Grandpa and Grandma Balsbaugh's Visit

Last week we had a visit from Grandpa and Grandma Balsbaugh (or "Grampy and Grammy" as my kids have taken to calling them, to distinguish, I suppose, from "Gramps and Grams"). Here's a little photo journalistic essay of just some of our activities. I was gone at the POP Men's Retreat most of the weekend, so some of these are from Grammy.


And I obviously wasn't there when the drove through this to get to Minnesota in the first place:



Despite the weather (I94 was eventually closed later that evening) They arrived on Friday night in time to catch Dietrich's last wrestling match of the freestyle season Saturday morning. Both admitted that they could become wrestling fans.


Then all went to church Sunday morning at Bethlehem Baptist and the kids happened to be singing in choir (no good pictures there). Afterwards Jen and the kids took Grampy and Grammy to the Guthrie Theater (one of the Seven Wonders of the Upper Midwest in my accounting).

Grammy got some nice artsy shots there that I haven't included. I'll leave that to her blog. These are just the best of the people ones.



I got home Sunday afternoon, and will throw a picture in here for anyone who hasn't seen me in ... oh ... 15 years.

Sunday evening we went out to a Mexican restaurant and then later to what has been voted one of the best ice-cream shops in the country -- the Grand Ol' Creamery on Grand Avenue in St. Paul.



Monday Grammy came to see the new Trinity School at River Ridge and People of Praise Servant Branch building (click here for a magazine article on the building).

Here's a shot of my Humane Letters Seminar room.

Afterwards Grammy, Jen, Nora, Charis and I went shopping for what has come to be "the big event" of every Grammy and Grampy trip.

Here's the shopping.

And here's the event .... Grampy's Tailgate Party!!!

(Note the purple beads.)





After dinner, we drove around the Cathedral Hill neighborhood in St. Paul. I forgot my camera and Grammy thought it was better than Boston! Next time she wants to take a walking tour.

Wednesday morning they had to pull away in their motor home for Pennsylvania, the beginning of a multi-month business trip.

But here's to next time!

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Sounds like fun! You might not believe us (given our lack of visiting) but we really would LOVE to come visit. I get jealous every time someone else goes to see you!
I love the last shot of dad...classic!

JPB said...

My two most abiding images of Dad: cooking meat and wrangling the roto-tiller. I especially have an image of Dad roto-tilling the Breedlove's garden for them. It has stuck with me all these years as an image of sacrifical service.

Wow ... this could be an interesting project ... "My three most abiding images of..."

Now I have something to do this summer!

Paul & Beth said...

I know it hasn't been 15 years since I have seen you...I hope. Can't remember the last though...could it possibly be as far back as Jodi's wedding? Surely not! Anyway, thanks for putting in a shot of you and Charis. Very sweet. Good to see you.

Paul & Beth said...

No...I vaguely remember seeing you once at your dad and mom's....it hasn't been that long! You haven't changed much...maybe you will have that Bauman gift of looking young forever.

But what? you're a professor? and no beard?

Eyes_Wide_Open said...

I love those shots of Dad. May need to lift them from your site. I think your two most abiding images are mine as well. Though I'd add that another of mine is him waiting for me after basketball games. I could count on the fact that he'd be waiting for me, shifting his weight from side to side, just waiting for me to exit the locker room after games. And he'd meet me at times with a smile, at times with a hug, but always would meet me.

I think I might do the "My three most abiding images..." project. Great idea.