Meet the Family Behind Lovely Little Mess
If you’re new here, welcome.
Before we start talking about downsizing, paying off debt, homeschooling, chasing dreams, and trying to build a life with more intention… you should probably meet the people living inside this lovely little mess.
We’re a family of seven with big personalities, big dreams, and a life that doesn’t always look neat or predictable.
But it’s ours.
And we’re learning to live it boldly.
Marc – The Marine
Our oldest, Marc, is 20 years old and currently serving as a Marine.
If you’re a parent, you know the strange mixture of pride and heartbreak that comes with watching your child step into adulthood. One minute they’re a kid sitting at the dinner table, and the next they’re out in the world carrying responsibilities most people can’t imagine.
Marc has always been driven. Even as a kid he had a strong sense of discipline and loyalty. When he chose the Marines, none of us were surprised.
What we were surprised by was how much we would miss him.
His path looks different than most 20-year-olds, but it fits him perfectly. Strength, commitment, and purpose have always been part of who he is.
And no matter how far he goes, he will always be our first baby.
Natalie – The Dream Chaser
Natalie is 19 and currently living in New York.
Yes… New York.
She packed up her courage, her talent, and a pretty big dream and headed to one of the most competitive cities in the world to pursue acting.
That kind of bravery isn’t easy. Especially at nineteen.
Natalie has always been creative. Theater, performance, storytelling — it’s just who she is. The stage has always felt like home for her.
Watching your child chase a dream that big is both terrifying and incredible at the same time.
But if anyone was meant to go after something bold, it’s Natalie.
We’re cheering for her from miles away.
Peter – Our Fighter
Peter is 14, but his story started long before that.
He was born at just 25 weeks.
If you’ve ever walked through a NICU journey, you understand how fragile and uncertain those early days can be. Peter came into this world tiny but determined.
And that determination has never left him.
Today we homeschool Peter, which allows us to build learning around his needs, his pace, and his strengths. Homeschooling has opened up a completely different way of thinking about education for our family.
Instead of trying to force a kid into a system, we get to build learning around the kid.
Peter is thoughtful, curious, and resilient in ways that are hard to put into words.
Every year with him still feels a little bit like a miracle.
Jack – The Athlete
Jack is 12, and if there’s a ball involved, he probably wants to play.
Football. Basketball. Anything competitive.
Sports are his language.
He’s the kid who will practice for hours just because he loves the game. The one who studies plays, watches highlights, and dreams about big moments.
But what we love most about watching Jack play isn’t just the talent.
It’s the joy.
There’s something about seeing your kid fully alive in the thing they love. For Jack, that place happens to be on a field or a court.
And we’re pretty sure there are many more games ahead of him.
Lorelei – The Baby (And the Chaos)
Lorelei is 10 and the youngest of the crew.
She’s also probably the loudest.
Outgoing, goofy, dramatic, hilarious — Lorelei brings a kind of energy into the house that keeps everyone on their toes.
She has no problem being herself, which is something many adults are still trying to figure out how to do.
Lorelei is the kind of kid who turns ordinary moments into something ridiculous and memorable. She dances in the kitchen, tells stories that get more dramatic every time she retells them, and makes everyone laugh when we need it most.
Being the baby of the family comes with a lot of attention.
She handles it like a pro.
Our Family Is… A Little Messy
Our life doesn’t fit into a neat little box.
We have a Marine, an actress in New York, a former 25-week preemie we homeschool, a sports-obsessed middle schooler, and a ten-year-old comedian running around the house.
Some days are loud.
Some days are exhausting.
Some days feel like we’re just trying to keep everything from falling apart.
But somewhere in the middle of all of that…
there is something really beautiful happening.
Why We Started Lovely Little Mess
This blog exists because we are rebuilding our life intentionally.
We’re downsizing.
We’re learning about money.
We’re trying to break cycles.
We’re making room for bigger dreams.
And we’re doing it together as a family.
Not perfectly.
But honestly.
If you stick around here, you’ll see all of it:
• The chaos
• The lessons
• The small wins
• The hard conversations
• The moments that make it all worth it
Because life isn’t supposed to be perfectly polished.
Sometimes it’s just a lovely little mess.
And we’re learning how to live boldly right in the middle of it.
