With Jeanine’s Family at Easter

We were raised in close-knit families by supportive and loving parents. We're fortunate that we live near both sides of our families which makes it easy for us to get together often. We usually see our families each weekend for big family dinners at our place, afternoon play dates at the local park or pool parties. We keep in touch with our extended family members (like aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins) through frequent phone calls, e-mail notes and photos.

Jeanine is the oldest of the four kids in her family. From a very early age, Jeanine has been Mommy's little helper -- she enjoyed helping her mom with all kinds of housework, grocery shopping, laundry, baking and baby-sitting. Jeanine is very caring and maternal, always putting others needs before her own, and she is really looking forward to the day when she can nurture and love another baby.

With Mark’s Family at Christmas

Jeanine's parents recently celebrated their 37th wedding anniversary. They are very happily married and have set a terrific example for us on how to have a successful marriage and be great parents. Jeanine's brother Billy is two years younger and lives close-by with his wife, Heather, and two cats. They have a nice pool that we like to visit on summer weekends. Jeanine's sister Jessica is five years younger and lives at the New Jersey shore where she works as a biologist. Like the rest of our family, she loves animals and has many pets. Jeanine's brother Matthew is seven years younger and he recently married his college sweetheart, Lisa at our state aquarium.

Mark is the middle child of three in his family and his parents have been married for 45 years. They have shown us that the secret to a long and happy marriage is to be best friends and laugh as much as you can. Mark's older brother Eric works in the printing department of a community college and is a fan of all kinds of sports. Mark's younger sister Jen is a fifth-grade teacher and just had her first child with her husband, Steve. Alex absolutely loves his new cousin Molly, and always wants to hold her as much as possible.

We like to host family dinners at our home, like formal holiday dinners for 15 people, or a simple cook-out with burgers and hot dogs -- barbeques are our favorite. We look forward to sunny days when we can hang out on the deck and play games in the backyard. Everyone in our extended families gets along very well so family time is always a fun time for all.

Our Home

We recently moved into our dream home, which is nestled in the beautiful country-side of New Jersey. It is a two-story colonial with four bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms on three acres of park-like land. Our home has two fireplaces, a large two-story family room and a spacious three-level deck. We enjoy spending time outdoors on our deck where we treasure the surrounding mountains, glorious sunsets and tranquil moments while taking in the wildlife and unspoiled nature around us. There are several lakes and parks in our community that offer many outdoor activities as well as a wildlife preserve with hiking trails.

Mango and Fresca Relaxing at Home

We live in a safe, clean neighborhood that is full of children. Our community is the type of place where people want to raise their families and this is exactly why we chose to move here.

New Jersey, and more specifically our town, offers a wide range of recreational activities for all kinds of people, no matter the season or weather. We are an active family and like to spend time outdoors as much as we can and try to take advantage of the fun things to do like horseback riding, golfing, bicycling and hiking. Our town hosts many family-friendly events throughout the year, like craft fairs, parades, orange-crate derbies and family movie nights and concerts in the park. We have a nice community pool too.