family weekends

I'm going to take this opportunity to backtrack and tell you briefly about four recent weekends spent with either my family in Richmond or Josh's grandparents in Fishersville.

On St. Patrick's Day we went to Josh's grandparents' for lunch. I didn't know people enjoy and celebrate that day so much in real life (not including parties and events that center around alcohol). Josh made sure to take them a card (which included a green mustache that you can hold up to your face!), and I noticed they had already received several other St. Paddy's Day cards in the mail. There were fancy leprechaun figurines on the table during the meal, and of course there were green cookies. After lunch we all ended up taking a nap, and when I finally rose from mine they had some Irish music playing throughout the house and all three of them were singing a song about a unicorn. Then we pulled out an Irish drum and some spoons and made music of our own. It was a fun time.

A couple weeks later I had some work to do in Richmond, so I spent the whole weekend with my Grandpa. Friday after work we sat out on the front porch with a glass of wine and chatted with the passing neighbors. Then we went to Ruth's Chris to eat in the bar and I had some delicious meat. The next day we took Grandma out to lunch, and that evening we watched a movie together. Then Sunday he took us grandkids (and their significant others) out to lunch. Later that afternoon we went to visit Grandma, and it was fun watching the others who live there giggle over her and Grandpa kissing and being cute. Most of the rest of the time during that weekend I spent reading for school, but it was nice to get to hang out with Grandpa so much.

This past Saturday Josh and I headed back over to his grandparents for dinner. We ate some delicious salmon, and then his grandma gave us Easter baskets. They included giant glowing army men with parachutes (like the familiar old toys, only bigger). We went out to throw them up, and Josh's worked quite nicely. I, on the other hand, somehow managed to throw mine straight up onto the roof (and I was standing under it on the front steps!). So we had some adventurous times trying to get it down with a flashlight and crooked walking stick and grabber-thingy. After that Josh's step-granddad challenged Josh on his height, so we had to measure them both with pencil marks on the door frame of the living room. His grandparents are fun people.

Finally, on Easter Sunday I went to Richmond for lunch with the whole family, including Grandma and Uncle Richard. There was good food, fun watching Bobby search for eggs, and it was an all-around beautiful day to spend celebrating Easter with family.