Happiness Comes From Within

And while that sounds totally cliche, it’s also very true. Something that a lot of us think we can just mosey on over and not even bat an eye at. Man y of us never truly take the time to discover, even create a happy soul. We go on our ways and go through the motions. 

I’ve Got Friends in Low Places

So low it’s like they don’t exist. Kind of like imaginary friends that you talk to, but they don’t talk back. Oh wait, they aren’t imaginary? Well shit, I thought I had officially lost my mind.

Follow Your Heart…

…all the way to Texas. Because that’s where it is taking you. Leaving all your family, friends and job behind for the unknowns. Taking that chance on

The Blog is Back in Town!

*queue guitar riff with dancing and singing* Cheesy, I know. Sorry! But after around 2.5 years since my last post, I’m just really excited to start writing again.

And in those 2.5 years, so much has happened for the better in my life. I went through three life chapters in a jiffy! I wouldn’t change any of it for the world though. I’m all about the life experiences that you can learn

Sunsets of Sunsets

As I’m always going through my phone and the photos on it, I realize I have an abundance of sunset photos just sitting in the album. Most of them are taken from my back porch, but some are from when I’m out and about. I thought I’d share my collection of nature’s warm hugs. Enjoy!

Huntress of the High Desert – 10.5.15 – Mountain City, NV

If you know my hunting past, you know that I have never had mule deer tag soup. Every hunt that I have gone on, I have harvested an animal, whether it was a buck or a doe. Okay, so the does were when I had a junior tag. Proud to say I’ve shot all bucks since then!

And I wasn’t going to let this hunt stop that streak. After not having shot anything since 2013 when I shot my first antelope, I was itching to feel that uncontrollable joy of harvesting an animal. I didn’t care if it was a trophy 4×4 or dinky forked horn, I was going to get something. I even packed my lucky beanie that I wore 15 years ago on my first hunt ever. I was determined.

Hunting in the High Desert – 9.1.15 – Northeast Nevada

If you read my post on my bull elk hunt last year (here), you’d know that me and elk have a love/hate relationship; as in I love to hunt them and they hate to let me shoot one. This year, my dad and I both got cow elk depredation tags. If you don’t know what that is, it’s basically a tag handed out to control the elk population more than what a normal hunting season does.

I was stoked to get this tag. My 4th elk tag in 9 years and I was going to finally be successful! I’ll just tell you right now, that it wasn’t the case. Elk: 4 – Me: 0.

Sadie Turns One! – 10.10.15 – Reno, NV

I had the utmost pleasure of getting to take photos of a friend’s little girl turning one. Sadie, beyond adorable! She is the happiest child I have ever seen and loved every minute of the picture taking! I think my favorite part of the whole session is that all she wanted to do was play in the dirt with the sticks and leaves. Girl after my own heart!

Lassen Volcanic National Park – 9.7.15 – Lassen, CA

It had been almost 20 years since I had been into the park. And even then, we went 2 miles in and turned around. This time though, I got to be able to drive through the entire park and it was amazing. If you remember back in December (here), my boyfriend and I only made it a little ways in because the snow had the park closed down.

I was beyond excited that it was a gorgeous day to go visit. It was an impromptu trip, so we weren’t prepared to go hiking at all. It was more of a get-out-and-snap-photos type of trip. But it was the best. Matthew and I had made a pact that we would visit every national park that there is in our lifetime. This was the first one to cross off our list! We went into the museum and store at the Loomis Ranger Station, where we picked up a patch and a passport book for the national parks. Stamped it and now it’s onto the next!

Hiking with the Pups – 5.23.15 – Tahoe National Forest, CA

A year ago, I would’ve been exploring the lovely state of Iowa. This year, I kept it close to home. Matt was home for the weekend and we needed to take the dogs out for a run/walk. He wanted to take me to a little river he walked a few times with the dogs before.