Happy hour chat

Hey everybody! Long time no catch-up.

The past few months have been killer: my calendar looks similar to the scene from the Princess Diaries, where Mia and her mom pop balloons full of paint onto a canvas. (Deep cut? Maybe.) Let’s just say, it’s been brutally busy. In a good way, I think!

Thanks for joining me for another round of faux drink clinking, where I fill you in on life’s adventures because it’s been a little too long since I last checked in. As usual, I’ve got a lot of ground to cover!

Here’s what life has looked like lately in my corner of the world.

Chad’s a Professional Engineer!

The biggest news is that Chad is officially a licensed professional engineer, liability stamp and all. This has been a long and harrowing process over the last three years, and I could not be more proud of him. He went to the top engineering school in the country and has been busting his ass in the five years since to get to this moment. What a huge accomplishment. Congrats, Chad! I love you endlessly.

A Court of Thorns and Roses

This year, I wanted to read more books. (This is what I always want to do as I head into the new year.) I didn’t expect to find, as I went on this journey, a new series to be obsessed over. I read the A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTR) series—four giant books—very worryingly fast, becoming a super fan in the process. It’s just good shit! That’s really all I can say. Easy, approachable, fun, spicy, fantastic world-building in a non-pretentious way. I’m a new person now, lol.

Side note: I’ve been trying to read a lot lately, and try to keep my Goodreads account up to date. Feel free to follow along if you’re looking for book inspo!

Bucks game

Back in February, Chad and I went to our first Bucks game, when they were playing the Nuggets. We had a blast!

And now, they’re in the playoffs. Fear the deer!

Post-vacation blues

We said we would go on a winter vacation…so we did! Chad and I spent a wonderful 48 hours or so in Las Vegas with our besties Alexis and Jessica, then jetted off to Miami for a few days later to recover, where we met up with our buddy Haley. It was so fun and over entirely too quickly.

New hair, who this?!

I’ve been a red head for my entire life, and have never done anything to alter the color, ever! Until now! I traded in my #virginhair and decided to get blonde highlights as a money piece to frame my face. I’m so endlessly in love with it. It’s incredibly fun and I’m so happy with my new look. Thanks to Kelsey at Stasi Salon!

Fitness challenge…ongoing

In the world of health, wellness, and fitness, I’m doing my best. Lol. In March, I finished up an 8-week health challenge and felt incredible and on top of the world. I expected to jump right into the next one, but getting sick for a week and then traveling completely took me out of my motivated mindset and routine.

Since then, I haven’t quite restarted. But I have jumped back into classes at The Barre Code—my favorite fitness studio in Milwaukee. I have plans to return to Fit by Katy, as well as continue to just be as active as possible.

Chad also joined me recently for a cycling class at Spire Fitness! It was fun, a little crazy, and our butts are definitely sore. I’ll probably be back!

New Brews Tues

Since January, Chad and Haley and I have been meeting up once a week to explore local Milwaukee breweries. Dubbed “new brews Tues,” our meetup has been a staple to get out of the house, be social, and try new things. Plus, it’s just been fun.

New clients

Work has been incredibly fulfilling and busy since the start of the year! Not only is Dancing Lotus Artistry almost back with more art products, but I’ve also began working with two new clients: the Gunnison Basin Roundtable and Community Builders. These Colorado-based organizations are both nonprofits facilitating widespread education and change, and I’m thankful to take on content writing-based projects with them.

Shuffleboard league

This winter, Chad and I joined a shuffleboard league! We played on a team with our friends Mathena and Colin at the NorthSouth Club and had an absolute blast. It was fun to play, but even better to chat with other teams and make new friends. We started as novice players and graduated to almost good ones, lol. I can’t wait to sign up again!

One year anniversary

As of March 1, Chad and I have been in Milwaukee for a whole year! Wow. It feels like a million years ago, because we’ve done so much living in 365 days. This wild, crazy, chaotic decision of ours has been fruitful in so many ways: I can’t wait to see what this next year in MKE brings us.

Glass Note Candle Bar

Chad and I met up with our friends Amanda and Jaci for a fun night of candle making at Glass Note Candle Bar! It was our first time and won’t be our last! The experience was so classy and curated and cozy, and the company was fantastic. We can’t wait to see how our candles turned out!

Birthhhhday girl

Well, I’m officially a 28 year old! I had a great time celebrating by myself on the big day, then later with Chad on the weekend. We crammed in a ton of fun Milwaukee activities, from bowling to the zoo to a craft cocktail bar without a menu.

Solo Colorado trip

My parents went to Turkey to visit my brother and his family, and I decided to house sit for them for a week in Grand Junction. It was a great trip, and I loved the alone time in Colorado (though I missed both Chad and my parents)—especially spending time outside in the sunshine, playing basketball in the neighborhood park, taking a day in Glenwood Springs, an impromptu ear piercing, and all the coffee from their incredible machine. Best of all, of course, was the quality time with their pups.

United Way Pride Homecoming

After winning a social media contest, Chad and I received tickets to a fundraising event for United Way: their Pride Homecoming dance! It was at Milwaukee’s fancy and wonderful Saint Kate Arts Hotel. We dressed up and enjoyed an evening of drinks, dancing, and art while celebrating love.

5k (lol)

We did a 5k! I walked and jogged, while Chad ran and absolutely crushed it. Even though it was freezing, sleeting, completely out of character, and entirely too early, we had a good time. I’m glad we did it! The complimentary beer and brat at the end were a saving grace.

Wally turned 3

Our floofiest boy (though right now, not super floofy, due to an unfortunate hair cut in February, lol) turned 3! We went for a lakefront walk and got him some doggy ice cream from Salty Paws to celebrate.

District Fore Social

Chad and I met up with our friends Haley and Meg for a fun new activity. We went to District Fore Social, a bar with interactive simulator games! There’s a dart game and a simulator that’s set up with golf, zombie dodgeball, kickball, carnival games, bowling, and more. It’s super fun and we had a blast! (Especially when Chad broke it, by kicking a football so incredibly wildly that it took out the sensors. Lol.)

Pickleball league

In the spirit of staying active, I signed Chad and I up for a spring-time pickleball league! Have we ever played? Nope. Will we love it? I sure hope so. Stay tuned.

Twisted Path Distillery

I had a fun campaign! In exchange for a social media post, I was gifted a tour at MKE’s Twisted Path Distillery. I enjoyed my experience so much that I also wrote a blog post about it. The booze was delicious, the owner/leader of the tour was great, the space bougie, and the experience was a fun date night for Chad and I.

Food (and drink) adventures

If I’m being honest, I’ve dropped the ball a little with keeping track. Based on our credit card bill, there have been quite a few more than this so far this summer. (Oops, lol.) (Might I add: going out to eat is indeed my favorite activity in the world? :))

What we’ve been watching