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.
March was our best month yet! Our best friends got married in one of our favorite places, we were married at one of our favorite places, and we had the honeymoon roadtrip of a lifetime as a trio. Although more photos of all that will come, I wanted to share the disposable camera photos our friends and family took during our reception. I immediately knew having these out would be a hit, and what a great idea it was! I look forward to seeing more photos soon, but here’s what we have so far…
Maddie and Quinten, our officiant (on my right)The one and only Sahil!Ariel and Alex!Our venue and second homeCousins Catherine and ReaganOur signature drinksMom and Linley, our bestest ring bearerOur lovely bartenders, Justin and Kyle!Jesse!!!My lovely best friend, Carolina✨Wait, there were three Matt’s?!Our lovely photographer, Trizzie!Uncle Ray… hahaReagan, Alex Matlock and cousin JasonDancing as newlywedsOh boy… hahaOne happy brideOne hammered groom… haha
Photos taken Saturday, March 8, 2025 at Bantam Pub in Atlanta, GA. ✨
It’s currently 4:05am CT in Oklahoma City right now. We’re in a garage-style AirBnB as a trio, and Lin is pushed against me in our ginormous king bed. I turned to face him so my belly would get his warmth, as opposed to him bending into my back and causing me pain later in the morning…
I wouldn’t have it any other way. 💛
Alex and I got married last weekend! We had an absolute blast and it couldn’t have been a more perfect weekend all around. Our rehearsal and dinner went great the night before, and it was so nice to hang out with our parents, friends, and Alex’s family members.
Even the morning of the big day felt “normal” in a sense. We had brunch with my parents at our favorite spot (where we had our reception actually!) and lazily hung out until 2/2:30 or so. Alex, Linley and I did, however, sneak away around 1/1:30 to read each other our vows. We wanted to do this in private, and I’m really grateful we did. It’s something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. How lucky am I to have found my best friend!
Getting ready was quick and painless, and I of course had to have one of my favorite fellas help me out!
Our apartment, park where we had the ceremony and Bantam Pub for the reception are all walking distance from each other—which is extremely lucky! We love our neighborhood and our friends in it so much. My dad walked me down to the pond where we met Bill, Alex’s dad, who also helped walk me down to Alex. I’m glad I involved both our dads and it was nice to have a moment with both of them before everything got started. It was another special moment I’ll never forget.
Our ceremony was quick and our best friend Quinten married us. Despite the wind and Cecilia, my mother-in-law, having to hold down my veil, it couldn’t have gone any better. I even made Alex cry! Haha and that was the goal… What made everything extra special was that I was able to see my high school best friend and her sister at the very end. Although they missed most of the ceremony, the fact they even made it at all was a huge surprise and blessing. After popping my first ever bottle of champagne – both with Alex and his brother, Jonathan, we chatted, took some group photos, then had fun with our couple’s session with Trizzie and Tripp. Alex and I are grateful that we have not only such loving friends, but talented friends who can marry us and photograph our big day!
Bantam Pub… where to even begin! When Alex and I first met in person, we visited Bantam for brunch that weekend (August of 2023). It was Bantam where we decided to move in together, and it was there and the servers-turned-friends who rallied for Linley during his major surgery last year. It truly is our second home and the community we feel – and created – there is insurmountable. There was absolutely no way we could have our reception anywhere else! We each had a featured cocktail (Linley’s was the “salty dog” of course!) and we danced, ate and drank the night away. Seeing all our favorite people in our favorite place… unreal in the best way.✨
I could go on about how much I love Alex, how great Linley did as the ring bearer, and how lovely everything else was… but I don’t feel like ugly crying at 4:33am CT in some random AirBnB that we’re staying at as we head out west haha. All you need to know is that this is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love that I’m forever grateful for, and our little guy killed it out there last weekend. 🥹 The morning of, the after party where everyone kept buying us drinks, and everything in between… it was an incredible day, with incredible friends and one incredible husband!
Our best friends got married in Asheville, North Carolina this weekend, so of course we made a trip out of it! It was bittersweet seeing Asheville in its resiliency following the devastating flooding that happened due to Hurricane Helene. Although our trip wasn’t full of the usual hiking and nature exploration, we had a blast in the city itself.
We highly recommend Ginger’s Revenge and The Twisted Laurel if you’re in the mood for some good drinks and food!
The next morning, we had a blast at brunch and enjoyed the sunshine before Carolina’s and Matt’s wedding celebration. We even took Linley to the local Wag Bar—where he played and ran around like a maniac for hours! He also got attention from everyone – including little kids – at the local bars and restaurants…
After we tired Lin out, we headed back to our Airbnb so we could get ready and Linley could finally sleep.
The venue, ceremony and celebration were all beautiful and emotional given the delay since October. It was a lovely evening and wonderful to finally celebrate with Carolina and Matt!
The trip back on Sunday was smooth, and of course we had to enjoy some of our local spots in Atlanta given how beautiful of an afternoon it was.
Media taken Friday, February 28-Sunday, March 2 in Asheville, NC & Atlanta, GA. 💛
It’s been hard to write since the election results, but I don’t want the weight of the world to crush me. The end of October was such a beautiful time with a wonderful vacation, the start of a new career and Halloween shenanigans with my best friends.
My partner Alex and our best friend Alex (confusing, I know!) went to a haunted house that’s extremely famous in the Atlanta area. Netherworld was full of jump-scares and laughs, and the best part is that we went into two haunted houses! The first was arguably better than the last, but it was still fun to see Alex (my Alex, haha) conquer his fear of clowns…
Halloween night was lovely because Linley, the Alex’s and our buddy Tyler were all involved in a group costume. We were Taco Bell hot sauce packets and Lin was our little taco! His Taco Bell shirt didn’t arrive in time so Alex last-minute ordered the taco costume, which happened to fit perfectly.
A tired Linley and spicy pawrents!
Before Tyler arrived, the four of us grabbed dinner and drinks at Bantam Pub — our favorite local hangout. We hung out at our place and got Lin cozy for the night, while the rest of us headed to some cool spots in Decatur. We laughed and made fun of how old we were because we were all in bed before midnight. It was exactly what I needed and was worth the hangover the next day 😌
I love my little family in Atlanta and look forward to more adventures to come!
Media taken Monday, October 28 and Thursday, October 31, 2024.
October has brought more positive changes than I’d expected it would. I accepted a job offer at a new company, I was able to see one of my best friends get married, found out that one of my best friends is expecting her second daughter, and a birthday that could’ve felt lonely didn’t — thanks to Alex’s family and our friends here in Atlanta.
I hope that the rest of 2024 brings positivity, calmness and reflection for all of us. 💛
Exploring new places in Atlanta
Volunteering with animals
Enjoying another Atlanta United game
Apple picking and wineries in North Georgia
Courtney’s and Chris’s wedding!
Quality time with Alex’s family
Quality time with Lin and good friends during my birthday weekend
A few weekends ago, Alex, Linley and I drove from Atlanta to Nashville so I could celebrate one of my best friends during her bachelorette weekend! Turns out there was much more to celebrate — especially because this was Alex’s and my first roadtrip with Lin since his surgery.
The weekend was a perfect storm because the roadtrip to and from was smooth, and we also spent time with Alex’s cousin, Jason. He’s lived in Nashville since 2019 or so, and seeing him is rare (he’s usually traveling all around the world!) On Friday we grabbed dinner with him and laughed until we cried. I always enjoy spending time with Jason and Alex — and I’ll take the time I can get with them together!
Saturday was dedicated to the ladies, and Alex and Lin had some father-son bonding time during the day. It was awesome seeing Carolina and her friends again, and meeting a couple new ones, too! Even though I’m not a bridesmaid, it meant the world that Carolina included me in her weekend festivities. While Alex and Lin had their quality time together, us ladies grabbed brunch and some of us got flash tattoos before heading out at night.
Jason, Alex and Linley hung out the rest of the day and evening together. Meanwhile Carolina, Steph, Ellen, Asia, Chloe and I relaxed at their Airbnb, played drinking games and got ready for a fun night on Broadway. Normally going out like that and listening to country music all night isn’t my thing, but I embraced it and had a wonderful time.
I’ve been in a few weddings and I can honestly say that Carolyn’s and Carolina’s bridesmaids were the kindest. Everyone got along great and had such a lovely weekend celebrating one of the best friends I have in my life! I look forward to celebrating her in Asheville next month — and look forward to some October adventures with Alex and Lin!
Media taken Friday, September 13 – Sunday, September 15, 2024.
Last year I wrote about the new friends I’d met since moving back to Michigan in late 2022, and today I want to write about three older friends. On the way to and from upstate New York, Alex was able to meet two of my best friends and I couldn’t be happier! The love I have for my two besties, their significant others, pups and their families always brings me so much joy when I visit them — and having Alex by my side made it even better!
Carolyn and I have been best friends since we met as roommates abroad in 2014. These ten beautiful years of friendship have been filled with celebrating each others’ milestones and full of adventure and laughter. Carolyn hadn’t met Alex until this month – same with Linley – and it was extremely special to introduce two of my favorite people to one another. The love felt between us, Carolyn’s family and our pups means more than I can ever put into words.
Carolyn and me in 2014!Ryan, Lily, Carolyn, Linley (kind of!), Sully, me and Alex!
On our way back to Atlanta from New York, we couldn’t leave without seeing my bestie Carolina. Carolina and I used to work together in 2020, and have been inseparable ever since. Carolina and her fiancé, Matt, are not only getting married in October, but they just moved from Charlotte to South Carolina because Matt started medical school! I couldn’t be prouder of and more excited for my besties!
Carolina and me celebrating her engagement in 2023!Matt, Carolina, Koko, me, Lin and Alex!
It’s also been incredibly special for Alex to have met my high school best friend from Germany over video call. Not a week goes by where Saskia and I don’t talk — and one day I hope she and Alex can meet in person, too!
Saskia and me in Germany in 2022!
I’m blessed with three best friends who have always been by my side — even though we live far apart. I look forward to next summer’s travels and more memories with Carolyn, Carolina and their families.
It’s been way too long since I’ve posted, and the main reason had to do with my back injury. Early April until recently, I’ve been dealing with two herniated discs and a tear in my lower back. I’m writing this as I lay in our Alexandria, Virginia AirBnB — grateful for the ability to walk without crutches anymore and the opportunity to travel again!
Alex, Linley and our dear friends and family made my recovery process so much better — and I tried celebrating the small wins and good moments with great people.
I look forward to sharing more about our East coast adventures in the coming weeks. ☺️
