As I tucked Emma Vance into bed tonight, she sleepily murmured, “Mom, I have to tell you something.”
“Yes?” I replied, thinking it was a simple stalling practice.
“I want to be at Great Grandma Vance’s right now,” she whispered through an exhausted yawn.
Me, too.
After a four-day stay with my grandmother, E.V.’s namesake (Mrs. Emma Mann Vance), I can’t blame her for wanting to go back — it was a dream vacation for our girls: pools, treats, snuggles, adventures…all things which make for lasting memories. (Ryan was busy with work, so my mom and I toted E.V. and Cricket down to Orlando for a long girls-only weekend, but we missed him dearly.) Although it was a blast, I’m too exhausted to recount each moment in a suitable way, so here are a few of our favorite memories in pictures:
The debut of “E.V.’s World-Famous Swim Show, complete with her unforgettable trick finale — the Triple Dipple Gipple! ” while swimming at the neighbor’s outdoor pool — complete with a rubber ducky audience.
The girls eating everything in plain sight — cookies and cupcakes and, oh, yeah, Jell-O! (You’d think I never feed them!)
And, well this sight just cracked me up…;)
A boat ride around Winter Park’s lakes…topped off with shopping + lunch + a koi pond!
Trying to catch one of the gazillion chameleons that live in Great Grandma Vance’s front yard and being unsuccessful. (Apparently they were too smart for our toddler traps, haha!)
Visiting with GGV’s friend, Lucy, from down the street and her dog, Lilly (who taught us it was okay to roll around in the lush Florida grass!)
Did I mention SWIMMING all day, every day? (Followed by warm-me-up snuggles, of course!)
Tagging along to Great Grandma Vance’s standing Saturday hair appointment to get the girls’ “hair dressed” (as E.V. put it), complete with “baby donuts” for an accompanying breakfast ;)
(The “dressed hair” lasted about, oh, two hours before it was swim time again…)
“Mom, I love this tree.” #firsttreeclimbed
For me, my favorite part of our mini-vacation was simply visiting my grandmother’s house again. Grandparents’ homes are such an iconic thing, and like most grandparents’ decor, not much has changed in my grandma’s house since my childhood (or since 1968!) — which I love. It’s comforting to show up every year or two and know that there will always be that oh-so-70s yellow couch in the formal living room to sit on, that my 5th grade art will be hanging on the pantry door and that the statue of Bobo the Dalmatian will still be there in the corner. My grandfather’s old blue chair, which has sat in the living room since forever is finally so dilapidated that my mother convinced my grandmother to order a replacement while we were visited, which made me panic a little bit. Don’t change ANYTHING! In case this new chair inspires my grandma to go all HGTV on me, I decided to take a few pictures of her home as I will always remember it.
Warning: These pictures will probably be boring to everyone except for me and maybe my brothers, but in hopes that you’ll keep scrolling — I promise the 60s foil wallpaper is worth it! ;)
And, of course, I have to include Ryan’s all-time favorite picture of me, which hangs in the hallway outside the master bedroom ;) You’re welcome, Love!
