As of this month, Brandon, Rachel, Sadie and Harrison proudly celebrate three years of calling Kings Point home! Their residence on River Branch Drive is also shared with their adorable kitties, Snowflake and Winter.

 

Originally from Machias, a charming small town about an hour south of Buffalo, New York, both Rachel and Brandon have deep roots in Western New York. They first crossed paths in high school but only began dating in the summer after graduation, despite living just five minutes apart! Their connection blossomed in a summer lifeguarding course and working at a popular ice cream stand near a local lake.

 

After high school, they navigated a long-distance relationship during their undergraduate studies, ultimately moving together to Cleveland, Ohio in 2007 to attend Case Western Reserve University. Brandon graduated with a physics degree from Fredonia State before pursuing a civil engineering degree at CWRU. Meanwhile, Rachel obtained her psychology degree from Alfred University, followed by a dual master’s in social work and bioethics from CWRU. They tied the knot at a picturesque vineyard by Chautauqua Lake, NY, in 2010.

 

Their journey eventually led them to Kingwood, where Brandon’s career took them. They tell us, “When we visited Houston for a house-hunting trip in 2015, we explored various neighborhoods throughout Houston, but Kingwood was not even on our radar. After staying at a local hotel, we drove down Kingwood Drive and immediately knew that the Livable Forest is where we belonged!”

 

Brandon currently works as a branch manager for GRL Engineers in the geotechnical industry. With 15 years of experience in foundation testing—including 8 years on the Gulf Coast—he oversees the Texas and Louisiana offices while managing major foundation projects worldwide. He holds professional engineering licenses in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Nebraska, Ohio, and Oklahoma.

 

Rachel previously spent six years in the healthcare sector in Ohio, working in areas like hospital bioethics, green healthcare, and human research protection. After relocating to Houston, she made a career shift to become an Area Director with N2 Publishing.   She started “The Crown” magazine which she handed off to Laurie Thompson in 2020 and is now known as Stroll Kings Point! Presently, she runs a small PR consulting business while managing the bustling Phetteplace household.

 

The Phetteplace family has two energetic children. Sadie (6), is in first grade at Willow Creek Elementary and enjoys gymnastics, soccer, and golf, along with dabbling in dance. Harrison (2) is enrolled in the MDO Program at Children’s First School at First Presbyterian Church of Kingwood. He loves hitting golf balls at the driving range while sissy is at golf lessons, and he’s her biggest cheerleader for her other activities!

 

In addition to spending time with their kids, Brandon enjoys golfing, woodworking, beer brewing, and home improvement projects. Rachel has a passion for home decorating, family walks, and planning vacations and camping adventures. Their family loves exploring state and local parks in their camper, making the most of the outdoors—unless it’s too hot! Sadie is a craft enthusiast while Harrison is fascinated by planes, trains, automobiles, and, of course, balls!

 

With busy careers and two young kids, relaxation can be a luxury. However, Friday nights are a special tradition for the Phetteplace family, where they enjoy homemade or ordered pizza while watching nature-themed shows together. “This marks our transition to the weekend!” says Rachel. They also cherish their time unwinding in their pool and make it a point to relax after the kids head to bed during camping trips.

 

One hint about their favorite vacation destination … the mountains are calling! Rachel reveals their love for destinations like Jackson Hole and Canmore, Canada. Each summer, they spend 3-4 weeks in Western New York, where the kids relish their time with grandparents, cousins, and extended family amidst the refreshing country air, rolling hills and soft Kentucky blue grass!

 

Some of their family favorites include the Buffalo Bills and the movie "Christmas Vacation." Mealtime delights include Taco Tuesday and breakfast for dinner—complete with genuine New York maple syrup, of course! For special occasions, Brandon and Rachel favor dinner at Squable downtown near The Heights and local eateries like the Clubs of Kingwood and Cava.

 

The family continually embraces new traditions, such as their Friday night nature shows and their summer trips to New York. They also love the special moment of opening matching Christmas pajamas on Thanksgiving night to wear throughout the festive season!

 

Rachel tells us their favorite part about living in Kings Point: “We love the little ‘village’ of friends and neighbors we have here. Whether we need help with picking up the kids from school, borrowing a cup of sugar, or enjoying a glass of wine while our kids play outside, we can always count on our village to be there!”