I am what you might call a “California Girl,” having been born in San Diego, CA and living in California my entire life until moving to Tennessee in 2007. My husband Corey and I are a unique couple, as we have been together since high school. We began our relationship in 1989 and got married in 1995. We both had a strong desire to start a family early on, so that we could have time to focus on our relationship while we were still young. As a result, our first son was born in 1996, followed by our second son in 1999, and our daughter in 2004.
I am a breast cancer survivor. In June 2017, I was diagnosed with stage 3, triple negative breast cancer. For the latter half of that year, I underwent chemotherapy and eventually had a lumpectomy. On January 19, 2018, my doctors shared the amazing news that I had a full response and was officially “cancer-free.” In the spring of 2018, I received radiation therapy to decrease my risk of the cancer returning.
Why “Sips to Sugars, and everything in between”?
The idea for “Sips to Sugars” originated from Corey and my shared interests and hobbies. As I share our story, I will be telling it backwards and starting with the “Sugars,” as it is what kickstarted our social media presence and led us to where we are today.
As many of you know from following my social media, I have been passionate about baking for years. From cake pops to cakes, cookies to bars, and especially decorated cookies – which I find therapeutic – all fall under the “Sugars” in our name. Cooking, on the other hand, became a hobby more recently as our kids grew older and we started cooking for just Corey and me. But it has quickly become a source of enjoyment for me, as I love being creative and trying new dishes, not just for two people, but also for kids, family meals, and party dishes.
As part of our journey of growing up with our kids and learning to be a couple again, we realized the importance of dating and doing things we enjoyed as kids, but with a better budget. This includes traveling, going to concerts, exploring new eateries, and visiting the latest and coolest cocktail bars.
All the delicious food and drinks come with a price, so we find balance by incorporating exercise into our routine. Corey and I have been regulars at Orange Theory Fitness (OTF) for several years now, and it’s our go-to for staying active on weekdays and during the winter months. On weekends and when the weather is nice, you will find us outdoors hiking, playing disc golf (mostly Corey), kayaking, and boating. Recently, I’ve taken up running half marathons and find it incredibly fulfilling, but Corey insists that it’s all me. Hahaha!
As “Sugars” is my ultimate love and passion, “Sips” is Corey’s. He has a strong passion for whiskey and an impressive collection to back it up. He loves delving into the science behind all types of spirits and is a certified Bourbon Steward. He also takes pleasure in perfecting the craft of making cocktails, and I do my part by drinking them. We both enjoy visiting distilleries and make it a priority to attend cocktail classes whenever we can. We are constantly on the lookout for fresh and innovative ways to mix drinks, and we never pass up the opportunity to attend cocktail and spirit events.
Michelle & Corey
Want to Get in Touch?
You can contact me at michelle@sipstosugars.com!
