Hello friends!

My latest adventure took me home to Oregon…a tad bit to Washington too, and it was surely an adventure for the books! An adventure that lasted 3 weeks! :)

My journey home started in Eugene, OR with my friend Hannah (I was part of her wedding), leading to Hannah’s wedding celebration in Washington, leading to seeing part of my family and heading to my hometown on the coast, leading to coastal camping with my Eugene friends, leading to mini Eugene adventures, which finally led to me back to my hometown!

Wheeew! I was all over the place so let me break each segment of my journey down!

HANNAH’S WEDDING

The first part of my journey started with my friend Hannah. I spent about 5 days with her to join her in celebrating her wedding week. We met up in Eugene, OR and drove up to Enumclaw, WA — she rented a huge mansion Airbnb to host her wedding at & to also to have a place for the bridal party to stay!

The day of the wedding Hannah, Joey (her now husband), and I woke up at 2:30am to drive to Mt Rainier. We spent hours with her photographer photographing special moments — including their first look and the reading of their private vows. On the way back to the airbnb we ended up driving 1 hour in the wrong direction (oops…we had no service) which led us on a long mini adventure detour. We finally made it back to the airbnb by 3pm & had just enough time to get ready for the 5pm wedding ceremony. Hannah was such a beautiful bride!! && it made me so incredibly happy to be part of such a beautiful and meaningful day.

Aside from Mt Rainier & the wedding ceremony, we played games, explored the town of Enumclaw, caught up on life, etc.. It was one amazing wedding week! I love Hannah & Joey! <3

Mt Rainier sign (the start of driving in the wrong direction)

Foggy Mt Rainier highway

Beautiful lake at Mt Rainier

Mt Rainier — so breathtaking

Epic waterfall @ Mt Rainier

Flowers/meadow among the Mt

A deer at the Mt

Marmot friend at the Mt

All the bridesmaids with Hannah :)

Film photo at the airbnb

Fun pics in this homemade heart Photo Booth

Wedding table decor

Wedding games

SIDE NOTE: MY FRIEND CAL AND I HAD A QUICK SLEEPOVER BEFORE MY FAMILY PICKED ME UP IN EUGENE

Cal & I getting coffee after our sleepover

Tea time w/Cal

HOMETOWN PT.1

My mother and grandmother came to Eugene to pick me up & to simultaneously celebrate my mother’s birthday — we did all our usuals in Eugene before heading home to the coast. At home I spent time with my mother around her work schedule & had a sleepover with my grandmother with a side quest to her fave beach spots. I too spent some alone time at the ocean and picking huckleberries in my mother’s yard.

Huckleberries from my mother’s yard

Beachy grass

Ocean!!

Grandma @ the beach ! She loves the ocean!

My shell finds

Got them dogs in the water!

W/grandma @ the beach

CAMPING

The next leg of my journey took me back up to Eugene to meet up with my friends (Cal, Kal, Gian, and Mike) to trek together to Florence to go camp for a night. While camping we went on a 7 mile hike along the dunes/ocean/forest, we swam in a lake, we ate yummy foods around a fire while talking about randomness, we baked homemade bread over our fire, we went fishing, and we goofed around like silly lil gooses. The perfect camping adventure with my longtime pals.

Me & Cal @ this lake among the dunes

Cal & Mike on the dunes

Mushrooms in the forest

Baking campfire bread

Yoni pictures — Cal & I

Fishing spot

Me & Gian observing our friends fishing

Kal fishing !

MINI EUGENE ADVENTURES

Upon our return to Eugene from camping, I spent a couple more nights with some of my friends. I participated in a mansion sleepover, went on a walk & picked fresh plums, and really reconnected with the place I’ll always think of as one of my homes.

Pic of Gian, Liza and I in the backyard of the mansion

Gian & I found free plums

More free plums fresh from a tree

Wishing tree!

Fresh roadside flowers!

HOMETOWN PT.2

I finished my journey back at home with my family! :) &&&& my brother flew in from Colorado for a week himself! The remainder of my time there consisted of working with my siblings to do yard work for my mom & to put together a huge planter, going to Bandon, OR to eat crab & go to our fave spots, have family dinners & play games, catch up on life, go on runs with family, and attend my cousin David’s wedding rehearsal & wedding ceremony. Plus some randomness sprinkled in.

The crab shack in Bandon, OR

Yummy crab!

Bandon, OR coffee shop

My mother’s new planter

Family photo @ David’s wedding rehearsal

BACK HOME TO NEW MEXICO

Goodbyes aren’t my favorite & heading back to New Mexico after such a fun trip was very bittersweet. I am very thankful to be blessed with such an amazing family and an amazing group of friends. My heart feels full!! <3

My roommate Britta & our mutual friend Justin did surprise me with welcome home flowers, which was very sweet. :))

Pretty flower bouquets from Britta :) annnd Justin :)

All in all, my trip to Oregon (and Washington) was pure bliss. Love & kindness all around. I can’t even explain how the trip made me feel as a whole…just grateful. Again, I am very blessed in this lifetime!!

Thanks for reading & stay tuned to more Sam adventures!!

Love, Sam! 💛