About Us - 5 Suitcases

Hey there! Welcome to 5 Suitcases! We’re so happy you stopped by! Our story started in 2012 when we (Elle & Ashley) first met in a local pizza place (or online, we’ll let you decide). After years of dating, and exploring the world, we decided to settle down…sort of.

Inspired by some of our friends, we became foster parents in 2018. A year and a half later, we adopted 3 children out of foster care and vowed to give these three kids the world that they deserved.

The goal of our blog, 5 Suitcases, is to document our adventures so that our children can reflect on them for years to come. The title of our blog was inspired by our family of 5- Each one of the suitcases represents one of our family members. Want to know more about Elle, Ashley, Smiley, Scoop, and Stinky?

Get to Know Us a Little Better...

Elle is the primary force behind 5 Suitcases. Bitten by the travel bug at an early age and has always dreamed of showing her family the world. When Elle is not traveling, she teaches third grade at a local elementary school. She enjoys cruising, cooking, watching football, hiking, history, and visiting the local parks.

She likes to challenge herself by trying something new on each of her trips. This has led her to swimming with sharks in Belize, snorkeling between tectonic plates in Iceland, ziplining in Costa Rica, and eating snails in France.

Places Elle Has Been

Ashley is a big ball of lippy Southern sass. She doesn’t like going to the same location more than once. She enjoys traveling to new places, and isn’t afraid to try anything! She loves hiking, reading, listening to music, and cheering on her Dallas Cowboys. Ashley was born in North Carolina, our home away from home.

The Kids

The kiddos are nicknamed Smiley, Scoop, and Stinky. They are extremely curious and enjoy exploring the world around them. Their favorite places include the mountains, the beach, and of course, Disney World and Legoland. They are obsessed with theme parks and cruising and they love visiting forts.

Smiley’s Favorite State: Virginia
Scoop’s Favorite State: North Carolina
Stinky’s Favorite State: Georgia

Smiley’s Favorite Vacations: Theme parks
Scoops Favorite Vacations: Cruises
Stinky’s Favorite Vacations: Great Wolf Lodge

Smiley

Smiley is our adrenaline junkie and will try anything once! She hasn’t met a rollercoaster she didn’t like. She loves visiting the beach, hiking, and visiting “pretty places”.

She’s also our little humanitarian. She often collects items for unhoused people.

When she’s inside, you’ll find her building LEGO master pieces.

Places Smiley Has Been

Scoop

Scoop is our little daredevil. Named after Ashley’s favorite football player, this little guy is full of energy and is not afraid to try anything! He is obsessed with tractors, NERF guns, outer space, LEGO, and boats.

He enjoys traipsing through the woods, racing on his bike/scooter, digging in the sand, dipping his toes in the creek, and playing with animals. He’s a good ole country boy in the makin’.

Scoop is a natural athlete. He loves baseball, pickleball, football, hockey, and kickball.

When he’s inside, you’ll find him playing video games, exploring places on Google Maps, or building LEGO.

Places Scoop Has Been

Stinky

Stinky is a little more hesitant than his twin brother. He is timid and likes to assess the situation before diving in. He loves dinosaurs, construction trucks, motorcycles, digging in the sand, playing with trucks, NERF guns, LEGO, and racing on his bike/scooter.

Stinky is an animal and nature lover. You’ll often find him outside catching minnows at the creek with his friends. He’s very curious about the world around him.

When he’s inside, you’ll find him playing with NERF guns, playing video games, or building LEGO.

Places Stinky Has Been

Lady Belle and Parker

Of course, no road trip would be complete without our trusty canines! Meet our pooches, Lady Belle (LB for short), and Parker. Our fur babies often accompany us on our road trips. They have traveled all throughout the southeast. They enjoy visiting National Parks and State Parks, hiking, swimming, hunting for lizards, frogs, and squirrels, and camping.