Recently, Chad and I realized that while 2022 was a year of big, bold adventures and Milwaukee exploration between the two of us, 2023 was a year of digging our heels in and sharing experiences with others. We worked hard, deepened our relationships with friends, cherished moments with family, cuddled Wally more than ever, continued transforming our house into a home, and made a conscious effort to be active in our lives, to say yes more than no.

A few highlights:

• Chad received his Professional Engineer license!
• We traveled to Chicago, Washington D.C., Las Vegas, Miami, Door County, Gunnison, Green Bay, Sheboygan, and Grand Junction
• We hosted many guests in Milwaukee! (Thank you SO much for coming!)
• Pickleball became our new hobby
• Chad and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary this September, followed by our 12th year together in November 🖤
• There were MANY themed parties and events with friends

Upon moving to Wisconsin, the first question you hear is, “have you spent a winter here yet?” In 2023, Chad and I experienced our first. Despite the (mostly) mild weather, the stretches of grey sky were a little brutal.

Chad and I found ways to enjoy ourselves, though.

The big one: a trip to warmer weather. We vacationed to Las Vegas (our first time!) and spent an amazing two days with our best friends Alexis and Jessica. From there, we met up with our friend Haley in Miami to unwind on the beach. It was such a great week of sunshine, dazzling lights, a little gambling, delicious food, soul-restoring friendships, and necessary R & R.

Another highlight of our winter was playing doubles in a weekly shuffleboard league. Chad and I were first-timers, but got the hang of it quickly. Thanks to our teammates Mathena and Colin for teaching us!

Chad and I went to our first Bucks game (they played the Nuggets, though sadly none of the starters suited up), took a fitness boot camp together (shout out to Jamie for her annual Bae at The Barre Code class!), and combated the early darkness with a weekly visit to new Milwaukee breweries with Haley (New Brews Tues forever). We also went to Green Bay for Chad’s company holiday party, which involved a very cool historic train museum venue.

After a long process, Chad finally received his designation and license as a Professional Engineer! I’m so proud of him and all of his hard work. Now, he’s got well-earned new title and a stamp for his designs.

A few favorite posts from winter 2023:

• 23 side quests for 2023
• What I’m … doing
• Our first Bucks game
• Photos from Vegas
• Photos from Miami

I’ve never loved spring more than this past year. Blue skies and sunshine made their long-anticipated return and our schedules eased back into busyness. We celebrated the first anniversary of our move and marveled at how quickly this once-foreign city became our home.

With the change of seasons, I was incredibly busy with work. In addition to two new big clients, I also wrote around 15 articles for three magazines (Glenwood Springs, Golden, and Carbondale Magazines). In a lovely twist of fate, one of my new contracts came through my former middle school teacher. I was lucky enough to see Ms. McKee in-person, in Milwaukee. It was a wonderful, full-circle, small-world moment!

And like last year, Chad, Haley, and I did a Saint Patrick’s Day pub crawl on Water Street. At some point during the event, we vowed to maybe never do it again, lol.

At the end of March I turned 28 (somehow!), and Chad and I celebrated with fun activities around Milwaukee. We had brunch, went to the Milwaukee Zoo for the first time, ate ice cream, hung out at the lake, found an iconic cocktail lounge, and grabbed tapas. We also had a joint celebration with fellow March birthday gal Haley, and I walked away from a fun all-day Brady Street affair with my new favorite piece of clothing: a Glorioso’s Italian Market sweatshirt.

A few days later, I took a solo trip to Colorado. I pet-sat for my parents as they flew across the world to see my brother and his family in Turkey. I stayed in Grand Junction for about a week, and felt restored after plenty of sunshine, pup time, nature, and the brief overlapping day I got to spend with my mom and dad.

As soon as I returned home, Chad and I resumed our busy schedule. We went a Brewers game, dressed up for a United Way LGBTQ prom fundraiser, took a spin class together, and did a 5K lakeside race with Haley. Our neighbors across the alley called us over randomly one night, and we’ve had several fun patio nights together since. In mid-April, Wally turned three (forever a giant puppy!) and we treated him to all his favorite things.

In May, Chad, Haley, Meg, and I ended spring with an incredible Lizzo concert. Our seats were upgraded just before showtime and we sang ourselves hoarse.

A few favorite posts from spring 2023:

• One year in Milwaukee
• 28 lessons learned
• A typical Milwaukee Saturday
• Happy hour chat

Summer in Milwaukee is incredible. Chad and I knew, heading into the season, that it also has a tendency to go by entirely too quickly. We decided to make the most out of MKE’s busiest time of year—saying yes to the experiences around us as much as possible.

We jumpstarted summer with a beautiful visit to Sheboygan (known as the “Malibu of the Midwest”), where we got to stay on a lakeside farm, eat at our first supper club, and try pickleball for the first time.

Pickleball was love at first sight for both of us. It didn’t take long before we signed up for a weekly league. We played as much pickleball as possible throughout summer, utilizing the gorgeous courts in Chad’s work building and even recruiting a few friends along the way (Haley, Meg: play again soon?).

Summer felt like it really started when our friends Phil and Megan came to visit over Memorial Day weekend. We had a blast showing them some of our favorite local haunts with our mutual bestie Haley (and even trying a few new things, like the Pabst Mansion tour). We really appreciate them coming all the way from Denver!

Chad joined his work’s coed softball league for a second season, and I was (luckily) able to suit up for several games as well! It was so fun playing together on the same team, and somehow pulling off an undefeated record.

To celebrate Chad’s birthday (holy cow, 29!), I surprised him with a quick weekend trip to Chicago via train. It was our first time together, so we decided to pack it full of touristy fun. We walked everywhere and hit all the downtown sights, and spent time with our Mines buddy Ryan on the riverwalk. We also got to see my childhood friend Annie, who welcomed us with open arms into a local’s night out with her friends. Chicago was fabulous, and we can’t wait to return.

Back in Milwaukee, Chad and I tried to spend as much time outside as possible. There were several visits to local lakes for kayaking with friends, I took advantage of rooftop barre classes, and Chad and I snuck in beach wherever we could. We visited Cedarberg for their famous Strawberry Fest, and also caught several shows at Milwaukee’s most famous music festival, Summerfest. Our lineup included shows by the Avett Brothers, Lord Huron, Vance Joy, Noah Kahan, and The National Parks.

July was a particularly exciting month; it started with a Racine beach trip with our friends Haley, Meg, and Kelli that resulted in both a great time and the worst sunburn of my life (lol, trust me, it was text-my-doctor-uncle-bad, bad). The next day, we spent July 4th kayaking (again, burned to a crisp, lol) with our friends Brittany, Adam, Sarah, and Jared, followed by a great BBQ in Mukwonago.

A few weeks later, Chad and I hopped on a plane to Colorado, where I threw my 10-year high school reunion. (Shout out to Tyler and Natalie, who let us stop by between our drive from Denver to Gunnison.) Planning the reunion from afar was challenging, but it was nice to catch up with old friends and teachers, ride our Class of 2013 float in the Cattleman’s Days Parade, and see Chad’s family in Gunnison for a few days. It was especially cool to have our niece Kay and nephew Phillip explain and showcase their 4-H displays for us.

Back home, we managed to keep our schedule packed with fun events. Chad participated in a United Performing Arts Fund bike ride—a 30 mile trek that took him over the Hoan Bridge; it seemed like an incredible experience for him. Additionally, we attended a ‘beer school’ influencing event, do-si-doed at a square dancing night, and sought out several chatty happy hours with friends. I also had a great time at various girls nights and lunches, heading to Waukesha’s first Friday, wandering through MKE’s Night Market, painting ceramics, and grabbing food post-barre class.

In August, Chad and I went to D.C. to see my brother Spencer’s Foreign Service flag-pinning ceremony. In addition to a sweet (albeit brief) reunion with my parents, Spencer, sister-in-law Mary, our nephews Everest and Atlas, and my aunt and uncle Becky and Jess, we also celebrated Spencer’s assignment to Turkey! And since it was Chad’s first time in D.C., we also took off to see as many monuments and museums as possible. (Riding the metro was a big hit for us, lol.)

Chad and I owe a very special shoutout to Haley, who takes care of Wally and our house when we leave town. We appreciate you so much!

Summer ended with the same, consistent fervor: highlights included a Lumineers concert, our first pickleball tournament (our team name was Double Doods, lol), a couple Brewers games, a Shrek-themed rave with Meg, experiencing beach volleyball with our friends Amanda and Jaci, getting a ton of dental work done (it was a big win for us, so it does qualify as a highlight), and eating fresh pizza on a farm with a big group after a day of kayaking.

And, in case you were wondering: my sunburned skin is still several shades darker than the rest.

Some favorite posts from summer 2023:

• Our first trip to Chicago
• Favorite moments
• A quick note to Chad
• Girlhood
• Happy hour chat
• Summer in photos

Fall took “busy” to a new level of chaos, in all the best ways.

It began with the most fun, pink, and silly event: we threw a Barbie Party! We transformed our basement into a Dream House (or a Mojo Dojo Casa House, depending on who you ask). There were creative costumes, treats, decorations, and great friends. Thanks to all our Barbie and Ken guests for joining our fun!

The very next day, my parents arrived in Milwaukee for their second-annual week-long stay! We packed in several new adventures this time around. There was trivia at Company Brewing, city walks, lunch with our friend Terry, a barre class, and dinner at a speakeasy. After a few days, we visited Door County, where we experienced Wisconsin’s upper peninsula. It was full of costal vibes and explosive fall colors. Sadly, our trip was cut short after a COVID exposure, but we had such a wonderful time together as always. A giant thank you to my parents for coming and letting us share our lives!

Soon after, Chad and I played in a pickleball tournament, where we got to reuse our Barbie and Ken identities. We came in fourth place after a weekend of exciting doubles.

In early November, our besties Alexis and Jessica came to visit with their daughter Kai! Fun is an understatement; we had an incredible time, especially experiencing Milwaukee through a toddler’s eyes. Highlights were going to a Milwaukee Bucks game, the Harley Davidson Museum, the zoo, and just spending quality time together. Also, there’s a special place in my heart for Kai’s inability to pronounce my name, coining “Bina” instead. It feels inconceivable to have guests for over a week and still miss them the moment they leave. We are so lucky! We have endless gratitude for you.

On the same day I dropped the Bills-Bustillos clan off at the airport, I was back a couple hours later to pick up my brother, Spencer. He came to Milwaukee for the weekend and we had fun cramming in as many iconic shoulder-season sights as possible. There was cider, the Bronze Fonz, cheese curds, the Public Museum, river-side walks, and somehow much more. Thanks for making it happen, Spence!

In preparation for guests, Chad and I worked to knock out a few projects around the house. We finished up the basement, painted the stairs (finally eliminating that lingering lime green!), and furnished our loft space.

Fall was filled with incredible fun with friends. There were several happy hour meetups, working coffee dates, a pumpkin patch visit, square dancing, a Shania Twain concert, a pumpkin painting night, handing out Halloween candy to a packed neighborhood, Denim Night, a community play, bottomless brunch, and a group birthday party. I also joined a wiffle ball league at Broken Bat Brewery, which goes through winter. We feel so lucky to have made so many great memories!

For the holidays, Chad and I opted to stay put again. We relaxed and ate Indian food on Thanksgiving, followed by a Friendsgiving dinner party. (Thanks for hosting and for the most delicious meal, Kelli!) December has been full of festive activities around Milwaukee, including our new holiday bar crawl tradition. For Christmas, we’re having Haley over once again.

I’m rounding out the year with a recent tattoo, a new client, exciting writing goals, and many magazine article bylines. Chad started exploring leatherworking and will soon begin training to become a bridge inspection team leader at his company. We both burned through the same book series (I bullied him into it, lol), we can’t wait to continue playing pickleball as often as we can, and we hope to make some big travel moves in 2024.

A few posts from fall 2023:

• A fine vintage love
• Denim night
• Beyond King Tut
• My parents came to visit
• Fall 2023 in photos