Home, where our story continues to grow

A warm and inviting house with brick and beige siding, surrounded by a green lawn and a blossoming pink tree in the front yard.

We live in a split-level home located in a welcoming suburban neighborhood on Long Island, New York. Our large fenced-in backyard is a favorite place for our dog Bailey, and we often imagine how special it will be to watch a little boy or girl play there too.

We love taking walks to the park at the end of our street or short drives to the ocean to walk along the shoreline. Our neighborhood is filled with children of all ages, often seen riding bikes, playing outside and enjoying time together. We chose this community for its strong sense of connection and excellent schools— a place where a child will feel safe, supported, and truly at home.

Family traditions hold a special place in our hearts, giving us meaningful ways to connect, celebrate, and create memories year after year. We look forward to one day sharing them with a child.

Here are a few of our favorites:

A warm and inviting living room with decorated Christmas tree, fireplace with lit flames, and dog resting on a bed in front of the fireplace. A TV is mounted above the fireplace, and shelves with various decorations surround the fireplace.

We love decorating our home for Christmas. We cherish the cheer and warmth of the holiday season.

Husband cooking two turkeys for Thanksgiving dinner.

Thanksgiving is our favorite holiday to host. We are so grateful for our large family gatherings. Last year we had over 30 family and friends for dinner.

Two pots on a stove, one with plum tomatoes and the other with a pot of tomato sauce being stirred. Making homemade tomato sauce from garden grown tomatoes.

We make tomato sauce from our homegrown garden tomatoes every year. We use Rob’s grandmother’s food mill, which he has used since he was a child.

Two slices of Irish soda bread on a white plate with a loaf of Irish soda bread in the background on a wooden cutting board.

St Patrick’s Day reminds Carol of her Irish heritage. She loves baking her grandmother’s Irish soda bread recipe from scratch every year.

Our backyard…

…is the place to be. We feel grateful to have a large outdoor space where we can bring together family and friends. From holidays to birthday parties, barbecues to backyard concerts, many meaningful memories have been made here.

All that’s left to celebrate is a little one’s special moments.

A man in a suit playing a keyboard on a decorated outdoor porch during evening, with pumpkins, flowers, and hanging lights. Fall backyard concert.

A group of people gathered around a fire pit on a patio during nighttime, some sitting in chairs and others standing, enjoying the evening.

We also enjoy tending to our vegetable garden and cooking with fresh ingredients we’ve grown ourselves.

A backyard vegetable garden with a wooden hand-crafted fence growing vegetables or plants, enclosed with wire mesh, and a white fence in the background surrounded by lush green trees and bushes.

A white colander filled with red, green, and yellow bell peppers and ripe tomatoes. Two cucumbers are placed beside the colander on a wooden surface.

Our home is that much brighter because Bailey is part of it 🐾

Dog wearing a colorful party hat with pink feathers, lying on a patterned carpet, holding a plush red lobster toy.

Bailey is our 12 year-old Black Lab mix, whom we rescued from a local shelter. She’s sweet, loving, playful and very friendly and gentle around children. She is a cherished part of our family and loves joining us on adventures— whether hiking in the mountains of Vermont or exploring local parks closer to home. She keeps us active, makes us laugh daily, and reminds us to appreciate life’s simple joys.

A black dog wearing a yellow flower costume around its neck, looking up at the camera.

A man with a beard and mustache, wearing a gray hoodie, holding a black and white dog with a pink collar outdoors on a bright day with blue sky and green trees in the background.