A house that built me...

For the past 29 years I've been visiting this house in Chino, California...

Last weekend it was time to say goodbye. It's hard when both grandparents pass on and the reality hits that everything that was theirs on this earth gets divided, sold or given away. I took a few pictures to help my memory over the years.

Grandma's decor stayed pretty much the same my whole life. She enjoyed a simple life without too many "extras" and was perfectly content with her life that way. I was given the picture in the right corner for the baby's room.

This was my grandparents room. We eventually stayed here when we'd go visit. When my Grandpa passed my Grandma started sleeping in another bedroom in the house.

This game was the one my Grandpa "invented". Typically these two green boxes are about four feet apart from each other and the point is the stand on the end of one and throw washers into the three holes on the other. The front hole is 1 point, middle hole is 3 points, back hole is 5 points. The first to 21 wins!

This was my favorite room in their house...my Grandma lived here. She was such a wonderful cook and everything she made was delicious. Favorites included homemade macaroni and cheese, orange whipped salad, ground turkey sandwiches, angel food cake with sauce and chocolate cupcakes with pinoche frosting.

This picture will always remind me of them. My Dad said he remembers this picture in their home for as long as he can remember.

And the empty chair. My grandparents spent much of their time relaxing in the family room watching their favorite shows. Every night you could find my Grandma sitting here eating pistachios and drinking a coke.

I will cherish all my memories of this home and will miss it. I'm so grateful for the knowledge I have that this empty house isn't the end of my grandparents. I will see them again in a perfect and beautiful place.