Back to the honeymoon posts! 😀 Albuquerque, New Mexico did not disappoint. From the delicious food to the kindest people, I highly recommend paying this city a visit. My only regret is that we should’ve spent more time here instead of Santa Fe, but c’est la vie!
Highs
Our AirBnB was super cute!
We drove by the Breaking Bad house, and didn’t get screamed at by the paranoid lady who lives there haha!
We had the most delicious dinner and mezcal drinks, and the restaurant was super dog friendly. Our server loved us and Linley even got a free chicken dinner from the owner!
We walked to Bar Uno, a super dog friendly bar downtown, and our bartender was incredible. He was super nice and loved Linley, too… as did the other patrons.
Simply walking around and exploring our area with Alex and Linley was so much fun; it’s always the little things!
Low
I had the *worst* bloody nose at night. It woke me up and I had the worst night sleep of the entire trip that night by far.
Buffalos
At Bar Uno, a lady came in who was clearly on pills. Our lovely bartender actually cut her off and called it out. It was sad to see someone going through that, but really responsible on our bartender’s end and Alex and I sincerely appreciated his nonjudgmental approach. Well done, sir!
I missed the morning walk before heading east because of my stupid bloody nose and shitty night’s sleep, but Alex and Lin saw some hot air balloons together! Although slightly jealous since they’re a New Mexico staple, I was happy they got to experience them together!
Sedona, Arizona – although touristy – didn’t disappoint!
Highs
We lucked out weather-wise! It was a little hot on our way to the car, but I’m so glad we visited and hiked when we did!
Linley had a big ole smile on his face the entire hike! 😀
Alex and I wore our matching dog fist shirts, and we met a sweet couple and their young daughter who wanted to pet Linley. They apparently had the same shirts as us, and also a small, white dog named Waffles, but didn’t wear them or bring him along. It reminded me of how much Alex and I love bringing Linley wherever we can!
The views were absolutely stunning! I mean, they were truly breathtaking (proof below).
We met so many friendly people on the hike, all of whom loved Lin!
Lows
The parking sucked. The touristy energy of the area sucked. It definitely wasn’t our vibe, but we had a great hike as a trio regardless!
I had to carry Lin’s poop bag for a while, and because of the heat, it stank BAD haha! 🤣
Buffalo
Lin’s paws were stained with the orange-colored dirt from the hike. He majorly needed a bath and a good grooming after our trip haha! All the dogs at the parks and along walks wanted to smell him after that… 😅
We definitely had fun in Flagstaff between visiting the Grand Canyon and hiking in Sedona the following day!
Highs
The brewery we stopped at was awesome! Bummer we had to sit outside, but other than that it was great!
Our Thai takeout was wonderful, and enjoying it at our cozy AirBnB was perfect.
Stargazing at both our AirBnBs was amazing! I wish we would’ve enjoyed it a bit more…
The distillery we found after our Grand Canyon adventure was so great, that we visited three times while we were there!
We stopped for lunch and great cocktails after hiking in Sedona, and a kind couple paid for our drinks!
Lows
We couldn’t sit outside at the brewery, and it took us so long to find a spot that we could actually bring Lin into for dining… which just so happened to be our AirBnB! It was a headache but it was all good in the end.
Alex definitely got sunburned from sitting in the sun after hiking in Sedona…
On our last night in Flagstaff, we picked up some Indian takeout and it was absolutely horrible. It was flavorless, watery… none of what we were expecting. We love Indian food and we definitely need to order some soon now that we’re back in Atlanta!
Buffalo
When we visited the distillery for coffee on our way back East toward Albuquerque, Misty (our lovely bartender and barista!) accidentally made Linley three pup cups instead of one. She thought we asked for two to go, but we really wanted to mugs to go! It was sweet and Linley definitely enjoyed them.
I’m going to put a pause on the “high, low, buffalo” theme for our honeymoon posts; the Grand Canyon was absolutely beautiful, it was the perfect day, and it was an incredible first visit for all three of us! I promised Linley that I would take him someday when I first rescued him over seven years ago, and it meant so much that we finally made it together — with our other best friend right by our side, too! 💛
From all the adults and kids who were smiling and greeting us as we walked by, to the kind gentleman who took his dog on a similar road trip just because, and the two young women who gave Linley some love on our way out: we had the best day as a family and couldn’t have asked for anything more. 🥹
Media taken Thursday, March 20, 2025 at the Grand Canyon. ✨
The ranch we stayed at in Flagstaff, Arizona deserves its own post. From location to views, appliances to coziness, this place was just what we needed and then some. We’ll be back and this was probably our favorite AirBnB of the entire trip.
The best parts? Our big, family breakfast, seeing the gophers dig in the neighbor’s yard, and seeing Lin run around and have so much fun!
Media taken Wednesday, March 19 & Thursday, March 20, 2025.
Santa Fe did not disappoint! From the food and drinks, to the beautiful hiking, and all the crazy weather in between: I highly recommend paying this unique town a visit.
Highs
Our AirBnB was awesome! It was the quintessential desert stay that we wanted and needed. We also enjoyed nice breakfasts there each morning; Lin enjoyed sitting at the table with us! 💛
The rail yard near our place had some amazing breweries, and it was cool to see the trains roll by while we walked and enjoyed our time in the area.
It took forever to find a good, dog-friendly spot for dinner, but once we did it was worth it! We enjoyed good food and spicy margs before our next day of adventure.
We had a very fun, windy hike in the morning during our full day there. We almost got lost of the hike, but luckily we didn’t, and it was great to beat the crowd and the heat!!
Our lunch spot was wonderful and I enjoyed some of the best nachos to-date. They also let Linley hang out inside with us, and he was getting all the attention per usual.
After an eventful drive, we hung out at a brewery outside of the city center, and had a blast making it a restful part of our afternoon.
We stopped by a really cool pottery bar for a drink before dinner, and it was fun to watch people make pottery while we had great martinis out of pottery glasses!
Lows
Santa Fe really isn’t as dog friendly as I’d thought it would be. Even some places don’t seat you outside during certain days or times of the week… in hindsight, I wish we’d spent more time in Albuquerque as opposed to Santa Fe.
Linley actually had some bad altitude sickness in the morning on our second day there! I’d had it bad in Peru with my mom in 2018, so I knew all the symptoms he was experiencing. He bounced back in time for the hike, but definitely look for warning signs in yourselves and pets (nauseous, cold and shaky, etc.)
Buffalo
We really had a wild full-day of weather, including a dust storm AND a snow storm in the same day! It was wild, but very cool to experience.
Like the places we visited in Arkansas, Oklahoma City was a very underrated place with some really surprising, unique spots!
Highs:
Our garage-style AirBnB was super cool! We loved it and had the best time. We barely stayed in, but we enjoyed coffee and laughing at the local news the next morning before we left. (Shout out local news… it’s always so much better than the other garbage!)
We enjoyed drinks and brunch in a cute part of town that actually reminded me of a small, beach town I’d visited near San Francisco. Linley, of course, got more attention…
The park downtown that we walked through was absolutely beautiful! So many families were out and about, and it was a gorgeous day overall.
We popped into a cool library-style distillery before dinner, and when I say we had the most creative cocktails yet, I mean it! Alex ordered a pho-nomenial drink that literally tasted like Vietnamese pho! Our minds are still blown… 10/10 would recommend!
Believe it or not, we had dinner on a “lake” with the most beautiful sunset. It was a lovely way to continue our trip out west. And my gluten free vege burger with a gin and tonic didn’t hurt either!
Lows
Bricktown was super crowded! The river walk was way too touristy and packed, and that part of the day really wasn’t as enjoyable. But we quickly remedied that with the distillery visit I mentioned above.
I slept like *garbage* that night, because Linley kept pushing into my back the entire night. I love when he snuggles up to me, but it was a little too far… he made my stomach push out and it was feeling it for a while there! (He’s worth it, but still!)
Buffalo
We made the most of our dinner, but boy did it get cold while we were sitting outside! Next time, I’ll remember to bring blankets for all of us.
Our first stop on the honeymoon road trip was Arkansas, which may not seem super glamorous, but it didn’t disappoint! Here are some of my favorite photos and “highs, lows and buffalos” from the first state on our journey:
Highs
Our AirBnB in Russellville was amazing! 10/10 would recommend the home. Seeing Linley run around in a yard was a big plus, too.
Hiking in the Ozarks was amazing! Although rainy at first, this was an underrated hiking spot that everyone should check out at least once.
The distillery we found in Little Rock was amazing! They had the best service and St. Patty’s Day drinks, and we ran into some kind strangers there and along the way.
Lows
Our county was a dry county, and we had NO idea! We tried ordering margs at two different places, only to realize the nearest liquor, beer or wine was at least 40 miles away! We still have a good laugh about it haha…
Of course some family stuff had to go down during this leg of the trip, but so it goes. Alex and Linley are my family, and that’s all that matters. 💛
Buffalo
Alex was whistling while we walked through a creepy Dollar General, and the cashier commented and said it felt like a horror movie. Way to go, Alex, for creeping out a complete stranger! 😅
Do you ever have those days that just seem perfect, like every single thing is going right? And it actually does?! Well, that’s how I felt on Saturday, February 1 when Alex, Linley and I visited Birmingham, Alabama!
It was a beautiful, sunny day and we were excited for a mini-vacay as a family. We started at a fun dog park and bar (ironically called Good Dog Bar and Dog Park), where Lin ran around like a manic… and we were all smiles!
After some runs and fun’s in the sun, we had the best and most filling seafood lunch of my life! Linley was of course getting all the attention, and before Alex and I headed to an Atlanta United soccer game, we had to walk off all our delicious food.
Alex and I had a great time at the soccer game, but we actually left early because we missed Lin so much… haha! It was too nice of a day to have him cooped up inside.
Our evening was just as fun as the rest of our day together; we had some good drinks at a local brewery where two kiddos gave Lin all the attention in the world! It was such a nice evening with great conversation and company. And when we wrapped up there, we had some good bar food and a nice walk to wrap up our evening.
It was truly one of those days where everything went smooth. The drive was great, stopping at Buc-ee’s was awesome, all the activities and sunshine and smiles… everything was picture-perfect in Birmingham!
Photos taken Saturday, February 1, 2025 in Birmingham, Alabama.
Alex and I are recovering from a nasty case of the flu (we’re incredibly lucky we’re vaccinated!), and the sweats make me wish for another snow day. Here in Atlanta, snow is rare but we were blessed with two winter storms that made me feel like we were suddenly in Michigan.
Linley and I certainly missed this snow, but what made the first snow day extra special was spending it with Alex. The three of us have never had a fun-filled day in winter wonderland before, and we hope to have many more!
[Spoiler alert: Yes, this will ultimately be a lovely post about Alex’s and my love story, but I need to explain the hell I’ve been through to make you appreciate the journey more. 💛]
From last weekend’s anniversary dinner
In May of 2023, I was blindsided by someone I was “dating” long-distance (I put “dating” in quotes because I thought we were dating; he claimed we weren’t after the fact…) I’d known this person since February and we spoke every day, made efforts to see each other when possible… but then one day around Mother’s Day, he ghosted, then “zombied” (which is coming back from ghosting with a bunch of excuses), then ghosted again. Although I had zero interest in being with this individual after nearly a week or more of not answering my messages, he was a narcissist and claimed that me asking questions about what happened and why he ghosted was “wasting each others’ time” and that he didn’t want to “lead me on” as I was trying to find closure. Even when I said that I wanted feedback for the man I was actually meant to be with (NOT him), his gaslighting was through the roof.
The above bullshit (pardon my French) took place during and after my marriage. The rollercoaster of addiction (including “dry drunk” behaviors for over five+ years), the physical and emotional abandonment and gaslighting/lack of accountability ran rampant no matter how “good” we were, where we lived or how much quality time we even spent together. After the marriage ended, I felt like I had this revolving door of men — even though I wasn’t seeking male attention or making first moves. I was blindsided, ghosted, used… by about four or five guys before I’d met Alex, and as mad as I am at them, I’m disappointed that I hadn’t set better boundaries – both physical and emotional – after the divorce.
[TLDR: My whole life has been spent searching for the love from someone else who sees me the way *I* see *myself.* A lot of people may think I seem insecure or like a love addict myself, when really I’ve always wanted that best friend who truly saw me, loved to spend time and travel with me, who would laugh with me and hug me even on our hardest days… all because I never had a stable, grounded family life. I’ve been confident in myself and who I am since day one, and finding someone who felt the same about me AND themself has been a challenge… all until I met Alex…]
On Father’s Day weekend of 2023, Linley and I went camping on what used to be our annual Empire Trail and Beach hike in northern Michigan, when we lived in the Midwest. (Let’s face facts: Linley is and always will be my first love, my partner in crime, my best friend!) Spending time in nature snuggled up with my little guy made me realize that there was someone out there for me; I just had to be more intentional in finding him (re: insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting different results).
I’d known I would be moving to Atlanta later that summer/early fall by this point, so why not try online dating with someone who a) was also dating intentionally and b) would want to get to know me before I even moved to Atlanta and c) I could be honest about my past marriage and dating history with. So, I did just that!
I joined Coffee Meets Bagel on June 23, had matches starting June 24, and matched with Alex on June 27 of 2023 (I have problems, don’t ask me how I can remember those dates!) Our first phone call was July 4, our first video call was probably less than a week after that, we left audio messages on days we couldn’t video chat and even saw each other in person twice in one month before I’d moved down here on Linley’s Gotcha Day. I’d known I loved Alex since before even meeting him in person last summer, but I knew I was in love with him late August/early September.
Vancouver in late August, 2023Biking around Stanley Park!Boat ride and orca sighting in Seattle!
Over the weekend, we celebrated our one year anniversary. I can’t wait to share more about how we recreated our first weekend together! But for now, I wanted to write the above for ME, because I don’t think I’ve ever really wrote about the journey — even for myself. 💛
My mom visited Alex, Linley and me last weekend — and we had a blast exploring north Georgia! I’d been to some of the wineries before, but actually staying in a cabin in Ellijay and walking around Blue Ridge was so much fun with my mom, too.
The four of us enjoyed a beautiful cabin with a view of the mountains, and it didn’t disappoint. We made s’mores in the oven (because it rained both evenings we were there), played cards, watched the Olympics, drank coffee outside on the wrap-around porch and laughed until we cried. It was the perfect stay and I’d recommend for anyone who wants to escape city life for a weekend.
Prior to even seeing the cabin in the woods, we stopped by Roo Mountain Vineyards — which is now my new favorite winery in Georgia! The drinks were delicious, the view was incredible and the quality time was priceless.
Blue Ridge was another cute town we stopped in since it was super dog friendly! We checked out some shops, took Linley to Blue Ridge Adventure Dog for a good run, some photos and toys, and had good coffee under a patio during some rain. We had great food for lunch and dinner, too!
It was great having my mom here in Atlanta and up in north Georgia, and we can’t wait for next time!
Traveling with the Traceys 