Where the buffalo roam // A road trip out West

Today I turned 28, and already the morning has been a flurry of puppy cuddles, presents, phone calls, messages and plans for celebrating :) And while we're still a few weeks away from wedding season, the days are starting to get busy in earnest, filled with skype calls, emails, meetings and hours spent organizing. There's so much to look forward to this year, and these first few months have already been filled with so much excitement--each one bringing completely new adventures and experiences.One of my favorite memories I have from this spring is that of the short road trip Jesse and I took while we were between conferences on the west coast. We visited Joshua Tree, the Grand Canyon and took a trip through Zion National Park--places I had heard about ever since I was a little girl, but never visited. Every mile we drove was more beautiful than the one before, and those few days were filled with apple pie, beautiful sunsets, camp fires and buffalo sightings (!!!). I had always wanted to spend some time exploring the west, and the time spent with J hunting down radio signals, taking selfies with cacti, and snuggling up against the chilly night air of the desert has left me dreaming of our next trip west of the Mississippi.Breaking with tradition (you know, the one where I have multiple camera bodies, lenses, flashes etc. with me every where I go?) this trip was documented with just my iPhone/instagram and my Pentax K1000. Squares and panos are courtesy of the iPhone (edited with VSCO cam) and the rest are good old fashioned film :) Below are some of my favorites, (more or less in chronological order...). Can't wait to see what the next few months bring!! xx