meet your neighbors
T he
Stephens Photos by Elaine Drabik Photography
12 Ladd Park Living • October 2016
Fa mily
Family member names: Jeremy, April, Carter (7), Cooper (5), and Alexandra (3) Street: Finnhorse Lane Pets: none Profession(s): Jeremy is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch. April works part time as a School Counselor at Oak View Elementary School. Favorite Activities/Hobbies: Jeremy enjoys working out and taking our boys to as many sporting events as he can. April enjoys cooking/baking, crafting, and reading. As a family, we like to swim, take walks in the neighborhood, and ride bikes. Park/Play Area/Hang Out: We enjoy spending time in Downtown Franklin and at our neighborhood pool/playground. One of our favorite things to do in the summer is to order pizza (preferably Roma’s) at the pool with friends and let the kids swim until dark! Restaurants: Having three little ones doesn’t allow us to go on as many dates as we used to (or would like to!), so most of the places we eat frequently are pretty kid-friendly. A few of our favorites are Chick-fil-A, Burger Up, Chipotle, Roma’s, and Whit’s. October 2016 • Ladd Park Living
13
Vacation destination: We honeymooned at The Sanctuary on Kiawah Island (just outside of Charleston, SC) and went back to celebrate our 10 year anniversary earlier this year. The hotel is stunning and the food and service are outstanding. We would recommend it to anyone! We got engaged in New York City and lived in Washington, DC as newlyweds, so both hold sentimental value, and we go back to visit those cities any chance we get. We experienced our favorite family vacation this past May when we went on our first Disney Cruise! We are looking forward to more of those in our future- truly unforgettable experience for both parents and kiddos. Sports Teams: Jeremy is a big New York Yankees and Washington Redskins fan (he previously worked for the Redskins in Football and Stadium Operations). Our oldest son, Carter, is a huge fan of the Nashville Predators and loves to cheer them on at their home games. TV Shows/Movies: We don’t watch a lot of TV, but when we do it is probably Fixer Upper on HGTV, ESPN, Friends reruns, or a documentary. Music: We listen to a little bit of everything, but are particularly excited about seeing Adele live at Bridgestone Arena this fall.
14 Ladd Park Living • October 2016
Family Dinner: We try to make eating dinner as a family a priority, although school, sports, and work schedules make it difficult at times. We enjoy eating healthy, home cooked meals and especially like to grill out during the summer months. The kids love family game and/or movie nights. Family Traditions: We love to celebrate- holidays, birthdays, and the seemingly ordinary days in between. April enjoys party planning and loves for her kids and family to feel special and celebrated. We usually host several family get-togethers throughout the year- typically around major holidays like Easter and Christmas. Earlier this year, April planned a Disney Cruise Reveal Party for our kids and the family we were traveling with. The party included a scavenger hunt for the kids (to reveal our big surprise trip) followed by a fun, Nautical-Mickey themed dinner! College/University: Jeremy attended Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA and graduated with a degree in Sports Management. April received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Belmont University and her Master’s degree in Counseling from Marymount University in Arlington, VA. Where are you originally from? Jeremy grew up in the Northeast- primarily in the Maryland suburbs of DC. April grew up in Orlando, FL and moved to Brentwood in high school. How long have you lived in this neighborhood? Almost two years. We moved in the day before Thanksgiving 2014. How are you involved in the community? We attend Brentwood Baptist Church and are actively involved in a Life Group there. If you have kids, what activities are they involved with? Both of our boys played baseball this past spring and loved it. We enjoyed cheering them on as a family. Our daughter, Alexandra, has expressed an interest in dance and gymnastics, so we are exploring those options for her. Carter will be taking acting/musical theatre classes this fall, which he is very excited about. What is your favorite part about living in your neighborhood? We truly love the people in this community. Everyone is so friendly and interested in building relationships, which is very different from the neighborhood we lived in previously. Our kids have made the most wonderful friendships and we count ourselves extraordinarily blessed to live here.
October 2016 • Ladd Park Living
15