The Beginning

Every great story has a beginning, and ours started in a way I never saw coming.

Stephen and I were searching for a new home for our growing family. He’s a Realtor, and he’d always dreamed of finding a house with plenty of land. One day, he found 52 acres of beautiful property in Marengo. The house had been sitting empty and neglected for two years, and it needed a lot of work. But something about it caught our attention, so we decided to take a look.

When we toured the property, I realized this wasn’t just a house—it was so much more. Yes, it needed restoring, but it had the kind of potential that’s hard to put into words. The Lodge, as we call it now, had high ceilings, wide-open spaces, a towering fireplace, and gorgeous views of a small lake framed by a willow tree. It wasn’t just a place to raise a family; it was something bigger. We could imagine it hosting weddings, celebrations, corporate events, craft fairs, and more.

And just like that, our search for a family home turned into a much bigger vision.

Once we bought the property, we got to work. Renovating something this size isn’t for the faint of heart. We had to figure out what needed immediate attention, what could wait, and what to leave just as it was. If you’ve ever tackled a renovation, you know that it rarely goes exactly as planned. Our first major step was demoing the kitchen to give us a blank slate to start with.

Since then, the Lodge has taken on a life of its own, and so has our dream. We’re excited to see how this story unfolds—and we’re so grateful to be sharing it with you.