1st Time Homeowners

Home Sweet Home! We are standing in our future garden spot.
Home Sweet Home! We are standing on our future garden spot.

We’ll close on our first house next week. We’re full of excitement and stress, of course, as we enter the world of home ownership. Having lived in a rental homes for years and taking extremely good care of them we know it takes a lot to maintain a home. It’s just now we can’t call up our awesome landlords when something breaks.

Stickers

Brett's front drumhead
Brett’s front drumhead

I pulled my bass drum away from the wall this evening to see what my son had done. He had added own sticker to my collection. He had stuck his Cars sticker from the dentist over a sheriff sticker I’ve had. My BKG sticker that use to fill the blank spot in the middle was no longer there. One of my kids must of pulled that off at some time. It wasn’t a big deal that this happened.

2012 in Review by Numbers and Pictures

Autumn
Autumn 2012

We thought we’d present a review of 2012 through numbers and photos that tell part of the story. It was an exciting year for all of us as we had two great road trips to California and enjoyed all the new experiences of having a kindergartner. We hope you’ve had a terrific 2012 and 2013 is full of new opportunities!

The Numbers

  • 16,344 miles driven last year (mostly Laura)
  • 3,483 photos taken (and kept)
  • 76 books read by Laura
  • 63 pages scrapbooked by Laura
  • 54 nights away from home for work (Brett)
  • 52 nights away from home for the entire or partial family (non-work)
  • 31 posts on this website
  • 28 nights of hosting family and friends at our house
  • 16 gymnastic lessons
  • 9 years of marriage
  • 8 years of owning www.brettandlaura.com
  • 7 nights camping outdoors
  • 7 live concerts (Van Halen, Flogging Molly, Steve Earle & Los Lobos, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Folk Life Festival, Caspar Babypants, Recess Monkey, Youth Rescue Mission)
  • 5 visits to the Pacific Science Center
  • 3 books read by Brett
  • 3 IMAX movies
  • 2 National Parks visited by family (Lassen Volcanic and Mt. Rainier)
  • 2 pairs of prescription glasses purchased
  • 2 visits to California
  • 1 new nephew
  • 1 new kindergartner

Thanks for Everything Grandma!

Hanging out with my Grandma (September 28, 2012)

Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day and now the day was complete.  ~Marcy DeMaree

My Grandma died this evening. She was 87 years old and lived a full life. I know that she loved her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren with all her heart and we loved her. She worked hard and loved life.

Grandma and Grandpa at Big Bear (1998)

She was born in 1925 in  Hawthorne, California, married my Grandpa in 1943 in South Gate, California, and together the two of them had three children (Uncle Raymond, my mom, and Uncle Ken). My Grandparents lived around the United States and traveled the world instilling the sense of traveling on their children.

My Grandma’s death is sad, not just because of her passing, but because she was the last of my grandparents to die. I’m out. 4 for 4. My dad’s parents died in 1982/1983 and I don’t have many memories of them. My Grandpa (Mom’s Dad) passed away in 2003 and between the two of them I have most of my memories. Actually, when I think of all the times with Grandma and Grandpa it’s difficult to think of one without the other.