I have studied this parenting thing long enough to know that my parents were great. Kind but not enabling, loving but not smothering, stern but not overly strict. I think I figured this out in college, when everyone lives together and starts comparing notes. Suddenly, I realized how blessed I was to have the stable, loving home with my parents.

So, on that note, I thought, why not take you to Grandma and Grandpa's house? Good news for us, it does not require going over the river or through the woods. And lucky for you, I drove the fifteen miles and snapped a few amateur photos so all you have to do is scroll down.


That front window next to the flagpole was my bedroom window growing up. How many hours did I spend staring out that window, pining for Real Gil?!!


Come on in!

Is there anything better than a Grandma-hug? My mom holds nothing back, two arms wrapped tight and a kiss on the head.

On this visit, she was showing us her new farmhouse doors, newly hung after 25 years of hollow, fake wood doors. Aren't they fun?!

Sometime soon after coming in the front door, you'll probably run into this little lady, Grandma GG. (The G.G. used to stand for Great-Grandma when I was a kid and now, it stands for Great-Great, as she is a great-great grandma to our kids.) After us kids moved out, my mother took down the high school mascot signs and invited G.G. - my father's grandmother - to live in our old bedroom.

Now, on to the kitchen, where I caught this picture of Grandma charming my kids with fresh, homemade cookies.


When my parents were away on a recent vacation, my twin sister and I decided to re-do Mom's laundry room. We ordered wallpaper to cover the old brown closet-pantry doors, painted all of the old trim and molding, and added some chalkboard paint and a few details to the mix.


Now, if you plan on staying for the night, you will be staying in the guest bedroom.

(My mom's collection of old purses, mostly from her grandmother.)

My mom inherited this rocking chair from her mother. She recently decided to reupholster this so she bought a $20 curtain that did the trick perfectly. Cozy, comfortable, and sentimental.

Now, I've shown you where you stay, where you do your laundry, where the food is prepared, and how you'll be greeted. But I would be remiss if I didn't tell you who will keep you busy.


Dad. Or Grandpa. (Here he is, comforting Sugs who fell off the jungle gym during a soccer game. It would be a little awkward if you tried to curl up on his lap, just a warning.)

He will probably take you for his daily hike with the dog. And then, you can talk to him about anything. He knows a little bit about everything - with the exception of words like menstrual, menopause, or mammogram.

Oh, and I should probably mention that he's a genius. He's way too humble to care about getting the actual genius test, but he is. Just try to be a teenager under the roof of the most huggable mother and the smartest father. No wonder I came out fairly unscathed.

Dad's mind is always processing. Just the other day at our house, he was explaining his newest invention. Before long, we had fetched playdough and a cork and a glue stick for him to build us a model.

I love sending my children to their grandparents' house with no fears of what we need to "fix" on the return home. Thankful for healthy, independent parents, and the gift of hospitality they share with both young and old.

Hope you enjoyed the little tour. And thanks Mom for the cookies.

Resting in Him Who Never Closes His Doors,
Karen