Chips and Pretzels

My Grandma Horstman is one of the top three women I ever knew (the other two on the list are Great-Grandma Hornbach and Mom, later stories about the two of them will definitely follow). But Grandma Horstman, she was quite the lady. Not only did she raise eight fantastic children, but she loved every single one of her 24 grandchildren. I think all of us grandchildren had a different and special relationships with her, I wish I would have had more time to make a closer relationship, but the memories I have are pretty fantastic.

My brother John had such great times with Grandma. He spent every Friday, and almost every Saturday night at Grandmas house. This was when Jill and I were both cheer leading and John was just too little to go to every single game, so Mom and Dad dropped him off with Grandma. This is where John learned to play poker. My favorite story is when Dad walked in after a football game and Grandma said, "Paul, what is better? Three of a kind or Two Pair?" Dad of course answered, "Three of a Kind." Apparently John had lied to Grandma to win a hand and convinced her that his two pair beat her three of a kind. So they spent the evenings playing cards, listening to the East Central games on the radio and eating snacks.

Grandma always had the best snacks. The things I remember about Grandma's house were her making cocktails for Grandpa, 7and7's, and she always stirred them with the swizzle sticks that were kept by the refrigerator. But when she gave Grandpa his cocktail she would always give us snacks. We would either get this amazing popcorn (I still don't know where this popcorn came from because it always just mysteriously appeared in a yellow tupperware container), or chips and pretzels. Not just chips in a bowl, and pretzels in a bowl, but chips and pretzels combined together.

Tonight when Dan and I decided we needed a snack I put these two things together in a bowl. He was so surprised. His exact words were, "Who would have thought that these little chip and pretzel sandwiches would be so good?" I replied, "Grandma Horstman"

To this day I have never seen my brother eat chips or pretzels by themselves, I've never seen my mom buy chips at the store and not buy pretzels, and I'm sure it's because John prefers them together. It's just a little piece of Grandma that he keeps with him.

I really hope that John remembers the times that he had with Grandma Horstman. She was such an amazing person and I am really jealous of the time he got to spend with her. In the theme of Thanksgiving, today I give thanks for Grandma Horstman and the family she raised. I know I wouldn't be the same person without her. Love you, Grandma.