Being an adult is pretty good: making your own decisions, allowing yourself to make spontaneous decisions to visit carnivals, eating ice cream for dinner because YOU’RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME…

But let me tell you: being an adult is just BETTER with dogs.

A few weeks ago, my roommate/best friend Miriam brought her dog up to D.C. to live with us. (Finally!) Her dog, Baloo, is a mini schnauzer, and is UNBEARABLY cute.

And this weekend, with a little extra time, several friends (including Baloo!) piled into the car and traveled on out to Sugarloaf Mountain, a short trip away from the District. Although li’l brudder got tired pretty quickly, we made it up to the summit!

Excuse the glamour shots of Boyfriend. He’s just too cute!

WHAT A GUY.

The summit was too nice.

Views from all angles not too bad!

But the best part was Baloo. When schnauzers get tired, they start to pant, and then get all smiley. LOOK AT HOW HAPPY HE IS.

Brothers, friends…

Okay, so remember when I said adulthood was better with dogs? Works the same with the view from the summit.

Pretty summit….

PRETTIER SUMMIT WITH DOG.

Traveling back down the mountain was much easier, but Baloo had a better time. (Those little legs!)

Young love…

Summer afternoons with happy puppy. Life is good.

Sugarloaf was a fantastic trip—a bit crowded because of the holiday weekend, but nothing a dog couldn’t cure.

Dogs are the cure for the sick, the sad, and the boring. As I’m typing this, little Baloo is falling asleep on my leg. Not a bad Labor Dog weekend, I’d say.