Marker Miller Orchards

I am so behind, I feel like the laziest blogger of all time. No, kidding, this post is on an outing we had over Labor Day Weekend. Guys! That was TWO MONTHS AGO! I really need to step up my blogging game. We'll see...

So! Labor Day Weekend we took a trip out to Marker Miller Orchards in Winchester, Virginia with our good friends Cary and Lauren Ning for some apple picking fun! We took Coco and Indy with us and just had the best time ever. Virginia is so beautiful, and Winchester was the cutest little town! Plus the orchard was puppy friendly! A++ for that place, go there!!
We went with Honeycrisp apples this go around, and we could not have been more happy with the quality of these apples. They were crisp (duh!) and juicy, and tart and sweet, all of it! There was a little shop and bakery there as well and we indulged in the most heavenly apple cider donuts, I don't even like donuts, but these were fan-freakin-tastic!
I really fell in love with this place, the rocking chairs, the wide open skies, the most gorgeous colors everywhere! I would like in this orchard, no joke, and Coco and Indy would make the best orchard dogs ever...they've also taken a liking to apples ever since and sit and stare whenever I eat apples with my breakfast. Don't worry, I'm a good dog mom...I totally share with them every time.

A Good End to a Great Summer

I'm finally almost caught up to the end of our summer vacation! After our trip to Jackson and Yellowstone time sped up and everything happened much too quickly. After two months we were definitely missing our home and were excited to get back, but also hadn't gotten to see or do nearly everything there is to see (people included) and do. I guess that just gives us something to look forward to for when we actually move back someday! Now, the rest of our summer, in photos.

When we got back from Wyoming, Taylor built this gorgeous crow's nest tree house in his parent's front yard for all the grandkids to decorate and play in. Our friend Billy Thompson helped and they knocked it out in a few days working hard all day (which, mind you, were all 110 degree days, so....yeah, we're lucky no one died of heat stroke). It turned out just perfect, pretty sure it will be well used.

Yellowstone National Park

I don't have many words to go along with this post. All I can say is that Yellowstone is the 

most beautiful place and I would literally live in a tent for all of my days if it meant I could 

stay there forever. I can't wait to go back again and again, and maybe some day find

someone who is willing to go backpacking there with me?? (Bueller? Bueller? Anyone?) 

*also, no filters or edits

Jackson Hole, Wyoming

I honestly believe that every single photo of our time in Jackson Hole, Wyoming deserves it's own post. If you haven't been there, you seriously need to get there, like tomorrow, I'm not joking, your life is not complete until you experience Jackson Hole. You still think I'm joking don't you, I'm really really not. While you're there, go check out Yellowstone National Park, you've probably never heard of it, it's only the most impressive National Park known to man, no biggie. While you're there, take some photos, cause it's amaaahhhhhzing. Also, just for reference, all of my Yellowstone photos have absolutely zero filters, no foolin', not a one. I was pretty impressed with myself, no lie.

Pre-Jackson Hole

I've decided to break up our summer into distinct time periods, for blogging purposes of course. Of course, because I keep track of time by how many months it's been since I've been in Wyoming, there would be no better way than to divide out summer as such. Pre and Post Jackson, of course when we get to Lake Powell, it cancels out the whole keeping time on Jackson thing, and we start all over again. You pickin' up what I'm puttin' down?

Our original intentions were to be in Phoenix for only a few weeks at most, but all that went down the drain and we thought, hey, Kelcie is independently contracted, Taylor's Internship/Fellowship can be done online, and what, we're just going to drive 2,400 miles back to DC and then try and figure out how to get back to Arizona for the 20 something-th annual Robinson-Daniels Lake Powell Extravaganza!?! So we stayed, for two months...that's about 7 weeks longer than intended, no biggie!  And so, pre-jackson, in photos.

The Owen's were in town and Taylor got the jeep up and running so they could take a night drive in Cari's old high school car! We love them so much and had so much fun playing with them in Phoenix!

For Gracie's birthday, Grammy got her Taylor Swift tickets to see the Red Tour! She let me tag along!

The Owen Family before Taylor came on stage

Happy Birthday Gracie!

Let me tell you, Taylor Swift is AMAZING live! No kidding, I liked her before just fine, but now...oh man, now I'm pretty sure she's my favorite. She is classy, fun, creative, and extremely talented! Plus, she had an amazing line up! 

In case I haven't told you, Coco hates cars, with a fiery passion. Her and Indy stuck to that corner for the whole two mile drive, mind you we were crawling! Oh, and this was after she jumped out! I wish I had a video of that one, pretty impressive stunt Coco, and my my, you sure are a quick one!

Speaking of puppy love! If there was ever a moment anyone wondered where Hank had gone off to, all you had to do was open the garage door! He could NOT get enough snuggles from Marco and Polo, be still my heart!

Because I'm not sure I've ever in my life seen anything more adorable, I'm going to post about every photo of this cuddle fest that I got, bear with me!

But really, can you even be mad at me?!?

I mean, the hand (paw?) holding, come. on.

Indiana Jones with his sharp new haircut. I'm diggin' your style, Doctor Jones.

Being that handsome all the time is pretty exhausting...

Arizona hikes are always my favorite! 

I went hiking with my friend Kylie, from my single days, up at Tonto Natural Bridge, it was a nice hot day, but we had lots of fun!

I get a lot of comments about Arizona and how I must be so glad to be in D.C. because the East is so beautiful, and Arizona is just a big desert. Well, let me tell you East Coasterners (??), personally, I'll take Arizona's blue skies and miles of cactus any day over the humidity and the constant overcast weather.

I also got a lot of gym time in over the summer. Because, honestly, it's 120 degrees outside, even at night time, who wants to even shower and get dressed? Just do two-a-days and stay in airy gym clothes all day long.

Of, if you aren't the gym type, just go to the lake! Duh.

Glass for days

Back to puppies for one hot minute...Coco took a liking to the underside of our bed in the guest house in Phoenix. 

And then this happened. Puppy dog tails. Lovers

Puppies>Kitties! So, I'm HIGHLY allergic to cats, but for some reason this guy doesn't make me itch like all the rest. And so, I confess that I love him. I love you Marty, you wild thing, you.