When we see our parents, grandparents, or even great-grandparents, it’s hard to remember that they were once carefree young people as well.

We hear the stories, but can’t really picture them (or aren’t really listening). But it’s the photos that really hit us like a blast from the past.

And while paging endlessly through family photo albums is hardly anyone’s idea of fun, we’d be pretty stoked and surprised to come across photos like this of our older family members.

1. Old-fashioned romance

What an epic photo!

Plenty of us have seen evidence that our grandparents are still in love after all these years, but it’s different to catch a glimpse of a passionate past.

2. American Airman

This posed photo is one of the only things his descendants will see of Keith since he was shot down while returning from a bombing run in WWII.

It’s important to be able to picture the man and not just the sacrifice.

3. Dare to bare

Visiting the White House in the 70s as a Mick Jagger lookalike, this dad exudes cool.

How many people can ever pull off the entirely buttoned-down look?

4. Hollywood Glamour

Damn, grandma!

We’re not sure what we could think after finding this photo. We might take a closer look to see how much glamor we might have inherited though.

5. The one that got away

We wonder what grandpa thought if he came across this photo and realized she was still holding onto it.

Probably the same thing we’re thinking – yowza!

6. Pretty rockin’ kids party

That’s the most champagne we’ve ever seen at a 5-year-old’s birthday party! And we totally get it – those things can be intense.

From the looks of it, there were more adults than kids, but when you’re 5, it’s more fun to have aunts and uncles around anyway.

7. Puppy power

Unless you’ve ever held that many puppies at once, you automatically lose to grandma here.

8. Hard to top

Well, if you were Einstein’s teacher in any subject you get automatic cool points.

Even when your pants are belted that high.

9. He’s with the band

Ok, so maybe this is what every guy looked like in the late ’70s, but from the mustache to the guitar, we think this dad looks pretty cool.

We wonder what he’s like now.

10. How does this genetics thing work anyway?

Can you really be uncool if you get half of this woman’s genes?!

She BUILT that bike!

11. It’s all rocket science

That’s a formidable man.

And you’d have to be to hold an executive position at NASA as a black man in the ’80s.

12. But have they tried to recreate it?

This is badass!

We’d love to see them recreate it, but we have to admit we’d probably get hurt trying to do it ourselves.

13. But do you have a chocolate factory?

We don’t know much about this photo other than that this is the coolest great-grandfather vintage outfit we’ve ever seen.

It’s time to raid the closet to see if he kept any of it!

14. Real-life Rosie the Riveter

Women had to take to the factory floors while soldiers were called to duty during WWII – and boy did they step up!

While it’s not an ideal situation, her smile makes it clear that she’s making the best of the situation.

15. That’s a lot of car!

An Indian woman in a car in 1916 would be rare anywhere in the world – but certainly in the U.S.

But great-grandma wasn’t afraid to learn to drive so she could be self-sufficient!

16. Awkward crush

Hottie alert!

How weird would it be to come across this photo and find out that hunk was your grandfather?

17. Trading places

We get so weird about gender roles these days that it’s hard to believe a little cross-dressing for a special occasion wouldn’t have been a bid deal in the 1940s.

Props to grandpa for rocking that dress!

18. From head to toe

The hair. The mauve.

This is a cool that’s impossible to replicate no matter how hard you try.

And if you think you can do it, just remember that this is a photo of a grandfather off to play with The Temptations.

19. Stunning and special

What a gorgeous photo.

We just love seeing bridal garb through the years and in various cultures.

20. That’s the old days for ya

It turns out that photobombs were a thing all the way back in the 1920s.

And if something is going to mess up your photo, it might as well be an unexpected creature.

It looks like grandma managed to take it in stride. No bridezillas here!

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