1st Christmas at our 1st Owned Apartment :)

MERRY EVERYTHING!!!

AND TO ALL, A GOOD NIGHT :)

  

Engaged AF

Team WhiteHall

Established 12.6.2018

Turkey Train!

If life brings you to Port Huron, Michigan

take the train!!! It's an absolute blast :)

Seriously. Pack two bottles of wine, a blanket, your laptop, a great book, an even better companion and you have a recipe for bliss!

One of my most favorite holiday traditions has become taking the "turkey train" home to Bruce's mom's house in beautiful PoHo, MI. 

HAPPY HAPPY GOBBLE GOBBLE TO YOU & YOURS!

Nashville

You know you're officially in the "Back 9" of your 30's when
the only photo you take while visiting your two besties
at their incredible home in Nashvegas is this...

Hahahaha! I swear we went to incredible restaurants, bars, and music venues. We event went to a Christmas light festival but time zooms by when you're having fun. 

Pro Tip: 
When you are hungover AF but still need to care for tiny humans, a nature walk is good for everyone involved. Just saying. 

He's All Mine!

Seat's taken, ladies... 

Happy Halloween!

Love, 

Giraffe & Beaver

Michigan/Northwestern Tailgate 2018

Aka: My absolute wildest dream come true :) 

For the full album of awesomeness,
click here. 

GO BLUE!
  

Fall Fest at Lincoln Park Zoo 2018

And just like that, summer collapses into Fall!

Although this post is dated September 2018, I am actually writing it in 2019 to play a major game of catch-up. In reflection, producing Fall Fest at Lincoln Park Zoo for three consecutive years was without question a personal and professional highlight of my entire life. 

The friendships formed,
skills strengthened,
and family memories created because of this 

magnificent beast will forever be worth it.
It will always be worth it. 

My best advice to give in this lifetime is: 

WORK HARD & BE KIND TO PEOPLE. 

  

Cole

My nephew started Pre-School.

This photo was just too fucking cute not to share. 

That is all. 

You're welcome.

Goodbye. 

Framily Beach Bar Crawl 2018

37

"You don't stop laughing because you grow older. You grow older because you stop laughing." 

Wrapping up my 36th trip around the sun this week.
Psyched for 37 and all that it has in store.

Taking Labor(less) Mond-yay off to reflect and feel grateful for health, happiness, friends and family. 

The world is a messed up place right now. Let's do our best to be good to each other. High five a stranger. Give a hug and mean it. Smile so hard it's contagious. Make each day matter. ❤🌈💐🌞

Goodbye to Neverland :S

Poured a little out for good old 658 W. Webster 😢

If walls could talk, this book would be a best seller.

All future games of "Shots of Malort with Bruce"
come along with a mortgage but we'll take it 👍

Our mantra for moving has been "lift with your legs, not your voice" because holy hell, moving can be stressful AF (it's like Tetris except not fun) and 97 degrees in Chicago is no joke. On the bright side, when packing, you find all your missing socks and they can finally reunite with their match! 💗

Cheers to our 87-year-old landlord (Miss Mendoza) who is very rightfully keeping my security deposit after nearly 8 years of life and laughter and countless costume parties.

To the lucky tenants who come next, take care of her. She's a gem.

Signing off with tears in my eyes and a cold Coors Light in hand. 

Cheers to the next chapter!

#happyhomeowners
#brokebutblessed
#needtounpack
#butfirstchampagne

Polar Plunge 2018

Year #7 is officially under the belt for the Chiberian Plungers! Collectively, we have raised over $50,000 for Special Olympics Chicago since the ~20 of us began plunging and building this incredible team in 2011.

Jellyfish chasing a Snorkeler for the win :)

Thank you to photographer/ninja, Neal O'Bryan, for somehow capturing this totally embarrassing embrace post plunge. Miller Lite in the mornings is admittedly not my best color ;)

New Glarus, Wisconsin. Aka: Heaven

Happy Anniversary, Babe!

Nothing says I LOVE YOU like a pint (or ten) of Spotted Cow, cheese fondue, and polka with Seniors :)

Thank you for being an awesome partner in crime, the best teammate ever, and for always making life feel like a great adventure. 

Cheers to a million more years of New Glarus celebration libations!

PAW PATROL LIVE

Stella & Cole LOVED Paw Patrol Live at the Chicago Theater. 

Thank you a million times over, Tyndie! 

Words can't express how proud I am of you. Not just because you are a BALLER Vice President at Nickelodeon (who has access to the Pearl Jam of child idols in pet form) but because you're the amazing kind of human who takes time out of your insanely busy life to bring happiness to others along the way :)

SNOW MUCH FUN :)

It is not for one second lost on me how much joy
(both inside and out - literally)
this apartment has added to my life.