If you give a grandma a gift

If you give a grandma a gift

Most kids know what happens if you give a mouse a cookie. Perhaps nearly as many know what happens if you give a pig a pancake. How many, though, know just what happens if you give a grandma a gift? In particular, if you give a long-distance grandma who's been oh-so lonesome for her grandsons the most heartfelt gift they've ever given?

My grandsons recently learned what happens if you give such a grandma such a gift. And trust me, it wasn't pretty.

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18 things my grandsons miss by not visiting their grandparents

My grandsons haven't visited my house in more than a year. It's been 15 months, to be exact, with no plans to visit in the next... well... I don't know how long. 

Though I'm thrilled to pieces that I'll get to see them soon at their house, there's plenty they miss out on by not visiting PawDad and Gramma at our house. Things found only at our place, things I'm sure they'd enjoy.

Things such as these:

Their special bedroom we call The Boys' Room, despite Bubby having slept in it only a handful of times and Mac having never slept in it — yet...

boys room
boys room

Exploring our back yard and front...

back yard
Colorado yard

Playing at the food stand again...

homemade food stand

Hunting for treasure PawDad hides in the sand by the waterfall...

treasure hunters
backyard waterfall

And swinging with Gramma in the swing made for three...

swing for three

Not to forget: the basketball hoop that's just the right height for boys to dunk balls — with a boost from PawDad...

dunk the ball

And the bouncy house Bubby and Mac have never even seen — though it delighted other pint-sized friends of Gramma's...

bounce-a-round

Plus the popcorn machine for treats once the bouncing is done...

popcorn machine

And there's Rock Dog and their Glo Worms and lions that stand guard from out front...

stuffed singing dog
Glo Worms
lion statues

Plus, they could play on Gramma's piano (I promise to share)...

old piano

And the mini desk where Bubby loves to sort through Granny's nesting frogs...

antique desk

Beyond Gramma and PawDad's house, there's fun and adventure found just out the door — like ITZ, the North Pole, Pikes Peak and more...

Pikes Peak in the fall

Most of all, though, what my grandsons miss out on more than anything are hugs and kisses and attention from their Colorado family — folks who miss Bubby and Mac to their core...

extended family

I truly and wholeheartedly understand that travel with little ones taxes Megan and Preston's body, mind and budget, too. And I do know Bubby and Mac will eventually get to visit Gramma and PawDad's house. Eventually.

I just hope it's before my grandsons reach the age that what they'll most enjoy about Gramma and PawDad's house is having a beer at our patio bar.

patio bar

Even then, though, I'd be delighted to have Bubby and Mac visit our house.

Today's question:

What did you most enjoy about visiting your grandparents' house when you were a child?