Note: Originally published as “LDS family stars in new TLC show, stresses importance of faith” on June 22, 2016, by Kelsey Schwab Adams, For the Deseret News.
“We both felt that this is a path that the Lord wanted us to walk. We aren’t sure exactly why that is yet, but we really do hope that we can represent both our church and ourselves in a way that God would be proud of. And if we do that, we know that there will be some good that comes out of it that’s bigger than just playhouses and TV shows.”
Tyson and Audrey Leavitt and their three children took a leap of faith when they decided to sell their landscape business of nine years to build elaborate playhouses — and will soon star in their own TV show on TLC.
“My landscape business was really draining on me because I was working from sunup to sundown, and I wasn’t able to spend time with my kids and my family,” Tyson Leavitt said. “I wasn’t able to use it as a creative outlet because I was limited to what could really be built in this neighborhood, which is a small city of 90,000. I noticed that in yards there wasn’t a place for kids to go out and have their own space.”
The Alberta, Canada couple built a play set for their local home and garden show, which got more attention than they expected. The following year at the same home and garden show, they went “all out,” building a Rapunzel play set that attracted even more attention. It was then that Tyson Leavitt says he decided to “jump both feet into it” and sell his landscape company to build playhouses full time.
Featured photo: The Leavitt family’s business, Charmed Playhouses, is based in Lethbridge, Alberta. They are currently working on a TV show with TLC, featuring their elaborate playhouses. Provided by Audrey Leavitt
Sunshine in the Soul 