How old are your kids and how long have you lived in Westport? I have lived in Westport for 15 years come July, and my kids are 19, 16 and 13.
What has been the most difficult age with your children to date? What helped you overcome the challenges at that time? It has changed with each child – they have struggled with different things at different times. My friends and family certainly helped.
But you know what else really helped??? Not hiding that there was a problem or that things were tough. Life with kids is a roller coaster, and pretending that everything is okay when it’s not doesn’t help anyone.
What is your favorite family activity to do in Westport or the surrounding towns? Movies at the Bowtie near Bed, Bath & Beyond or Garden Cinemas, followed by dinner.
What was your most memorable family vacation and why? This past summer, we went to Italy. We only have two times during the year now when we can take a long family vacation together so it was great to reconvene after our summers apart. We were all at such good ages and I loved watching the kids go off together on their own.
What is the best white lie you have told your kids? Unfortunately, I’m brutally honest – ask my kids. For better or worse, I don’t think I’ve told them many white lies.
What is your proudest mommy moment? Whenever I see the three of them together or different iterations of them, and I watch one give advice to another and see how they rely on each other, I know that they always have each other’s backs. These are my proudest moments.
What’s your can’t live without beauty product? Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair – I use it day and night.
What’s your favorite restaurant for a family dinner? A night out with friends? For both family dinner and a night out, my favorite is The Whelk.
What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I stay up much of the night reading. Bad habit, but a guilty pleasure nonetheless.
If you had 24 hours to do whatever you wanted – what would you do? It would be a carefree day! I would wake up early and it would be a gorgeous, sunny summer day. I would go for a long walk with my husband, Paul and our dog, Sparky. We’d sit by the harbor in Southport for a bit and then come home and read the paper with the kids. I would have my whole family over and we’d have lunch outside and spend the afternoon laughing and playing card games. Then, I would have early cocktails and dinner with friends. I’d be in bed by 10pm, and up at 2am to read 😉
What is your most marked characteristic? Tenacity.
What do you most value in your friends? Loyalty. Honesty. Thoughtfulness. Laughing together.
What is one piece of advice you would pass along to other moms? Enjoy each phase. It goes way too fast. And there’s something good about each.
How did you end up where you are now in terms of your job? I have always loved jewelry. Always. And, specifically, I have always loved lockets. Five years ago, I decided that it was time for me to pursue my passion and create Devon Woodhill, a line of modern lockets for women like me, who want to celebrate their family and life in a beautiful piece of jewelry that has great versatility and style. I approached Jamie Camche of JL Rocks and she agreed to help me. I have worked really hard for the past five years on all aspects of my business and I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am today without the guidance and support of the expert women I work with and of my friends. I am still in the process of developing the Devon Woodhill line with lots of new pieces and that process is very rewarding. Each day is a challenge with much to juggle. But, I love what I am creating and how it makes people feel when they wear a Devon Woodhill piece.
What are you most excited about in life right now? I am most excited about the next phases that I am entering – both with work and with family. With work specifically, I get super excited to receive orders from around the country on my newly launched e-commerce website, www.devonwoodhill.com. That’s a total thrill! And with family, I am really excited to see my kids becoming more independent as they enter their own new phases. It is scary sometimes, but also exciting and liberating.
