure you have Home is with You on your Bloglovin' and/or Hellocotton feeds so you don't miss a post!

Also, if any of you live(d) in Alaska, have visited, or just happen to know more about Alaska other than the fact that it's cold- I'd love to hear your suggestions/tips!

pictures 1 // 2

One last stop!

...the end is in sight! At least until we have to go back to Tennessee with a trailer to get all of our things, but hey, let's not get too particular. We're currently en route to Greensboro, North Carolina to find our new place to call home. Wish us luck as we check out all the places we've been eyeing on Craigslist that they're as cozy as they look online. We're ready to have a space of our own again after a month of bouncing from place to place. 

If any of you are in the Greensboro/Charlotte area and are interested in some pretty pictures, email me! I'm doing a special deal for the first few people in our new area and you'll want to get in on this. 

Where I've been...

If you're wondering what things look like over here, this picture sums it up nicely. It's been rainy since we arrived in Tennessee and continued in Kentucky. I hear it's going to be this way in North Carolina until Friday. Enter sarcastic yay here. I love this spot though, passenger seat on the road with my love. Home, it really is with him...

This and that...

I got this picture through my window going 70 on the highway, absolutely no editing on this one.

We're still here! Sorry I've been missing around here, but between traveling to multiple families for Christmas and moving half way across the country, it's been a bit tricky to say the least. Add in no internet at my in-laws and it's been pretty impossible, but things are going to start slowing down a bit after this weekend so things will be back to normal.

We've done radio shows, tv interviews, live shows, an online show, visited with friends and family, and drove 1,600 miles so far this trip. Whew! We're tired, but we need to get our second wind because today we have more radio/tv interviews and then a big show at Hard Rock Cafe, followed by another show at Vienna Coffee House on Saturday.

I'll be posting regularly on this space again so pretty please stick with us. What have you all been up to? I miss your lovely comments and emails! I hope everyone has had a wonderful week full of quality family time.

The journey begins...

Today is the day friends, Dave and I are embarking on our new journey and I can't wait to see what's in store for us on this new adventure. We have a long road ahead of us before we end up in a new home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina...but that's going to be half of the fun!

Tonight we are headed up to Wichita to spend a week with my family and I can't wait to see them! Then we're off to Knoxville to celebrate Christmas and New Years with Dave's family (and his parents' birthdays, which are on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve, how crazy is that?). After that, we'll be heading to a town near Louisville, KY to spend a week or two with Dave's good friend and bass player, for them to work on a few songs. THEN we'll finally set foot in North Carolina and our sweet friend Trish has offered to let us stay with her while we find a place to live.

Whew! You all still with me? It's going to be one crazy long trip, but Dave and I love road trips together and I'm excited to take a lot of pictures along the way. I will be posting along the way and still reading all of your lovely comments...and if any of you are on one of our stops, let me know...maybe we can meet up!

What are you waiting for?

You can now buy this print here!

...it really, truly is. Do you seek it out? Avoid it at all costs? Or let it come find you?

What kind of adventurer are you? Lately I've been seeking it out and facing it head on. It's quite thrilling actually, to finally embrace that change is inevitable and with it comes new adventures. I've never been one who enjoys change much, but when you expect it and even in some cases hope for it, it changes you. If you dare to allow it...

Life lately...

These days I've life has been full of photo sessions and it has made my heart so full...

I am enjoying every minute of getting my business off the ground. I'm so thankful for a husband who not only supports my decision to start this adventure, but who has been with me every step of the way.

These days have also been full of preparing for our next adventure in North Carolina. I'm getting more excited by the day.

What have your days been full of lately?

--

PS~ Knoxville/Gatlinburg and Winston-Salem/Greensboro people, email me if you'd like to schedule a session at introductory rates! December/January spots are filling up quickly!

Tennessee adventure {Part 5}...

Cont. from Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4...ok guys here it is, the 5th and final part of our trip to Tennessee...sorry so many posts on one trip, but we did so much and I had so many great pics I wanted to share! Hope you guys have enjoyed them :)

Sooo on Friday Dave had an interview with Channel 8 News in Knoxville at noon. It went great, they had him talk about the album and his show at Borders later and then they had him play a song...it was fun to watch it on the DVR when we got home :)

That night Dave had his official album release party at Borders...there was an awesome crowd and amazing response. Dennis Double from Writer's Block came out to support along with many others, including @d_c_davis and her hubby and @nikonlover104 and family. Thanks to everyone that came out! You all are the best...

That weekend we headed up to Norris Lake to spend some time with Dave's family. Dave played us all some songs and later he and his sis played Wagon Wheel...

Ok hope you all enjoyed all the pics and stories from our trip! Tomorrow I'll be posting my first vlog...eek! :) Love you all ~Mal

Tennessee adventure {Part 4}...

Cont. from Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3...

On Thursday night Dave had his show at Hard Rock Cafe for 105.3 WFIV's 40 Days of Rock, celebrating Hard Rock's 40th anniversary. I was extra excited about this show...I mean come on, it's Hard Rock! The show went well and it was fun to have Dave's family there that night and some of his friends from the Air Force and National Guard...

Dave had told our Nephew Hunter earlier in the day that if he would get up on stage with him they could sing the T-Rex song ...the whole time Dave played Hunter kept asking my sister-in-law, Natalie, "Mommy when do I get to go on stage?" Hehe, it was too cute. So at the very end Dave called him up there and at first he was a little hesitant and Dave told him to say something in the mic to check the sound and he looked up at Natalie and said "Mommy?"...the crowd giggled a little and then he followed it up with "Mommy, what are you doing?"...the crowd went wild and he was hooked. He laughed and grabbed the mic and they started singing...guys I was almost in tears I was laughing so hard, but I did manage to get these pics...

I know, this one is a little blurry...but I love it!

After I said, "Hunter you're a rockstar now!"...I have now created a monster, haha...the next day Natalie asked him to feed the dogs (his chore) and he said, "Mommy, rockstars don't feed the dogs." Oh man that kid kills me! He is way too smart for his own good...love him.

Tennessee adventure {Part 3}...

Continued from Part 1 and Part 2...ok so Tuesday (May 24th) is when the madness began...that morning bright and early they played Dave's interview with 106.1 The River (see Part 1.) At noon, Dave was on WDVX's Blue Plate Special...it is always a lot of fun to do this show, it is in the Knoxville Visitors Center downtown and since it's right at lunch time many of the businessmen/women stop in to see who is playing that day. Plus their DJ's are fun...

The band that played before Dave, I just loved their setup...Adela and Jude

After the show we sold some albums and chatted for a bit with people that had come and then headed to Downtown Brewery for lunch...we brought Dave's sister Jessica with us, we like to take her to the shows like that when we can...

The next day we had a bit of free time until his first show at 7 that night. I was so thankful for that because my allergies were getting the best of me (dang Knoxville!) and I wasn't feeling so great. Later we went to Homegrown with 105.3 at the Disc Exchange...usually Joe Stutler is the DJ for that show, but since they are the station that was putting on the 40 Days of Rock at Hard Rock they had another DJ Cullen do it. It was fun to mix it up since Dave has been on that show a few times before and Cullen had a lot of new really great questions...

We had a little bit of time in between that and the next interview and since my throat was hurting pretty badly by this point we walked down to Market Square and got a ice cream/icee thingy at Ritas...so good :) Plus Jessica had never been down to Market Square so it was fun to see her face when we turned the corner...

Next we had Writer's Block with Dennis Double at 10...Dave had never been on this show and we LOVED it! It has such a cool vibe and they have a chat room, people from all over listen to the show and participate. It was so neat when Dennis offered one of Dave's albums to the first caller and the phone immediately rang :) Jessica got to do a few announcements too which was fun...

 Ok guys, more to come, stay tuned..