All of the Things in a Feeble Attempt to Catch up this Blog

I'm just gonna come out and say it - this is probably gonna be a really long post. But that's because I haven't posted in a really long time and I have this thing where, when I get the bug to blog I feel like I can't just pick up and start new - I feel like I need to go back and review what's been going down so that my blog goes in chronological order. Maybe it's OCD, or ADD or CBS or NBC but either way, I gotta do it. So if you hate catch-up posts, sorry - this is a catch up post.

I basically haven't updated this for all of fall. How embarrassing, I know. I actually found a draft post I started in Mid-October and I thought about using it and to just add onto it but it was already super long so I thought I'd spare you and start over all together. I'll try and hit the high points - a "high level overview," as I like to say at work. At twerk. Neh-twerk.

Back in September one of my best friends Charlene got a permit for Fossil Springs and the short of it is, Fossil Springs was plan A for the day, and we ended up on plan C by the time the day was over. Hey, when roads are closed and you can't find Forest Road 81 E (because I'm pretty sure that's a made up thing), you have to improvise and we ended up at Potato Lake. Nate and I had been before on a day trip and since we were in the area why not cruise over there and eat our lunch and salvage what was left of the day right?

We hiked to the back of the lake...I use the term "lake" loosely because although "Potato LAKE" is its name, it's more like, Potato watering hole:

Nonetheless, it's a cool watering hole/lake-ish and the area is still gorgeous. We ate our lunches and somehow started a game that consisted of throwing rocks at a rock. It's pretty self explanatory - you pick up small rocks and throw them at a bigger rock and see if you can hit it. Exhibit A:

It's very ridiculous and very simplistic, and also kind of funny - so much so that Charlene enthusiastically proclaimed "I love that this is our activity!!" Throwing rocks at rocks. Rocks on rocks y'all!! Even though our Plans A and B failed, it's time well wasted any time you can get out of the valley, smell the Ponderosas...and throw rocks at rocks.

So, I told you all about how I hiked Reavis Ranch back in early October. Well before this, Charlene and I scheduled in advance (waaaay in advance) a Friday to head up to Flagstaff and hike Lockett Meadow. I had never been and it had been on the list for a while. Had I known what kind of shape I'd be in after Reavis, I would've never scheduled another hike one week later...yes, it took me weeks for my knees and feet and hips and toes to recover (it's fine if you judge me I acknowledge I'm a weak amateur). But nonetheless we hauled our butts up to Lockett Meadow and I'm sure glad we did cause:

Pretty impressive right?! After we made it to the top where the meadow connects with the Inner Basin Trail, we decided to turn back around and opted to find a good spot for our hammocks. 

We laid in our hammocks and ate snacks in the middle of Lockett Meadow and it was the best day ever. 

The rest of the fall included wedding shenanigans - up to and including the actual wedding - for one of my favorite blog-friend turned life-friend, Brianna. We showered her with love at her wedding shower,

alcohol at her Bachelorette party (of which this is the only picture I have because, alcohol),

and more love and more alcohol at her wedding.

Halloween came and went this year and Gunther was the dog version of Uncle Sam and Maycee was like, a German pretzel maker. I went with like, a global theme this year.

I'm just kidding I didn't go with a theme - I went with the only costumes that were left on Halloween day because I procrastinate and everything was picked over. 

I got a new truck this fall so we spent a few weekends out and about breaking it in - by breaking it in I mean there's dog hair already all over it and slobber on the windows. 

The election came and went; I went over to Charlene's house to watch the returns and we got through it the only way we know how:

...getting wine drunk.

After the election came Thanksgiving and I ended up having a few different versions of it. One early, with some of my in-laws' family; we got to spend some overdue time with my niece and seriously could she be any cuter? 

 ...one on time with my family, and one late because Nate worked on the holiday.

That's a lot of food to eat and thanks to give and all of it was perfect...except for the Nate having to work thing, I'd be ok if that were different.

That about brings us up to speed. See told ya, it was a long one. But now my inner OCD issues are satisfied and we can continue blogging onward and upward. Thanks for keeping up, friends!