Next Stop: Adventure
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  • Adventures
    • All 52 Hike Challenge Camping Hiking Outdoor Recreation Road Trippin’ Winter Adventures
      Adventures

      A Weekend in Victoria, British Columbia [Anniversary Trip]

      June 1, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      Peyto Lake Viewpoint (Bow Summit) & Icefields Parkway…

      February 5, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      Tunnel Mountain Hike [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      January 24, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      2018 in a Nutshell

      December 31, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      Peyto Lake Viewpoint (Bow Summit) & Icefields Parkway…

      February 5, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      Tunnel Mountain Hike [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      January 24, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      2018 in a Nutshell

      December 31, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      52 Hike Challenge 2018: Completed

      December 30, 2018

      Camping

      Kannaraville Falls [Labor Day Weekend]

      September 25, 2017

      Camping

      Camping & Stand Up Paddle Boarding at Causey…

      June 25, 2017

      Camping

      Places to Camp in California [Guest Post]

      March 31, 2017

      Camping

      Salt Lake City Questival 2016

      October 31, 2016

      Hiking

      Peyto Lake Viewpoint (Bow Summit) & Icefields Parkway…

      February 5, 2019

      Hiking

      Tunnel Mountain Hike [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      January 24, 2019

      Hiking

      52 Hike Challenge 2018: Completed

      December 30, 2018

      Hiking

      Johnston Canyon [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      December 2, 2018

      Outdoor Recreation

      Visiting Oeschinen Lake (Oeschinensee) [Kandersteg, Switzerland]

      July 10, 2018

      Outdoor Recreation

      Paragliding in Switzerland

      July 5, 2018

      Outdoor Recreation

      Artist Point Snowshoe [Hike 5/52]

      February 25, 2018

      Outdoor Recreation

      Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend & Grand Canyon

      December 2, 2017

      Road Trippin’

      Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park &…

      October 26, 2018

      Road Trippin’

      A Weekend Guide to Bend, Oregon [Labor Day…

      September 7, 2018

      Road Trippin’

      A Weekend in Portland [Our Second Anniversary Trip]

      May 3, 2018

      Road Trippin’

      Devil’s Bridge Trail [Sedona, Arizona]

      January 7, 2018

      Winter Adventures

      Peyto Lake Viewpoint (Bow Summit) & Icefields Parkway…

      February 5, 2019

      Winter Adventures

      Tunnel Mountain Hike [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      January 24, 2019

      Winter Adventures

      Johnston Canyon [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      December 2, 2018

      Winter Adventures

      Artist Point Snowshoe [Hike 5/52]

      February 25, 2018

  • USA Destinations
    • All Arizona California Florida Georgia Montana Nevada North Carolina Oregon Tenneessee Utah Washington
      Adventures

      A Weekend in Victoria, British Columbia [Anniversary Trip]

      June 1, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      2018 in a Nutshell

      December 31, 2018

      Adventures

      Weekend in Vancouver, British Columbia

      October 30, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      Capilano Suspension Bridge Park [Vancouver, BC Attraction]

      October 29, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      Lake Valhalla and Mount McCausland [Hike 38/52]

      October 10, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      Sheep Lake [Hike 36/52]

      October 3, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      Heather Lake [Hike 35/52]

      September 30, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      A Weekend Guide to Bend, Oregon [Labor Day…

      September 7, 2018

      Arizona

      Devil’s Bridge Trail [Sedona, Arizona]

      January 7, 2018

      Arizona

      Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend & Grand Canyon

      December 2, 2017

      Arizona

      Exploring Desert Life in Tucson, Arizona

      April 30, 2017

      Arizona

      San Diego & Arizona – Thanksgiving Road Trip…

      December 3, 2016

      California

      Joshua Tree National Park & Palm Springs in…

      November 1, 2017

      California

      Places to Camp in California [Guest Post]

      March 31, 2017

      California

      San Diego & Arizona – Thanksgiving Road Trip…

      December 3, 2016

      California

      San Diego & Arizona – Thanksgiving Road Trip…

      December 3, 2016

      California

      4 Day Trip to California: Lake Tahoe, Yosemite,…

      September 20, 2016

      Florida

      Welcome to the Holidays!

      December 18, 2016

      Florida

      Our Wedding Day Timeline [Wedding]

      May 21, 2016

      Florida

      Weekend Trip to Florida

      November 13, 2015

      Florida

      Ragnar Relay: Florida Keys

      March 1, 2014

      Georgia

      Tallulah Gorge & North Carolina Waterfalls [Mini Moon]

      August 3, 2016

      Georgia

      Bachelorette Weekend in Savannah, Georgia [Wedding]

      April 14, 2016

      Montana

      Glacier National Park

      July 22, 2017

      Nevada

      4 Day Trip to California: Lake Tahoe, Yosemite,…

      September 20, 2016

      Nevada

      Great Basin National Park

      July 7, 2016

      North Carolina

      Tallulah Gorge & North Carolina Waterfalls [Mini Moon]

      August 3, 2016

      North Carolina

      10 Hours in Asheville, North Carolina [Mini-Moon]

      May 8, 2016

      North Carolina

      Great Smoky Mountain National Park [Mini-Moon]

      April 28, 2016

      Oregon

      A Weekend Guide to Bend, Oregon [Labor Day…

      September 7, 2018

      Oregon

      A Weekend in Portland [Our Second Anniversary Trip]

      May 3, 2018

      Oregon

      A Weekend Guide to Portland [Ape Caves, Rogue…

      December 2, 2015

      Oregon

      A Weekend Guide to Portland [Cannon Beach, Oregon…

      December 2, 2015

      Oregon

      A Weekend Guide to Portland [Voodoo Doughnuts, Stumptown…

      December 2, 2015

      Tenneessee

      New Year’s in Nashville

      January 7, 2017

      Tenneessee

      Great Smoky Mountain National Park [Mini-Moon]

      April 28, 2016

      Utah

      Salt Lake City’s Best 52 Hikes [Book Review]

      February 26, 2018

      Utah

      Goblin Valley State Park & Natural Bridges National…

      November 17, 2017

      Utah

      Lower Emerald Pools [Zion National Park]

      October 26, 2017

      Utah

      Calf Creek Falls [Escalante National Monument]

      October 15, 2017

      Utah

      Zebra Slot Canyon [Escalante National Monument]

      October 7, 2017

      Utah

      Kannaraville Falls [Labor Day Weekend]

      September 25, 2017

      Utah

      Long Weekend in Utah [Wannee’s Visit to Salt…

      September 10, 2017

      Utah

      Wildflower Hunting at Mt. Timpanogos

      August 13, 2017

      Washington

      2018 in a Nutshell

      December 31, 2018

      Washington

      Lake Valhalla and Mount McCausland [Hike 38/52]

      October 10, 2018

      Washington

      Sheep Lake [Hike 36/52]

      October 3, 2018

      Washington

      Heather Lake [Hike 35/52]

      September 30, 2018

      Washington

      Winchester Mountain [Hike 31/52]

      August 25, 2018

      Washington

      Naches Peak Loop [Hike 30/52]

      August 20, 2018

      Washington

      Summit Lake [Hike 29/52]

      August 5, 2018

      Washington

      Mount Catherine [Hike 28/52]

      July 25, 2018

  • International Destinations
    • All Canada Germany New Zealand Switzerland
      Adventures

      A Weekend in Victoria, British Columbia [Anniversary Trip]

      June 1, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      Peyto Lake Viewpoint (Bow Summit) & Icefields Parkway…

      February 5, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      Tunnel Mountain Hike [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      January 24, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      Johnston Canyon [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      December 2, 2018

      Canada

      A Weekend in Victoria, British Columbia [Anniversary Trip]

      June 1, 2019

      Canada

      Peyto Lake Viewpoint (Bow Summit) & Icefields Parkway…

      February 5, 2019

      Canada

      Tunnel Mountain Hike [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      January 24, 2019

      Canada

      Johnston Canyon [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      December 2, 2018

      Germany

      Neuschwanstein Castle [A Guide to Visiting the German…

      May 28, 2018

      New Zealand

      I Hate Airports.

      June 7, 2013

      New Zealand

      Saying Goodbye to New Zealand

      June 7, 2013

      New Zealand

      Almost Done in Dunedin

      June 5, 2013

      New Zealand

      Caves, Glowworms, and Mirror Lakes

      June 4, 2013

      Switzerland

      Aare Gorge, Switzerland

      July 26, 2018

      Switzerland

      Visiting Oeschinen Lake (Oeschinensee) [Kandersteg, Switzerland]

      July 10, 2018

      Switzerland

      Paragliding in Switzerland

      July 5, 2018

      Switzerland

      Adventuring through a Fairy Tale: Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Mürren…

      June 24, 2018

  • National Parks
    • National Parks & Monuments

      Johnston Canyon [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      December 2, 2018

      National Parks & Monuments

      Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park &…

      October 26, 2018

      National Parks & Monuments

      Sheep Lake [Hike 36/52]

      October 3, 2018

      National Parks & Monuments

      Naches Peak Loop [Hike 30/52]

      August 20, 2018

      National Parks & Monuments

      Cape Flattery [Hike 26/52]

      July 20, 2018

      National Parks & Monuments

      Hurricane Hill (Olympic National Park) [Hike 25/52]

      July 17, 2018

      National Parks & Monuments

      Thunder Knob & Diablo Lake Overlook [Hike 22/52]

      June 14, 2018

      National Parks & Monuments

      Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend & Grand Canyon

      December 2, 2017

      National Parks & Monuments

      Goblin Valley State Park & Natural Bridges National…

      November 17, 2017

      National Parks & Monuments

      Joshua Tree National Park & Palm Springs in…

      November 1, 2017

  • Love & Relationships
    • All Married Life Newlywed Wedding
      Adventures

      A Weekend in Victoria, British Columbia [Anniversary Trip]

      June 1, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      2018 in a Nutshell

      December 31, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      Aare Gorge, Switzerland

      July 26, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      Visiting Oeschinen Lake (Oeschinensee) [Kandersteg, Switzerland]

      July 10, 2018

      Married Life

      A Weekend in Victoria, British Columbia [Anniversary Trip]

      June 1, 2019

      Married Life

      2018 in a Nutshell

      December 31, 2018

      Married Life

      Paragliding in Switzerland

      July 5, 2018

      Married Life

      Adventuring through a Fairy Tale: Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Mürren…

      June 24, 2018

      Newlywed

      Visiting Oeschinen Lake (Oeschinensee) [Kandersteg, Switzerland]

      July 10, 2018

      Newlywed

      Introducing Our Newest Family Member: Koda

      April 17, 2017

      Newlywed

      10 Months into Marriage {Newlywed 101}

      February 19, 2017

      Newlywed

      Welcome to the Holidays!

      December 18, 2016

      Wedding

      Our Wedding Day Timeline [Wedding]

      May 21, 2016

      Wedding

      Decor & Details [Wedding]

      April 29, 2016

      Wedding

      Bachelorette Weekend in Savannah, Georgia [Wedding]

      April 14, 2016

      Wedding

      We Did It! [Wedding]

      April 6, 2016

  • Lifestyle
    • All 30 Day Challenge Books Confessions Events Food & Drink Holidays Home Life Updates Photography Visitor Adventures
      52 Hike Challenge

      2018 in a Nutshell

      December 31, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      52 Hike Challenge 2018: Completed

      December 30, 2018

      Adventures

      Weekend in Vancouver, British Columbia

      October 30, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      Capilano Suspension Bridge Park [Vancouver, BC Attraction]

      October 29, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      A Weekend Guide to Bend, Oregon [Labor Day…

      September 7, 2018

      Blog

      Happy Birthday Next Stop Adventure: 3 Years!

      August 25, 2018

      Destinations

      Adventuring through a Fairy Tale: Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Mürren…

      June 24, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      Thunder Knob & Diablo Lake Overlook [Hike 22/52]

      June 14, 2018

      30 Day Challenge

      My Hopes for Next Stop Adventure [30 Day…

      November 30, 2015

      30 Day Challenge

      Where will I be in 5 years? [30…

      November 29, 2015

      30 Day Challenge

      What Makes Me Happy [30 Day Challenge]

      November 28, 2015

      30 Day Challenge

      Hidden Talent [30 Day Challenge]

      November 27, 2015

      30 Day Challenge

      Best Trip of My Life [30 Day Challenge]

      November 26, 2015

      30 Day Challenge

      Why Do I Blog? [30 Day Challenge]

      November 25, 2015

      30 Day Challenge

      Where Have I Traveled? [30 Day Challenge]

      November 24, 2015

      30 Day Challenge

      What I Look Forward To [30 Day Challenge]

      November 23, 2015

      Books

      Salt Lake City’s Best 52 Hikes [Book Review]

      February 26, 2018

      Books

      10 Months into Marriage {Newlywed 101}

      February 19, 2017

      Books

      6 Books for the Adventurous Soul

      August 8, 2016

      Books

      Graduates in Wonderland [Book Rave]

      January 11, 2016

      Books

      Unbroken [Book Rave]

      August 31, 2015

      Confessions

      2018 in a Nutshell

      December 31, 2018

      Confessions

      Happy Birthday Next Stop Adventure: 3 Years!

      August 25, 2018

      Confessions

      Welcome to Washington

      January 18, 2018

      Confessions

      2017 in a Nutshell

      December 31, 2017

      Confessions

      Coming in 2018: Seattle

      November 29, 2017

      Confessions

      26.

      November 22, 2017

      Confessions

      Happy Birthday Next Stop Adventure: 2 Years!

      August 31, 2017

      Confessions

      Surviving My First Month on the Keto Diet

      May 27, 2017

      Events

      Skagit Valley Tulip Valley

      May 24, 2018

      Events

      Tulip Festival: Spring in Utah

      May 7, 2017

      Events

      Salt Lake City Questival 2016

      October 31, 2016

      Events

      Oktoberfest at Snowbird

      September 19, 2016

      Events

      Our Wedding Day Timeline [Wedding]

      May 21, 2016

      Events

      Lantern Fest

      May 2, 2016

      Events

      Bachelorette Weekend in Savannah, Georgia [Wedding]

      April 14, 2016

      Events

      Ice Castles

      January 23, 2016

      Food & Drink

      Weekend in Vancouver, British Columbia

      October 30, 2018

      Food & Drink

      A Weekend Guide to Bend, Oregon [Labor Day…

      September 7, 2018

      Food & Drink

      Adventuring through a Fairy Tale: Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Mürren…

      June 24, 2018

      Food & Drink

      Girls’ Day Trip to Ogden

      June 3, 2017

      Food & Drink

      Surviving My First Month on the Keto Diet

      May 27, 2017

      Food & Drink

      Restaurants in Salt Lake City: A Local’s Guide

      May 7, 2017

      Food & Drink

      Review: What I Learned After 1 Month of…

      February 4, 2017

      Food & Drink

      4 SLC Coffee Shops to Fuel Your Caffeine…

      October 23, 2015

      Holidays

      A Weekend Guide to Bend, Oregon [Labor Day…

      September 7, 2018

      Holidays

      2017 in a Nutshell

      December 31, 2017

      Holidays

      26.

      November 22, 2017

      Holidays

      New Year’s in Nashville

      January 7, 2017

      Holidays

      San Diego & Arizona – Thanksgiving Road Trip…

      December 3, 2016

      Holidays

      San Diego & Arizona – Thanksgiving Road Trip…

      December 3, 2016

      Home

      Introducing Our Newest Family Member: Koda

      April 17, 2017

      Home

      Our First Anniversary

      April 2, 2017

      Home

      Buying Our First Home

      March 12, 2017

      Home

      10 Months into Marriage {Newlywed 101}

      February 19, 2017

      Home

      Review: What I Learned After 1 Month of…

      February 4, 2017

      Life Updates

      2018 in a Nutshell

      December 31, 2018

      Life Updates

      52 Hike Challenge 2018: Completed

      December 30, 2018

      Life Updates

      Happy Birthday Next Stop Adventure: 3 Years!

      August 25, 2018

      Life Updates

      Welcome to Washington

      January 18, 2018

      Life Updates

      Coming in 2018: Seattle

      November 29, 2017

      Life Updates

      26.

      November 22, 2017

      Life Updates

      Joshua Tree National Park & Palm Springs in…

      November 1, 2017

      Life Updates

      Long Weekend in Utah [Wannee’s Visit to Salt…

      September 10, 2017

      Photography

      Adventuring through a Fairy Tale: Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, Mürren…

      June 24, 2018

      Photography

      Kannaraville Falls [Labor Day Weekend]

      September 25, 2017

      Photography

      The Importance of Saying ‘No’

      November 12, 2016

      Photography

      6 Months into Marriage & Life Updates [Newlywed…

      October 17, 2016

      Photography

      Taking Risks

      July 2, 2016

      Photography

      Our Engagement Shoot [Wedding]

      December 27, 2015

      Photography

      How to Get that Bokeh Effect During the…

      December 23, 2015

      Visitor Adventures

      Weekend in Vancouver, British Columbia

      October 30, 2018

      Visitor Adventures

      Capilano Suspension Bridge Park [Vancouver, BC Attraction]

      October 29, 2018

      Visitor Adventures

      Thunder Knob & Diablo Lake Overlook [Hike 22/52]

      June 14, 2018

      Visitor Adventures

      Seattle [Things to Do]

      April 14, 2018

      Visitor Adventures

      Twin Falls [Hike 9/52]

      April 14, 2018

      Visitor Adventures

      Seattle Waterfront Argosy Cruise [Seattle Attraction]

      March 24, 2018

      Visitor Adventures

      Welcome to Washington

      January 18, 2018

      Visitor Adventures

      Long Weekend in Utah [Wannee’s Visit to Salt…

      September 10, 2017

  • About Us
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  • Home
  • Home
  • Adventures
    • All 52 Hike Challenge Camping Hiking Outdoor Recreation Road Trippin’ Winter Adventures
      Adventures

      A Weekend in Victoria, British Columbia [Anniversary Trip]

      June 1, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      Peyto Lake Viewpoint (Bow Summit) & Icefields Parkway…

      February 5, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      Tunnel Mountain Hike [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      January 24, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      2018 in a Nutshell

      December 31, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      Peyto Lake Viewpoint (Bow Summit) & Icefields Parkway…

      February 5, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      Tunnel Mountain Hike [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      January 24, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      2018 in a Nutshell

      December 31, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      52 Hike Challenge 2018: Completed

      December 30, 2018

      Camping

      Kannaraville Falls [Labor Day Weekend]

      September 25, 2017

      Camping

      Camping & Stand Up Paddle Boarding at Causey…

      June 25, 2017

      Camping

      Places to Camp in California [Guest Post]

      March 31, 2017

      Camping

      Salt Lake City Questival 2016

      October 31, 2016

      Hiking

      Peyto Lake Viewpoint (Bow Summit) & Icefields Parkway…

      February 5, 2019

      Hiking

      Tunnel Mountain Hike [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      January 24, 2019

      Hiking

      52 Hike Challenge 2018: Completed

      December 30, 2018

      Hiking

      Johnston Canyon [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      December 2, 2018

      Outdoor Recreation

      Visiting Oeschinen Lake (Oeschinensee) [Kandersteg, Switzerland]

      July 10, 2018

      Outdoor Recreation

      Paragliding in Switzerland

      July 5, 2018

      Outdoor Recreation

      Artist Point Snowshoe [Hike 5/52]

      February 25, 2018

      Outdoor Recreation

      Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend & Grand Canyon

      December 2, 2017

      Road Trippin’

      Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park &…

      October 26, 2018

      Road Trippin’

      A Weekend Guide to Bend, Oregon [Labor Day…

      September 7, 2018

      Road Trippin’

      A Weekend in Portland [Our Second Anniversary Trip]

      May 3, 2018

      Road Trippin’

      Devil’s Bridge Trail [Sedona, Arizona]

      January 7, 2018

      Winter Adventures

      Peyto Lake Viewpoint (Bow Summit) & Icefields Parkway…

      February 5, 2019

      Winter Adventures

      Tunnel Mountain Hike [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      January 24, 2019

      Winter Adventures

      Johnston Canyon [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      December 2, 2018

      Winter Adventures

      Artist Point Snowshoe [Hike 5/52]

      February 25, 2018

  • USA Destinations
    • All Arizona California Florida Georgia Montana Nevada North Carolina Oregon Tenneessee Utah Washington
      Adventures

      A Weekend in Victoria, British Columbia [Anniversary Trip]

      June 1, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      2018 in a Nutshell

      December 31, 2018

      Adventures

      Weekend in Vancouver, British Columbia

      October 30, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      Capilano Suspension Bridge Park [Vancouver, BC Attraction]

      October 29, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      Lake Valhalla and Mount McCausland [Hike 38/52]

      October 10, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      Sheep Lake [Hike 36/52]

      October 3, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      Heather Lake [Hike 35/52]

      September 30, 2018

      52 Hike Challenge

      A Weekend Guide to Bend, Oregon [Labor Day…

      September 7, 2018

      Arizona

      Devil’s Bridge Trail [Sedona, Arizona]

      January 7, 2018

      Arizona

      Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend & Grand Canyon

      December 2, 2017

      Arizona

      Exploring Desert Life in Tucson, Arizona

      April 30, 2017

      Arizona

      San Diego & Arizona – Thanksgiving Road Trip…

      December 3, 2016

      California

      Joshua Tree National Park & Palm Springs in…

      November 1, 2017

      California

      Places to Camp in California [Guest Post]

      March 31, 2017

      California

      San Diego & Arizona – Thanksgiving Road Trip…

      December 3, 2016

      California

      San Diego & Arizona – Thanksgiving Road Trip…

      December 3, 2016

      California

      4 Day Trip to California: Lake Tahoe, Yosemite,…

      September 20, 2016

      Florida

      Welcome to the Holidays!

      December 18, 2016

      Florida

      Our Wedding Day Timeline [Wedding]

      May 21, 2016

      Florida

      Weekend Trip to Florida

      November 13, 2015

      Florida

      Ragnar Relay: Florida Keys

      March 1, 2014

      Georgia

      Tallulah Gorge & North Carolina Waterfalls [Mini Moon]

      August 3, 2016

      Georgia

      Bachelorette Weekend in Savannah, Georgia [Wedding]

      April 14, 2016

      Montana

      Glacier National Park

      July 22, 2017

      Nevada

      4 Day Trip to California: Lake Tahoe, Yosemite,…

      September 20, 2016

      Nevada

      Great Basin National Park

      July 7, 2016

      North Carolina

      Tallulah Gorge & North Carolina Waterfalls [Mini Moon]

      August 3, 2016

      North Carolina

      10 Hours in Asheville, North Carolina [Mini-Moon]

      May 8, 2016

      North Carolina

      Great Smoky Mountain National Park [Mini-Moon]

      April 28, 2016

      Oregon

      A Weekend Guide to Bend, Oregon [Labor Day…

      September 7, 2018

      Oregon

      A Weekend in Portland [Our Second Anniversary Trip]

      May 3, 2018

      Oregon

      A Weekend Guide to Portland [Ape Caves, Rogue…

      December 2, 2015

      Oregon

      A Weekend Guide to Portland [Cannon Beach, Oregon…

      December 2, 2015

      Oregon

      A Weekend Guide to Portland [Voodoo Doughnuts, Stumptown…

      December 2, 2015

      Tenneessee

      New Year’s in Nashville

      January 7, 2017

      Tenneessee

      Great Smoky Mountain National Park [Mini-Moon]

      April 28, 2016

      Utah

      Salt Lake City’s Best 52 Hikes [Book Review]

      February 26, 2018

      Utah

      Goblin Valley State Park & Natural Bridges National…

      November 17, 2017

      Utah

      Lower Emerald Pools [Zion National Park]

      October 26, 2017

      Utah

      Calf Creek Falls [Escalante National Monument]

      October 15, 2017

      Utah

      Zebra Slot Canyon [Escalante National Monument]

      October 7, 2017

      Utah

      Kannaraville Falls [Labor Day Weekend]

      September 25, 2017

      Utah

      Long Weekend in Utah [Wannee’s Visit to Salt…

      September 10, 2017

      Utah

      Wildflower Hunting at Mt. Timpanogos

      August 13, 2017

      Washington

      2018 in a Nutshell

      December 31, 2018

      Washington

      Lake Valhalla and Mount McCausland [Hike 38/52]

      October 10, 2018

      Washington

      Sheep Lake [Hike 36/52]

      October 3, 2018

      Washington

      Heather Lake [Hike 35/52]

      September 30, 2018

      Washington

      Winchester Mountain [Hike 31/52]

      August 25, 2018

      Washington

      Naches Peak Loop [Hike 30/52]

      August 20, 2018

      Washington

      Summit Lake [Hike 29/52]

      August 5, 2018

      Washington

      Mount Catherine [Hike 28/52]

      July 25, 2018

  • International Destinations
    • All Canada Germany New Zealand Switzerland
      Adventures

      A Weekend in Victoria, British Columbia [Anniversary Trip]

      June 1, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      Peyto Lake Viewpoint (Bow Summit) & Icefields Parkway…

      February 5, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      Tunnel Mountain Hike [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      January 24, 2019

      52 Hike Challenge

      Johnston Canyon [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      December 2, 2018

      Canada

      A Weekend in Victoria, British Columbia [Anniversary Trip]

      June 1, 2019

      Canada

      Peyto Lake Viewpoint (Bow Summit) & Icefields Parkway…

      February 5, 2019

      Canada

      Tunnel Mountain Hike [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      January 24, 2019

      Canada

      Johnston Canyon [Banff, Alberta, Canada]

      December 2, 2018

      Germany

      Neuschwanstein Castle [A Guide to Visiting the German…

      May 28, 2018

      New Zealand

      I Hate Airports.

      June 7, 2013

      New Zealand

      Saying Goodbye to New Zealand

      June 7, 2013

      New Zealand

      Almost Done in Dunedin

      June 5, 2013

      New Zealand

      Caves, Glowworms, and Mirror Lakes

      June 4, 2013

      Switzerland

      Aare Gorge, Switzerland

      July 26, 2018

      Switzerland

      Visiting Oeschinen Lake (Oeschinensee) [Kandersteg, Switzerland]

      July 10, 2018

      Switzerland

      Paragliding in Switzerland

      July 5, 2018

      Switzerland

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Buying Our First Home

written by Hilary March 12, 2017
Buying Our First Home

I have exciting news! Brighton and I bought our first home together. We closed this week and moved in last weekend.

As you may have noticed, Brighton and I put our adventures on hold for the past few months because we have been in the house buying process. It was certainly a journey because there’s so much uncertainty and waiting during this process, you never know what will happen and what contracts will fall through. The market in Salt Lake is extremely hot right now. Great for sellers, not so great for us buyers.

The process as a whole has taken about 3 months from the search to closing. All things considered, everything went extremely smoothly.

The house that we ultimately found was an extremely lucky find as it was in the ideal location in the Salt Lake valley in a great neighborhood with the major repairs and maintenance done already. It’s the perfect size for our small but growing family

… Hopefully we’ll be getting a puppy soon!… But first, I have to convince Brighton (which won’t happen for a while) 🙁 Oh, well.

Anyways, there are some renovations that we’d like to do for this house, including new kitchen appliances, countertops, flooring, and perhaps opening up the kitchen/living room area into a more open concept feel. As we continue down this adventure of being first-time homeowners, I’m sure I will be documenting the journey.

Step 1: Get Organized!

Starting to get your financial documents ready and available is key to getting the pre-qualify/pre-approval started! They most likely will ask for 2 years of W-2s, most recent 30 days of pay stubs from your current job, copies of your drivers license, and possibly even federal tax returns.

For us, it took a little time to get all those documents gathered and uploaded to the computer for the mortgage broker as they weren’t readily available.

During this process, you should also begin doing some research on what you’re looking for in a house, the area, and budget that you need to stay within. Also research when your lease ends or what the process for breaking a lease is, if any.

Tip: Start your process early! On average a homebuyer will spend 30-60 days shopping, 14-60 days from contract to close, and likely 14-45 days or so before your first mortgage payment is due. For some people, the process can be extremely quick and take as little as 30 days total. We spent about 35 days shopping, and it took about 35 days from contract to closing day. 

Step 2: Determine your Budget

Assuming you are applying for a mortgage, take a look at your family’s budget to determine how much house you can buy. The rule of thumb is no more than 3-5x your family’s annual income after taxes, or 25-30% of your after-tax income per month.

Since each situation is unique, take into account your month bills, debts, and everyday living costs. Brighton and I made the mistake of not nailing a firm budget before we saw our first houses and ended up falling in love with a home we couldn’t afford comfortably. To avoid wasted time, and making the same mistake we did, plan out your budget in detail to find out what you can afford. We used calculators to get a sense of how much insurance and additional fees would be for our mortgage.

Step 3: Pre-Qualification & Pre-Approval Process

Remember those documents you gathered when you were getting organized? You’ll need them for the pre-approval process. We decided to use a mortgage broker that my realtor works with for simplicity. A mortgage broker’s job is to be the intermediary between the lender and the borrower. They typically have several lenders they work with and they work with the lender that will offer the best situation for the borrowers. He or she will let you know how much you can be approved for, with will also help narrow down your search. We were approved for more than we wanted to spend, so keep that in mind when planning your budget.

Pre-qualified vs Pre-approved:

Pre-qualification is usually the first step in a mortgage process, and is more of a preliminary overview of your assets and debts. Pre-approval will often require documentation of your financial history, including a credit check which will be a hard inquiry.

Step 4: Find a Real Estate Agent

Since this is our first home buying experience, we were confident that we’d need a real estate agent to help us through the process and help us find the right house in the right location. They are your advocate through the process as they have knowledge of re-sell values, neighborhood types, and they have access to additional information that may not be available to the public.

We were linked up with ours based on a friend’s recommendation. We have been very happy with our choice as our realtor is knowledgeable about potential issues that we never would’ve been aware of had she not informed us. Her job is to help us find a home and negotiate through the process.

Step 5: Shopping for your Dream Home!

Let’s be real for a minute. We saw a LOT of houses. Good houses, bad houses, strange houses. Oh man. They blend together after you start seeing a bunch of them. Our realtor printed out the MLS information for each house we saw which helped keep track of the features and which houses were which. We searched for about a month before we made an offer that was accepted. We had attempted to make an offer on a house but before we could, someone else had already made an offer that was accepted. The housing market in Salt Lake is extremely fast-paced right now, which means you may not be able to delay when making an offer.

Brighton took off work on a Friday morning and we went out and looked out 8 houses in a row, and one of them stood out to us so we immediately made an offer after seeing the house, which was accepted. There was an open house scheduled for the next day and we wanted to avoid a bidding war, so I am happy we were able to get that offer accepted before that happened.

Step 5.5: Put the Earnest Money Down with Offer

This was a sum of money negotiated within the offer we made showing that we were “serious” about our offer, and ready to buy the house based on the terms in the contract. Our earnest money is held in a separate account (not the seller’s) and goes towards our down payment, but that is also dependent on the contract of your offer.

Step 6: Get a Home Inspection

Most of the time, offers are made on the contingency of the home inspection. Inspections are technically optional, but they are highly recommended. This is when you should be able to find out if there are structural or water damage or anything needs repair or replacement in the home. If the inspection results in something major, the buyer can pull out from the contract without penalty. Make sure that this is all included in your agreement when you make an offer and don’t assume that it is!

Our home inspection turned out to be overall very positive with only minor fixes. We requested the seller do a few minor fixes, which they agreed to without contest. Before the sale of the house closes, there’s a walk-through which gives the buyer a chance to verify that the repairs have been made and the house is in the same condition in which when the offer was made.

 

Step 7: Selecting Your Loan

There are a variety of ways you can select the loan that’s best for your new home purchase. You can mortgage shop by calling lenders and comparing rates, use a mortgage broker, or you can go with a lender you already know. Since we used a mortgage broker to simplify our process the first time around, he shopped around rates for us to come up one that would give us a low rate, with an affordable monthly payment based on our credit and history. We did some of the prep work before we chose the property, and have been updating the paperwork as we go through the process.

Step 8: The Appraisal

The lender you choose will want to verify that you (and them) are paying a fair price for the home. Basically, if your home appraises for less than what you’re paying, the bank won’t lend more than what the home is worth. If your home appraises for more than what you’re paying, you got a good deal and have some built in equity (theoretically). If your home appraises for what you’re paying, you’re right on track.

The appraiser is an independent party that assesses the value of the house and lets the buyers and lender know what the house is worth without bias. Our home appraised for purchase price, so we were satisfied with that.

Step 9: Finalize Loan Details and Coordinate Paperwork

After the appraisal and before closing, your lender will finalize loan approval to go into the “clear to close” stage. The title company will handle all paperwork involved including making sure there are no liens out against the house or property, and to verify the seller is the rightful owner of the home.

After this step, you will send the down payment to the title company so they can get it ready to record and fund.

What is a title company? Title companies act as the combined agent of the insurance company, the buyer, the seller, and any other parties related to a real estate transaction, such as mortgage lenders. The title company reviews title, issues insurance policies, facilitates closings, and files and records paperwork.

Step 10: Close the Sale

At closing, the buyers will sign all the paperwork that is required to complete the purchase of the home, including the loan documents agreeing to the loan, interest rate, and all other necessary items during the process.

After “settlement” is the funding and recording, performed by the title company, which means they complete the transaction giving all payment to sellers and transferring title and deed to buyer. Once everything has been exchanged, the transaction is complete! Time to celebrate!!

We are extremely excited to be homeowners! I am also nervous because there’s a lot we don’t know going into this… and I’m sure we’ll be constantly be learning new skills that go along with being a homeowner.

Have you ever bought a house? What was your first-time home buying experience like? Were there any major issues or delays?

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About Us

About Us

About Us

Hello & welcome! We are Hilary & Brighton, a Florida girl and Utah guy always in search of our next adventure. She's the planner, dreamer, writer, and photographer/editor. He's the (other) photographer, sanity-keeper, gamer, and artist. Currently, we live in the Pacific Northwest, near Seattle, Washington with our spoiled cats and golden retriever!

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