Best of the "Greats"!

Growing up, I still very clearly remember going to visit my Great Grandma Alderfer (my mom's grandma) in the Souderton Mennonite Home and taking a little wooden doggie toy for walks around the halls, as well as a little glass jar of M&M's waiting for me in the fridge.  I also have somewhat of a memory, but not nearly as vivid, of visiting my great grandpa Hollenbach (my dad's grandpa) and him giving me a little ceramic Precious Moments mug with candy in it.   What special memories!!

I was only 3 or so when all of my great grandparents had passed away, but the boys are so so fortunate to have 6 of their "greats" still living - and all very healthy and living within 5 miles of us!  What a blessing!  It's been really fun to see the boys interact with each of there great grandparents and it seems that they already have very specific things and treasures that they look forward to when visiting each one...

*********************************

Tootsie (Mitch's dad's mom) is known for a little bird in a cage that tweets when she winds it up...and the boys know that it is just to look at and not to touch since it is a special antique!

************************

Mimi (Mitch's mom's mom) is known for a cuckoo clock on the wall that comes out and tweets on the hour...many times we have stood looking up at the clock waiting for the exact moment (because even at 12:00 the bird is super fast and it's easy to miss) that the bird will come out! 

******************************

Gigi and Great Grandpa Hollenbach (my dad's parents) are famous for putting hershey kisses in 2 little decorative boxes and it is the first thing the boys go to when visiting them (the boxes were empty once or twice during their recent move and it was noticed immediately!).  Gigi has gotten very good at making sure she refills the boxes after they leave each time because she knows she has no time once they are in the door! 

*******************************

Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Hertzler (my mom's parents) are known for always having a little ziplock baggie of goldfish waiting for a snack when the boys come to visit! 

*****************************

Aunt Jane & Uncle Gene (my mom's aunt and uncle - not really great grandparents to the boys but we see them so much it feels that way) are very well loved for the packs of meatsticks they always send home with the boys that are made packaged at Blooming Glen Caterers (a local business).

How lucky are our boys!!??  They are SO well loved!

***Incidentally, although the pictures look like we only visit on Halloween!, we do see all these wondeful relatives much more often - but I guess I need to take my camera along more often as these were some of my best shots!!