When Stephanie was growing up, her family used to send letters to loved ones at the end of each year. Without social media, it was the best way to share news and milestones with friends and family who lived afar. There’s nothing like a new year to remind us to look back in appreciation and look forward in anticipation. Keep reading for a recap of our highs and lows from 2024. We invite you to share your own in the comments below!

A Look Back

2022 was a big year for Stephanie and Kyle as we relocated from Charleston, SC (in shorts and tanks) to Virginia (in a snowstorm) to progress our dream of opening a pet-friendly bed and breakfast. Kyle started his own consulting company which required a lot of travel. Stephanie changed roles at her tech company from a high-stress international team to a lower-stress tech writing position. We also continued construction on the Indigo House (we broke ground in the winter of 2021) and started all the legal requirements for opening a business (as well as the basic business planning process). 

In 2023, we finished construction and opened The Indigo House, a modern bed and breakfast for outdoorsy humans and kind dogs in Virginia wine country! It was a few months behind schedule, but wonderfully exhausting nonetheless. Stephanie, Kyle, and Marietta moved into the house in late January and opened the doors to guests in April. We were so proud to have achieved this milestone and eager to host our first customers. We had the best inaugural year and are so grateful to everyone who stayed with us. 

A Recap of 2024

Last year, 2024, was (thankfully) calmer — a little less disrupting and equally fulfilling. Our year started with an early birthday gift to Stephanie in the form of multiple snow days. We taught our dog, Marietta, how to sit on the sleigh and glide down the hill. She was mostly unimpressed by the convenience and preferred chasing and barking at us as we descended. Winter continued and so did we — Kyle commuting each week for work, Stephanie working from home, and Marietta calling the shots for snacks and walks.

We opened the Indigo for Valentine’s Day weekend, hosting a romantic getaway for couples that included dinner with a private chef. Then, we spent a few weeks deep-cleaning the house, restocking supplies, and finishing a few projects. In March, we officially opened for the 2024 season and hosted the Bookish Retreat for the kindest women. This event was organized by Bluebird & Co. They invited fellow book lovers to retreat to the mountains for a long weekend, attend an author event, and indulge in pampering, relaxation, and yummy food. The group had so much fun, most forgot to dig into their TBR piles!

Spring in the valley is quickly becoming Stephanie’s favorite time of year. We have a few activities that may be our new traditions:

• • Waterfall hikes: The spring rains bring all the waterfalls to life. We love exploring old and new-to-us trails while Marietta paddles in the wading pools. 
  • Garden Prep: This year, we fenced in a large area for the garden. We had a few raised boxes, fruit trees, and in-ground plantings. 
  • Yard work: Kyle’s dad visited to help with yard work (chopping firewood, maintenance, etc) and go for a few hikes. He retired from the National Forest Service and used to work in Virginia. Kyle was actually born about two hours from where we live now!
  • Caromont Goat Snuggles: During kidding season, you can play with, pet, and snuggle with the new baby goats at Caromont Farm.

Spring wrapped with the eclipse, a few adventure elopements and weddings, and a little getaway to downtown Charlottesville while the house was rented out. 

Summer is a little quieter for tourism (most folks go to the beach) despite cooler temps in the mountains. We kept plenty busy though! Our summer highlights included:

• • Time in nature: We enjoyed lots of hiking (and a short camping trip) in Shenandoah National Park to catch the mountain laurel in bloom.
  • Reduced stress: We quit our corporate jobs to work at the Indigo full-time.
  • Family time: We celebrated Stephanie’s mom turning 70 with a beach trip to the Outer Banks and our cousin’s wedding in Cincy. We also had friends and family visit throughout the summer, even hosting Stephanie’s sister’s 40th birthday party for a perfect girls’ getaway.
  • Outdoor movie nights: Summer movie nights at the Indigo with never-ending popcorn and candy are our new favorite tradition. This summer, we watched all the “danger” classics: Anaconda, Twister, Deep Blue Sea, Jaws, Deep Impact, and more!

As the leaves started to fall, we geared up for a busy wedding season. We host a limited number of micro weddings on the property and the bulk were scheduled from August-November. Sprinkled amongst the joyous celebrations, we saw the aurora borealis, baked pumpkin bread, roasted chestnuts, played tourist in our own state by visiting Roanoke, Richmond, North Shore, and Lynchburg for the first time, and did a lot of leaf peeping. On a personal note, we celebrated our twelfth wedding anniversary, planted a persimmon tree, and explored New River Gorge National Park. 

We close each year just before Thanksgiving. While we love hosting guests, we live here full-time. It’s great to take a break so we can do “normal” things like go out to eat on a Friday night, lounge on the couch Sunday afternoon, and visit with friends and family. The off-season is so restorative for us. With decreased office hours, we’re able to knock out activities like:

• • Deep cleaning the house, rugs, textiles, etc
  • Touch up paint, yard maintenance, closing up the garden
  • Strategic planning for the next year, forecasting, budgeting, and marketing prep
  • Celebrate the holidays (duh)
  • Give Marietta our undivided attention
  • Re-organize the wedding event supply closet (and add more inventory)

Last year was full of so many wonderful moments! We found ourselves focused on the grind but taking time like this to look back reminds us of all the explorations we had too. We’re so excited to continue offering five-star service to our guests, hosting small ceremonies, and even introducing a few special weekend experiences in the new year.

Tell me in the comments below, what was a highlight from last year for you or what are you looking forward to in 2025?