the great outdoors

full disclosure: this post was intended to be uploaded last friday but, while working on the den last week, our router got disconnected so, we lost wifi. thankfully, we have it back and all is well. now, to your regularly scheduled program... 

a couple of weekends back, T and i loaded up the pups to go camping with michael + jana + their pups, and nehemiah + simone + their pup. it was our first time to bring our furry boys on a trip like this, and we couldn't wait to see their reactions. 

T and i love spending quality time outdoors. it's is one of our favorite pastimes to get away, clear our heads, and recharge from the everyday grind. i especially love camping. there's something about sleeping overnight in a tent surrounded by the sounds of crickets and locusts singing with a star-filled sky that reconnects me on a very real level.  

[gorgeous morning skies]

[coffee brewed over campfire]

[morning mimosas with evergreen views]

once we arrived, we unpacked, munched on an amazing breakfast, and the pups got to work on sniffing and marking everything in sight. by then, it was time to take a morning dip in the lake! i wish i could properly describe how ecstatic all the dogs were once they saw the water. but, suffice it to say, it was a mad stampede once they fixed their eyes on the lake. 

[chuck waiting for his bff solo to catch up]

after lots of swimming and playing, i thought i'd lay out and dry off for a bit...which i guess was exactly what all the dogs wanted to do too. so, they all piled on (or nearby) to take a nap. and while they were wet, and covered with sand, it was pretty adorable. 

[the dog whisperer]

after lunch back at the campsite, we ventured out to the lake again to catch a few more sun rays, and cool off.  

[home away from home]

then, it was up to the campsite for the evening as all the dogs were plum tuckered out. i swear, you would've thought they'd been put under a sleeping spell once we got back! they all had to be awoken for their dinner, which never happens. 

[part one of dinner, yum]

[<3 <3 <3]

as the night wore on, we enjoyed an amazing campfire dinner, hilarious conversations, great tunes, and a gorgeous transition from sunset to a clear night sky. we couldn't have been happier in those moments and went to sleep that night completely content. ...the banana s'mores cones i made may have also helped ;)

[i love campsites at night]

[boba's turn for early morning guard]

[best buds playing in bed]

aside from making a couple adjustments when sleeping in a tent with our pups (mainly, i forgot our pillows), it was much easier and less stressful than i thought. since solo is nocturnal, and boba regularly likes to make his presence known (sir barks-a-lot), we figured it would've been much noisier and chaotic. but, they slept the whole night, only to wake and swap places for who was on guard. 

[lumberjack breakfast packs + coffee]

but, like all things, it must come to an end. so, we packed everything back up, said our goodbyes to each other and headed home. one of my favorite summer memories for sure, and we already can't wait for our next camping trip.