Especially when they are my Grandparents. The whole time I was growing up my grandparents lived about 15 minutes away. They would come see us a couple times each week. We would get together for every holiday you can imagine. Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Labor Day, 4th of July, you name it! We just love being together, and expected to see lots of eachother. Grandpa escorted me to a few Daddy daughter activities as I was growing up when my dad was out of town. I can tell you exactly the design on my grandma's white and blue porcelain bowls we would fill with Cap'n Crunch or Sugar Smacks while we watched game shows in the morning while we were at their house. I remember thinking it was amazing how low my grandma could make her ironing board go so that she could sit on the couch and iron while she watched the game shows.
As we got older our visits always included lots or card games with grandma or helping work at Grandpas various gas stations he owned. I always loved working with Grandpa. Wheather it was at the Deli of the station in Eldorado Hills or the cash register at one of the smaller stations in Davis it always made me feel so grown up when I could help out and proud that my Grandpa seemed to know everyone, and they all loved him!
I love that my kids have spent so much time with my grandparents and are just as close to them as I always was. A couple of years ago my grandparents bought a house in Utah and they now split their time between there and traveling all over Califiornia for various shows and events, or across the globe on thier many cruise adventures. We don't see them nearly as often as we used to, so we were all excited when my grandpa called to say they were coming to spend the evening with us last weekend. Laughing, teasing, doot-de-doots, and hugs were in abundance, and we were sad when it was time for them go.
The previous weekend I had another fun visitor, one I hadn't seen in over 15 years!! Kyle Miller was one of my favorite friends from the time we were in the first grade. We were in the same elementary school class all but one year. I spent countless hours playing army guys, and various sports in his front yard, and probably just as many at his various sporting events. We rode bikes with a pack of other kids from the neighborhood all over the place. From the creek to catch crawdads to the field where the all the boys built jumps for their BMX bikes. I remember once his grandma referred to me as "Kyles little girlfriend" and we were both quick to correct her. We were just friends, nothing more, and that's how it always was. Kyles mom recently moved to Fresno, and when he and his daughter came to visit her, I invited them to our home for a visit. We had so much fun introducing eachother to our families, and just catching up. We are looking forward to their next visit...Kyle is a sushi chef, amongst other things, and he is sure he can convert me. It's always interesting to see where and how your childhood friends end up. Its even better to discover they still make great friends, after all these years!
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