what to do when it's 80 in chicago in march

watch a movie on the lawn at night

play with shadows

eat lemon macarons

take a bike ride along the lake shore (my first time!)

 

watch the clouds drift by

listen to the birds chirp

grandma & grandpa's house

Aside from cat-sitting over Spring Break, I also went to Ohio to watch my sister throw the shot put and weight at the NAIA indoor national track meet. She twirls a 20-lb. weight over her head! I was quite impressed. The stadium was not too far from my grandparents' home, which helped to bring pretty much the entire family there - my parents flew in from Texas, one aunt from Maryland, two more from other Ohio cities, their husbands & kids, even a great Aunt & Uncle. It felt like Christmas.

Grandma & Grandpa still live in the house in which my mother spent most of her childhood. They have been saying for about a decade that they are going to move, but I don't think it's going to happen anytime soon. Growing up, we visited them once or twice a year: almost always at Christmas, and often some time during the summer. This house holds so many memories. Here is a sort of photo essay in attempt to hold onto them.

The bedroom where I stay. Homemade quilts.

The window I would run to as a child in the morning...

...to look for snow!

The coolest bathroom wallpaper I've ever seen. I still wish Grandma would let me color it in.

The milk-man's door offered loads of fun in the summer time.

Check out those colors & patterns. What more could you want from a basement?

Well... maybe that...

The pantry, full of Grandma's canned peaches and pears, applesauce and jams. Once my cousin and I hid in here from our younger sisters for hours, or at least it felt like it to our young internal clocks.

The refrigerator my grandparents got as a wedding present 57 years ago. Still functioning.

Ping pong!

That's my grandfather's garden way in the back. And the tree I loooved to climb. There used to be 2 peach trees.

A family reunion. Actually, both of my grandparents have ancestors in this photo, but that takes a bit of explaining...

The kitchen table: for breakfast in the morning, the "kid's table" during all other meals. Grandpa always gets the best seat - right in front of the heat register.

Still poinsettias. Told you it feels like Christmas.

The painting that hangs in the dining room.

Almost always a quiet, peaceful place.

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