I searched high and low for a photo of both sets of Grandparents, I could only find an old photo of my Mom’s parents. The photos inserted into La’s story were in my hope chest. Remind me to make copies of photos when I go home for Christmas!!!

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Christmas Memory # 5


I was just cruising through facebook world and saw one of my Aunties status updates about Christmas being her mom, my grandma aka Nene, favorite time of year and makes her miss her parents the most at this time.


I think, I couldn’t agree more.


I had wonderful grandparents and certainly the holidays are full of memories of them visiting us or us visiting them. Family really is everything and they are dearly missed.

My Mom’s Parents – Nene & Pop Pop

My Mom’s parents lived on Vancouver Island {British Columbia} and if memory serves me right we would mostly go over there on Boxing Day… Boxing Day is a Canadian holiday where we get the day “off” to pack up all our Christmas cheer but it really is another day of Christmas as far as I am concerned.


I have so many memories of riding the BC Ferries over to visit our family over there and loved loved loved getting to spend time with my cousins. They later moved over to the North Shore where I grew up and then moved back to the Island after graduation. They were the highlight of boxing day to me and my sister Shash.


We loved Nene’s baked beans but didn’t love her wet smooshy kisses so much! We loved pulling out the old toy box, with really a rag a muffin assortment of toys left over from our older sisters/cousins era 🙂 and playing in the basement. We were so content to just be with each other. Sometimes we ventured to the local park but I have a distinct memory of playing downstairs and our Pup Pup (grandfather), would be in the same room watching us play. Whether he wanted to make sure we didn’t break anything 🙂 or he simply enjoyed watching us play I will never know but I remember his presence very clearly.


My Dad’s parents lived in Edmonton {Alberta} when I was really young and I remember watching the clock eagerly waiting for their arrival. I loved – loved – loved my grandparents. I don’t know what year they moved out to the Fraser Valley, but I wanted so badly to go stay with them and my sisters there and yet it was not quite 20 min out when I would make them return me home to my mother! I know now that she was quite happy to have the house to herself and yet I felt so guilty at the thought of her being all alone that I had to insist with many, many, many tears that they turn around and take me back to her.


My Grandma was what you picture every Grandma to be. Round soft and the BEST cook/baker E.V.E.R. She sewed, she fussed and she clucked her tongue. When she thought no one was listening she sang. She rubbed my back and hummed me to sleep whenever I could sleep over… when I finally could leave my mother. 🙂 She woke me up for 6am porridge and then she would tell Grandpa… Papa as she called him, to get ready so we could go to A&W for our second breakfast.


We picked blueberries together every summer. I remember the time grandpa backed up into a tree and he smiled and said oh look that tree backed up into us! 🙂 He was the sweetest, most endearing man ever. We would follow the flyer to all the sales in the area, their hall closet had enough Kleenex boxes to supply an elementary school for a year! She called me pet names, fed me candy and loved me like no other. My Grandparents WERE love.

 Nene & Pop Pop | 1996. Dave and I were married on their 56th Wedding Anniversary,  later that year Pop Pop passed away after a terrible battle with severe dementia.  I will always remember the way they looked at each other, just like in this photo… I can only pray we are like this when we’re old and grey!

They are all, all 4, gone on to heaven now and I, at special times of the year like Christmas, think of how they would have responded to my girls. What pretty dresses and baby blankets my grandma would make. The incredible witty remarks my pup pup would give. The wet sloppy kisses with a twinkle in her eye that was my nene. My Grandpa who was the cornerstone of what character, strength, gentleness and love is.


I am thankful that they were mine and I was theirs and that my girls are making great memories in life with their Grandparents.