A little in home luxury for our special guests

My husband's Grandma & Grandpa arrived for a visit today and we are super psyched. We Skype with them all the time but haven't seen them since last year when they drove a bazillion hours to Cameron's birthday party in Ithaca, New York from Palm Coast, Florida. Thankfully this time around Grandma & Grandpa can stay with us and not in a hotel because we're still shacking up in this luxurious apartment my husband's company put us up in for the summer.

After living in student housing (600 square feet of cinderblocks and darkness) for a year it has been wonderful to stretch out and live comfortably for a few months. Four bedrooms and four bathrooms of straight up luxury (to us anyway). Loving it. Grandma & Grandpa have their own private bedroom and bathroom at the end of a long hallway, far away from the sometimes loud nighttime sounds of our toddlers.

I could tell that Grandma & Grandpa were a little apprehensive about staying here (they did see our student housing apartment so who can blame them) but I assured them there was space. It's been a long time since we've had a place to entertain guests so I like to go all out for our special company. I stock their private bathroom with fresh towels and toiletries. I left a box of chocolates on their fresh, crisp sheets. My husband purchased some fresh flowers and the kids and I even made a special welcome gift for their Great Grandparents.

I spray painted an old vase with chalkboard paint, the kids decorated (scribbled) it, and I wrote a welcome message for Grandma & Grandpa to see. A super easy, cheap, and cute way to personalize a boring, old vase. Traveling is fun but staying at relative's homes isn't always easy. I like to make guests feel as comfortable as I can.

Fresh flowers, chocolates, freshly cleaned linens, and a homemade welcome sign can make even the most weary traveler smile. You don't have to spend much. Little touches make a big difference.