Family & Home

We own our 3 bedroom home in Los Angeles and spent the past year renovating it from top to bottom. We have a big kitchen to cook and hang out in, a nursery for our future child, and a guest room to host family and friends for visits throughout the year. There’s a big backyard with a 100-year-old oak tree and swing which our friend’s kids love to play in. We know most of our neighbors and they’re all friendly, diverse and family-oriented. Our neighborhood is quiet and peaceful, while also being alive with beautiful nature-filled hills and many interesting places to explore. There are great schools, a park with a playground and community pool, all within walking distance. Restaurants, coffee shops, movie theaters, and a Zoo are nearby too. It’s impossible to get bored here. 

 Most of our extended family are on the East coast in the New England area so we all make regular trips across the country to spend quality time together. We also talk on the phone and FaceTime often to keep in touch and share updates. Every Christmas, we do a two-week, multi-state road trip to see everyone. On Christmas morning, we all come down the stairs singing “Jingle Bells” which is something Ross’ mom did with her family growing up, and it’s a tradition we plan to keep going in the generations to come. We love to cook big meals together and each of us has a specialty dish to contribute. In particular, Ross’ dad makes an amazing persimmons bread and there are never leftovers. Alex’s mom is an excellent cook (which is where Alex gets it from!) and she makes a quiche we never stop talking about. We’re close with Ross’ sister, her husband, and Ross’ cousin who lives in London and like to take group trips together. We have one planned to Puerto Rico for the spring! We put together a great guest room that hosts family for visits during the year, and our parents are planning to come for extended stays to be with us more often once we have a child. Last year we hosted our first Thanksgiving and family flew out to join. We’re hoping to make that a new tradition, especially so we can have Ross’ mom’s twice-baked potatoes!