Generational Living | Prickly Pear

Blog Banner“We’re doing the generational living thing,” I heard my daughter say.

Generational living? That’s an interesting term, I thought. Then it hit me. We are doing the generational living thing…and that makes Jeff and I … the old people!!

Less than four weeks ago the thought of changing our lives and doing this thing called generational living was a dream. Today, there are three households cleaning out closets and boxing up all their earthly belongings because, next week, we will all own a portion of a big blue house – sitting on top of a hill – with a million dollar view – and it’s just two miles in that direction.

So how are we doing this?  Well, Jeff and I are providing the down payment which we are taking from our retirement fund. The payoff for us is at some point, we think some time around our 70th birthdays, we will stop paying on the mortgage and leave it up to our kids to take over. We get a lovely home to live in when we really are those old people.

What do our kids get? The chance to develop an amazing property in California. Best of all, we are all part of creating a place that one day our grandkids will be making decisions for the next generation. That’s the plan…three families that currently represent three generations.

Once we close on the house, there will be a few more legalities. We will either establish a family trust or actually form a LLC, this will protect us legally if needed. We will also be discussing how to handle the more difficult situations like what will happen in the case of death, or divorce, and who and how will ownership be transferred from one generation to the next. That’s the big scary stuff. 

The smaller scary stuff is who gets to decide the color of the kitchen, whose cooking our first meal, how will we divide two refrigerators, and what day will be your laundry day?

Then there is the really big exciting stuff, and that’s endless. How many dogs can we have? Who is going to name the goats? How many chickens fit into the chicken coop? How many cars fit in the driveway? Just how big can Oktoberfest be? Are we going to be ready for our annual Purim Party? Whose starting the coffee in the morning and what time is the bon fire?

There’s a few other events I’m waiting for. The first time Emery realized that every night is like a sleep over. When Liam decides every dinner is the perfect meal for one of his home made pie creations. Happy hours that start at 5 and end counting the stars. And when Miss Amilea learns to crawl and makes a bee-line for Neenee and Hoppie’s house, which is just down the hall.

Yep, we are doing the generational thing…there’s going to be lots of adventures, lots of decisions, a lot of what ifs? And even more, we didn’t see that coming. 

We’re doing the generational thing and we’re looking so forward to being the old people.

Here are some before pictures of the big blue house…

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…after pictures will follow over next few years. Stay tuned!!

2 Replies to “Generational Living | Prickly Pear”

  1. You will not regret it. It’s the best descion we ever made. I’m so happy for The Bruenning’s Clan. I can’t say enough wonderful things that will come from living together.
    Amanda was helping a friend and their children move out because of a divorce. Cadence told her friend once that her house comes with a grandma and grandpa. 😍
    So where is the house?

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