What an amazing woman! I cannot put into words the love and appreciation I have for my mom and the impact she has had on my life. Today would be her 57th birthday. I could write a book about the many things she taught me, but I will just list a few of the memories I have of her......
She loved parties and any reason to celebrate! She loved making us feel special! She always made holidays so much fun. She would put together the best Halloween costumes every year and take us to all of the fun parties. Here she is pregnant with Derek and still making sure we were all having a fun day.
I will always remember the sweet things she would do for my dad ..... she loved him so much and she taught her children to love.
I will always remember her hands. Those hands that were always reaching out to help someone else in need.
I will always remember the brown velvet rocking chair and her sweet smell as she rocked me to sleep or comforted me when I was sick.
She loved children... everyone's children..... she would have 12 of her own and still invite the other kids to come along. She would always have a loaf of bread and peanut butter and lots of fun snacks for us to take to the beach or the park.
She loved travelling and staying in hotels on vacation....even if it was just a hotel 2 miles from home. This was our first big vacation as a family back in April 2004. We took a trip to Maui with all 24 of us, grandkids and all!
She loved her children more than anything.... she called us her "Darling Dozen." Here we are in Maui right after Brandon came home from his mission. Mom and dad and all 12 of us!
She made our weddings beautiful! She always wanted them to be just perfect and went without a wink of sleep to make them that way.
Avery loved to snuggle with grandma and read stories with her.
She loved to be with her grandbabies! My little Ella had such a short time with her but she will always know her grandma loved her!
She taught me to work.... I will always remember her telling me that the kitchen was not clean until the sink was scoured and the countertops and faucets were sparkling.
She also taught me to play. She was so much fun...she was always up for something spontaneous and adventurous!
She taught me how to be a "lady." I always remember as I got older she would remind me that I needed lipstick or my hair needed to be curled. I think I went overboard on the hair curling in high school, "hot sticks" ring a bell? I had the ultimate "hot sticks hair"...... with big bangs! As you can see.... mom had the cutest natural curls. What a sweet little picture of her!
I will always remember her smile.... she was so beautiful!
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She LOVED the beach! This was her last trip to the beach before she passed away on August 3, 2005. It was one of the very last pictures I took of my mom. (July 13th 2005)
There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss her like crazy! I miss her phone calls in the morning to see what I am doing that day and her advice to me when I am having a hard time with my kids. I miss her love for HARD ice cream and ice cold drinks with lots of ice. I miss her doodling on paper as she talked on the phone. I miss her hours on the phone to try and get a super deal in a hotel somewhere by the beach for all of us to have a little vacation. I miss her creativity, she could turn anything plain into something fancy. I miss her singing to my kids when they were babies. I miss her love for going out to lunch or dinner with her family. I miss her treasures she could find at a garage sale and then she would tell you (with a cute smile) she got it at Nordstrom. I miss her love for swimming in the summer and just being outside. I miss her quiet way of teaching her children by example. She was the center of our lives and she brought so many people happiness by the love she shared! I feel so blessed to call her my mother and as short as our time was on this earth together, I know I will get to spend an ETERNITY with her someday! Happy Birthday Mom......I love you.
The Silly Leprechauns left a big mess in the girls' room and some Lucky Charms!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
We went to the park to have a little Easter egg hunt with the some friends
Egg salad anyone?
having fun with cousins
My cute little sisters Jacqueline and Autumn
Happy Easter!
My brother Brandon with his new baby boy!
