I'd like to think that I am my grandma's favorite, but I think all my other girl cousins feel the same way. I think that says something great about who our grandma is. She is creative, loving, accepting, non-judgmental, prepared, giving, generous, and so fun to be around! She is the very definition of 'one-of-a-kind'.
My friendship with her stems back to when I was a little girl. Since I was the only grandchild that lived by her for a long time (until my sister came around!), I've always felt like we had an extra special connection. Since Jay didn't like us grandchildren, she would sneak me over for a sleepover in the basement of her house in Boise, but I remember I always had to be really quiet! I loved playing with all her bright jewelry and with her dolls. I, like all the other girls, loved looking at all her pretty QVC porcelain dolls in the boxes, trying to figure out which one I would pick to take home when I was older. I also remember her pretty Hawaiian collector's barbie that she never let us take out of the box!
I loved that little fishing game, too. I remember she always had yummy treats and food (she still does!). My favorites were sour cream and onion Pringles, Hostess cakes and popsicles in the freezer in the garage. I also remember her exercise bike in the basement and the big fur blanket on the wall.
I remember waking up at her house in the mornings after I had slept over and she would always fix me hot chocolate and we'd sit on her brown loveseat upstairs while she watch Regis and Kathy Lee, The Price Is Right, or The Smurfs. I loved the crystals she had hanging in the window, because when the morning sun would come through, rainbows would shine on the wall. I thought it was magic. I also remember sitting in the jacuzzi with her in her big backyard.
I remember every summer, she would watch Lissie and I while mom and dad went to Education Week in Utah. She would bring so much junk food (we were in heaven!) and the 'naughty' kind of soda (Pepsi) that mom and dad would never let us drink! On the last day before mom and dad came home, she would take us to McDonald's to get a Happy Meal, and because it was always in the month of August that she would watch us, we would always get those small plastic Barbies as the toy that came with the meal. I looked forward to that every year! I also remember her never getting along with our neighbor lady (name withheld!) and one time when she was babysitting us, she called her out on a few things and called her a b*tch to her face! (Remember, our grandma is spicy!) When my mom came home and heard the story, she was SO embarrassed! Now, years later, it's just funny!
And then there was camping! We spent so much time each summer at Anderson Ranch swimming, hiking, playing in the sandbox, riding our bikes, catching frogs, fishing, playing night games, sitting by the fire, playing in the hammock, eating too much candy, drinking too much pop, and growing up way too fast. I look back and think of the effort it must have taken our moms to pack everything up and haul us two hours into the mountains, but they still did it several times each summer and those are some of the most fond memories of my childhood. Even now, I get so excited whenever we plan a trip there. And on the summers when we don't make it (since it's a good four-hour drive), oh, the heartache! Camping with babies is hard! But I'm counting down the days until they are a little older! How great to start the fun all over again! I've missed it for too long!
Things that always remind me of grandma: Avon perfume, Aloe Vera, Dr. Oz, GMC Jimmys, and s'mores.
And now a few words from all my girls.
Breah:
When I was little I remember the weeks that we spent with grandma Glenna at her home in Boise she would usually take us to Chuck E Cheese and the dollar store and it was such a fun week. I also remember one time when we were camping and she was laying on the tube and the tube flipped over and she totally fell head first in the water!
Chandra:
I have lots of memories old and new. I'll start with the old. I, too, remember going to the house in Boise with the ugliest counter tops you'll ever see. I remember jumping on the mini tramp and riding the exercise bike, thinking that Grandma had her own gymnasium and I was the gymnast. I also remember dressing up with Hollie there and of course the doll room and picking out which dolls I wanted when I got older and wishing that I would grow up faster. I remember the toy bedroom upstairs and sleeping on the floor in there where we would sing songs before bed and Grandma would tell us the Little Gosling story and the story of the Boy Who Cried Wolf. I loved getting to take baths there because she would let us play in it for like an hour and when it was time to rinse our hair she would warm water in a pot and that always felt so good to get rinsed with warm water.
I remember going to Chuck E Cheese also and thinking that that was my dream place where I became a dancer and singer in the front of those tables! On the way back, I remember Grandma always cussing in that white pickup while driving and saying things like," that dumb broad get out of the road!" Hollie seemed to be with us when I stayed in Boise and Lorrie would get so mad at Grandma for cussing with Hollie in the car. The freezer there always had delicious ice cream bars too. Oh, and playing the organ! I always thought I was special to get to play it. I also loved watching the humming birds there and thought that my Grandma was the only Grandma with humming birds. I loved those two monkeys sucking their thumbs (because I sucked mine) that were Jay's and I only could see them when he was gone. But when he died she did give them to me! I always remember being confused about why she left so long in the winter (going South for the winter) but knew when she came back she would have all these things I had never seen before, like flowers made out of pop cans and crochet chairs and well, crochet "everything under the sun" (that is a direct quote from Grandma, who says 'everything under the sun' all the time!). And who could forget that mannequin doll she traveled with to make it look like she wasn't traveling alone?!
And for some more recent memories, I loved when she moved to Twin. I visited often and she has always been there to help me with problems. Her and Len were very comforting to me while I was having fertility problems and were always willing to help in any way. Just recently we had a conversation about panty liners and she didn't know they existed. Her cousin in Oregon told her about them and I thought how in the world has no one ever told her about them. It made me feel really bad! We have some fun Idaho Pizza and Sizzler memories too. Hope this helps and AMEN to scrubbers! I use them for everything!
Jennica:
I remember dressing up in her old sexy dresses with Hollie at grandma's house in Boise and taking lots of pictures. I remember loving to play with all her jewelry, especially her clip-on earrings. I loved to go into her room full of dolls and pick out one for me someday. I really loved to play with all her exercise equipment. I love her deviled eggs she makes when we have get-togethers. And you gotta love her slow driving, but at least she's getting gas mileage! I also remember when she lived at my parents' house in her trailer, I would just go out there and watch tv and hang out. We had some good times out there! I also remember her always telling stories of the Little Goslings and Little Red Riding Hood.
Lissie:
I remember camping lot. Sitting by the fire, her telling stories (the Little Goslings mostly), and singing. She would let us "big" kids poke sticks in the big fire. I remember the zapper, and how she would always threaten us with it. I remember I had to sleep at her house because she was scared because she was hearing things upstairs once. I remember her chasing our dogs with a broom.
Kenzie:
One of my favorites is her famous zapper she would go around and try to zap you. Also her always changing her hair colors. The heavy eyeshadow makeup on her eyebrows. S'mores around the campfire. And her yelling at the kids that rode by on their four-wheelers going too fast!
Brooke:
I love that when Grandma reads something in a magazine she believes it instantly. I also love that she always talks about how good she does with healthy eating and that she can't have sugar but she's known for her treats and the famous candy bag!
