Grandma Ginny

When Chase was only 8 weeks old, we had the chance to go to California as a family to celebrate my grandmother's 90th Birthday.  My Grandma, or Grandma Ginny as my boys called her, loved babies, and she was so excited to meet little Chase.  It was such an amazing day to get to celebrate this strong woman's life and to see her enjoy her newest great-grandbaby.

That's Grandma in the background, and Chase is warming up his smiles for her.

 Here he is looking over my shoulder at his great grandma and being quite the flirt.  It was so cute to see how much he took to her, and I think she was quite pleased with all of his smiles.

 This is Grandma with all 5 of her great grandkids.

 The party was at my aunt and uncle's house.  They have the most gorgeous home and backyard.

 The kids couldn't get enough of the pool.

 Tim got in too and soon had at least 3 kids at a time using him as a jungle gym.

 Meanwhile I got to relax and chat with my beautiful cousins.

 What would a 90th Birthday be without a cake?

 My cousin Nicole and her husband Greg having some baby time.

 Chase snuggling with his great uncle Randy.

 We managed to get a picture of all the guys...

 And the ladies.

 And then topped off the night with some s'mores.

 Um, who wouldn't like s'mores made with Dove milk chocolates?  Or in Tyler's case, why even include marshmallows, when you can just eat those tasty chocolates?

 My mom by the fire pit.

The next day we drove to Tim's mom's house, where Chase met his great aunt Trina and found her shoulder to be quite the comfortable place to snooze.

Then, we headed back to the Bay Area and spent some more time with Grandma Ginny.  Chase was all smiles for her again.

 And then slept peacefully in her arms.

 I love this last picture of my sweet baby nestled comfortably in my grandmother's arms.  I love that Grandma has a soft smile on her face as she watches him sleep.  This was the last picture I took of my grandmother.  She passed away less than 9 months later.  She was a great woman, and I will always be grateful for her influence in my life.  It is from her that I gained my love for baking and cooking and my desire to have a bigger family.  I think I can also credit her with my love to shop, especially when it comes to finding good deals.  Grandma was a strong-willed lady who loved her family deeply.  I am so thankful that I got to share my little family with her.