A celebration in every way! This live stream was everything!!
Showing us HOPE is a choice. 🎶
May I channel President Obama’s stubborn optimism to continue the steady work of change.
May we all continue to live with unshakeable moral fiber and use all these servant leaders as our guide.
Congratulations to the Obama family and the City of Chicago. I can’t wait to visit!!
Welcome to your Cedarburg birthday scavenger hunt.
A day full of coffee, treats, shopping, drinks, and little adventures together. Each stop was picked to celebrate turning 23&24 with good food, favorite places, and fun memories along the way.
Complete all 6 stops in one big birthday day, or spread them out over the summer ☀️
The goal is simply to explore, celebrate, and enjoy the adventure together.
Let the birthday hunt begin!
Stop 1 – Morning Coffee Kickoff
Challenge:
Order the drink that best describes your personality.
Clue to next stop:
Now that caffeine’s in your veins,
find the place with buttery grains.
Stop 2 — Fresh Bread Bakery Mission
Challenge:
buy a loaf of bread for later
choose a pastry for each other & rate dramatically like food critics
Clue to the next stop:
Something sweet is waiting next
Stop 3 — An Apple a Day, but make it BIRTHday
Challenge:
Pick out your favorite Carmel Apple at Amy’s Apples
Clue to the next stop:
Shoppers choice!
Stop 4 — Boutique Shopping Challenge
Challenge:
buy something under $15 that reminds you of each other
Clue for the next stop:
You’ve shopped downtown and earned a drink, the next stop serves pints, not pink.
Stop 5 — Afternoon Drinks at a bar you haven’t tried before
Challenge:
Rank every drink with ridiculous names:
most likely to start karaoke
main character energy
tastes like turning 23/24
Clue for the next stop: You’ve wandered, shopped, and earned your prize,
now follow the scent of chips and fries.
With salsa, queso, tacos too,
tonight’s birthday feast is waiting for you!
Stop 6 – Dinner at La Cantina
I love you! Hope you had a fun adventure 🙂
sure the starting gun, the cheering fans, the supportive teammates are all amazing sounds at track meets, but the bell lap is my favorite.
the last lap
the one that makes all the previous work worth it.
the one that brings you to the finish line.
kinda how I feel my life is like right now … the bell lap … 🔔 🏃 🏃♀️ 🏃♂️ 🔔
Welcome to Long Grove:where the bridge tests both truck heights and reading comprehension.
The bridge isn’t low. Your truck is just ambitious.
At this point the bridge should get loyalty points from tow truck companies.
Long Grove Covered Bridge: Illinois’ most successful truck magnet.
If you hit the bridge, congratulations; you’re officially shorter than your attention span.
74+ crashes later and the bridge still believes in second chances.
Maybe add a batting average scoreboard: ‘Bridge 74, Trucks 0.’
The bridge has survived floods, storms, and apparently truck drivers with selective literacy.
At this point the bridge should have its own defensive coordinator. 🐻 🏈
Long Grove’s hottest attraction: live-action geometry failures.
The clearance marker isn’t for the truck,
it’s for the driver’s ego.
Some people collect souvenirs. This bridge collects box truck roofs.
The bridge doesn’t hate trucks. It just prefers convertibles.
Every week another driver says, ‘I think we’ll fit,’ moments before becoming local folklore.
Long Grove Covered Bridge: where optimism meets physics.
Maybe the next sign should just say: ‘Seriously. We’re tired too.’
Quiet actions get your message across
Time one in your bedroom make everyone seem more easily to get along with
An afternoon spent laying in the sun or looking out the window is time well spent
Be ready for surprises life gives you
every photo I take is a way of saying “this mattered” & every word I write is me figuring out why 📖
Photography 📸 captures the moment my heart ❤️ pauses; writing is what happens after it starts beating again. ✍️
Making a photo is like breathing 🧘♀️ in the world, 🌎 writing is the slow necessary exhale.
Photography is my eye 👁️.Writing is the glasses so I can see better! 🤓
I love being a photojournalist of an ordinary+ life! 📸 📚
Commute Friendly 🚘
Lake Views 🌊
Close By 🥾
Worth the Drive Weekend Hike 🚙
💘💖❣️💗💞💕💛💜🤎🧡💙🤍❤️🩵🩶🩷💚🖤💛💜🤎🧡💙🤍❤️🩵🩶🩷
Join me on Instagram @the_lefty_writer for the first annual #LeftyLoveLetter writing challenge ….
For the month of February the challenge is to write one love letter or poem a day…
as short as one sentence
or as long as you want!
think creatively, write the letter to ….
Ice cream
Hummingbirds
The smell of fresh cut grass
Christmas lights
Sunrises
Remote start
Your favorite barista or coffee order
Flip flop tan lines
Yourself
Your significant other
Whatever your heart desires! ❤️
Let’s flood social media with love! 💕
💘💖❣️💗💞💕💛💜🤎🧡💙🤍❤️🩵🩶🩷💚🖤💛💜🤎🧡💙🤍❤️🩵🩶🩷
Good night of sleep 💤 🛌
Great workout 🍊
Kept my run the date streak alive! 🏃♀️
Free coffee at Starbucks (and they still have the Christmas drinks at 60/83) ☕️
Writing class ✍️
Hot shower 🚿
Found $40 in my jeans pocket 👖 💵
Honeymoon update text from Michael 🏝️
Proof that it’s a small world – Pic from HS friend & WonderBra’ds friend 📷
A safe car with no check-engine-light on for Finn to drive to his haircut 💇
Breakfast Date with Finn 🍳
Meditation “I invite, more joy” 🧘
Fluffy snowflakes that land on your eyelashes 👀 ❄️ ⛄️
Drop Finn off at the Train 🚂
Ryan able to drive Finnegan 🚘
Crafternoon with Robin and Vickie 🧶
Manicure 💅
Amtrak cancelled 🔥 bus came through 🚌
Pregame cocktails 🍹 🎰
Finn arrived safe at MSU 💚
Bears Playoff Game (beat the packers) 🐻 🏈
I knew going into this year we’d have some amazing celebrations, Michael & Sabryn’s Wedding, Finn’s graduation and college move-in, Ryan & my 50th birthdays, our 25th wedding anniversary, our goddaughter’s wedding … so I kept track of everything that felt like a celebration… and wow this list, man I really love my life! 🎉 🎊 2025 in particular felt like I was living life’s highlight reel! 🎥
The best day was for sure Michael & Sabryn’s wedding, not only because Sabryn was the most beautiful bride in the history of the world, and love is the most precious 💒 💕 of all celebrations, but because I saw the love between Finnegan & Michael too, and honestly, what else is my life for here on earth 🌍? I think it’s a brilliant way to spend my time and energy raising two good humans, and making sure they cultivate love for each other as well! I’m so grateful they have a brother! 🩵 that is what I want my legacy to be, children who love each other and spend time together even after I’m long gone … 💗
1/1 started the New Year in Punta Cana surgery free – beach vacation with our family and friends 🏝️ ☀️ 🌊
1/19 Illini @ MSU 🏀 ❄️
2/2 Groundhog Day in Woodstock 🦫
2/5 Blackhawks Game in Abbott Box 🏒
2/13 Taylor Tomlinson (My Christmas Present) at Chicago Theatre 😂 🎭
2/16 Coach of the Year Banquet for Ryan 🥎
2/22 One-Derland 💯
3/5 Mirabelli in Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat 🎭
3/10 Published 5th Kindle Bk 📚
3/16 Free Day at Shedd Aquarium 🐬
3/21 Saw Finn break < 5 Min Mile 🏃♂️
3/26 Kaylen’s baby shower @ Work 🎁
3/28 Saw Sabryn run Steeple Chase 🏃♀️
4/6 Tina & Amy with Robin 😂
4/12 Same # Days as Keegan & Baillie 💒
4/21 Finn’s senior night and Shot-Put-Iversary for Sabryn too 🏃
4/30 Mammogram & Massage (and final exam for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence library classes) 🧖
5/1 ADC interview (9 hrs) 💻
5/2 Finn PROM 🕺
5/3 Derby Day 🐎
5/5 Square Root Day 🍪
5/7 Eddie Merlot’s GVR dinner 🥩
5/14 Michael new job (laid off 4/21) 🚘
5/17 Sabryn’s Graduation 👨🎓
5/18 Finn’s Graduation 👨🎓 (Senior Night, Decision Day, Honors Night, Senior Assassin, AP Tests)
5/23 Shane’s Wedding 💒
5/24 Lauren’s Shower 🌼
5/29 Hosted Book Club 📚
6/2 Track Banquet 🍝
6/7 Brewers Tailgate for Michael & Sabryn’s birthday 🎂 ⚾️ (walk off)
6/8 Brock’s 4th Birthday 🎁
6/14 Finn’s Graduation Party 🧑🎓
6/15 Ryan Father’s Day Bags Champions 🎡 Aunt Joni & Uncle Johnny visit
6/20 Friday 1:20 Cubs Game with Ryan ⚾️
6/21 Brock Babysitting 🏊 🌊 🧬 🧫 🧪
6/25 Bridesmaid Dress Trying on Party 👗
7/1 Michael & Sabryn move to Cedarburg 🛻
7/4 Mundelein Days and Freedom 5K 🎡 ☔️
Fireworks on Diamond Lake 🌊
7/11 102/68 perfect blood pressure 🩸 🏥
7/12 Greg Russ (54) celebration of life ⛪️ 💔
7/13 Ryan & Aaron LF bags champions 🍻
7/14-7/15 Woodstock 25th Anniversary 💕 
7/16 Volleyllamas Season ☔️ 🏐 🦙
7/17 President’s Award Dinner 🦞 💻
7/19 Ava’s quinceañera 💃
7/20 VH Bags Tournament, Dinner at M&S new apartment 🍕
7/22 Blanket Class with Vickie and Robin 🧶
7/28 Ryne Sandberg Died ⚾️ 💔
8/1 Ryan’s 50th Birthday Bar Crawl 🍻 🎂
8/2 Farmers Market – Finn’s bike fixed for college 🚲
8/3 Sunrise SUP 🌊 ☀️ dinner in Cedarburg 🍦
8/6 Beach Yoga 🧘♀️
8/7 Salt Shed concert with Mike & Kristi 🎶
8/9 Mother-Son College Dinner 🍽️
8/11 Finn graduated from Dr Bordini (110 lb, 5’6”) 🧑⚕️
8/16 Lauren & Matthews Wedding 💒
8/18 Cubs Game with Michael, Finn and Ryan ⚾️ 🚆 ☔️ rained out
8/19 Move Finn into College 🛻 📦
8/23 Fantasy Football Draft 🏈
8/24 Dress Trying on party 👗 🥂
8/29 Tailor Alterations 🧵
8/30 Sunflower Maze 🌻 🐝
9/2 Cubs Game with Dina ☀️ ⚾️
9/3 Playoffs 4th Place 🏐 🦙
9/6 Sabryn’s Bachelorette 🍹 🎨 🌮
9/7 Facial 🧖♀️ & Art Fest in Mundelein 🖼️
9/8 Finn rush – 9/12 Bid Night 🍺
9/10 Trivia Night 🥇 Tighthead
9/12-9/14 MSU Family Weekend 🏨 🏈
9/19 Flower Delivery from Finn 💐 🚚 and Dinner at Sunset Grille with Sean & Christina
9/21 Cowboys @ Bears 🐻 🏈 (Sabryn and I shopped, walked, played mini-golf) ⛳️
9/23 Tea at Abbott House 🍵
9/25 Dolly Parton Day 🎼
9/26 Cheryl P bday dinner 🎂
9/27 Bea Birthday Spa 🎂 🧖♀️
9/28 Sabryn’s Shower ( 🌺 from Michael)
9/29 Ryan coaching in Conference Playoffs 🥎
9/30 MHS home cross country meet 🏃♂️
10/1 Jane Goodall 💔 🐒 and saw Cubs in Wild Card ⚾️
10/2 Cubs advance to NLDS to play Brewers ⚾️
10/6-10/10 AQR Audit ☀️ 💻 (33 audits in 2025)
10/11 Surprise Birthday Adventure with Heather 🧺 ☀️ 🍂 📚 ☕️ 🎂
10/12 Long Grove Bar Crawl with Tim and Noreen 🍻
10/15 Wegovy ends $0 – $1210.07/mo 💵
10/16-10/17 Midland MI Dow Gardens 🍁 🌳
10/18 Michael’s Bachelor Party 🎉 & my 50th Decorating Witch Hats 🧙 and Bouquet 💐
10/23 Nate Barghetze with Robin 😂
10/24 Dinner with WonderBra’ds 🎀. (Booked a Hot Tub Boat ride for Finns birthday, but on Nov 30 they had to take the boats out do the water, so it was cancelled!)
10/25 Witch Paddle with Tammie 🧙 🌊
10/26 Stained Glass Art Class with Robin 🎨
10/31 Halloween 🎃
11/1 T-shirt Quilt class at Lure of the Local 🪡
11/8 Jen Vincent’s story exploratory book launch 📕 and Meatapalooza 🥩 🍔 🧀
11/12 Christmas Movie Premiere at Woodstock Theatre 🍿 🎄 🎥
11/13 Ryan, me and Michael all new glasses 🤓 👓 (withdraw from AQR job)
11/14 Dina’s Birthday Dinner 🍝
11/14 eyebrow wax and tint, highlights, haircut, nails pre-wedding 💅 💇♀️
11/15 Photo Class with Jen Fletcher 📷 🌳
11/16 Tote Bag class at Lure 👛
11/17 Angel Tree shopping (legos, blankets) 😇
11/19 Sprained right hand 🩻 💊
11/20 Pick Up Finn for best man job 🚙
11/21 Rehearsal Dinner 🥘
11/22 Michael & Sabryn 💕💒
11/24 Coffee Shop Crawl in St Joe’s ☕️ 🌊
11/25 Paul McCartney at United Center 🎶 🎤
11/29 Salt Cave Massage (bday and Mother’s Day gift cards) 💆♀️
11/30 3 days of fires and Finn home ❄️ 🔥
12/5 New Restaurant Smokin’ Jacks BBQ 🍗
12/6 Christmas Tree Lighting 🎄and crafts at Jen Fletcher’s house
12/10 Vickie’s favorite thing party 🎄
12/14 (Cancelled 11/30) Hot Tub Boat Ride for Finn’s bday 🛀 🎂 Steak Dinner in Milwaukee
12/15 Finn’s 19th birthday 🎂 (watched Ryan coach 2 games 🏀)
12/21 Solstice ☀️ and Baillie Christmas 🎄
12/24 Keegan Christmas 🎄 🎁
12/25 Slow, Warmth, Peaceful, Restful time with my people Christmas ✨ 🌲 🔥 🎥
12/26 Shedd Aquarium with Sara & Brock 🐬
12/27 cooking class with Kristi 🥂
12/28 Brunch with Tara Wojick 🥂
12/31 NYE ✨ 🎉
Not to mention all the delightful story exploratory and orange theory moments ✍️ 🍊 and books I’ve read and podcasts I’ve listened to 📚 🎧
We all know how the story will end (we all die) so let’s make the middle really f’ing great!
It’s more than just a list (or a photo book), it’s my LIFE and wow am I lucky 🍀 what a life I get to live 💕
The Lefty Writer 