I come home to my parents every chance I get. They were great parents when I was little and they are even better (almost) as an adult. Why? Because they love me and my husband and, most importantly, their grandchildren and go out of their way to make time for them. This makes for fantastic visits, because they WANT to do things with the kids and understand that my/our participation is optional! For example: they expect me and Daddy-007 to take a night off to go see a movie, Gramps takes the kids for hikes or a bike ride without any encouragement, Grandma wants to read stories to them and then lie down with them for a cuddle, and *most importantly* Gramps wakes up at 5am every morning so he is ready and waiting for the little buggers when they come roaring out of bed too early for the Bitchin' Wife and Daddy-007 to deal with. Bless their souls, I'd saint them, if I could!!They moved into a new house a few years back, so it's not the one I grew up in.... But some things are still the same:
The food is always amazing and plentiful.
Wait, ... this is what is just lying around waiting to be picked at and eaten EVERY TIME YOU WALK BY... The fridge is stocked with everything else that you could want to nosh on. It is criminal. (FYI: That is Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pie, Sticky Nut Buns, the Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie that came with us, a bag of bing cherries (because our health is important, after all :) and a giant container of mixed nuts. Riiiiiight....)
The TV is on and too loud.
Kisses and hugs are doled out like candy.
And this one's a biggie:
The gun rack is still full.
I love free babysitting! er..I mean, visiting my parents!
ReplyDeleteGun racks are terrifying to me. It's like standing in a room with a ghost staring at you. The stocked fridge might be enough to get over the guns however.
ReplyDeleteAm I FIRST??? Woo hoo if I am!
ReplyDeleteI'm reading your story, and thinking what lucky kids you have, with such wonderful grandparents because my kids have no grandparents.
Good to know some things just don't change. lol
Wow, how lucky you all are!! I'm putting on weight just looking at the spread...look out! I'm coming over!!
ReplyDeleteI bet they'll even bring it all overseas, too :)
ReplyDeleteMarinka: Call it what you will: I'm taking it.
ReplyDeletePanicRoom: The guns aren't loaded, and the kids don't even notice them. And the food can make up for all kinds of things, can't it?
Joanie: They are the only grandparents for our kids, but they easily do double duty. :)
Sticky: You said it. My 6 lbs is turning into 10 while I'm here. Dratted holiday feasts!
Rants: Funny you should mention it; my mom is lobbying to be our "nanny" while we are there. She is dying to move with us....
Sticky buns, a fully loaded rack, and date night...what more can a girl ask for? :)
ReplyDeletelove my parents home too!!
ReplyDeletesans the gun rack... this is exactly why i go home for 2 weeks every summer and why my parents are always welcome in my house :)
ReplyDeleteenjoy!
Temple: Well, when you say it like that.... I gotta climb out of the gutter to make the rest of these comments.... !!!! ;^D
ReplyDeleteAngi_b72: Wahoo for parents'!!!!
ReplyDeleteMarla: That... and the view!
Sound just like my folks house except for the guns. So much food everywhere you turn, all day long!! TV on, cd player on, games played late into the night, very fun! My mom loves to get my big boys alone & give them the 3rd degree on their love life etc.!!
ReplyDeleteYeah, my husband decided to bring his gun from Utah to Missouri, just because he can. I was not happy in the huge lines at the airport. He would be in hogheaven at their home.
ReplyDeleteOh ... that sounds like my Mum and Dad's house. It's really great. I'm happy I'm so close to them!!! You're truly blessed, but even so ...
ReplyDeletemore bright blessings,
~S~
You gave my pie away??
ReplyDeleteI wanna come next time...
Breanda: I want to corner your guys and ask them about their love lives! ;) It is wonderful to go somewhere where there are NO surprises...
ReplyDeleteKristina: I haven't flown with a gun before, but it sounds like it would be a pain in the ass.
SweetPeaSurry: It would be wonderful if all of this was only an hour away instead of nine. I have to work to get to it!
Braja: Don't worry, I ate TWO pieces for you. :) You are invited any time you show up!!
They KICK ASS! I am very jealous right now. I call my mother in law Marie Barrone. That should tell you something.
ReplyDeleteYour parents sound like veritable angels! Good for them! And lucky you!
ReplyDeleteWow Amy - that sounds amazing....and homey. My parents just left today to head back to the home I grew up in. I had an incredible childhood but I do wish for a better scene now that we are adults...but your post is making me realize more the stuff that they DO do for me and my kids....and I should tell them more often that I'm thankful for it....
ReplyDeleteOh I'm feeling kinda Christmasy sappy tonight...
Yeah.. I need to have d last words.. They say that one will love grandchildren more than one love one's own children. I guess that's true.
ReplyDeleteVodka Mom: Yikes! Give my 'love' to Marie next time you narrowly avoid her.... ;-)
ReplyDeleteMaryMoo: They are angels! Thank you so much for commenting!!
Lee: I think that sappy Christmas thing is all over the blogosphere right now... After the present hedonism of the 25th, we all have to sit back and contemplate everything...
Lili: Wait a second: Are you suggesting they love my kids more than ME?!?!?! No, no, no, no, no... You just sent my ego reeling. :)
It's nice that you realize how fortunate you are to have parents like yours. At least you don't take it for granted.
ReplyDeleteSounds like everyone's having a wonderful time. So nice.
Csquared: I have enough friends with parents who are more interested in living out peaceful retirements than taking their grandkids on vacations... I know exactly how fortunate I am.
ReplyDeleteI am really lucky to have great parents that love spending time and spoiling their grand children too.
ReplyDeleteNo gun rack though! ;D
Lorie: The gun rack assures me that I am good place if the revolution or apocalypse goes down! Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteYou have one of the most gentle, loving, intelligent, family's , I have ever known........ they made you who you are. Complicated, annoying, smart, kind , forgiving to a fault, loving, a great cook, funny........etc. p.s. I love the lamp below the cool gun rack !!! P
ReplyDeleteJordan: I thought that was you, P.!! You keep lurking about and commenting anonymously. Thanks-- I knew you would love that lamp, oddly enough, I actually thought of you when I selected it for putting up on the site. :) And, HEY, I'm not that annoying.... ;-)
ReplyDeleteWow. You're a lucky lady!!!
ReplyDeleteGod only knows I desperately want to be THAT kind of grandparent for my daughter's children because she craves it desperately! Isn't it great to KNOW that this isn't a chore for them?? Very, very sweet (except for the guns!)!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I just saw what you wrote on Temple's post...let's do it!!
ReplyDeleteCharmaine: Thanks!
ReplyDeleteSimplicity: I'm working on some kind of "workin' it out" badge for us to show off our stuff. :) And I am sure you will effortlessly be that kind of grandmother some day... You've got a while before then, right?
What a great photo of your parents!
ReplyDeleteAos, what are all the plagues on your dad's wall?
With that kind of firepower around, I imagine there aren't a lot of Yahtzee disputes. Or any other kinds of disputes.
ReplyDeleteThat's it - I'm getting some guns.
Happy New Year!
XO
Anna
You must be my long-lost and never-known-about sister because -- minus the guns -- this is so exactly my own parents' house. And may it never change! Love your blog. So glad I found it, and I plan to be a regular visitor. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI needed that today. I really missed my family this year. The roads were closed from the 20th until the 26th. so we stayed put. Although it is a 14 hour drive , it is so worth it once we are there with family.My Parents exactly the same and I just love them for that and so much more. And You thought I might the sticky buns route. LOL bad , bad girl. Thanks for the warm story.
ReplyDeleteCan you parents adopt me? I need feeding up!
ReplyDeleteShonda: Thanks! My dad was an All-American swimmer back in the day and then a coach...he is very active with a local philanthropic organization now and most of his plaques have to do with one of those three things.
ReplyDeleteAnna: We have had several explosive incidents involving the Scrabble board, but I am pleased to report that no guns have ever been pulled. ;-)
Cathy: My grandma was a hillbilly with 11 siblings, so it is possible we are related! ;-)
Tony: Let me say it for you: "You know there is nothing I LOVE better than Sticky Nut Buns!!!!!" ;^D
LafyFi: My parents are open to adoption at any time. Just let them know you are a friend of mine and you are IN. :)
OMG! Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie! I have to make that every Thanksgiving and Christmas for the dh and daughter. It has become a family tradition. Good to hear someone else knows about it.
ReplyDelete