Andrew and I moved into Oakhurst last year with our girls, Nora and Mila. Before we lived here, we lived in Royal Oak and Birmingham together. We spent our first night here on Halloween after receiving the keys in September and spending two months living nearby while Andrew made everything just right! He replaced all the floors, painted the walls, changed the light fixtures, built a new fireplace, renovated bathrooms and built new closets.  He often takes on projects around the house and is always up for a challenge to learn how to do something.

OUR BACKSTORY

I was born in Grand Rapids and my family lives in Flushing. Andrew was born up north in Traverse City but grew up in Denmark when his parents divorced and his mom moved back home. He spent his summers with his dad in Traverse City and that's how we met when I was 7 years old. My stepfather and Andrew's father were best friends from high school and it was both of our families' tradition to spend a week on the lake every summer.  

Over the years we had crushes on one another. Andrew has been carefree, kind and fun to be around since that first summer. In 2012, our families went to Chicago and we spent the entire weekend together and had a blast! It was then that the world didn't seem so big and we started dating long distance. Andrew and I talked every day until he moved to the U.S. a few months later. 

Andrew finished his last semester of school at Lewis University in Illinois. While he was there, I was working in Lexington, Kentucky and we would drive to see each other every weekend. Once Andrew finished school, we were both able to transfer to Michigan where we moved into our first home together in Birmingham. In 2016, we were married in Riviera Maya, Mexico surrounded by 60 of our closest friends and family. 

SALES 

We're both in sales. I graduated from MSU with a Human Resources degree and a minor in Sales. Andrew graduated with a business degree from Copenhagen Business Academy and today Andrew is working for Lakeshore Learning and selling furniture and supplies to schools and childcare providers. I am currently working for Boston Scientific, a medical device company. I have worked in the urology division in sales selling endourology products, spending most of my days in the operating rooms of hospitals. In April, I was promoted to a 2 year developmental role in talent development. Today I am in charge of training 1500 employees for the field sales organization.

Additionally, I have also been doing make-up for weddings and events for the last 9 years. Now that Nora and Mila are getting older, I haven't been taking on many events, naturally. Both Andrew and I enjoy investing in real estate and now own a few rental properties in Florida at Riviera Beach and here in Flushing, including a short term rental property on Manistee Lake in Kalkaska. Andrew is fluent in Danish and enjoys spending time teaching the girls Danish too.

THE MARSH GIRLS

Naming our girls was so difficult. Both Andrew and I had picked the names out when I was pregnant but we wanted to wait to see what the girls looked like to ensure the names fit! Nora was always going to be Nora but we considered Harper. Mila could have been Teagan. We're happy with both of their names.

Nora is our rule follower. Kind, smart, creative and reserved. She is enrolled at Everest where she is in 2nd grade. This month, we'll be celebrating her 8th birthday. She takes piano lessons and is currently learning how to play "Happy Birthday" and "Up on the Housetop." Outdoors, she loves to play golf and she just finished her first swim season this summer on the H2Oaks team. Her favorite swim stroke is freestyle. As school begins, Nora will try cheerleading for the first time and take painting classes. She loves to read, loves art class in school and recently she has made several tie-dye shirts. 

Mila is limitless, goofy, social and kind, and our animal lover - but both of the girls are allergic to animals. She is enrolled at Everest where she is in 1st grade. Mila is also taking piano lessons and learning how to play "Money, Money, Money" from Abba. She also loves to play golf and just finished her first swim season this summer on the H2Oaks team. Her favorite swim stroke is backstroke. Mila loves recess and will be playing soccer this school year. She has been making pottery and will be taking painting classes too like her big sister Nora. 

FAIRWAY FINDS

To keep the girls entertained while golfing this summer, Andrew and I started having them both look for golf balls. By mid summer, they had collected a whole tub full. The girls wanted a Gizmo watch and we told them we weren't going to buy it for them. One day, instead of selling lemonade, they asked if they could sell golf balls (a suggestion made to them by friends of ours). They became so interested in finding them, cleaning them and selling them, I wanted to help make it more official for them. We bought "sleeves" to put them in and the girls drew a picture of a green on the front. We are calling them "Nora and Mila's Fairway Finds" and so far, they have sold enough golf balls to buy 1 watch. By the time you read this, they should have already covered a second watch for Mila. The girls set everything up, even the table at the end of our driveway to sell them. It keeps them busy. They meet neighbors, have fun and learn the value of a dollar. 

FAMILY FAVORITES

Favorite sit down place to eat? Rudy's Prime Steak

Favorite place to grab a drink? Honcho (the spicy Margaritas)

Favorite take out? Tasty Burger and Pita Way

Nora's favorite food: Pizza

Mila's favorite food: Buttered Noodles

OAKHURST COMMUNITY IMPACT

We have loved living here since we slept in our new home on Halloween. Our family was invited to a neighbor's party where so many friendships began. I joined the women's golf league, playing on the Oaks. I have met a lot of women through "wine night". Andrew is subbing on the men's leagues and both of us have played in a few golf tournaments already. Nora and Mila have made friends on the H2Oaks swim team too. We love the community and enjoy time playing golf as a family and spending time at the pool where we met so many neighbors this summer.

We're so glad we decided to move to Oakhurst where we have a community for our kids. There is so much for the girls to do and if this summer is any sign of the summers ahead, we look forward to more smiles from spending time on the golf course, at the pool and meeting more neighbors.

TRAVEL

As a family, we love to travel. Each year, we take at least 1 adult only trip, 1 trip to Europe, 1 trip to Florida - on top of anything else that comes up. Our adult trip consist of 2 other couples. The wives went to school with me since I was 12. The last 4 years we have gone to St. Barths even though it is not easy to get to but there's such a good vibe: Caribbean meets Europe. 

Andrew's family still lives in Denmark, so we go for at least 2 weeks during the year. We love visiting them for so many reasons - they are 6 hours ahead, so we feel we can really unplug from work and spent time as a family. Nora and Mila play with their cousins. While we're there, we try and add one other country to our itinerary. The lifestyle is very modest and easygoing. We always feel refreshed when we come back.

Three years ago, we were dropped off at Detroit Metro with 7 bags, went to the counter to check in and realized Nora's passport had expired. Because passports are invalid if they expire within 6 months, we had to get a ride back home, make a call to Delta to rescheduled a different flight for the next day. The passport office in Detroit managed to get us in for an 11:00 am appointment. We went to bed, woke up the next morning, had to go get a passport photo printed and headed back to Detroit. We managed to make the passport appointment, and make it out on a 2:45pm flight. It all worked out. Moral of the story: we travel well together. 

My dad lives in West Palm Beach, Florida where I grew up going to visit my grandma when she was alive. Since then we spend time there with my dad and live like a "local" with him. He lives within walking distance to the beach and it feels like home.