We were so excited to have my grandparents (my mom’s parents) visit us for a few days this week. They had just finished an amazing tour of Sicily with Grand Circle Travel and so — without the pressure of “seeing Italy” — we could all sit back and savor the moments together. I absolutely love my grandparents and treasure any time I’m able to spend with them. Some of my happiest childhood memories come from hot summers spent in their beautiful home in St. Louis, helping my grandmother bake cookies or watching my grandfather in his woodworking shop in their basement. It was a huge honor to host them in my own home, to cook food for them in my own kitchen, to welcome them into everyday life with my own family.
Here are a few sweet moments from their visit. Above on the left, Gil and his GG (great-grandmother) enjoy lunch on base. Above on the right, Lena pages through a beautiful wooden book
Above left: Gil and GG chit-chatting at the hospital on base. We spent 5 hours there one morning due to my poor grandfather not feeling well for most of his visit! Thanks to excellent care at the hospital on base, though, he has a clean bill of health to head back to the States today. Above right: I can only hope to be as hip as my grandmother when I am 79.
Scenes from one early morning: Gil yawning (after only being up for an hour… typical) and Lena and Grammie enjoying a tea party.
Today we took a walk through our town, showing Grammie/GG our favorite spots.
One of our favorite places in town is definitely La Biscotteria Siciliana, where Grammie enjoyed her last chocolate gelato before leaving Italy.
Lena and I, meanwhile, celebrated the coming of warmer weather with cups of granite, or Italian ice. Lena had pistachio, I had almond and strawberry, and Gil just looked on with all the wisdom of a newly-minted 3-month-old. (Happy 3-month “birthday” today, Gil!)
Above left: My two munchkins staying busy while everyone else watches black smoke puffing out of Mt Etna through the kitchen window. Above right: Post nap time snuggles with my loves.
Above left: Afternoon playtime. Above right: Dinner tonight at Donna Fortunata. Love you, Grampie!
These pictures just make my heart melt. What an incredible gift to have my grandparents visit us overseas! I know I’ll treasure these memories for myself and for my children the rest of my life.
Are your grandparents still living? What did you do together the last time you saw them?
What special memories you have made! I’m glad your Grandpa is feeling better!
I miss my Grandparents…they’re all gone now. All my life, my Grandparents all lived within a 15 minute drive…the closest ones being just across the road. I was closest to them (my Mom’s parents), and glad to have them for so long. My dear Grandma passed away in 2000 at the age of 101! She was blessed with good health and a clear mind until the morning that she didn’t wake up here on earth. The last thing I remember, was singing “Jesus Loves Me” to her ton her last evening with Eric, who was just 3 years old at the time. Sweet memories!
What a wonderful relationship you had with your grandparents! I only wish we lived so close to mine. I think Elliott and I would really like to prioritize being close to our families, who thankfully live just 10 minutes apart, and are in an area (DC) where we will probably spend a lot of time in our lives. Nothing is perfect, but prioritizing family in life is probably something we will never regret!
I totally know what you mean. My two grandmothers are still living, though one is in rapid decline with Alzheimers. Thankfully, the one who is ill was able to spend some time with Alex before really going down hill, and I have some pictures of them that I will cherish always. My other grandmother is still pretty sprightly, and I have been lucky enough to host her in my home twice this year. I can completely relate to the joy of having your grandparents in the home you have created, in the midst of your daily life. It is so special. How lucky you were to have them visit you in such a special place! Warm wishes to you all for the spring!
“Pretty sprightly” is such a good way to describe my amazing grandmother, too, Erin! She helped me push the double stroller from the bottom of town (where the biscotteria is) to our house at the very top of town. I was totally impressed. I truly hope I will be as involved in my grandchildren’s lives and as able to participate in them as she is when I am 79!
I love all of these pictures so much. Looking forward to seeing you and the growing family this summer
So glad you saw them, Allie! We loved having them here and can’t wait to all be together again.
Wow, this post is simply priceless. You should make a MasterCard commercial! :) I remember meeting your grandparents at graduation at UVA- they are so much fun!
My grandparents are all still alive and well, and Jorge’s two grandmothers are in Mexico. Lucie is very blessed to have so many “greats” to love on her. She is the first great-grandchild on my side, but I think Jorge’s mom counted that she is the 61st for one of his grandmothers (who had 12 children herself!) My grandmother in Arizona hasn’t met her yet, but she carries around her “brag-book” and shows Lucie off to anyone who will listen and look! We’re looking forward to seeing her at my cousin’s wedding in Chicago, in September.
Thanks for sharing such special moments with us, Becca!
Wow… 61st?!?!?! I can’t even imagine! Do some of them have the same names?
And you know that I know and love your grandparents very much, too. :-)
What a blessing! My four biological grandparents are gone, but I have one remaining step-grandfather, and we make it a point to see him every time we’re home in Alabama.
I love this :) My grandparents on my mom’s side have passed on, but my Dad’s mom is still healthy as a horse, and lives in Germany. My husband and I have gone as adults to visit her and her husband 4 times…. and I cherish each of the visits we got to have with them. Unfortunately they are too far away to see on a regular basis!
Wow, way to go on visiting your grandmother in Germany FOUR times! I know it makes people even more fun to visit when they live in exotic locales. :-)
What a special time for you and your family! And how wonderful that your Great Grandparents are still well and active enough to be adventuring overseas! We recently took Martin’s Grandmother (who is 82 and widowed 12 months ago) to New Zealand for two weeks, where we travelled around by car. It was really special for us all to have that time together.
However I have special memories of your Grandparents too – in particular, one year when you went back to the US to visit your family, your Grandfather made me a little wooden “Amy” nameplate which matched one he had made for you previously. Do you remember them? I still have mine buried amongst my childhood treasures, loving repaird by my Dad when it fell of a shelf once and the “A” broke off.
Thanks for sharing – I love following your blog. Love to you and yours from your old friend here in Australia. x
This memory makes me so happy! I am sure we have our own wood-carved names from my grandfather tucked away somewhere. So sweet that you remember them after all these years!
Gelato is great. These are adorable photos. You’ve really caught some of the simple, precious moments of life with little ones.
Thanks so much, Rebecca! For me, this is the best way to journal and “scrapbook” to remember my children’s youth.
such sweet pictures! love Lena’s leopard pants
They are from her Auntie Eden… of course. :-)