Wanna Pack of Nabs?

“The stories of older generations aren’t relics of the past, they’re seeds for the future we build together.”

-Maya Angelou

Grandparents Day is this coming Sunday, this has always been a special day that is close to my heart, here are some reasons why:

1. Dr. Pepper, Wild Cherry Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Whatever soda we were into at the time, Rasinets, Funions, Chips, Nabs, this was the snack King and Queen, our Paw-Paw and Grandma’s house
2. Hi-C, Hersheys Kisses, Pepsi, the things always waiting for us at our Nannie and Al-Paws house
3. Christmas from my Paw-Paw and Grandma: always a got a themed wall calendar with something that we were interested in and all other gifts were surprises.
4. My Paw-Paw also worked hard on getting each of us grandkids the perfect Hallmark ornament each year. He would make sure it was just right, exactly what would match what was our personality and interests that year.
5. Christmas from my Nannie and Al-Paw: American Girl and some kind of gadget or tool.
6. Birthdays from my Paw-Paw and Grandma: A doll, like Madame Alexander.
7. Birthdays from my Nannie and Al-Paw: American Girl or Money.
8. They knew my food order (and my brother’s) at just about every favorite food place
9. When my brother or I were sick my Paw-Paw and Grandma brought us little bottle Cokes, always in a bottle, and saltines. To me a new pocketbook 😊 I found this stash one time, but never told them, this must have taken up so much of their “mall time.” It pays to be the only grand-daughter
10. Wendy’s Frostys were what my Nannie would bring when my brother or I was sick.
11. Trips to the city park and Carousel, these were big outings!
12. Snuggles that only grandparents can provide.
13. Many forts were built
14. Fixing Paw-Paw’s sandwiches when he came home for lunch
15. Race tracks built out of just about anything, anywhere
16. Many school days set up and played for hours
17. Nebulizer treatments in Chick-fil-A at the mall, the mall was the hangout!
18. Crawling up in their laps and reading the comics and Hocus Pocus (spot the differences)
19. Cooking and Baking together
20. Learning Paw-Paws secret trick to word searches
21. Lake Days- front porch sitting, Paw-Paw skiing, tubing, boat rides
22. Solving the Wheel of Fortune puzzle with gramdma
23. Petticoat Junction, Andy Griffith, Green Acres, Beverley Hillbillies, Shirley Temple, Leave It to Beaver
24. Workshop piddling with Paw-Paw- hammering and drilling
25. Lee Ann Rhimes, Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, George Beverly Shea, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Riders in the Sky, Alabama, and the music goes on…
26. The honor and treasure it was to watch my Paw-Paw, my mom, my niece play and laugh was priceless.
27. Their handwriting, distinct and forever recognizable, each one.
28. Their voices, pierce my heart like music
29. Pictures and videos, so thankful that both grandfathers were such avid photographers and memory keepers
30. Hardee’s Morning Breakfast Crew: priceless life lessons learned around these tables and older folks
31. The advocacy that came from my Paw-Paw when someone sat us near a “Smoking section” when he had asked to be far from it in the “Non-smoking section.” (yes, to you who are to young to remember restaurants with these sections, its true, you could smoke inside a restaurant) We walked out of quite a few places 😂
32. “Fixing” Grandma’s hair. Now looking back, she probably had just gotten her hair “done” for the week! Thank you Grandma!
33. Playing with Paw-Paw’s “off limits” calculator, I still have no clue why he would let me play on this really nice calculator with the receipt paper- it was top of the line for the 80/90s
34. Playing Grandma’s Shadow, not sure she was a fan, but I was so she went with it.
35. I want them all shopping. Indeed, when asked on a shopping trip to Peaches ‘n’ Cream, which outfit I liked, I said, “I want them all!” They should’ve known.
36. Movies and Musicals
37. Color notebook paper making, my Paw-Paw made and printed hundreds of pages of homemade notebook paper for my brother and I. With our learning disabilities it had been proven that color notebook paper helped with attention and absorbing the information, verses regular white paper. When he searched and searched everywhere and couldn’t find color notebook paper, he made it his goal to make it himself.
38. Paw-Paw (and Grandma) were the first to have an up to date snazzy computer in the family. We had an old black and white Mac that we could play reader rabbit and maybe one other game. But when they got this computer, they also got a Nascar game that required a steering wheel! And other cool computer games!
39. Passed on the “Don’t tell me I can’t, because I’ll show you I can” press on attitude
40. What in the world can be wrapped in a pringles can? challenge (and so many more random containers)
41. Baths that allow for only 2-3″ of water just in case you fall, no matter how old you are.
42. Remember you always need to carry a kerchief, you don’t want to get a cold.
43. Never getting those quarters for falling asleep first. Either because they fell asleep first or you didn’t do a good job of pretending to be asleep.
44. The bread crust never made my hair curly, but I tried.
45. Those Sunday school songs and Hymns still come back to me often.
46. Silliness and laughter.
47. School Lunch Visits. The best! When they would bring me lunch from a favorite place, made the day a whole lot happier!
48. Double noodle soup with the carrots picked out just for me 😊
49. Sprinklers… Nothing beats running through a sprinkler. Or a little plastic kiddie pool… that’s childhood.
50. Splinters, warts, and bug bites: first aid age old remedies, where did they come from? no clue, didn’t want to ask/know. Were they safe? I trusted them. Were they effective? seemed to be, at least I think they were. 😂
51. Paw-Paws pocket knife could solve any problem in need of solving.
52. Dancing and sharing music. My love for a wide range of music, most credit goes to my grandparents and parents!
53. The sound of a creaking screen door slam (also loved that it was monogramed with a fancy A). And the breeze that would blow through when watching TV.
54. Surf fishing at the crack of dawn with my Paw-Paw, totally worth it. Wish we could have done it more.
55. Going through Grandma’s Pocket books searching for change 😊
56. “Hey Sugar” when my Paw-Paw heard my voice on the phone (or my mom’s, then she would say “It’s not sugar, it’s Jean.” and she said you could just tell he was like, well okay.)
57. Stories, so many stories. My Al-paw and his tons of siblings, growing up on a tobacco farm. My Nannie and her siblings growing up, her father making furniture, some that we still have. My Grandma growing up with all brothers, who all ended up in different military branches. My Paw-Paw who grew up with all sisters, and his dad passing early in his life, and him being the only male in the household.
58. Catching Lightening Bugs
59. I Learned to tie my shoes on the steps of my Grandma and Paw-Paws house
60. I Learned to ride a tricycle in their carport area.
61. Snow days! Having grandparents nearby with a Jeep with 4 wheel drive and a sled tied to the back, now that makes for some fun sledding! And then they moved within walking distance, and with the best hills!
62. Waving and saying “Love You” as we left, until we could no longer see each other anymore. Never will regret or apologize for the noise we made!
63. Being there for them when they need to be cared for and need someone to sit with them. Honored.
64. Watching all four of them become great grand parents, Wonderful!
65. Watching my parents become Grandparents, Overjoyed!
66. The next few are ones I have watched my parents experience with their grandkids: My Mom and nephew did the Graham “Arty” the mouse scavenger hunt, priceless to be the one they came home to and shared they found them all! So much Joy!
67. Putt-Putt, this is a must to experience with any kid, but hilarious to watch grandparents and their grandkids.
68. Charlotte Motor speedway Christmas lights, highly recommend! Nothing like Christmas lights through the eyes of a kid
69. Billy Graham Library Christmas and Children’s Tea, So fun! You can do as much or as little as you want to do. I recommend the dinner, horse and carriage rides, story time, for sure!
70. Hotel stays, whether traveling or just for fun- splurge a little more than you would for yourself.
71. “Let’s do it Swingie.” My niece said this once when they were up to something sneaky, which is what grandparents should be up to 😉 And now when her or her brother want something a little special- like a Starbucks run or a GameStop run, they say “Let’s do it Swingie!” 😂
72. No looking at price tags shopping, just do it.
73. School pick ups, what can I say? Simply the best!
74. Naps, indescribably priceless.
75. Watching them try to figure out baby clothes, gear, etc… simply priceless and endless laughs.

I was blessed to have all four of my grandparents in my life, close by, all of my “growing up” years. They all passed when I was in my twenties. I love that I was able to see them become great-grandparents, and that I have been able to see my parents become grandparents. Not everybody has this chance, opportunity, or situation. And I am incredibly grateful I do. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without their lives and impact on my life.

I encourage you, whether a grandparent or a special friend, let them know how much they mean to you this weekend. You matter, they matter.

Life Book of the Week: Our Nana Was a Free Range Kid, by Nancy Peek Youngdahl