Another year came and went, filled with good company, great trips, and plenty of everyday adventures.
Winter kicked off with a trip to Madison to celebrate a friends wedding, followed closely by a ski trip to Winter Park, Colorado. We leaned into indoor hobbies by becoming art museum members, which gave us a great excuse to escape the cold and pretend to be cultured. A visit from college friend Lexi brought brewery and wine bar hopping, Jersey Shore rewatches, and a healthy dose of nostalgia. Kristina also paid us a visit, bringing quality sister time filled with coffee shops, errands, and the kind of low-key days that are often the best ones.
Spring brought what we consider our greatest achievement of 2025: We won The Office trivia at our local brewery! Dreams really do come true. Don’s parents also came to visit, and we loved showing them around Milwaukee, spending some time outside by Lake Michigan, and enjoying quality time together. We also squeezed in a camping trip in a local state forest as the weather warmed.
Summer was peak Wisconsin. We bought kayaks and took them out on the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan. Don headed to Michigan for a disc-golf-themed bachelor party, and we squeezed in time at Crystal Mountain with Alissa’s parents. We also escaped to Lake Geneva for a weekend getaway to celebrate our wedding anniversary (seven years!). Just when we thought summer couldn’t get any more memorable, Milwaukee’s “1000-year rain event” flooded our basement with three feet of water…an experience we don’t recommend, but one we survived.
Fall included a girls’ weekend to Chicago with Jessica, where we enjoyed the iconic architecture boat tour (Alissa’s pick) followed by My Chemical Romance show (Jessica’s pick). A balanced cultural itinerary. We also made it back to East Lansing for our annual tailgate weekend at Michigan State, which never disappoints!
We wrapped up the year with a winter escape to Costa Rica, where we traded a winter snowstorm for sunshine and humidity. Our days were spent hiking through the jungle, zip-lining, soaking in mineral springs, and balancing adventure with plenty of time by the pool—exactly the reset we needed before heading back home. We also saw lots of the local wildlife, including some capuchin and howler monkeys (look up the noise howler monkeys make and imagine hearing that at 5am for the first time!)
Dolly turned 3 this year, and has matured a lot over the past year (finally)! We have loved being able to relax in the backyard with her and take her to the local breweries. Her favorite activities still include playing tug of war and chasing bunnies around the yard. She also loves wrestling and playing with our friends Ben and Sam’s new dog and Dolly’s new bff Monty!
The year ended on a bittersweet note as we said goodbye to our sweet girl Maeby, who had been struggling with age-related health issues. One small comfort in the last half of the year was watching Dolly and Maeby grow closer. Though Maeby didn’t make many friends, she adored her family, and we treasure our memories with her.
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season and a wonderful year ahead. We’re grateful for all of you and can’t wait to see what next year brings
With love,
Alissa & Don 🎄
