As we enter a new year, I can’t help but reflect on all the ups and downs of 2025. From starting a new job and quickly dreading it due to verbal abuse, planning a casual wedding, getting married and going on the honeymoon roadtrip of a lifetime, and everything in between… I’m extremely grateful for all the greatness this year has brought me.
2026 will be all about letting go, healing and being more open and willing to receive the universe’s gifts, as opposed to wanting to control everything (my schedule, others’ emotions, etc.) Spontaneity is the name of the game for 2026 (aka: the year of the fire horse!)
But until we get into 2026, here’s some of my favorite moments from December. I may not stick with monthly gratitude journaling going into this year, but I’m extremely thankful for the community I have built – and am slowly rebuilding – here in Atlanta.
Moments between Alex and LinleySpontaneous dinner with my friend, JessA blossoming friendship with Colin, Devin and Grayson
Seeing my two favorite pupsAdmiring the sunset with Alex
…and more moments like these!Our third annual Botanical Garden LightsGetting professional photos done with LinleyAnother Linley and llama tree!Linley and Ellie making the nice list this yearA gluten free baking class with AlexRunning into our neighbors at Ponce City MarketLinley going on more hikes with the pack!Taking Linley to the Delta office againOur second Cirque du Soleil show…getting tipsy and buying a toy for Linley at the Cirque show……and Cheeto having a front-row seat at the show!Linley’s clean bill of healthEnjoying our Chippy the Dog daily calendarGlass blowing with Janessa…and even more moments between Alex and Lin!
Strolling through a new part of the cityDinner with Amy and Danny
Sunny afternoon walksMaking a bûche du Noël cake with AlexOur third Christmas together…and Trizzie joining us this year!Comedy night with AlexLinley’s new friend and doppelgänger
Running around at the parkThe last comedy night at LimericksGrace’s and my first time at the Clermont Lounge!
Wishing Saskia a happy new year in GermanyOur last drink of 2025Happy new year!!!
Yesterday was probably the best Christmas I’ve ever had. I used to love my family get-togethers before my estrangement took place, but holidays haven’t been spent with my biological family since 2018 or 2019. As much as I miss spending time with my parents, Alex and I will be seeing them next month, and that dedicated quality time will mean so much to me.
I was tossing and turning on Christmas Eve night into Christmas Day, and Alex let his parents know that I was feeling anxious and emotional about my past. My first Christmas with his family in 2023 was nice but it doesn’t even compare to the love, support and ease I felt yesterday. I couldn’t be more thankful for that.
We visited Lau Lau (Alex’s grandma) for lunch with all the aunts and uncles and their families, then had quality time with Alex’s parents and brother on the Tracey side, followed by a lovely dinner at Aunt Susan’s and Uncle Ray’s house. Spending quality time with the cousins and our friend Trizzie was super fun, and it felt very much like the cousin time I’d had as a kid long ago. It was nice to feel young again, and I haven’t felt that way on Christmas in probably almost twenty years.
I couldn’t be more grateful for Alex, the love he has for Linley and me, his parents, and entire family for welcoming Lin and me with open arms. As my therapist always says: I deserve to feel safe and loved in every space, and I felt that way in spades yesterday. My father-in-law even turned to me, we clinked champagne glasses, and he told me how happy he was that I was there. And my mother-in-law told me that she looks forward to many more years of love and celebration to come.
My insomnia has significantly improved this week and I’m beyond grateful for that! The irony is that I’m up now, just past 1:30am my time, but it’s mainly due to sleeping off a migraine I had yesterday evening. I hope I can get some sleep shortly, but since I’m here, I wanted to write about when I’m the happiest. I saw someone else write about this recently and loved the idea, so I’m jumping in…
I’m happiest when I feel at peace with the past. I’m happiest when Linley is snoring and sandwiched in bed between Alex and me (like right now!) I’m happiest when I have balance in my life. I’m happiest when I have conversations with thought-provoking and creative friends and strangers. I’m happiest when I feel like I truly belong in Alex’s family. I’m happiest when a difficult past memory is nothing more than a moment, not an hour or day or period of sorrow.
I’m happiest when I see Alex and Linley running on the beach together. I’m happiest when I don’t let what happened in my past give me anxiety about the future. I’m happiest when I’m on a roadtrip or on a flight, about to have a new adventure. I’m happiest when that adrenaline rush hits while I’m doing something fun! I’m happiest when I feel a true sense of community in family, work and life. I’m happiest when I can be outside with Alex and Linley. I’m happiest when I’m on or near the water. I’m happiest when the guilt and shame that can consume me sometimes is finally set free.
I’m happiest when I let go of trying to impress other people. I’m happiest when people respect my boundaries, including myself. I’m happiest when I have a good conversation with a friend after a long day. I’m happiest when I can make an impact, even if it’s a small. I’m happiest when a friend and I catch up, especially if time has passed, and we pick up right where we left off. I’m happiest when my inbox is empty. I’m happiest when I’m away from my phone (yes, I see the irony in this…)
And I’d say I’m happiest when I finally stop putting the weight of the world on my shoulders!
I look forward to taking steps to ensure 2026 is a much lighter year. I need to heal.
Wedding day!The Grand CanyonATL Pride! (October 2025)
Last Monday, Alex and I went to the Botanical Gardens at Piedmont Park for our third-annual viewing of the holiday lights—and trains! We love going every year and it makes for a great date night of seasonal cocktails, gorgeous lights and admiring how creative the staff is.
As soon as you walk in, you see these beautiful, silver birds that fly amongst the stars. Alex and I always venture to the main restaurant area for some holiday drinks before making our way through the greenhouse, larger garden where you can see the Atlanta skyline, and other tunnels of lights. This year we each got two: both were mezcal drinks, one being hot chocolate! We had to take an obligatory photo under one of my favorite tunnels.
Luckily, I’d just gotten a new phone and it was fun to snap some artsy shots of the trees, and of course my favorite lady of the park…
One of my favorite parts of this annual experience is watching Alex watch the trains (yes, you heard that correctly!) I don’t know how else to explain it, other than it’s cute to see little kids point at and admire the moving trains, and then you see 30-year-old Alex doing the same thing. It’s the best!
Last but certainly not least, we enjoyed the dangling lights that sync up to the annual playlist. This year’s playlist was more classical, but I of course captured Louis Armstrong’s debut.
It’s hard to describe unless you’re there, but this entire immersive experience is one of my favorite ways to celebrate the holidays here in Atlanta. All last week I kept telling Alex, “I had the best time and I’ve been thinking about it all day!”
This past weekend was so much fun, that I wanted to dedicate a second post toward Atlanta Pride! We do things different here in Georgia: Atlanta Pride is usually the second weekend of October, and Savannah Pride (also fun!), is typically the weekend after. Why do we do it this way? Well, it’s super hot in June so we push it out for that reason, but also to get people north of us to come visit these two amazing southern cities!
We won’t be able to make Savannah Pride this year because we’ll be visiting Halloween weekend, but I had a blast at my first Atlanta Pride! Ironically, our three LGBTQIA+ besties were all out of town, so Alex, Linley and I went as the Tracey Trio allies. We took a lovely stroll down memory lane (well, down old streets I used to live on to get to the parade) and posted up at a great spot. We even saw two of Alex’s coworker friends, too!
Dancing to all the music while admiring all the creative floats, costumes and signs was an absolute blast. Delta was there, along with other big companies in Atlanta like Coca Cola, The Georgia Aquarium and more. See for yourself… 😉
After the parade, we made our way to Piedmont Park for some drinks, free goodies and celebration! A little boy gave us each a pride flag on our walk over, and I was really proud of his parents/family for raising him right. 🫶 We even ran into our besties Devin and Jesse, too; they recognized Lin in the crowd with his rainbow bandanna and his smile and tail wag 🥹
I’m proud that I live where I do. I’m proud that I have a partner who not only sees the importance of pride, but who genuinely wants to join in on events like this (and has a blast with me!). And I’m proud that Lin didn’t get overstimulated until the very end of the afternoon 😅
And so we strolled back home through “memory lane” with big smiles…
Media taken Sunday, October 12, 2025 in Midtown & Piedmont Park, Atlanta.
I decided I’m going to make a new blog page about all our Tracey Trio adventures from July onward. It’s been a couples months of healing, facing hard truths and resilience. That said, it’s been wonderful to heal, laugh and love with Alex and Linley by my side.
Our summer adventures were so much fun and I can’t wait for more together!
A weekday dinner with GraceOur second Wet Nose Wednesday game!Linley getting his kennel cough taken care of at the vetFinally “shooting the Hooch!” A nice dinner outStanding on a paddleboard for the first time everAll smiles with this guy!Celebrating Lin’s Gotcha Day!Alex pointing out a full moon outside our placeAll of Lin’s cuddles and quirksAppreciating a sunset like I appreciate sunrisesA game with good friendsBack to our original selvesA belated Gotcha Day celebration on the Pooch Pontoon and private beach!My first Shaky Knees, and our matching JVB shirtsAlex’s first camping tripLinley laying on the toys Alex got him for our wedding day 🥹
Seeing the otters at my second Aqua Vino eventLin being goofy as alwaysDays with my two favorite guysSeeing Pancake and Donut in the office yesterday
I love the fall, but I’m not ready for it this year. The summer was just too good! Last summer, I was overcoming a back injury and could barely even walk Linley without being in pain. This summer, I did all the things I couldn’t before… and then some!
There were so many firsts for Alex, like camping and whitewater rafting, and so many for me as well. I can’t wait for more adventures as a couple, and as the “Tracey Trio,” even if that means cooler weather and changing leaves. 😌
On Friday, we went to our second Aqua Vino event at the aquarium again. To think a year ago, Hurricane Helene was coming through Atlanta and completely devastated Asheville… it’s quite wild. Not only did I come a long way since last year, but the Southeast did as well #southeaststrong
Saturday was also a ton of fun because we took it easy, explored a new part of the city during a block party, and enjoyed a chill evening together. At the block party, we saw dogs who were trained to do all these tricks with frisbees, too!
Sunday was also great, as we enjoyed a gluten free brewery event with one of our neighbors and her adorable pup, Brody! It was such a great afternoon, and I can’t wait for more memories!
Although I’ve been navigating career, friend and family stuff lately, I couldn’t be more grateful for living in the moment, enjoying the little things and for all the laughter I’ve had this summer. 💛
Media taken Friday, September 26 – Sunday, September 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia 🍑
A couple weeks ago, I wrote about my time in Michigan and how it wasn’t the weekend I was hoping it would be. I’ve been feeling misunderstood and unheard in my career, in my friend groups, and in my family. I’ve been pushing myself to write because I truly haven’t felt like it in a while, but I know it’s good for me to get my feelings out of my head.
I’m extremely grateful for Alex, who has continued to try new things with me, explore new places with me and has encouraged me to do what I love most. The friends I’ve made through him feel like family and I’m forever grateful to them and him for that.
Even when times are uncertain and things feel rocky, there are people who care about you and love you. I need to remind myself of that, too.
Earlier this morning, I wrote about how I need to take myself on new adventures. One small-but-mighty goal Alex and I have this summer is to rediscover Atlanta, which also means going to places nearby that we haven’t explored yet. The rooftop bar at the hotel nearby is one of those places, and ironically, it’s where we stayed on our wedding night!
We enjoyed the stunning view of our city, some delicious cocktails, great disco-style music and even saw a couple get engaged a few tables down! You never know what you’ll find until you do some exploring in your own backyard…
Cheers to move adventures and exploring this summer!
And hey: if I need more insights, maybe I can check out this service at the hotel, too… 😅
Photos taken Friday, August 8 at FORTH’s hotel bar, “Moonlight” in Atlanta, GA✨
Alex made my 30th so special, and it was my turn to return the favor! We went to Ellijay, Georgia for the second time as the Tracey trio, and it was so much fun!
We began our day with a morning hike, where Linley almost stepped on a two-foot-long water snake! I’m not normally afraid of snakes, but seeing and hearing Alex freak out in front of me startled me at my core. Luckily, the snake had just had something to eat and had no interest in biting Linley or any of us. But man, I was sweaty after that jump scare!
After our hike, we drove to downtown Ellijay for some rooftop fun. We enjoyed a cocktail and lunch before heading to our AirBnB, and Linley of course got all the attention!
Our AirBnB drop off was quick because we wanted to hit Roo, an amazing winery we visited with my mom in July, before it got super busy. Surprisingly, it wasn’t busy at all, but it probably helped that we were there on a Friday afternoon instead of a Saturday!
Our evening was equally as fun, as we found a spot with live music in downtown Ellijay. It was weird not to be there with my mom this time around, but it was great to be there with my with now-husband and Linley again. The restaurant was so kind to us that they even brought out a table for us outside, and really reminded us of our favorite local spot at home. We’ll definitely be back!
Until next time, Ellijay! ✌️
After Ellijay, we also went to an Atlanta United game and the bar with friends beforehand, and had a birthday brunch for Alex that Sunday.
I can only hope that I made Alex’s birthday half as special as he made mine.
Media taken Friday, May 16 & Saturday, May 17, 2025 in Ellijay, Georgia, & Sunday, May 19 in Atlanta✨
March was our best month yet! Our best friends got married in one of our favorite places, we were married at one of our favorite places, and we had the honeymoon roadtrip of a lifetime as a trio. Although more photos of all that will come, I wanted to share the disposable camera photos our friends and family took during our reception. I immediately knew having these out would be a hit, and what a great idea it was! I look forward to seeing more photos soon, but here’s what we have so far…
Maddie and Quinten, our officiant (on my right)The one and only Sahil!Ariel and Alex!Our venue and second homeCousins Catherine and ReaganOur signature drinksMom and Linley, our bestest ring bearerOur lovely bartenders, Justin and Kyle!Jesse!!!My lovely best friend, Carolina✨Wait, there were three Matt’s?!Our lovely photographer, Trizzie!Uncle Ray… hahaReagan, Alex Matlock and cousin JasonDancing as newlywedsOh boy… hahaOne happy brideOne hammered groom… haha
Photos taken Saturday, March 8, 2025 at Bantam Pub in Atlanta, GA. ✨
It’s currently 4:05am CT in Oklahoma City right now. We’re in a garage-style AirBnB as a trio, and Lin is pushed against me in our ginormous king bed. I turned to face him so my belly would get his warmth, as opposed to him bending into my back and causing me pain later in the morning…
I wouldn’t have it any other way. 💛
Alex and I got married last weekend! We had an absolute blast and it couldn’t have been a more perfect weekend all around. Our rehearsal and dinner went great the night before, and it was so nice to hang out with our parents, friends, and Alex’s family members.
Even the morning of the big day felt “normal” in a sense. We had brunch with my parents at our favorite spot (where we had our reception actually!) and lazily hung out until 2/2:30 or so. Alex, Linley and I did, however, sneak away around 1/1:30 to read each other our vows. We wanted to do this in private, and I’m really grateful we did. It’s something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. How lucky am I to have found my best friend!
Getting ready was quick and painless, and I of course had to have one of my favorite fellas help me out!
Our apartment, park where we had the ceremony and Bantam Pub for the reception are all walking distance from each other—which is extremely lucky! We love our neighborhood and our friends in it so much. My dad walked me down to the pond where we met Bill, Alex’s dad, who also helped walk me down to Alex. I’m glad I involved both our dads and it was nice to have a moment with both of them before everything got started. It was another special moment I’ll never forget.
Our ceremony was quick and our best friend Quinten married us. Despite the wind and Cecilia, my mother-in-law, having to hold down my veil, it couldn’t have gone any better. I even made Alex cry! Haha and that was the goal… What made everything extra special was that I was able to see my high school best friend and her sister at the very end. Although they missed most of the ceremony, the fact they even made it at all was a huge surprise and blessing. After popping my first ever bottle of champagne – both with Alex and his brother, Jonathan, we chatted, took some group photos, then had fun with our couple’s session with Trizzie and Tripp. Alex and I are grateful that we have not only such loving friends, but talented friends who can marry us and photograph our big day!
Bantam Pub… where to even begin! When Alex and I first met in person, we visited Bantam for brunch that weekend (August of 2023). It was Bantam where we decided to move in together, and it was there and the servers-turned-friends who rallied for Linley during his major surgery last year. It truly is our second home and the community we feel – and created – there is insurmountable. There was absolutely no way we could have our reception anywhere else! We each had a featured cocktail (Linley’s was the “salty dog” of course!) and we danced, ate and drank the night away. Seeing all our favorite people in our favorite place… unreal in the best way.✨
I could go on about how much I love Alex, how great Linley did as the ring bearer, and how lovely everything else was… but I don’t feel like ugly crying at 4:33am CT in some random AirBnB that we’re staying at as we head out west haha. All you need to know is that this is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love that I’m forever grateful for, and our little guy killed it out there last weekend. 🥹 The morning of, the after party where everyone kept buying us drinks, and everything in between… it was an incredible day, with incredible friends and one incredible husband!
Traveling with the Traceys 