When I thought about what to write, at first all I could think of was my story in how I started Uptown. Clearly that would be fitting, because truth be told, it’s been a HUGE part of my life for nearly a decade. But there is a mom, wife, sister, daughter and friend behind this face, and I’m going to share with you a little bit about myself so you can get to know the planner- Jessica Upton.
I’m from Seadrift, a very small town on the coast of South Texas. The nearest grocery store was in the next town over, about a 25 minute drive. And the closest shopping mall was about 40 minutes away.
My mom owned the only hair salon in town and my dad was a shrimper & oysterman that worked on the bay. They both worked long hours, but my mom did her absolute best to always be at our school plays and sporting events.
As the oldest of 3 kids, I have always been a little bossy, or a lot bossy if you ask my brother or sister. And planning things was always fun for me. One of my favorite things to do as a kid was plan scavenger hunts for my friends. Yes, dorky I know, but I loved it. And I still LOVE scavenger hunts to this day! (I even did a group scavenger hunt with friends for my 30th birthday)
In high school I played volleyball and to this day, not pursuing that sport further is one of my regrets. I LOVE playing volleyball and was actually pretty good back then 😉 If I could pick another career, it would probably be a professional volleyball player because I just love playing so much.
My husband Jay and I met through a mutual friend while living here in Austin. He is from that town with the shopping mall 😉 We were married in 2014 in Riviera Maya, Mexico. I absolutely loved having a destination wedding and would advocate to just about anyone about how great it is. We honeymooned in Thailand & Qatar, and have since also traveled to Costa Rica, Italy, and many US states.
We have two boys, Krew & Prescott, that are the apple of my eye, but boy are they a lot of work. Mama’s you know what I’m talking about! They are 22 months apart by design and are best friends. Fingers crossed it stays that way! Balancing mom life and entrepreneurship is one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but I love what I do and I’m very lucky to have a very supportive husband.
Here are 3 things I love~
- Freshly washed bathroom rugs- weird I know, but a fluffy, fresh, clean shower rug makes me so happy.
- Summermoon’s Half Winter Moon- I’m addicted!
- Pineapple upside down cake- my mom always made this for me on my birthday and the tradition continues today.
Get to know the other ladies on our team!
