MEET THE FAMILY
Welcome! I’m so happy you’re here!
My name is Jen and I’m the face behind Lyla’s Cottage.
I’m so glad you’re here because Lyla’s Cottage has been my dream for many years and I’m so excited share my little corner of the internet with you!
A few things about me since I hope we’ll be spending lots of time together: I am the wife of my best friend and amazing husband, Sean. I am the ex-wife, co-parent and friend to my first husband, Trevor, and I have four children ages 6 to 19.
I currently live in Seminole County in sunny Florida. We’ve moved a lot which means I have some great material to share with you from our homes over the years.
Couple of fun facts about me:
Why Blogging?
I was searching for a creative outlet, I love to write and I’m a problem solver so I thought why not combine the two? The best way to keep all my projects and ideas together (other than Pinterest) is to documents them here. And as it turns out, this is the perfect way to share them with you!
What Will You Find Here?
Since there is quite a bit to this little blog of mine, I have set it up to easily navigate and find exactly what you’re searching for. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll find.
Our Home
I have a mild obsession with anything Chip and Joanna Gaines-related, but really, who doesn’t? I have always loved decorating and have taken several Interior Design courses. So, it only made sense to add a decorating section complete with furniture makeovers, room makeovers, my favorite farmhouse decor, and introduce you to Fusion Mineral Paint. I invite you to tour our home and hope you’ll share some of your home projects as well.
Organize & Thrive
Raise your hand if you’re addicted to organizing!
I have spent countless hours on the weekends getting my house into a functioning order for the following week, quickly trying to put together a grocery list for a family of six along with recipes for the next 7 days, and managing the bills and the budget all to realize that the weekend had passed and I was back to Monday with little time spent with my family. I decided it was time to find a better way. These few tips and tricks made my life so much easier…If I can provide you with something of value to make your life easier, and run your home more efficiently, then I have done my good deed for the day!
As CEO/CFO of my home, my success depends on my ability to run it effectively and efficiently. The fact of the matter is, organized people save more time and money than those who are not. So, I’ll share with you what I have found to be major time savers in parenting and home management by keeping an organized home.
One of my favorite parts of the blog is co-written by my son, Joseph. We have been teaching our children how to stay organized, manage their time, and learn about finances before they are released into the world. You can check out Joe’s popular teen financing post here.
My Little Secret
I’ll let you in on a little secret – this blog took me an eternity to create and it was due to fear of putting myself out there, fear of no one liking it, but mostly because I felt like it had to be perfect before I hit that ever-dreaded publish button.
Life isn’t perfect – if you’re waiting for the perfect time to do something for yourself that will bring you happiness, stop waiting. Later can sometimes turn to never.
Grab a coffee and have some fun!
Where It Began
Sean and I met when I was 14 years old, he quickly became my best friend and high school sweetheart. After highschool he asked me to marry him and I bet you’re thinking, awww, they’ve been married this whole time! Nope! I said no (I’m not actually sure I ever answered him) and ran off to Florida for a couple of years instead.
Life went on, I married my “wasband” in 2002, we had two sons together, divorced, and we are the best of friends and co-parents. He is truly one of my go-to people in happy times and sad.
Fast forward a bit and Sean found me after all those years, and on the 20th anniversary of when he asked me to marry him the first time, he asked a second time.
This time, I said YES!
Sean is a Mechanical Contractor in the HVAC/R Industry and has been involved in many favets of the business over the past 30 years. He loves his job and couldn’t imaging doing anything else for a living. As I’m sure you can imagine, he comes in very handy when it comes to fixing things and/or inventing solutions to problems around the home.
So, he we are.
I’m finally married to this kind and amazing man who is the love of my life, my best friend, and the best dad.
My only regret is that I didn’t say yes sooner.
Meet Joseph!
Our firstborn, I waited a long time for this guy! Joseph is a 19-year-old athletic powerhouse. Joe has always been tall for his age and now towers over me at 6’3″. He earned his black belt in Kenpo Karate when he was 13 hyears old. He played football in high school and works out religiously. He’s even gotten his Mamma in shape! He is a kind soul with a drive to accomplish big things. Joe has worked with his Dad and Uncle as a dog trainer in the family business, helping families as well as police departments with the furry freinds. Joe’s happy place is the beach.
Meet Jackson!
Our firecracker! Jackon is an outgoing, funny, full of spirit 15-year-old who can light up a room just walking into it and flashing that smile. Jack captures everyone’s attention as soon as he open his mouth. Jackson was 11 years old when he earned his black belt in Kenpo Karate. He played baseball, baseketball, football, and is only truly happy outdoors. Jackson also volunteers in the community. He is the protector of all family members, especially out little Lyla Rose. Jackson has big plan for his future and I have no doubt that he will run some major corporation some day. Jack’s Kindergarten teacher once said, “Someday when Jackson is President, I’ll say, I knew him when…”
Meet William!
William is a sweet, sensitive boy at 11 years old. I don’t know anyone so calm and cool all the time. William goes with the flow and is just happy hanging out with his family. He’s a little homebody, but loves to go out on weekend adventures and loves to go fishing every opportunity he gets. Will loves the beach just as much as his siblings and honesly, it never gets old watching them run up and down the beach playing football. He also plays baseball and football and can bake a mean chocolate chip cookie! I wouldn’t be surprised if he turns out to be a chef someday. There isn’t much better than his giggle.
Meet Lyla Rose!
Oh, our little lady! This little wild child has made quite an impact on our lives in just 4 short years. Lyla was named after Sean’s later mother and they share the same birthday. After several complications, she’s here, she’s amazing, and has complted this little family of ours. Her spunk and happy, carefree personality make every day better. We are so looking forward to watching her grow and find her place in this world.
Welcome to Lyla’s Cottage
You have met the family and I’d really love to meet you, so make sure you pop over to my social media site and introduce yourself. I am so looking forward to this blog!
My hope is that I can make you smile, have some fun with house projects, make some beautiful crochet items together, support you in your goals and who knows, maybe have some adult conversation!
I will continue to work to make this something to help you thrive and strive for whatever will bring you happiness in your life. Excited to be in this with you.
Now that you know more than you’ve ever wanted to know about me, here are my most popular posts:
