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Friday, February 7, 2014

6/52 :: Remembering Grandma

Today's photo was actually taken last March and is of Nolan and my sweet Grandma Francoise.  She passed away peacefully last night.  She will be so missed by all of us.  I truly treasure the time we spent with her and all of our wonderful memories (including her meeting Nolan!)

Here are some of my favorite memories of Grandma:

- Grandma & Grandpa living in Oregon when we were young and seeing snow for the first time while at her house.  She loved to dress us up in big snow suits and would make us keep the tags on so she could take them back when we went home to Florida :).

- Grandma & Grandpa would fly to Florida to visit us and she would occasionally bring certain baking ingredients (like butter) in her suitcase across country because we surely would not have the right kind in FL.

- Grandma would sometimes tell stories about her family growing up in France during WWII and the Nazi Invasion.

- Grandma's house was always so beautifully decorated... even at a young age I was fascinated by it.  Maybe that's where I get the designer "gene" from?  My favorite birthday present that she and grandpa gave me was giving me a room makeover where she helped me pick new paint and bedding, Grandpa would painted my room and Grandma and I rearranged all of my toys and books on the shelves to make them look better.

- Grandma was always up on the latest celebrity gossip.  She kept us all in the loop.

- Grandma told Josh (on multiple occasions) that he looked just like Prince William.

- Grandma's crepe.  Enough said.

We love and miss you, Grandma.

5 comments:

Cindy H said...

Your Grandma was such a funny lady. I'll always remember her coming to our house to make your Mom's 50th Birthday cake. She was a hoot!!! So glad she was able to meet Nolan and that you have so many great memories of her!

Elizabeth said...

Becca, so sorry to hear about your grandmother. She sounds like such a lovely person, and a wonderful grandma. Glad she had the opportunity to meet and spend time with Nolan. I'll be thinking about y'all!

Catherine said...

One of my favorites was the time in Paris when she and grandpa met us there. We were in yet another Parisian Bakery and she was looking at the merchandise and speaking in English to us. The clerk informed her that she couldn't just pick up and handle everything as this was not her "American Suu-pair-mar-kit." I then remember her throwing the items down on the ground and going off on this poor man who dared mistake her for some common American tourist. I also remember Dad quickly escorting us out the door with small "Time to go!"

I could write for pages and pages. She was always so vibrant and full of life, and that's the part I'll miss the most.

Unknown said...

I'm so glad I had the pleasure of hanging out with Grandma the many times that I did. I loved getting to stay at her house in Texas while we were on a church trip and eat her delicious crepes!! I got to spend time with her on a cruise and become adopted as her other granddaughter! :) She was such a sweet and wonderful woman and will be greatly missed. So glad that she got to meet Nolan and even come to my wedding! Looking forward to seeing her again one day and I'll know it's her because of her cute accent. Love you all sweet Russell family!

sarah harper said...

I'm so sorry for your loss, Reb. I remember thinking it was really neat when you first told me your grandmother was from France. Glad you have some great memories of her. That's a special picture with Nolan!