Happy birthday, Grandma!

If my mom was still alive, she would have turned 75 in March. Yesterday, Paul's mom turned 76. Margie turned 77 last month, my Dad will turn 77 on December 10, Aunt Janet will turn 78 on December 9, and Paul's dad's will be turning 79 on December 20. It had been 10.5 months since we had been in Grandma and Pop Pop's house. We had seen Grandma very briefly (5 minutes or less) on two occasions - once in my friend's driveway on Nadia's birthday in June and once more recently in our driveway. Oliver had spent some time shopping for a bike with Pop Pop in early August. We spent about six hours at Grandma's house yesterday to celebrate her birthday. This was the first time the kids and I had seen Uncle Al and Aunt Millie since Christmas. We brought four games and played two of them - Paul won Bubble Talk and Pop Pop won Suspend. The boys also played on the Wii with Pop Pop. Millie and Al brought pizza, cookies, cupcakes, candy, and cake. We brought balloons, an apple strudel, and yiaourtopita (a lemon pound cake made with Greek yogurt). I had baked the strudel and cake yesterday morning. Pop Pop, Uncle Al, and I all really liked the apple strudel. Since Nadia loves apple pie I thought she's also love the strudel. She said it was okay, which means I probably won't make it again.

The reason we were allowed to come to their house for the first time in almost 11 months was because we were each wearing a Fresh Air purifier around our necks plus they have a couple larger air purifiers running in their home. They have also purchased one for our home so that they will be able to visit our house, as they haven't been here since Ian's birthday in December 2019. Last year Al and Millie came to our house for Thanksgiving, but this year all ten of us plan to be together at Thanksgiving. Usually we get together for Easter, Mother's Day, and the kids' birthdays, but yesterday was the first family gathering of 2020 as we hadn't gotten together for Easter, Mother's Day, Nadia's birthday, or Oliver's birthday. Even though it was Grandma's birthday yesterday, the boys each came home with one gift. Oliver brought home a Hess truck that Paul's parents gave him for Christmas last year, but it had been accidentally left at their home. Al and Millie bought Ian a plush white guinea pig in memory of Patches, who died in February. 

My mom had lost some height (as we all do when we age), but I still don't think Nadia would have been taller than her yet, if she were still alive. At some point she probably would have been taller than my mom, but Nadia has already passed Paul's mom out in height, although it might not be clear in the photo above. As for my nieces and nephews, Susie (age 16) and Andrew (age 15) have both passed me out. Susie has her driver's license! Jenna will be turning 18 later this month. I remember holding Jenna when she was a newborn at my doctoral graduation. Time truly does fly!