Putting The Grand In Grandparents

My parents flew out for a visit earlier this month. Even though my Mom flew over with us to help out when we made The Big Move last July, this was the first visit where they were able to see what our new life in Hawaii looks like now that all the furniture is in place, the artwork and photos are hung on the wall, the kids are enrolled in school and sports, and I've finally put all my pictures into my scrapbooks.

No, wait -- that last one still hasn't happened. Wishful thinking.

But you get the idea. And I have to say I think they liked what they saw.

The kids were so happy to see their Grandma and Opa -- and not just because they arrived with two completely full suitcases of gifts, either. My parents, grateful to finally be able to flex their Grandparent muscles after seven months of separation, spent most of their time playing London Bridge, giving horsey rides, flying airplanes, and reading stories.


John and I kept busy during their visit, too, taking full advantage of the rare opportunity for FREE BABYSITTING. We went out on lots of dinner dates, rocked our socks off at The Police concert, and even went surfing together in front of Diamondhead in East Waikiki. (OK, truth be told, John surfed and I paddled around for two hours, a little more than slightly intimidated by the shallow rocky bottom underneath me and the six years since I was last on my surfboard.)

As one of his belated Christmas gifts, we rented Dad a BMW motorcycle for the day so he could check out the rest of the island. He made sure to give exhilarating albeit low-gear rides to interested five-year-old riders, and allowed not-at-all-interested, two-year-old onlookers the opportunity to just pose for a photo with the engine off.

We went to Chinatown, where Dad had his first taste of dim sum and got friendly with a flounder, whom he invited over for dinner that night.

We paid a visit to Sea Life Park, Oahu's charming little version of San Diego's Sea World.

And, of course, there was much soccer. (With the cutest referee, by the way.)

Bottom line:

It was a great visit.

The grandparents need to come more often and stay longer when they do.

The end.