Our Love Story

Our first hike together was to the base of Taughannock Falls in January 2021

On Halloween 2020, after months of getting to know each other, Zoe and Clay finally had a serious conversation about whether dating was worth the risk to their friendship. Spoiler: It was

The beginning of our friendship and relationship included a lot of board games in our homes and friends because it was covid times.

Valentines Day 2021-Steaks, Pao de queijo and Ceasar Salads <3

Many days were spent in Dryden with the 3 of us before Zoe left for the AT. Clay helped pack her life into a storage unit and confidently said, "t's only 6 months"

April 30, 2021-The first AT Visit in Marion VA. We got an adorable little cottage and enjoyed a weekend cooking and spending quality time together.

Back of the Dragon-beautiful mountain views without the hiking

Outside our cute remote cabin in VA

June 26, 20212-Another AT Break for Richard and Lindsay's Wedding in Massachusetts

July 9th, 2021-Another weekend AT visit in Newburgh, NY

August 2nd, 2021-Rutland VT Visit with the Tramily

September 22nd, 2021-Clay welcomed Zoe back after her AT adventure and picked her up at the airport with a bouquet <3

Zoe needed hobbies post trail so she started cross stitching again and Clay made a pattern for a project that he wanted in their future home

October 2021-Zoe finally met the Benson Bunch and Mimi in Canandaigua, NY for a lovely long weekend celebrating Keith's Birthday

Clay helped Zoe readjust to life off trail

Zoe and Clay both like rock climbing, but Zoe is always annoyed by how innately good Clay is without training and practice.

October 31, 2021-Clay met more trail friends as Zoe finished the few miles of the AT that she skipped in order to actually say "I've hiked all 2,193 miles of the AT"

Clay and Zoe celebrate finally being done with this chapter of long distance and being able to move onto the next phase of their lives

A classic Rochester shot during a day out with friends as Zoe was preparing to move back to Rochester and put down some roots

November 2021-Celebrating our one year anniversary <3

Christmas 2021- We decorated a tree (Zoe's mini apartment sized tree) together for the first time and enjoyed other Holiday traditions while beginning to search for a home and plan a future

Celebrating Christmas 2021 and an engagement!

A lovely day at the botanical gardens during the holiday season

New Years Eve 2021!

Ringing in the new year with old friends

Zoe introduced Clay to the concept of making smoothies at home regularly. It might have been a mistake.

Ice skating outside in sub zero weather! This was cold but great fun. Once again, Clay was effortlessly (annoyingly) good at a new activity

Valentines Day 2022-Making some Glass hearts together!

Valentines Day 2022-Making some Glass hearts together!

Rochester Van Gogh Exhibit for Valentines Day <3

Hanging out in a local park on a sunny day

Clay fell in love with Alex and Bonnie's dog Carsen

Hanging out on Lake George enjoying some views

Clay once again showing off his innate strength

Reconnecting with wonderful friends from trail

We made it a tradition to take a vacation between our Birthdays every year in order to spend some quality time together. In 2022 we stayed in the finger lakes! Here we are at Chimney Bluffs State Park

Zoe once again beat Clay at a board game

May 2022-An Adirondack adventure with friends! Here we are in Bald Mountain Fire Tower

More Adirondack adventures-Paddling to avoid the bugs on land

Our picturesque campsite on Limekiln lake

May 2022-Lilac Festival

May 2022-Celebrating the marriage of two marvelous people along with many great friends

A Philly tradition during the wedding weekend

June 2022-ROC Beer Fest

Clay truly embraced Sir Archibald

July 4th, 2022-Celebrating with fireworks on the river!

Trying a new skill-making rings together! Her e is Clay working on his design.

Zoe similarly hammering away.

The finished product!

Kayaking at round pond

Adirondack X-treme adventure course with the bois and Zoe

Hanging out in one of Zoe's favorite parks in Ithaca sharing a nice lake view

September 2022-WE BOUGHT A HOUSE. After months of searching and making offers, we finally got one to call our own and it is perfect for us <3

Our first breakfast prepared the first morning that we woke up in our home

Celebrating a beautiful wedding on the lake

Partying it up with this guy

October 2022-A nice trip to Austin for Clay's work, but Zoe tagged along and explored.

October 2022-Painting with cats to decorate out new home!

Furnishing our home with killer FB Marketplace finds

Halloween 2022-Great costume choice of characters from Love letter

Much time in the fall of 2022 went into painting our new home and making it our own. Zoe's dad Jim spent a few months with us helping to make everything top notch

Friendsgiving 2022-One of the first big gatherings in our new home! We love being able to host large gatherings of our friends

December 2022-Cutting down our first live Christmas tree together

December 2022-We really got into the holiday spirit

December 2022-Decking the tree out with ornaments from both Clay and Zoe's childhoods

Christmas 2022-Our first holiday season in our home together

December 2022-Our family grew by one! We adopted Baron BartholoMEW (better known as Barty)

January 2023-We both decided to explore more Rochester Parks together to find some favorites

Climbing with great friends

Exploring new games together

This time Zoe was on a work trip and Clay met up in order to explore the marvelous world of public transit to see friends in CT.

Both the bois learned to love each other very quickly and watching them get along brought tears to both their parents eyes

#ROC

Celebrating an Amerks game with friends!

Another L for Clay. Its not Zoe's fault she is a gamer.

Another muddy hike in the books

An intense Crokinole bracket

B for Barty. Its a Barty Party

February 2023-Elvidge Family Photo shoot

Cute

Cuter

Cutest

Playing a good old game of Aggravation!

He's doing it....

Yes! Yes! Yes

February 2023-We got engaged at Corbetts Glen in Rochester. Clay brought a tripod to "take a picture by the waterfall."

Clay thought it was dumb that men don't wear engagement rings, so Zoe bought him one and carried it in her wallet for weeks

Clay and Zoe celebrated their engagement by ordering from the same overpriced panini restaurant that the got on closing day for the house. Its now a tradition for special events.