Donnie Wahlberg & Jenny McCarthy Lived with Kids in House without Furniture: 'We're Grateful for Every Bit of It'

Donny Wahlberg and his wife Jenny Mccarthy blended their families in 2014, and they raised their kids in a house with no furniture. They have come very far since then, and gratitude is all they have.

Donny Wahlberg and Jenny McCarthy were already parents when they met one another on "Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen," but they fell in love and decided to blend their families in 2014.

As far as Wahlberg is concerned, McCarthy is the perfect wife and stepmother. The actor is always praised for her skills as a parent and wife.

The pair are most grateful that their families get along; Wahlberg has two boys named Xavier and Elijah with his former wife Kimberly Fey, while McCarthy has a special needs son named Evan.

Wahlberg has been very vocal about how happy he is that McCarthy has a genuine connection with his kids and that they see her as someone who can teach them tradition alongside him. Wahlberg said:

"We connect with our kids in ways that we haven't connected with our own."

McCarthy has echoed his sentiments in past interviews. For example, in an interview with US Weekly, she once talked about how she is most grateful for his unconditional love for her and her son, even though he is special needs.

McCarthy pointed out how it was a big worry for single mothers because they preferred men who could care for them properly. Finding such a man in Wahlberg and finding out that he got along well with her son makes McCarthy truly believe she hit the jackpot.

The lovebirds are glad they are together and in love which means the kids they're raising together can see what a genuinely love–filled relationship looks like.

They Carefully Picked Out Their First Home

House hunting is usually a tedious task that involves a lot of moving around and brainwork as the buyer has to consider several factors before making a decision.

The house is not a luxurious or sprawling estate; it is infused with love from the family.

However, it was different for Wahlberg and McCarthy. The two are one of the small percentages of people satisfied with the first house they were shown.

The moment they walked through the door of the five-bedroom Tudor-style home, Wahlberg knew they had found the one. He said:

"When we came in the door, I saw Jenny's face, and I said, 'I have to get this house. I just have to; this is the house.'"

Wahlberg did not need to say much; McCarthy had been thinking the same thing. According to her, she felt a connection to the home she grew up in even though she did not like the decor.

McCarthy said the decoration was not acceptable, but there was an energy that welcomed them to be occupants of the home. After buying the property, they had to spend more than a year without real furniture because they always had young boys over.

McCarthy and Wahlberg let them have the house to themselves and chose to camp out in their bedroom together until they decided it would be healthier to create a good home instead of letting the kids mess up everything.

They reached out to a designer from Chicago named John Wolf to help them bring their idea of a home to life. They wanted something that reflected their vibe without sacrificing functionality and comfort for the active family. John Wolf was able to capture their interests, and McCarthy praised him for it. She said:

"John got who we are immediately and was so passionate about giving us the home we always dreamed of that feels like us."

Wolf made it sound easy when he talked about it. He was well aware of their status as stars, so he focused on creating something that would reflect the couple's authenticity. Something they could relate to while not doing their jobs.

McCarthy and Wahlberg started feeling the urge to redesign their home after she bought a piano her friend was selling off and put it in their piano room. It was the first thing they bought for the house, and it had them reimagining their family's main room.

Between then and now, they've added more things, including good sofas, a lovely art piece, and a black french door entrance that leads to McCarthy's sewing room.

Adding more items to the main room started the chain that saw the couple move from room to room renovating. Some of those other rooms include the sitting and sunrooms, formal dining room, McCarthy's sewing room, Wahlberg's office, a Blondies cocktail-themed bar, the kitchen, and breakfast nook.

The renovation did not stop indoors; they installed a child-proof pool complete with a water slide, waterfall, grotto, a patio, a private nature path, and a one-hole practice golf green in the backyard.

Everything they put in their home was meant to create a haven for themselves and their kids, and even though the house is not a luxurious or sprawling estate, it is infused with love from the family.

They Love Their Home

Wahlberg and McCarthy have enjoyed success in their respective careers but have never forgotten their roots. They were both penniless before fame found them, but that has all changed, and they now live in their dream home. Wahlberg once said about their home:

"This isn't an extravagant home, but there's no greater symbol of our love for each other than this house and how much love has gone into it."

It is one of the reasons they are always so grateful on Thanksgiving. The pair believe they have a lot to be thankful for. In 2019, they had a Thanksgiving feast, which they celebrated with their family. Wahlberg said:

"We both grew up really poor, and Thanksgiving was the one time of year when we could eat this really big meal as a family and to be thankful and have gratitude."

The couple does have a lot to be thankful for, especially themselves. In 2021, for their seventh-year anniversary, Wahlberg had a reverend help him surprise his wife with a vow renewal.

He shared a post on his Instagram page documenting the renewal, and in his comment section, he confessed how much he adored and loved McCarthy. His post made it clear that they had gone seven years without a problem and would go several more with the same status.