October was a month of some serious ups and a few downs, but all-in-all, November has some big shoes to fill. 😉
October 2025 Gratitude
wanderlust
Another wonderful weekend✨ (pt. I)
One of the many things I love about Alex is that he cherishes weekend adventures the same way I do. I used to plan all this fun for Lin and me, and the fact that I’ve actually taken a backseat on some of that is rare. It’s great to be with someone with the same enthusiasm and “zest for life,” to put it cheesy!
Thursday was super fun because we saw three French metal bands at one of our favorite venues, with one of our favorite friends. Justin and Alex have been best friends since middle school, and over these past couple years, he’s become one of my besties, too! We even met one of the screamers from Resolve, and I got to practice a little French when buying my new hat.
Friday afternoon, we took a family walk around the pond where we got married in March (just steps away from our apartment), and I just reflected on how happy I am and how fortunate I feel to have Alex and Linley in my life.
Friday was also great because Alex bought tickets for an Edgar Allan Poe speakeasy event. We thought it was going to be more of a stereotypical speakeasy, but instead we got to watch for performers recite some of his most famous works. Not to mention they served us four strong cocktails in the course of 90 minutes… it’s a good thing we took an Uber! Afterward we took some fun pics at a local burger joint, and even took a Waymo home. ‘Twas a fun time!
Saturday was a blast because we checked out Amicalola Falls State Park with Linley, and this used to be a point on the Appalachian Trail. The falls were beautiful, the hike was challenging but fun, and Alex survived all the spiders! Linley was getting a ton of compliments per usual, which always fills our hearts up with joy.
After our lovely hike, we drove up to a resort at the top of the mountain. We took in the views and the sunshine on our backs before grabbing some lunch.
We chose to head back into downtown Dahlonega, where we had lunch before our camping trip last month. It’s hard to believe how fast time is flying this summer and fall… but we’re trying to soak up every minute of it.
To round out the day, we went to one of our favorite wineries for a bottle of red, beautiful views and more sunshine. We had a great time, but it was strange because a little girl on the patio was also Linley, and her parents were upset that they shared a name! It was odd, and they should’ve been honored to share a name with our perfect pup, to be honest! At least Linley wasn’t offended 🤣
I would say, “more weekends like this, please!” but I already know that every weekend with these two is filled with adventure, laughter and love.
More to come on yesterday’s adventures…
Media taken Thursday, October 9 – Saturday, October 11, 2025✨
Last weekend of September
I love the fall, but I’m not ready for it this year. The summer was just too good! Last summer, I was overcoming a back injury and could barely even walk Linley without being in pain. This summer, I did all the things I couldn’t before… and then some!
There were so many firsts for Alex, like camping and whitewater rafting, and so many for me as well. I can’t wait for more adventures as a couple, and as the “Tracey Trio,” even if that means cooler weather and changing leaves. 😌
On Friday, we went to our second Aqua Vino event at the aquarium again. To think a year ago, Hurricane Helene was coming through Atlanta and completely devastated Asheville… it’s quite wild. Not only did I come a long way since last year, but the Southeast did as well #southeaststrong
Saturday was also a ton of fun because we took it easy, explored a new part of the city during a block party, and enjoyed a chill evening together. At the block party, we saw dogs who were trained to do all these tricks with frisbees, too!
Sunday was also great, as we enjoyed a gluten free brewery event with one of our neighbors and her adorable pup, Brody! It was such a great afternoon, and I can’t wait for more memories!
Although I’ve been navigating career, friend and family stuff lately, I couldn’t be more grateful for living in the moment, enjoying the little things and for all the laughter I’ve had this summer. 💛
Media taken Friday, September 26 – Sunday, September 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia 🍑
Alex’s first time camping✨
You read that right! Alex is 30 years old and he’d never been camping in a tent until last weekend. It was so special that his first time camping was with Lin and me, and it meant the world that Alex wanted to try something new with us. That’s one of my favorite things about him (there’s so many!): he’s always willing to try new things. 😀
We headed to Dahlonega, Georgia – a cute mountain town about an hour north of us in Atlanta – to have a nice seafood lunch on a patio in the center of town. That was as luxurious as the weekend would get, haha! From there, we ventured over to our HipCamp site in Dawsonville (we highly recommend going with a private campsite host as opposed to a large, public campsite) to pitch our tent by the river. Admittedly, we struggled the first time around because I put things together like I did in the past, NOT how I should’ve with this new REI tent we’d purchased. But after Alex thoroughly read the instructions – as he always does – we were successful!
Alex instantly calmed down once our tent was pitched and our site was set up with our chairs, table and all of Linley’s gear. We then strolled around the river, hung out on some cool rock formations, and Linley and I had a quick float together. I’d mentioned a few weeks ago that my friends in Michigan didn’t want to go with me, so it meant a lot to float again with Lin!
After some quality time on the water, we chilled at our site before dinner time. It was great to just hang out, listen to good music and talk about random things. I always love camping with Lin because he’s so good off-leash and he loves hanging out with me… and now, us!
Dinner was great, too! We kept it simple with some hot dogs – vegan sausage for me – on skewers. We tried starting a fire with magnesium and flint (since I’m trying to get on Survivor…), but we had to use a lighter instead. Our campsite host walked by and gave us a strange, funny look when we tried the old school way, but Alex reassured him he had a backup plan haha! After we ate, we enjoyed some snacks and drinks, and hung out by the fire until it was time for bed. It was the perfect evening with my two favorite fellas.
The next morning was bittersweet because I knew we had to head back, but I wasn’t ready to leave. I’m honestly not ready for summer and all the memories that came with it to be over, even though I do love the fall! And Lin was so cuddly in the tent, as he always is, and it made it even more difficult to get out and pack everything up.
Although Alex wasn’t used to camping in a tent, I’m really proud of him for trying something new, the three of us had a blast, and we’ll definitely try it again once it’s cooler.
Media taken Saturday, September 20 & Sunday, September 21 at our HipCamp site in Dawsonville, Georgia ⛺️
August 2025 Gratitude
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… 💛
Reflection
This past Saturday and Sunday were the first days of me being back in my home state of Michigan since I moved here nearly two years ago. Although I had a nice time overall, it wasn’t the weekend I’d been expecting.
I desperately wanted to float the Huron River rapids in Ann Arbor with my best friend from high school, but she didn’t want to. I was craving deep conversation with my girlfriends, but it felt surface-level. I needed my girl time, but it became a trip with us four plus someone’s guy friend, too (super nice, but I wasn’t asked if that was okay and it wasn’t the purpose of the weekend). I missed Zingerman’s gluten free homemade mac and cheese, but instead we went to Cracker Barrel (because majority rules). I so badly wanted Linley to be there with me on the beach during sunrise, but he was back in Atlanta with Alex this time.
I honestly felt like I was part of *their* weekend, and it wasn’t quite *our* weekend.
Lake Erie and camping and seeing friends was nice and all, but it wasn’t the weekend I was hoping for, nor was it the weekend I truly needed. But honestly, maybe I did *need* it; it showed me that it’s perfectly fine to outgrow a place, outgrow types of weekends with friends, and outgrow the past.
And yes, I know Donna and I will be friends for life, but I think our friendship will change as time passes. She’s there and I’m here, and she’s in her routine and I’m not in one anymore. And none of what I’m reflecting on means that I didn’t appreciate the good moments from the trip, like some of our one-on-one time, walking on the beach, swimming in fresh water again, and being around a campsite with people I’ve done that with before who I’m comfortable around. I was just hoping my first time back in Michigan would’ve been a little more special in regard to what brings back fond memories for me.
Ultimately, I have no regrets and did enjoy camping in Michigan again, even if Lake Erie isn’t one of my special places. But next time I’m there, which won’t be at least for another couple or few years, it’ll be with Alex and Linley, and we’ll be in Ann Arbor.
It felt really great to be home on Sunday night, with my two favorite fellas picking me up from the airport.
Media taken Saturday, August 30 & Sunday, August 31, 2025 at William C. Sterling park on Lake Erie.✨
Blue Ridge Beauty
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✨
Old things with new people
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✨
New places in Jasper, Georgia
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✨
Alex and Linley go hiking!
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✨
Gulf Shores, Alabama
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’s 30th birthday!!!
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✨
Traveling with the Traceys 