scents from my childhood

you remember those things. homemade Italian sauce in Nani and Poppy's kitchen every time we walked through the door, a hug and a kiss from them. you remember.
Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin playing, Poppy's deep voice singing an Italian song.
Stories of my poppy's childhood. his little brother and two sisters, reading books. you remember.
Brownies, Popsicles, outside hide and seek, card games, popcorn, Poppy's warm lap in his big chair.
hugs and kisses and always feeling loved. i remember.
Last night i dreamed of nani and poppy. it doesn't happen often anymore, but when it does i go through my days feeling them close. remembering their voices and and happy sounds. laughter and big warm hands. i remember my childhood. it's funny that i remember so much of it at nani and poppy's house... they lived ten minutes away, so we were there all the time. my sisters, my cousin and I. sweet childhood memories.

homemade pasta was on the menu for tonight. with my sweet dream fresh on my mind and in my heart, i went to work with memories today. the boys and i danced to Italian music, I sprinkled the seasoning with remembrance, I inhaled scents of my childhood with a smile on my lips and a prayer whispered for my boys. That they'll have these memories too....memories with grandma and grandpa at the farm, memories of baking in the kitchen, grandma's breakfast bread, caleb's favorite, memories of nani preparing an Italian meal, sweet scents filling the kitchen, memories on grandpa's lap watching Disney movies, and papa's lap in his special chair watching movies together, memories of picking beans at the farm come summer time, memories of nani's hugs and grandma's kisses. memories of trips to visit family, camping with cousins, holidays shared, and moments gathered. they'll have these memories too.

 sunday dinner at nani and poppy's

 my earliest memories are on poppy's lap in his big chair

 nani's laugh. it filled the room and bubbled over, my sister laura has this laugh.

 love gathered close.

 below is a picture of dave with his grandparents. i went digging for both of us, i couldn't find much, which means next time i'm home i'll have to go digging for some more, and next time i'm at dave's parents i'll have to get some more of dave with his steinkamp grandparents. i don't have any here with my grammy either. but these few that i do have brought back wonderful memories!

first moments shared. (dave with grandma and grandpa giles)

I love witnessing the moments shared that will turn into memories remembered.

~today's moments are tomorrow's memories. -unknown

Happy Monday all ;)