I visited some of the most beautiful parts of the country this past weekend. My husband and I celebrated our first anniversary Sunday, and we traveled north to a small town in the Tennessee mountains called Tellico Plains.

I much prefer the beautiful sights of the mountains over the beach, and the sights and sounds of Tellico Plains did not disappoint. The company was great, too, and made the 3.5-hour drive a breeze.

Saturday we drove up miles of the Cherohala Skyway with some of the most breathtaking scenery I’ve ever seen. The highway connects Tellico Plains, Tennessee, to Robbinsville, North Carolina, and is abundant with unobstructed scenic overlooks around nearly every corner.

The weather was perfect, and so was the relaxing weekend away – although to sleep in my own bed last night was enjoyable too. There’s just something about home.

I was able to literally unplug a bit this weekend, which came as a surprise to me but was needed in my goal of relaxation. I’m afraid I’ve become far too “connected” and reliant on my iPhone, my work email and social media, so I decided to turn it off for the majority of our trip to the mountains.

I still texted my parents a couple of times and, of course, took plenty of photos, but I did not allow myself to wake up and go to sleep with my phone in my hand, checking email or lost in the wormhole of Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

I’m a little ashamed to admit I sometimes struggle with those things instead of being present. Well, this weekend helped me disconnect a little and, going forward, I’m going to put it down and enjoy the moment I’m in with the people I love.

I’m thankful for relaxing weekends that remind us of happy things. Aren’t you?