About Me

Hi, I’m Ivy.

Thanks for stopping by! I’m Ivy Nguyen.

Right now, I’m in the middle of a pretty intense season of life here in Salem, Massachusetts.

A bit about me

I’m 32 years old. Like many of us, I juggle a lot of roles.

I’m a wife at home and a system administrator at work. I’m also a part-time residential house investor and a yoga lover. I find real peace digging in the dirt of my garden.

But this New England chapter of my life started far from here.

I came to the U.S. in 2016 with a full scholarship for my master’s program.

I also had $1,700 borrowed from family and a suitcase full of ambition.

Nine years later—through grit, late nights, and a lot of growth—I built a life here.

Together with my husband, we grew our asset worth to around $1.5 million. We were both earning well, saving smart, and dreaming about growing our family.

The Mid-life Reset

Then life, as it often does, threw a curveball.

In mid-2024, my husband was laid off during the tech industry downturn. What we thought would be a quick bounce-back turned into a long, uncertain chapter.

Around the same time, our aging Salem home revealed a major issue—foundation and deck repairs totaling $110,000.

So here I am. Suddenly, I’m the sole breadwinner. I’m managing a six-figure project and facing the pressure of family planning. I’m trying to keep everything afloat. The emotional weight of it all, on top of the financial stress, has been… a lot.

That’s why I started this blog.

I wanted a space to be honest about the messiness of this so-called “mid-life reset.”

I’ll be sharing our journey—mine and Paul’s—as we try to rebuild, reset, and hopefully come out stronger.

Oh and Salem!

Salem is a significant character in our story. Don’t be surprised if some local charm sneaks into these posts. You might also find history or witchy wisdom making an appearance. 🙂

Thanks for being here. Whether you’re going through something similar or you’re just curious about our story, I hope this space brings you a little insight. I also hope it provides some connection or even comfort.

Let’s walk through this together.

-Ivy ❤