A Pause, a Thank You, and Looking Ahead
Life Happened. We’re Still Here. And We’re Looking Ahead.
If you’ve noticed a little quiet here over the past couple of weeks, you’re not imagining it.
Between the holidays, end-of-year obligations that seem to multiply overnight, a birth in Andrea’s family, and a loss in Jennifer’s family, we stepped back briefly. Life has a way of reminding you that even the best-laid plans sometimes need to yield to what’s happening in real time.
We’re truly grateful you’re here. Building this community together has been one of the joys of 2025.
As we look ahead, our commitment remains clear: to bring you thoughtful, grounded, genuinely useful content in the year ahead. The kind that respects where you are in your life, your home journey, and your planning for what comes next.
A Year That Asked a Lot (and Gave Some Gifts Back)
There’s no getting around it—2025 was a challenging year for many people and also for both of us. Personally, professionally, emotionally. It required resilience, flexibility, and more deep breaths than usual. We typically write these posts together, in one voice, but we thought for this one, we would share what this year has meant to each of us, individually.
Andrea: This year brought a few unforgettable family celebrations, including a proud naval milestone with my youngest son and the long-awaited joy of welcoming him back to the states after three years overseas. We also celebrated the arrival of my new grandson, a reminder of how beautifully life continues to grow and change. Along the way, there was travel with both friends and family—time spent reconnecting, laughing, and creating memories that will last far beyond the year itself.
Of course, 2025 didn’t come without its challenges. It was a year that tested my patience and pushed me physically and mentally, reminding me just how important good health truly is. It taught me the value of slowing down and listening to my body—because if you don’t choose to do it voluntarily, life has a way of making the choice for you. I am deeply grateful for the family, friends, and colleagues who stood by me and helped me navigate the harder moments. Their support made all the difference, and life would feel far lonelier without them. One of my biggest takeaways this year was the importance of how we treat others—my goal is always to leave people feeling a little better than when I met them.
Jenn: This year asked more of me than I expected. I began 2025 assuming I’d continue my work as a federal public servant supporting children and families until retirement—but dramatic federal cuts in March created an unexpected turning point. I chose to pivot, stepping fully into real estate, a long-considered “what if.”
The shift from a stable 9-to-5 to building a business where success is tied to your next closing has been both exhilarating and unsettling. I’ve learned quickly, leaned heavily on Andrea and others with deep local knowledge, and grown in ways I didn’t anticipate. Alongside that came my first full year of homeownership—specifically, a 256-year-old home I love deeply and that has tested me at every turn, with projects and surprises that seem to arrive on a seasonal schedule.
Layered into all of that were the personal realities of parenting three teenagers, including a summer marked by significant mental health challenges for one of my children. And just last week, my mother passed away unexpectedly. It’s been a year of profound change, resilience, and learning—and one that reshaped me in lasting ways.
But it also brought some bright spots we’re both deeply thankful for.
One of the biggest? The partnership between Andrea and Jennifer, and the creation of Keys to the Lakes. What started as a shared vision turned into real momentum—working with wonderful clients, closing multiple properties together, and building something that feels aligned, local, and deeply human.
That matters to us. Because this work isn’t just about transactions—it’s about helping people shape the next chapter of their lives, here between the lakes and the mountains.
Looking Ahead to 2026 (and a Few New Things…)
As we turn the page, we’re excited about what’s coming next.
In the new year, we’ll be expanding the ways we share insights, stories, and guidance—including the launch of a Keys to the Lakes YouTube channel. Think: practical advice, local context, honest conversations about real estate and lifestyle here, and fewer buzzwords than most real estate videos on the internet. We’ll share more details soon.
And of course, this space will continue to be a home for market insights, downsizing conversations, relocation guidance, and reflections on what it really means to live well in this region.
A Gentle Invitation
This in-between moment—the last few days of a calendar year—is a powerful one.
We invite you to join us in reflecting on what worked, what didn’t, and what you’re ready to do differently. To think less about resolutions you’re “supposed” to make, and more about designing the life you actually want—how you live, where you live, and how your home and community supports that vision.
If 2026 is the year you simplify, relocate, downsize, invest, or finally start planning instead of postponing, now is the perfect time to begin that conversation—with yourself, and with the people who matter most.
Let’s Hear From You
We’d love to know: what are you planning for 2026 and beyond? Are you setting goals, making a move (literally or figuratively), or just giving yourself permission to slow down and recalibrate?
Drop a comment below and share what you’re working toward. Your plans might inspire someone else who’s quietly wondering what’s next.
Here’s to the year behind us—and the one we get to shape ahead. And, as always, to life between the lakes and the mountains.
💫 Keys to the Lakes
— Jenn & Andrea
