Tables Full of Desserts and Grandchildren
- By Tina Bolin
I am honored to be asked to contribute to Stories from the Supper Table. My story begins right after my mom and dad got married. They moved halfway across the country, away from most of their family, to find work. It was the end of the Korean conflict and a recession started. My dad lost his job and had no luck finding a new one. My mother’s oldest sister and her husband had moved to the Yakima Valley, in Washington, after World War II, and had found employment working in the apple orchards. They were successful enough that they had purchased their own 20-acre orchard. Mom and Dad followed and worked hard as orchard laborers until they could also purchase their own orchard. They always lived just down the road from each other. That is how I grew up–with our only close family next door.
Every holiday was celebrated together with an elaborate spread. Why have one side dish when we could have four? It doesn’t make sense to only have pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving when we could have pumpkin, chocolate, apple, cherry, and Italian cream cake.
I often wondered if this excess was because my mom and aunt were from the South or if it was because every holiday made them homesick for siblings and cousins that they didn’t get to see and thought of often. We were not wealthy but holiday meals were not to be skimped on but delighted in. Their generous spirit with cooking carried over to me. I love the look of a loaded holiday table. I have friends who resent having to cook for holidays because of the extra expense and I don’t understand that. Please don’t take this as bragging about being wealthy-we were not but we always had enough and prioritized for the occasions.
Not every meal around the supper table will be pleasant. We have three children close in age and there were many meals around the table that were intense and frustrating with teenagers tormenting their siblings, yelling, name-calling, and stomping away in anger. I wondered if they would ever like each other. I have a very special supper table memory that holds a treasured place in this Momma‘s heart. All three kids had come home from college, and we were sitting around the supper table. I don’t know what we ate but I remember the storytelling and the laughter as they each entertained with stories of their lives away from home. We talked for a very long time and I enjoyed that they had grown up.
Fast forward ten years and everyone is married with small children and busy schedules. It can be hard to get everyone together for the holidays. I miss that so much. But last year we booked a vacation house on President’s Day weekend and we all got together. The joy of our nine little grandchildren sitting around the supper table eating together was a special sight for this Grammy to enjoy.
Pan over to the kitchen and there were the kids and spouses together eating and talking in the kitchen.
I guess memories don’t have to be around the table, but it helps to get them started.
Tina Bolin lives in Yakima, WA with her husband Greg. They were high school sweethearts and have been married for 44 years. Together they run their orchard, growing delicious apples and cherries. They’ve raised three kids and enjoy spoiling their nine grandchildren. Tina also has a quilting business which you can check out by following @nachesheightsquilting on Instagram.
Do you have a story of your own to share? Check out this post to learn more about the heart behind the series and the link for submissions.
12 thoughts on “Tables Full of Desserts and Grandchildren”
I love this! I know Tina fairly well, and she is indeed one of the best cooks and Bakers around! The Italian cream cake is the Best! She is a very talented mama., and grandma! She and Greg are such a loving God fearing couple. Great writing Tina!
Thanks for sharing your sweet words about my mom, I will be sure to pass them along ❤️
That was so good! Thanks for sharing Tina. Your mom and dad were amazing people. Loved them so much. Your dad loved Raisin pie and I had the honor of baking that for him way back when. Love it when God shows up
Thanks for your kind words! I told her come back and take a look at your sweet comments 🙂
Love this!!☺️
😍
Tears are rolling, As this reminds me of my own life growing up with grandparents and cousins living so close we saw each other almost everyday. Mealtimes we were special for our family of seven.
Always someone popping in and an extra plate or two added on the table. Might not have been a chair but the was always a plate.
Like Tina I’m a proud mom. My three daughters, two of the best son in laws and four precious grandchildren!
Jessica i know there are very long and sometimes very difficult days for you now. But I’d happily trade in a minute for that life all over again!.
T
Thank you for sharing such special memories, family is so important ❤️
Such a sweet memory for the Grands! They love love love being with their cousins. Great story Tina
They sure do, and they also love being with their grandparents 🙂
Loved this peek into real life! Growing up, holidays were most memorable because we’d all cook together. Living in rural MN and far from extended family, it was usually just the six of us. Your mom’s story brought so many memories to mind!
It seems like when you’re far from extended family, you make the most of the relationships that you do have close. Thanks for sharing your memories ❤️