My kids love it when grandparents come to visit. It doesn't matter which set, heck it doesn't even have to be their own. They liked my sister's in-laws pretty well when they came to visit too. Even my friend's in-laws were well received when we were still living in North Carolina. They're equal opportunity grandparent lovers. They do of course have a special place for their own grandparents, and so do I. I love it when they visit because it means I'm pretty much off the hook for the entirety of their stay. The grandparents are up for anything.
They make cookies (and eat all the icing).
They play outside and collect pine cones with them. They also wander through the woods with them as Grampa, Sonny Boy, and Bob are doing in this picture. You just cant see them.
On a complete side note, did you see what my children did to that tree? After it fell down in the wind storm they stripped that tree of every. single. needle. They tore all the little branches off. That tree is pretty naked now. How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? I don't know, but they've got nothing on my kids. If you've got wood to be chucked, I'll send them on over. Apparently it's great fun.
Back to the granparents. They are also really good at playing games.
They play game,
after game,
after game with them.
Even when the kids cheat.
They freeze their behinds off on polar hayrides.
They give the kids tape and let them help wrap presents.
Play that godforsaken Paper Rock Jam guitar. Thank goodness it has headphones, or it would have ended up hidden somewhere. I can only listen to "It's the end of the world as we know it" so many times.
They don't mind when Princess Blondie tells them what their presents are before they get a chance to open them.
They color brides and grooms.
They read bedtimes stories every night.
And they give the best hugs.
The kids are VERY excited to go to Michigan to visit next summer. They get a double dose of grandparents whenever we go to Michigan because we get to visit both sets. They talk about it all the time and Princess Blondie is praying for safe travels for us already (every night) even though we aren't leaving for six months. Perhaps I shouldn't have told them yet because now I won't hear the end of it until June, but it did help soften the blow of them leaving.
Oh, yeah. You're in for a lot of "Is it time yet? How many more days?" And then, "Are we there yet?" Interesting to find out you're from Michigan. My mother was born in Iron Mtn., and I was born in Detroit.
ReplyDeleteWe have the same experiences! Grandparents are the best to come visit and the kids anticipate going to Michigan to see all sets of grandparents. We are going in Sept. this year, and the girls are already telling all their friends :)
ReplyDeleteGullible, my husband is from southern Michigan and I am from northern Michigan. We met in the middle in Grand Rapids when I was going to school there. It's amazing how many people I find up here who are from Michigan or at least have some connection to the state.
ReplyDeleteErin, too bad we won't be in Michigan at the same time. Hope you have a great trip! Let the countdown and constant questioning from our kiddos commence!