Trace and I first got introduced at a friends holiday party, I was talking to this handsome stranger about how tired I was of seeing Alabama in playoff football, chatted for awhile, told him I was moving out of KC and then promptly Irish Goodbye'd. A month later, we ran back into one another at a bar in Westport watching a Chiefs playoff game with friends. Trace came up to me at the bar and called me out, saying "I thought you were moving?" After we sorted out my timeline, Trace offered to buy me a beer and I returned the favor with my favorite Shot Stop shot (IYKYK). This is where our story starts to differ. I would tell you that for the rest of the day and at the next bar every time I looked up, Trace was looking at me. He would tell you that it was the exact opposite and it was me who could not keep my eyes off him. As the night came to a close I was the one to finally ask for his number. For the next month we were both traveling and couldn't find the time to see one another but were texting everyday and have a Snapchat streak that exists from that first January 2020 day. When we were finally able to see one another, it was at the Chiefs Superbowl Parade. This just so happens to be Karen's favorite part of the story. We spent the whole day hanging out on the Union Station hill talking and freezing waiting to celebrate. During our wait, my mom struck up a conversation with Trace noting he was actually a Bears fan and my mom agreeing she is from Chicago!! And is also a Bears fan! (She cannot be both.. I have told her plenty of times!) She loves to have claim that she has loved Trace from day one, not knowing he would end up family. After she finished talking to him Caroline not so subtly reprimanded my mom "That is the guy Hallie likes, stop talking to him!!" And the rest really is history! The first time Trace took me back to South Bend that summer he took me to one of his favorite places - Weko Beach in Southwest, Michigan. That day I fell in love with the Michigan shoreline, Michigan Vineyards and Trace just a little bit more. After moving to Chicago together in 2021, it has made it so much easier to get back to our favorite area. We make it to a beach in Michigan at least once or twice a summer. We are so excited to share our little piece of heaven with everyone we love this fall, and we can't wait to share a drink with you all!