A trip down my parents’ memory lane

Sorry I’ve been MIA on the blog for a while. My dad came to town for a visit last week and we just had the best time. Really made me wish they lived out west, so I could see them more often.

My dad and mom lived in Boulder for 17 years. In fact, I was born here :) And despite living here myself for 4 years, I’ve always wondered where my mom and dad used to hang out/the house I was born in/their favorite breakfast joints.

So on one of the days my dad was here, we made a trip down memory lane.

And had breakfast at one of mom and dad’s faves:

Then visited the houses they lived in as 20 year olds, back when dad was roofing houses and mom was waitressing to pay their way through college and make rent.

And we visited the first house they ever bought, which was the home they lived in when all three of us kids were born. It’s a sweet little house way in the mountains, close to nothing but trails and dirt roads and fresh air and horses. I tried to imagine what it must have been like, 26 years ago right here.

Then we stopped by the high school my dad taught at, as a young high school chemistry teacher. Back in 1978, my dad started the science program there, and seeing the look on his eyes when we pulled into the school’s parking lot warmed my heart. Teaching was his passion and he was damn good at it. He told us countless chemistry demo stories that cracked me up, and coaching XC and track stories that made me proud to be his daughter and a runner.

My whole life, our family moved around every 3 or so years. I’ve lived in 15 different houses. 8 different cities, 2 different countries. I don’t have a “hometown” or tons of complex memories growing up from elementary to middle to high school in the same town.

But being able to take a trip down my dad and mom’s memory lane from the 17 years they lived in Colorado, meant a lot to me. And it makes me feel like I have more of a history and past in Colorado, than just the last 4 years I’ve been here for grad school.

The rest of dad’s trip was jam packed with all sorts of other goodies. Bike riding, bringing Cabo to the dog park, relaxing on the couch, strolling around the mall, hiking, driving through the mountains, grilling out, and eating like royalty at the best restaurants around town.

I loved having you visit, Dad! Now we gotta get my mom to come out for a visit :) Mom??? Love you guys!

Have you visited where your parents grew up/their first purchased homes/their fave restaurants?
Were you born and raised in the same place growing up, or did you move around a lot?