Our Story
Has anything really changed?
1986
February 13, 1986
Kevin is Born
Kevin was born on February 13, 1986, in the middle of a snowy night the day before valentines day (and his parents anniversary). Despite clocking in at a perfectly healthy 7 lbs 10 oz, the doctor took one look at his head and declared, “with that head that can’t be correct, weigh him again!” And so began Kevin's lifelong struggle to find a hat or a hockey helmet to fit his big brain.
Kevin's love for fixing things and working with his hands started young. When his brother Charlie was born, Kevin's parents got scolded at the hospital because Kevin tried to disassemble Charlie's crib with a real screwdriver! From then on, Kevin was always helping his dad tinker with cars and house projects.
Though lake house time in New Hampshire was mostly summer weekends, those trips built some of Kevin's favorite memories. Kevin always loved to fish and his parents would always take him as long as he got the boat ready – so he would enthusiastically load up all the fishing poles, buckets, and tackle boxes. Early years were about catching the smallest fish for the lake house aquarium. Later, it was waking up super early to bass fish with his dad, always competing for the biggest catch.
When it wasn't fishing time, it was card time. Go-fish, Uno, Skip-Bo, and 99s with Great-Grandmother Gigi evolved into intense cribbage matches with his mom. Summer-long scores were kept, and Kevin hated losing. It took years for his mom to realize he could see her cards reflected in her stylish 80s sunglasses.
Away from the lake, street hockey in the Duca Drive cul-de-sac was life. Every spring, as soon as the snow melted, Kevin would round up the neighbors to sweep the sand off the street for rollerblading. This led to organized deck hockey and a brief stint in ice hockey before knee injuries cut his career short. Funnily enough, Kevin and Sadie were almost certainly at the same deck hockey tournaments around Massachusetts for years…
1992
April 16, 1992
Sadie is Born
Born on April 16, 1992, Sadie was a spirited child defined by a deep love for frogs, a fierce competitiveness, and a rather large appetite.
Her first frog, Kermit, gifted by an uncle, sparked a lifelong passion. Soon, an army of frogs populated her rooms growing up which made quite a dorm attraction during her high school prep years, girls stopping by to see her frog themed room.
Her competitive spirit started on the hockey rink. She learned to skate in a single day at three. “We put her on the ice, and she just took off,” her parents recalled. She quickly became a fast skater, and scored so much in mini-mites she got banned from shooting. A giant game of keep-away (from both teams) ensued as the coaches forgot to tell her she needed to pass. From there, she skated all the way to Berkshire, Syracuse, and the professional Boston Blades.
Food was another passion, though sometimes painful one. Ziti, a favorite, often led to tears from repeatedly biting her fingers after putting noodles on them. One night, she woke up in so much pain her parents thought she needed to be brought to the ER. But they decided to give her a banana first and then Sadie declared, "All better! Goodnight!"
Clothing and texture’s were a battleground – tags, seams, anything scratchy was the enemy, leading to a preschool wardrobe dictated by Sadie herself, and the same blue dress with apples gracing her school photos for three consecutive years.
Her dislike of hair on her neck resulted in a "super cool" mushroom cut for years. When her parents realize she had terrible eyesight, glasses completed her look. Leaving the eye doctor’s for the first time, Sadie exclaimed, “Mom, look at the leaves on trees,” – previously just one green blur. School became easier, being able to see the board helped… And when her parents asked how she had managed to play hockey before she simply said “I just followed the crowd.”
2016
may 7, 2016
The Fellowship of the Rink
At the time, Sadie was playing for the Boston Blades (a professional women’s ice hockey team in the CWHL) and the Blades decided to host a fun ball hockey tournament at Breakaway Hockey Dek Sports in Dracut, MA. Teams that entered into the tournament each drafted a member of the Blades team onto their own rosters - Kevin’s team lucked out and snagged Sadie. The outcome of the tournament is a bit fuzzy to them, but their nerdy chat about their shared love of Lord of the Rings is what they remember. By post-tournament drinks at The Sports Zone, Sadie was telling her sister she thought Kevin was cute.
June 12, 2016
Tiki bars, Split Lips & Texas Roadhouse
Weeks later, a Leominster tournament reunited Sadie and Kevin. Sadie had a bit of jealously when she spotted Kevin chatting with their friend Ashley in the stands. Little did she know, Kevin was just gathering intel on Sadie.
After day one’s games, Kevin’s team hit the Sunset Tiki Bar. Stepping out of her comfort zone, Sadie convinced a few of her teammates to join when Kevin invited her. He smiled when she arrived and stuck by her all night. Later, the whole group kept the party going, playing drinking games late into the night at the home of Kevin's good friends, Chris and Lore (who would also become Sadie’s good friends).
Kevin’s hungover 7am game brought him a loss, goal on his own net, split lip and ER visit. But he returned, stitches and all, to catch Sadie's final playoff game. And she was thrilled. Awkward goodbyes after the game followed, but Sadie “bravely” facebook messaged him from her car “Texas Roadhouse?” and he said yes instantly.
June 15, 2016
The Giant Fishbowl Margarita
A few days later, mid-commuter rail home, Sadie saw a text from Kevin (yes, numbers exchanged at last!). He was at Casa Blanca for margs and Mexican food after golf league. Sadie declined for a few stops, but Kevin’s persistence, and her FOMO, got her off the train and into an Uber.
A giant fishbowl margarita and a rowdy bunch of Kevin's friends greeted her. They had a blast laughing with the crew and demolishing the marg. Kevin drove Sadie all the way back to the train station in Ayer and as Kevin walked her back to her car, they shared their first kiss.
Post-golf meetups with Kevin and his friends would become their Wednesday summer routine.
July 4, 2016
The Mysterious Lake Winnipesaukee
Determined to impress Sadie, Kevin invited her to his family’s lake house on a lake she had never heard of…Lake Winnipesauke. Grabbing a friend, she packed the essentials (giant inflatable donuts) and headed up for the first time to Moultonborough, NH. A jetski newbie, Sadie opted to let Kevin drive for their first ride. For anyone acquainted with Kevin’s infamous yellow jetskis, not only did they mysteriously breakdown randomly…they we’re also extremely tippy…so no one will be surprised that they both promptly landed in the water when they both attempted to climb on. The weekend was a blast.
July 24, 2016
The “Chin” Incident
Fueled by the Fourth of July weekend’s success, Sadie and Kevin couldn’t wait for the next Lake Weekend. The yellow jetski’s struck again, when Kevin caught a wave the wrong way resulting in him splitting his chin open. With the nearest hospital being at least 45 minutes away…the only “logical” solution involved a lawn chair, a sewing needle and a hefty dose of Jack Daniels. A friend stitched him up, as friends cheered him on and Sadie, horrified, held his hand. Kevin felt no pain for the rest of the evening and at the end of the weekend he asked Sadie to officially be his girlfriend.
September 5, 2016
Crosswalk Calamari
As the summer came to a close, Sadie and Kevin headed up to York Beach Maine. The Corcoran family traditionally capped off their summers here, inviting friends to drop in whenever for their two-week stay. One night, the ladies of the group were tasked with fetching takeout (and a few drinks for themselves) to bring back to the house across the street. Mid-crosswalk, disaster struck as the prized bag of fried shrimp, calamari and French fries hit the deck. Horrified by potentially losing the previous food, Sadie launched into a heroic rescue mission - scrambling to pick up stray pieces with many of them disappearing straight into her mouth. This might have sealed the deal for Sadie in Kevin’s friend group.
Later that night, after more drinks and laughs about the crosswalk incident, Kevin found Sadie alone in the kitchen. He told her that he loved her for the first time, and she felt the same.
2017
February 26, 2017
Vieques, Puerto Rico
Sadie and Kevin embarked on their first major adventure together, jetting off to the tropical paradise of Vieques, Puerto Rico, with their good friends Joe and Kate Marcotte and Sean Davis and his newborn son, Alden. Their days were packed with lounging on perfect white sand beaches, snorkeling in super clear turquoise water, and enjoying tons of delicious food and good drinks. Sadie had never experienced anything like it. This trip sparked their shared love of travel, especially for warm and sunny destinations.
April 30, 2017
A Game-Changing Injury
Sadie & Kevin were on the brink of victory in a ball hockey tournament when disaster struck. A sharp, intense pain shot through Sadie's knee, sending her down in a heap. It later turned out to be a brutal ACL tear. Devastated, but still competitive, Sadie insisted Kevin and their teammates finish the game. She watched through tears from the stands as their team got the win.
The road to recovery would be long, but Kevin would be by her side every step of the way. Kevin became her dedicated caretaker, meticulously tracking her symptoms, medications, and recovery schedule. Seeing his unwavering support, Sadie's parents sensed a permanent move was imminent and they (to Kevin’s surprise) dropped off a bunch of Sadie’s college crates while she was bedridden. Kevin’s house was soon to be their shared home.
September 5, 2017
A Job Closer to Home
With the daily grind of a two-hour commute to Boston taking its toll, Sadie with Kevin’s encouragement, decided to make a change. Having settled into Kevin's home, she decided to quit her design job in Boston and seek a new opportunity closer to home. Amazingly, 36creative, an agency she always been interested in, had moved right down the street in Salem and her new job would be a mile from home. This lesser commute gave the couple more time together.
september 17, 2017
Frank the Tank
Late in the summer, while visiting a friend's house, Kevin stumbled upon a baby snapping turtle. They decided to adopt the turtle, naming him Frank the Tank.
2018
February 24, 2018
North Captiva, Florida
Sadie and Kevin escaped with friends to North Captiva, a tiny, car-free island in the Gulf of Mexico. Their spring break was packed with fun, especially a boat adventure that involved island hopping and plenty of fishing. While fishing, Kevin landed a large catfish that, unfortunately, swung its way toward their friend Niki - jabbing her in the leg! They all helped her drink away her pain that night.
Their boating explorations also led to an unexpected encounter with a friendly manatee, who played with their boat anchor rope, entertaining everyone on board. And of course, no Gulf of Mexico trip would be complete without a visit to Cabbage Key, the legendary island where Jimmy Buffett penned his iconic song "Cheeseburger in Paradise."
2019
February 23, 2019
A Return to Vieques
Sadie, Kevin, and the Marcotte family revisited the tropical Vieques, Puerto Rico – this time opting for a more adventurous journey via puddle jumper plane. Their island adventure included a catamaran snorkeling trip and a unique experience for Sadie: her first attempt at skeet shooting. Overcoming initial nerves (and some tears), she gradually found her rhythm and enjoyed the experience, though the young Marcotte children might have given her a run for her money!
July 17, 2019
Back in the Game
Sadie took off on a solo European adventure, traveling to Slovakia to compete in the world ball hockey championship. This tournament was her big comeback to sports after her ACL injury. As Sadie battled it out on the rink, Kevin diligently followed the action from home. Sadie had a blast with her teammates, bringing home a silver medal and exploring the vibrant cities of Košice, Slovakia, and Budapest, Hungary.
July 17, 2019
Cornhole Boards
Together, Kevin and Sadie crafted their epic hockey stick cornhole boards. Sadie felt perfectly comfortable contributing her precious broken college hockey sticks. She still kinda sucks at cornhole though…
July 27, 2019
Unleashing Frank the Tank
Frank the Tank, once a tiny hatchling, had grown into a huge formidable, hunter of a snapping turtle. They brought Frank to a local pond, and as they released him he went straight after the first fish he saw; they couldn’t help but to envision havoc he might wreak on the unsuspecting fish population.
November 23, 2019
A Nicaraguan Thanksgiving
Sadie and Kevin joined the Marcotte family for a warm Thanksgiving escape to Nicaragua. Their beachfront home in a small fishing village brought super warm days, awesome sunsets, and a never-ending supply of fresh seafood. They loved watching the daily fishing boats come in and out and Kevin had a blast practicing his Spanish with the locals.
The group explored the area by four-wheeler, finding Las Cortinas De Pochomil, a waterfall formed by crashing waves. For Thanksgiving dinner, they swapped turkey for a feast of lobster and shrimp.
In colonial Granada, they enjoyed a horse-drawn carriage ride and the restaurants with beautiful hidden courtyards. A boat tour of Lake Nicaragua's 400+ islands was a highlight, especially for Sadie, who fed monkeys by hand! This Nicaragua trip was just the beginning of many.
2020
February 22, 2020
Nicaragua, Take Two
They couldn't wait to return to Nicaragua, so they headed back for February vacation. More beach days, four-wheeling adventures, and tasty food were on the menu. Joe mentioned at one point that the world was starting to really worry about "this COVID thing," but the group brushed it off.
To cap off their trip, they explored the Mombacho Volcano Natural Reserve — a lush cloud rainforest tucked inside a dormant volcano crater. They hiked the "El Cráter" trail, checking out the warm steam vents coming out from the forest floor. Sadie was a tiny bit bummed she didn't spot any frogs, but everyone was thrilled to catch a glimpse of a lazy sloth just hanging out in a tree.
Their adventure continued with an super fun zipline canopy tour. Kevin and Sadie, first-time zipliners, zoomed from platform to platform with the group surrounded by the sounds of howler monkeys.
March 13, 2020
The Weekend Before the World Shut Down
Shortly after returning from Nicaragua, amid more and more news about this “Covid-19 thing,” Kevin and Sadie decided to still make the trip to Portland, Maine for their annual St. Patrick's Day brewery crawl. Their friend Lore, a nurse, was extra cautious about COVID-19; armed with a backpack full of cleaning supplies she aggressively wiped down the group’s tables at each place before they sat down.
Little did they know the whole world would shut down the very next day. When they returned to work Monday, both Kevin and Sadie were sent home early as their offices implemented a two-week shutdown to "flatten the curve..."
March 28, 2020
Backyard Quarantine
With the world completely shut down and apparently no sign of it going back to normal anytime soon, Sadie and Kevin began a crazy marathon of yard projects to entertain themselves. Clearing out a neglected, over-grown, pricker and vine filled section of yard building a deck platform in the new location, figuring out how to move their whole shed into its new place using PVC piping as rollers to roll it into its new home. They then built new huge garden beds around it that would become Sadie’s hosta gardens. They also cut down several dead trees and cleaned them up.
Summer, 2020
A Covid Summer at the Lake
Summer arrived, and the party (and the projects) moved to the lake! Their biggest project was a complete re-roof. The guys tackled the shingle stripping up top while Kate and Sadie formed the ground crew, scrambling to collect the debris (shingles, nails, you name it) and wheelbarrow it all to the dumpster – all while keeping the rooftop crew well-hydrated by tossing up beers, of course.
One legendary day was a day of battle tubes, with everyone trying to knock each other off their inflatable steeds. Kevin's love for Sadie clearly intensified (just look at his face in the picture!) when, mid-chug on his tube, he tossed the remaining half of his beer to Sadie. She caught it (upright!) and downed it like a champ.
And thanks to the delayed NHL season, this was the one and only summer the crew could enjoy the Bruins games outdoors at the lake.
September 5, 2020
St. Germain Design Co.
One day, Sadie reached a point at her agency where she knew she needed a change. Ditching a job without a new one lined up was nerve-wracking, but Kevin's encouragement gave her the confidence she needed. He told her, "Fuck it. We'll figure it out," which was exactly what she needed to hear so she took the jump. Still wanting to stay in the small agency world, she started reaching out to firms nearby. Timing lined up luckily for her, remote work was blowing up (thanks to the pandemic) and she suddenly found herself freelancing for agencies she had always admired. These freelance gigs turned out to be more than just temporary work; they led to her launching her own studio, St. Germain Design Co. She quickly hit her stride, making more money and having way more flexibility in her first year than she ever did at her old agency. Four years later, she hasn't looked back.
2021
april 24, 2021
Florida Spring Break
With international travel still a bit tricky, the usual crew — Sadie, Kevin, and the Marcottes — decided on a spring break in Captiva, Florida. This trip was all about unwinding. Lounging in the pool, good food, and refreshing drinks. They enjoyed a day of fishing with one of Joe Marcotte's former bosses, cruising the waters of Fort Myers. Another day, while the guys hit the golf course, Sadie and Kate spent a day at Fort Myers Beach, with Sadie's first-ever parasailing experience being a huge highlight. She thoroughly enjoyed sharing the exhilarating experience with Ella Marcotte.
4th of July Weekend, 2021
The New Yellow Jetski
Sadie and Kevin finally traded in Kevin’s old yellow jet skis for a brand-new model, arriving just in time for a rainy Fourth of July weekend. Their excitement couldn’t be dampened as they threw sweatshirts over their bathing suits to take their new toy out for its maiden voyage. They had no regrets on their upgrade as it was enjoyed heavily all summer by them and their friends - without fear of breakdowns. Though it wasn’t without incidents as their friend Gumby did get lost for several hours returning with a noticeably purply color to his bald head.
September 6, 2021
Rambo the Rambunctious
Late in the summer, Kevin stumbled upon another baby snapping turtle, this time on the golf course. Likely hatched from eggs laid in a sand trap, the tiny guy was so small he fit inside a golf ball sleeve! They named him Rambo, because he was extremely high energy and rambunctious.
Thanksgiving 2021
Finally Back to Nicaragua Post Covid
Sadie, Kevin, and the Marcotte family were pumped to finally return to Nicaragua post-COVID, though precautions were still in place. Their early morning arrival at NYC's airport almost turned completely disastrous when the airline mishandled Joe and Joey Marcotte's pre-flight tests, dismissing Joey's due to identical names - refusing to let Joey board. After frantic, unsuccessful arguments at the desk, Joe quickly rebooked himself and Joey on flights to Costa Rica. They took off a few hours later, then raced to the Nicaraguan border, barely making it across before their 48-hour test window expired.
Despite the stressful start, the rest of the trip was pure, much-needed relaxation. Their days were filled with four-wheeling adventures, sunny pool days, and delicious food and drinks. Thanksgiving featured a feast of steak and shrimp. Plus, the new cornhole boards, built by Kate and Joe's awesome property manager and friend Gil, saw plenty of games.
2022
June 17, 2022
A Three Week Summer Kick-Off in Nicaragua
The usual crew – Sadie, Kevin, and the Marcottes – kicked off summer with an epic three-week trip back to Nicaragua. This time, following Joe's route from the previous trip, they intentionally flew into Costa Rica and then they were driven to the Nicaraguan border. Their driver got them as close as possible, but the crew then had to leave their van and cross the border on foot – a truly wild and funny experience for everyone. They spent a few days in San Juan Del Sur exploring new sights, including the impressive Cristo de la Misericordia overlooking the bay, before heading to Kate and Joe’s house in Masachapa.
A week into their adventure, everyone piled into a pickup truck (some even riding in the bed!) for a 45-minute trek up winding mountain roads to a town famous for handmade furniture. They returned with a serious haul: a dining table, outdoor chairs, rocking chairs, a living room set, a stove, and even some plants to furnish Casa Marcotte. Sadie thoroughly enjoyed the trip home; sitting in the back of the truck in one of the newly purchased rocking chairs with a beer in one hand and Pringle’s in the other. It was an awesome day – but Sadie had no idea it was about to get even better.
June 23, 2022
The Best Sunset Ever!
Before the trip, Sadie's hockey teammates had questioned her about a possible proposal on this trip, but she confidently dismissed it, even getting her nails done in a very un-bridally bright blue. The evening of the furniture hunt, the tired crew opted for takeout from a nearby hotel restaurant. While their food was prepared, Sadie and Kate relaxed in the hotel pool, margaritas in hand. There, Sadie, in a moment of exasperation complained that Kevin hadn't proposed yet - that she didn’t understand what was taking him so long and that she thought he never was going to do it. Kate, knowing that he planned to propose this trip (but not when), comforted her and simply said “Yea, what an asshole.”
Later, after dinner, Kevin was determined to catch the sunset. Kate, however, after a long day of furniture hunting was bummed when she realized they were out of vodka. Unaware of the sunset’s true significance, she insisted that the vodka supply needed to be replenished immediately. So the boys made a quick jog to the corner store to make it back for the sunset. As the crew wandered down to the beach, Kevin turned to Sadie, suggesting, "Let's take a picture in the sunset." Usually the photo enthusiast, Sadie surprisingly replied, "Naw, we have plenty of those," but Kevin wasn't taking no for an answer. Joe held up his phone, and Sadie must have blacked out, because she doesn’t remember a thing Kevin said, as he got down on one knee. It was the best sunset ever!
They spent the rest of the trip celebrating their engagement, even enjoying a few luxurious days at the Barcelo Hotel, joining Kate and Joe in their 17-year wedding anniversary celebration. More four-wheeling and horseback riding followed, all enjoyed with the excitement of being newly engaged.
