Occupation 

High School Science Teacher

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Hobby

Exercising, fishing, golfing & playing sports

Favorite Food

Taco Bell

Favorite Music

Pop, Hip Hop & Rap

Favorite Movie

Top Gun

Favorite Place to Vacation

Anywhere in Florida

Occupation 

Contracts/Accounting Manager

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Hobby

Cooking & Crafting 

Favorite Food

Italian or a homemade Spanish meal

Favorite Music

Country, NM Spanish & Pop 

Favorite Movie

Me Before You & The Little Mermaid 

Favorite Place to Travel

Ana Maria Island & Disney World

Our Story

We met in 2012 at the local high school where we worked. Brett was the athletic trainer, and I was the Cheer coach. We had small interactions regarding athletes and saw each other at all sporting events. Some of my cheerleaders had Brett as a teacher, and while in class, he would often tell them to put in a good word for him, which they did when they came to practice. The turning point came in December after our local high school played in the football championship game.

I decided to make the first move and texted Brett, and the conversation led to our first date, which went really well. We set up another date for New Year's Eve. This date happened to be my traditional family New Year's Eve party, where Brett met a significant portion of my family. Needless to say, it was the best New Year I have ever had because six days later, Brett asked me to be his girlfriend. We quickly realized that we had something serious and special, and in August 2013, we decided to build a house and move in together. In October 2013, Brett’s family planned a trip to New Mexico to meet me. During this visit, he took me down to my favorite tree-covered path and surprised me with the perfect proposal, and I couldn’t wait to say YES! We celebrated with both families at a surprise dinner afterward.

We got married in New Mexico in September 2014. Our celebration included a traditional Catholic church service and a very large reception that followed. We had the best night celebrating with our friends and family, eating great food, and dancing the night away to a mix of Spanish and American music. Brett’s family and friends were excited to learn how to dance La Marcha, which is a traditional Hispanic wedding dance in New Mexico.

Our Home

In the summer of 2013, we built our first home together. Our place is a unique custom flat-roof home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, two family living rooms, and a delightful backyard for fun activities. Located in a fantastic, family-friendly neighborhood, we have walking paths and parks nearby. Our shared living room is the heart of our home, where we enjoy spending time watching football, movies, and our favorite TV shows. Leanne's love for cooking and my baking skills often bring us together in the kitchen, where we collaborate on meals and fun treats. The local school district where I work is excellent at all levels. We're excited to turn our spare bedroom into a nursery, filling it with love and attention as we prepare for the next chapter of our lives.

We live in a small yet steadily growing community that has seen a lot of changes over the years. This town is special to us because it's where Leanne's entire family lives. Despite its size, there's a consistent effort to organize fun community activities. We always take part in annual events like the 4th of July Parade, Christmas Parade, county fairs, and family nights at the drive-in movie theater. Attending high school sports events is something we love to do to show our support for the local community. Leanne especially loves going to the International Balloon Fiesta. Our town is blessed with beautiful mountains, some just 45 minutes away. In the summer, we often go camping with Leanne's family, enjoying the natural beauty that surrounds us.

I am a Wisconsin native and was born into a family where I hold the middle ground between an older brother and a younger sister. My family includes two incredible parents who have celebrated 45 years of marriage, and they all continue to reside in Wisconsin.



Growing up with my family was nothing short of amazing. We were lucky enough to live within a few hours of most of my extended family. This allowed us to travel to my grandparents each year for holidays, visit with Aunts and Uncles, and play with my cousins who were around the same age. When we travel back to Wisconsin for the holidays, we continue to visit and spend time with them. Even though my family is further away, we try and visit as often as we can.

Usually we travel up there at least once a year, and my parents come down to New Mexico to stay as well. My sister recently got married and now has two children with her husband, whom we visit regularly over FaceTime and in person when we are able to travel. My brother does not have any children but is an amazing and gentle uncle. My parents are very involved in their grandchildren’s lives and love it when they are able to babysit so they can take them to the park or the zoo or just spend the day with them playing at home. My parents can't wait for us to grow our family so they can visit even more and spend time with us and our family.

Leanne's Family

I come from a large New Mexican Hispanic family. I have a strong bond with both my immediate and extended family. My parents, who have been happily married for 40 years, still reside in the same home where they raised my younger brother and me.

Growing up, attending Catholic services with my parents was a meaningful and integral part of our family routine. The rich traditions, spiritual guidance, and sense of community played a major role in shaping my upbringing. Brett and I continue to attend Catholic services and plan to do so with our child as well. My parents did an incredible job raising my brother and me, and they’re even more amazing as grandparents. We’re blessed to have them just 10 minutes away, and I’m grateful that our child will have the joy of growing up with their grandparents so close by.



My brother has two boys whom I absolutely adore, he is an amazing father, and he can’t wait to be an uncle. We make it a tradition to have Sunday dinners together every week. Additionally, impromptu dinners on any other day of the week are not uncommon.

My mom comes from a large family of seven, and my dad has one older sister. Both sides of the family have numerous cousins, many of whom I am extremely close with.

I grew up with Spanish as a significant part of my family interactions. Although I'm not fluent, I know some, and it's a meaningful connection to my heritage. My grandmother often speaks to me in Spanish to help me practice and improve my language skills, keeping me connected to the language.

Brett & Leanne - A Look Into Our Life

Meet Piper & Jovi

Piper is 10 years old, and we actually got her the day after our wedding. She was a gift to Brett as a thank you for not smooshing cake in Leanne’s face at our wedding reception. She is a small, black maltese-shih tzu mix, who is excited to meet any new face who comes to the house. She loves to play, but also loves to relax and take naps.

Jovi is 4 years old, as we got her around Christmas of 2019. She is a small, brown mix of terrier and who knows what else. She was given to us by one of Brett’s former students. Her and Piper immediately formed a close bond, and they regularly play and nap together throughout the day. She is a little more skeptical of people than Piper is, but once she sees Piper interact with new people she is quick to follow.

Adventure Is Calling

In the early stages of our relationship, we discovered a shared passion for travel and a desire to embark on spontaneous trips whenever possible. Brett and I also have a special connection through our support for the Green Bay Packers. Attending home games and various games in different locations has become a treasured tradition for us. Additionally, Leanne is a huge Disney fan, and we've enjoyed several trips to Disneyland and Disney World to soak in the magical atmosphere together. While we love to travel solo, we prioritize an annual family vacation with Brett's family to create lasting memories. We are truly excited about the prospect of adding a new family member to share in our adventures and family vacations with their grandparents and cousins.

Holiday Traditions

Many of our family traditions revolve around the holidays. For Easter, we go on a pilgrimage walk on Good Friday, followed by a fish fry with Leanne’s family. On Sunday, we watch our nephews search for their eggs and Easter baskets, then attend Church and brunch afterward.

On the Fourth of July, we attend the Parade, spend the day grilling food, swim, and attend the town fireworks show.

In the fall, we travel with our nephews and cousins to the pumpkin patch for a day filled with hot chocolate and searching for the perfect pumpkins to carve. Thanksgiving is spent cooking a big meal and watching football.

One of our favorite holidays is Christmas. We love spending time with both families. Each year, we make Christmas cookies and decorate. This year, our neighborhood had a Christmas decorating competition, and we were thrilled when we were declared the winners!

We also love spending a day with Leanne’s 84-year-old grandmother, baking traditional holiday treats like biscochitos, tortillas, passole, and tamales.



For New Year's Eve, Leanne’s grandfather hosts a traditional Matanza with all her family and friends. After the day's events, we get together at her aunt's house for food, games, and laughter.

We're thrilled about the prospect of welcoming a new child into our family and eagerly look forward to introducing them to our cherished traditions while also creating new ones together.

Fun with Uncle & Auntie

Between our siblings, we have three nephews and one niece. Beyond our immediate family, Leanne’s close bond with her cousins, who now have children, means their little ones lovingly call us Uncle Brett and Auntie Leanne. While we don’t get to see our niece and nephew in Wisconsin as often, we make sure to have regular FaceTime calls with them. Our home is also a frequent spot for sleepovers, and it’s common for one (or all) of the younger ones to eagerly want to stay over, which we love!

We love taking them out for fun activities, like trips to the zoo or aquarium, and watching their excitement as they marvel at the animals. Our nephews especially enjoy coming over for sleepovers, where we play video games, eat pizza, and watch movies. In the summer, we look forward to cheering them on at their soccer, baseball, and football games and tournaments around town.



It has been an honor for us to baptize several of these children. Leanne has also confirmed two of her younger cousins, and her childhood friend’s daughter. These experiences have deepened our connections with our extended family and reflect our love and commitment to these children. Each and everyone of them hold a special place in our hearts. The most exciting thought is knowing how thrilled they’ll all be to have a new cousin to love and play with.