Some families just know how to enjoy themselves, and Jenn, Sarah and their daughters, Leah (8 on Dec. 4) and Hannah (3), are one of those families. From hitting up Disneyland, Hawaii, and Suncadia this past fall to happy hours in the backyard with neighbors or a long getaway weekend, they make the most of their time at home on Foxglove and traveling to favorite destinations near and far.

“Our family likes to be in the mountains in the winter and on the boat in the summer, which makes the PNW a great place to live,” Jenn told us. “We love to travel and are trying to make up for the COVID-19 delay.” That might mean Park City, Utah, visiting friends or Suncadia “or a weekend of wine and snow or enjoying the sun and surf instead in Hawai’i.  They just got back from Aulani in November.  They love the mountains of Colorado in any season, especially the shoulder seasons of October and April.  Breckenridge, Frisco and Vail are among their favorites.  The Watts are getting close to braving Europe once Hannah, who is 3 years old, doesn't need to be carried by Mom.

 

A tried-and-true Washingtonian who roots for the Seahawks and the Huskies, Jenn was born in Tacoma and grew up here in Gig Harbor attending Harbor Heights, Goodman, and Peninsula — go Hawks! She originally moved into the house that they now live in when she was 11.  Her father, John, built and designed the house when there were only two other houses on Foxglove and only one entrance (from the back).  The rest was a dusty road lined with trees. 

 

Sarah grew up in Wichita, KS, although she went to undergrad at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, CO.  She finished her doctorate for Physical Therapy back home at Wichita State when she and a friend moved "as far away as possible" and never turned back. She was doing travel PT, which allowed her to spend stints of time in various areas, and came to Seattle as her first stop and never left. Meanwhile, Jenn moved away for college at Whitman in Walla Walla, where she studied Economics, Politics, and History. She spent 13 years in the Seattle area and then one in Colorado before landing back in Gig Harbor. Both always knew that they would raise their children close to Jenn's family in Washington.

 

The couple married in 2012, and they moved back to Gig Harbor in the summer of 2019 when Jenn was seven months pregnant with Hannah, so they’ve been back in our neighborhood for three and a half years now. Older daughter Leah, who turns 8 on Dec. 4, and her little sister spend several days a week doing gymnastics with AGA and PenMet, and when they aren't, they enjoy sleepovers at Grammy's, going to the park, painting at Java and Clay, and junk food. Jenn has worked at Microsoft and Amazon but currently is an HR leader at Meta. Sarah continues to progress in her career in PT.

 

The family enjoys hanging out at home and at the Canterwood park and stables with their girls (Leah is an avid horse lover!) and have their hands full with their 1-and-a-half-year-old goldendoodles: Rosie (blonde) and Nola (black). Family dinners usually consist of steak, green beans and mashed potatoes “or some variation of that,” and their girls are not the most adventurous eaters, requesting butter noodles and breakfast for dinner.  There is some argument as to what to watch on TV. "There is a lot of family debate here," Jenn remarked. Hannah likes Paw Patrol and Spidey and his Amazing Friends; Leah is into any kid melodrama involving gymnastics or mermaids; for Sarah, it’s Grey's Anatomy; and for Jenn, Virgin River. Music is a little bit easier with each family member in charge of their own playlist on Spotify. 

 

When it comes to dinners out, the kids request Italian and Mizu.  When Sarah and Jenn decide and/or go without the kids, they enjoy hotspots like Brix 25, Morso, or Wooden City. The family has a standing Monday Crumble Cookie date to experience the new flavors. "Chocolate chip is an all-time favorite, but we do try the others,” they said.

 

For any holiday or season, Sarah, Jenn, and the girls have created lasting traditions. We like to kick off fall by going to Remlinger Farms or the Suncadia Fall Festival. It's officially fall when we start to lay out our pumpkins and pull out the fall sweaters and outdoor decor. Their house is the one on Foxglove with lights from Halloween through New Year's.  

 

During the winter holiday, they celebrate BIG with +/- 40 family members on Christmas Eve (sorry, security guards!). “We also like to decorate our front yard for any and all holidays. You may see blow-ups during Halloween or golden deer at Christmas, and you can always expect lights, lots of lights!” 

This family takes care of each other and looks out for their greater community. They regularly volunteer in their kids' schools, give to education, the environment, and animals.  Right now, the Watts "donate to their alma matters, the World Wildlife Fund, ASPCA, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and local pet rescues,” Jenn shared. They make this part of their annual traditions by revisiting which organizations they will support each year and giving their kids the chance to be part of the decision-making process. This past summer, they held two lemonade stands, and the money earned toward those (from incredibly generous neighbors!) went to Alzheimer's and diabetes research.  Jenn was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 7.

 

If they aren’t sitting around the front yard fire pit in the summer, having a glass of wine with friends, or paddleboarding (a new hobby as of last summer), you might see them out and about walking the pups or at the Catnerwood park.  “We love our neighbors and how safe we feel here.” The family that plays together stays together, and so do good neighbors. “We've met friends who are now part of book club, monthly happy hours, and playdates at the park, and feel so fortunate to be met with smiles on every walk,” Jenn told us. “The feeling you get when you drive through the neighborhood is pretty unique and special, and we never take that for granted.” 

The Watts would love to meet you and wish you, family and friends, a very merry and bright holiday season!