Last month was wild with a wave of hardship with friends, an unexpected-yet-sensible OCD diagnosis and questioning my career path. However, all that said, August was wonderful and also full of adventure, quality time and great memories!
I’m not ready for fall, but I am ready for an equally exciting September ahead… 💛
Our second time in Blue Ridge was wonderful, adventurous and full of fun! Alex found a super cute tiny home for us with a beautiful view of the mountains, and we explored a winery and a lake as soon as we dropped everything off. We had no idea a lake was in the area, and we’ll definitely be back to check it out again.
We checked out a brewery before heading back to our place for the evening. It was rainy so we chilled inside, Alex grilled out and we listened to music that made me feel immersed in the mountains. I’ve been needing more nights like that in my life lately, and I always enjoy our “Tracey Trio” adventures!
The next morning, enjoyed the sunrise and then we walked around town and grabbed coffee (and a pup cup!), from a cute cafe called Mountain Momma’s Coffee, and enjoyed all the murals downtown. Being in Blue Ridge a second time really reminded me of northern Michigan and it was a great way to round out our summer travels.
We enjoyed breakfast back at the tiny home and were able to sit outside to enjoy the nice weather. Alex and I headed to the Tennessee boarder to go whitewater rafting in the Ocoee River, where the Atlanta Olympic trails took place! We felt bad leaving Linley at the AirBnB as we always do, but we found out that there’s whitewater rafting that’s much calmer in North Carolina and we plan on doing that with Linley in the spring. It was Alex’s first time rafting and we had a blast! The Rolling Thunder company we went with was wonderful and we’d highly recommend them; we’ll be going with our guide JP again, and he actually grew up in the same hometown as Alex! Small world…
When we got back from rafting, we hung out with Linley on the deck again for lunch. The whole day was perfect so far, but that linch was so wonderful. It was simple, beautiful and perfect in every way. I love all those little yet memorable moments with my two favorite guys!
After some burgers and more good music while we sat outside, we freshened up and headed back into town. We may have had a little too much to drink at a distillery because they were offering tastings, but all in all we had a great evening. And Linley, of course, got lots of attention!
Our next morning was chill as we packed up and grabbed breakfast in town again. I, admittedly, was quite sad to head back, but I know we’ll be back again soon!
Media taken Friday, August 22 through Sunday, August 24, 2025✨
I’m going through a wave of friendship loss again, similar to what happened in 2022 and 2023. The foundation that I built here in Atlanta a couple years ago when I first moved here is shaky now, so I’ve been trying old things I’ve always enjoyed with new people.
I went on a friend date recently and I needed a little encouragement from Alex and Linley beforehand…
A couple Saturday’s ago, Linley, Alex and I all went kayaking together. Although I used to take Linley kayaking all the time in Michigan, this was our first tandem kayak experience with Alex. It meant so much and I look forward to being on the water with them again.
And afterward, we went to a spot we love but normally don’t go to for brunch. Linley got some food so that’s all that really matters!
What was really new for me was joining a Meetup group for hikers! Alex, Linley and I joined a group called Lawrenceville Hikers, which is for members in Atlanta and the metro area. We checked out a new trail, which ironically connected to another trail we hiked last year, and met some cool people (and some cute pups!) We even set a participation record! We look forward to joining more group hikes this year.
Although things feel hard with friends right now, I’m trying really hard to find where I belong. 💛
Photos taken Friday, August 15-Sunday, August 17✨
One of our friends at our favorite bar suggested we go to the Edge of the World trail near Jasper, which is only a little over an hour away from our place in Atlanta. It’s amazing how there’s so much near us, yet I’ve barely explored any of it…
The trail was nice and we hung out by the water as the Tracey Trio. It instantly became a happy place for me, as the water always makes me at peace and happier.
We had a great time relaxing in the water, watching Linley dig around, watching a family have fun tubing nearby, and making a little rock formation with all the near stones we’d found. I’d love to go back next summer!
After our time at the river, Alex found a beautiful winery nearby. We’d never been to Jasper together before, but the Cairn winery was supposedly the best in the area, and we can confirm it was amazing! The service was great, the views were stunning and sitting in the shade with some live music was the best way to end our day of fun.
Photos taken Saturday, August 9 & Sunday, August 10 in Jasper, Georgia✨
I used to write monthly gratitude posts a couple years ago, and I’m bringing them back! 💁🏻♀️
Cheers to a new month full of new adventures and memories! 🤗
When I lived in Michigan, I always took Lin to the beach. We visited Empire Bluff Trail and Beach annually until we moved to Atlanta, and even explored the Upper Peninsula and other wonderful spots on Lake Michigan. The water has always calmed me, and it always brought out the puppy in Linley!
My favorite memories from my year in Chicago were taking Linley to the Montrose Dog Beach every morning at sunrise. Sunrise always meant more to me than sunsets, because the start of something is always better than an ending (in my opinion). While going through the divorce and losing my job, those morning moments with Linley got me through and gave me the clarity – and joy – that I so desperately needed at the time.
I’ve been having some introspective moments here in Atlanta lately. I love the city, but need and want to explore more nature here. I have the urge to go whitewater rafting again, and I really need to find a community of people who want to be out in nature more than just day drinking on the weekends. I can’t wait to do more exploring here this summer since we won’t be going on a vacation until October.
Alex and I found a great dog beach to take Linley to, and I’m so bummed that we didn’t do this sooner (but better late than never!). I loved seeing Linley play and dig in the water, he was a great listener when he started to stray away, and he was super brave in the tides. It instantly brought me back to memories from Michigan, Chicago, Asheville, Montana, Washington state and more.
I look forward to more beach memories with Alex and Linley — not only this summer, but forever. 💛
Media taken Sunday, July 6 at East Palisades Dog Beach in Atlanta, GA.✨
I’m lying awake, feeling an incredible lack of patriotism this year, but trying to grasp the positive and what is actually going well in my life amidst the chaos.
Yesterday while I was working, Alex decided to have a bro day with Linley. It was super sweet and thought it was such a cute idea! My two favorite fellas went to Stone Mountain for a morning hike together, and it was adorable to follow along in their adventures whenever I’d get a text from Alex. 💛
Here’s some of the photos they took together from their morning stroll:
Photos taken Thursday, July 3, 2025 at Stone Mountain✨
We “shore” had fun on our long weekend trip to Gulf Shores! It was one of my last weekends of “freedom” before starting my new position for Delta Airlines, and it was great to have some quality time with my two favorite fellas.
We drove in two Fridays ago, and immediately dropped off our things before grabbing dinner and drinks. Our AirBnB hosts had some interesting taste, that’s for sure…
We walked around a local park, where Lin immediately got attention and love from other dogs and people, before heading to a nearby brewery. We enjoyed some live music and nice conversation with a couple who lived in the area for the last decade or more. We always appreciate conversations with strangers and local recommendations! And of course, Linley got even more love and attention—not that he needed it haha.
Our dinner closer to the beach took forever because the weekend wait times were insane, but it was nice to sit down, relax and cheers to a great first evening of the trip. We met some kind wait staff and guests at the table next to us, who loved Lin and kept feeding him fries.
The next morning, we headed straight to the dog beach, which was not what we expected. But alas, we had fun before grabbing lunch at a local spot on the main beach. And although the dog beach wasn’t what we expected it to be, we had a blast watching the blue herons near us and watching Lin grab sticks from the water.
I wish we could’ve brought Lin on the main beach, because that was beautiful! I wanted to get on the water so bad, but we’ll save that for when we’re in Savannah this fall instead. Even being by that water was beautiful, and we had a blast sitting up at the beach bar. We enjoyed some mezcal drinks and delicious seafood, while, you guessed it, Linley got more love! It was cute to see him dig in the sand to cool off again, which is something I’d missed from all our Michigan beach adventures.
No Tracey vacay is complete without an afternoon nap, and that’s exactly what we did during the hottest part of the day. Once we woke up and freshened up, we all got some ice cream and walked around a cute shopping center along the pier. We got some cute dog mom, dog dad and a funny toy for Linley after we all enjoyed our desserts and a drink, and then walked along the water before heading out for dinner.
Our wait for dinner was so long, but we luckily found a great backup spot that was super dog friendly. The best part was that it was called “Cosmo’s” after the owner’s dog, and we couldn’t pass up the chance to visit. We enjoyed good seafood, live music (and the singer brought his chocolate lab, too!), kind wait staff and even a stroll through a local pet store after dinner.
My mental health hasn’t been the best with some family and friend stuff that’s come up lately, so there’s a part of me that felt really bad about bringing some of those feelings up during the trip (i.e.: I never want to ruin Alex’s time or feel like a burden). But I also know that these two make me smile more than anything in the whole wide world, and at the end of the day, that’s all that matters. 💛
Media taken Friday, June 6 & Saturday, June 7, 2025 in Gulf Shores, Alabama✨
Alex made my 30th so special, and it was my turn to return the favor! We went to Ellijay, Georgia for the second time as the Tracey trio, and it was so much fun!
We began our day with a morning hike, where Linley almost stepped on a two-foot-long water snake! I’m not normally afraid of snakes, but seeing and hearing Alex freak out in front of me startled me at my core. Luckily, the snake had just had something to eat and had no interest in biting Linley or any of us. But man, I was sweaty after that jump scare!
After our hike, we drove to downtown Ellijay for some rooftop fun. We enjoyed a cocktail and lunch before heading to our AirBnB, and Linley of course got all the attention!
Our AirBnB drop off was quick because we wanted to hit Roo, an amazing winery we visited with my mom in July, before it got super busy. Surprisingly, it wasn’t busy at all, but it probably helped that we were there on a Friday afternoon instead of a Saturday!
Our evening was equally as fun, as we found a spot with live music in downtown Ellijay. It was weird not to be there with my mom this time around, but it was great to be there with my with now-husband and Linley again. The restaurant was so kind to us that they even brought out a table for us outside, and really reminded us of our favorite local spot at home. We’ll definitely be back!
Until next time, Ellijay! ✌️
After Ellijay, we also went to an Atlanta United game and the bar with friends beforehand, and had a birthday brunch for Alex that Sunday.
I can only hope that I made Alex’s birthday half as special as he made mine.
Media taken Friday, May 16 & Saturday, May 17, 2025 in Ellijay, Georgia, & Sunday, May 19 in Atlanta✨
Many people ask “what was your favorite part of the trip?” or “where was the best place you visited?” Honestly, the best parts were all the moments in between: the car rides, the breakfasts in the morning, the cuddles on the couch in the evenings… and the best place was honestly being in the car on the journey!
All the laughing at Lin and saying “k bye” when he moved to the backseat, the stops at Buc-ee’s and all the goofy songs and podcasts we listened to made the trip complete. I miss those moments more than anything and can’t wait to start planning our next family roadtrips, especially our big one for 2026!
I never thought this life was possible for me, or that this level of love was attainable in this lifetime, but I’m damn glad it is!
Of course, we’ve all traveled before we became the Tracey Trio, and I had to scratch off the states we’ve all been to!
Thank y’all for joining us on our blogging journey, and a special thank you to y’all who have been following my stories for a long while. We look forward to sharing more about our adventures to come!
Cheers! 🍻
I didn’t really have any expectations for Huntsville, but I knew I wasn’t ready to head straight to Atlanta after leaving New Orleans…
Media taken Wednesday, March 26 & Thursday; March 27, 2025 in Huntsville, Alabama.
But boy, even after all the fun, did it feel good to be back home!
Right now it’s pouring rain in Atlanta, and I’m in bed with two, sleeping dogs and one sleeping husband. We’re dog sitting until later this morning and now everyone is happily snoring again. Life is good!
Life felt really good in New Orleans, too. There was no stress, time didn’t exist and the pace is something I wish more people lived by. After our long but fun afternoon in the French Quarter, we headed back to our AirBnB to chill out and freshen up before dinner. We had to take more pictures of all the great things we saw along the way!
I still have dreams about New Orleans and our cute AirBnB. It’s a dream to live there or in Savannah one day, not only because of the pace but also because of the old architecture and coziness I feel in these kinds of places. Alex napped and I took some photos of Linley enjoying our place at the fullest.
The start to our evening plans were unique because we were meeting with my mentor-turned-friend, Don. Don grew up in Jersey but has lived his NO since he was 29 (bought a one-way ticket and never left!) He has two sons, is in a band and is with the coolest chic ever… talk about creating an amazing life for yourself! Don and I used to work together and it’s been hard to not have him as a teammate anymore, but it was great to have a reunion and for him and Alex to finally meet! Linley was there too, of course. Don met us around the corner and he brought us some champagne… and whiskey shots!
Unfortunately our time together was way too short; Alex and I had reservations for dinner and Don kindly drove us there. We were hoping to spend time with him before we left, but the time we had was better than no time at all! Our dinner was amazing but we were sat next to some interesting people… all I can say is we can laugh about it now haha! It was really nice to end our stay in NO with quality time though.
The next morning we lazily hung out in our place, probably trying to recover from our entire time in NO haha. It was bittersweet because we’d wanted to be in NO together but also knew that our honeymoon was coming to an end. Lin and I strolled around the neighborhood one last time, we loaded up the car, grabbed brunch and headed east. It’s even hard typing this now because I wish we had more time there…
But we’ll be back. 💛
Media taken March 25 & 26, 2025 in NO.✨
Traveling with the Traceys 