❄️⛸️☃️January Funletter

📆 Welcome to 2026!

This week officially marks one year(!) since I started this newsletter and this past week I have forced myself to reread my first sends and look at some of my first reels I started creating. Even with years of experience doing graphic design, content strategy and dabbling in content creation I am still surprised by how much I have learned from this experience from a friend casually saying “you should send a newsletter or something”.

So if you’re reading this and you have that nagging feeling you can’t shake that you want to start something - your own business, an instagram creator account (yes there are tons but there is only one YOU with your POV) then this should be your nudge to just do it. While juggling a full-time job and motherhood, I definitely asked myself once or twice this year, “Why the heck am I doing this?” But seeing myself grow (cringe first reels and all 🫣), discovering new parts of Chicago with my kids, and connecting with other local moms - that I never would have met without a fun little Instagram newsletter account - was such an additive aspect of my year. 💗 

This newsletter has also pushed me to explore experiences around Chicago I probably wouldn’t have tried otherwise — all thanks to a little accountability from running an account about having fun. Some favorites from the past year: art classes at Lucy and Lolly, the Ryan Learning Center at the Art Institute, our long weekend in Milwaukee, first Vintage Fireboat Cruise, and making pottery with my daughter at MADE. This month we’re finally checking out the Sloomoo Institute, Disney on Ice, and the Balloon Museum (discounted tickets linked below!). And as always, if you have a tip or event I should feature, I love getting emails and DMs!

I’m also sharing what I packed for a three-day Disneyland trip — with a full recap coming later this month — plus road trip ideas for January–March long weekends and ways to thrive (not just survive) Chicago winter with kids. And as I kick off year two of highlighting female-owned businesses, be sure to scroll to the end for a free home evaluation from local realtor Jackie Merlo in this month’s Small Business Spotlight.