Vacation Photos - Grandparents

One of the best parts of vacation was watching my parents be grandparents. Since I haven't blessed them with this opportunity (and let's be frank, probably never will) and they live far, far away from the grand kids, Grumpa Max and Grandmary will spend HOURS with the kids when they can. Since visits can be months (or in my case, years apart), sometimes the kids can be shy, but they gradually warm up enough that they pull no punches or conceal the temper tantrums or tears*.

Grumpa Max and Grandmary

Amber playing with Grandmary

Grandmary being double teamed by Elle and Amber

Grandmary and Elle

Luckily Christina is a very patient, generous, lovely, and caring person and let all of us strange people a) invade her house b) stay for hours on end c) scare one kid and d) abscond with the other. Eventually she did have to rescue Elle, just to make sure the maternal bond was in place.

Looks like it still is

Drew got to spend time with Grandmary and Grumpa Max too, when he wasn't making me play endless round of Candyland**, cars, and put puzzles together, all while I was fighting off allergies to the original grandcat, Tippi.

Tippi, it must be said, was aloof from it all ... as only an aging cat can be.

Gosh darnit, isn't he just the cutest thing?

I did finally figure out why kids have to take so many naps. My theory is that they are very cute, very adorable, energy sucking vampires. They sap energy from the grownups, who try and cover up the "real story," by saying that naps are "good for kids."

Max2 napping

When asked why I had to take a nap too, Mom said: "I said so, that's why."

(I blame it on the allergy medication.)

She'll never it admit it, but they just wore out Grandmary completely.

* For my own protection, I didn't take many photos of tantrums or tears. Let's keep up some kind of illusion for future generations, I mean, really.

**Candyland rules with a 3 year old are non-existent. It's only about finding the Candy Character cards. It's Drew's World and we just exist to play games with him.