Occupation: I am opening a chocolate shop, Castle Hill Chocolate, hopefully in time for Mother's Day, next to Dunkin' Donuts. So I'm Newtown's newest "chocolatier." I also co-own a vintage bridal boutique in New Jersey, which is a family business. I was in marketing and advertising for the first ten or so years of my career, and then with the family business.

Family: I have a lovely husband named Patrick, who is also in marketing and advertising. We've been married for 14 years, and dated for only three and a half months before we got married - still the best decision I ever made. We have two children. Jack is 11 and at Reed Intermediate School. Kate is 7 and at Head O' Meadow.

Pets: We have two dogs, both Labradoodles. Finley is turning 5 years old, and Cooper will be 2. They are hilarious. They are my furry children.

How long have you lived in Newtown? We moved to Newtown eight months ago from the Chicago area. I'm originally from Boston and my husband is from Michigan. But Newtown is the final destination.

What do you like to do in your free time? I like to do anything creative - building furniture, painting, designing specialty cakes. I need an artistic outlet. My daughter has a lot of talent and she likes to join me. It's fun to share that with her. I'm involved with WIN, and I'm doing the Citizens Police Academy. I'm a binge reader.

What are you reading now? I just finished Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult, an amazing book. She's a wonderful writer. I've read almost all of her books.

Do you have a favorite travel destination? So far, my favorite has been Spain. I went years ago with a friend. We traveled all over. It was my favorite because the country is so rich in history, and I love history. You realize how young America really is. The architecture and art in Spain really fascinated me.

What is the best thing about Newtown? The people. They are incredibly friendly, and there's a warmth and welcoming feeling. When we moved here, it was like everyone had open arms. It thoroughly exemplified what we want for our kids, that small town loveliness.

Who has been the greatest influence in your life? My kids, definitely. Getting to rediscover the world with them has helped me to slow down and appreciate the moment. They've taught me how to get excited about things I've known about, but am seeing in a different light. They've taught me to laugh a lot and they've taught me compassion - and not to take myself too seriously.

If you could spend a day with anyone, who would you choose? I'd like to spend another day with my grandmother, who passed away eight years ago. I'd like her to meet my daughter, and just kick back with her. She was an incredible woman, and also very creative. I draw a lot of that creativity from her.

Do you have a guilty pleasure? My guilty pleasure is going to flea markets and estate sales. I could spend hours and hours rummaging through sales.