This is a great time of the year

The holiday season is my favorite time of the year because it forces my family to drop everything in our busy lives so we can spend time together.

I get to watch smiles spread across the faces of my favorite munchkins as their parents and family spoil them.

The only bad part about the holiday season is it is an annual reminder when someone is missing from the Christmas dinner table.

Christmas Eve is when I miss my great-grandparents Marvin and Freda Taylor the most.

Grandpa Taylor marched to the beat of a different drum, that is for sure, but he was so much fun. It was quite clear he drove grandma up the wall.

He was always doing something to bug one of us grandkids, like calling my sister C.D. (Crystal Dawn) even though he knew she hated it.

He made the best milkshakes in the world. I haven't been able to find one that was hand-shaken like his. Although, I think sometimes he put the malt mix in the shakes (which we didn't like) so he could keep most of it for himself.

Grandma tried to pretend like she was strict, but she could never keep that facade with us. Although, she did yell at me frequently for having hair in my face and biting my nails.

They had a huge hill in their backyard my sister and I would roll down for fun. She warned us of chiggers and dirt, but still brought out her lawn chair when we asked her to watch how fast we could roll.

I miss going out to the barn and spending time with grandpa. The barn was huge and we thought he had everything in the world out there.

Grandma had a doorbell in the house that buzzed in the barn when supper was done so she didn't have to walk down to get grandpa.

My mom would get aggravated when we would come home with cups full of seashells and Indian beads. He would lay a whole bucket out on the floor and let us choose which ones we like the most.

Grandma liked to force feed us sweets. OK, maybe we weren't forced, but she always stockpiled Zebra Cakes and Star Crunches.

The best part was they only lived four blocks away, so we could walk down to their house during the summer.

During our Christmas family gatherings grandpa was in charge of the trash bag for discarded wrapping paper, and grandpa helped his daughter - Grandma Jones - direct who presents went to from under the tree.

Grandpa developed Alzheimer's over the years, which was really hard on our family. He would confuse family members names, often thinking my brother was my Uncle Mike.

He went into the nursing home when he got too much for grandma and the rest of the family to handle.

Then, grandma had a stroke and had to be placed in the nursing home as well.

Grandma made it to her and grandpa's wedding anniversary before she passed away two days later. I was 15-years-old.

Grandpa passed away two months later.

It has been eight years since they both past away. Grandpa Jones is now in charge of the trash bag while we tear open our gifts on Christmas. My mom now helps Grandma Jones distribute gifts.

I miss them both, a lot. I miss grandpa doing everything in his power to annoy grandma, and grandma yelling "Stop it, Marvin!"

I miss grandpa complaining just before dinner about being hungry by calling himself "Starvin' Marvin."

Luckily, I still have two wonderful grandparents -- and the rest of my crazy family -- to spend time with during the holidays.