Happy Birthday Mom!

My mother’s birthday was yesterday. Why didn’t I post yesterday? Well… I’m late.. that’s just how I roll.

Anyway, Happy Birthday Mom!!! I love you. You are the best mom in the whole wide world, and I really mean that. I feel so blessed to have you in my life. I don’t even know where to begin to explain all the ways you’ve touched my life and all the reasons I love you so much.. but I’m going to give it a small whirl anyway.

Here are 25 random things I admire and love about my mom:

1. She is hilarious. Her sense of humor cracks me up, and she cracks herself up too! When we’re together or when we talk we laugh and laugh.

2. She is spiritually ginormous. I trust her implicitly with spiritual things. I almost trust her opinions on what’s going on in my life more than I trust my own. When I need to make an important decision, I always ask her to help me pray. She is so close to the spirit and I know she spends hours and hours praying for her children. She has helped more than one of us out of sticky situations because she has been in tune and followed His promptings.

3. She is so fun. She goes on bike rides, paints nails, loves to shop and is pretty much game for anything. She keeps up with the party. She’s no stick in the mud!

4. She has taught me many practical things that have really helped me- how to cook, clean, do laundry, do yard work, keep a budget, etc. I have really valued this training as I have gone off to college, mission and now in my adult, married life.

5. She is really smart. While you may have noticed that spelling isn’t her thing, she is so knowledgeable about so many things. And she’s not afraid of the computer! She was the first one in our family to start a blog.. and she’s even on face book. Amazing.



6. She doesn’t gossip. She tries not to judge.

7. When she sneezes she scares the pants off of anyone in the same 4,000 square feet. It sounds like she’s screaming bloody murder.

8. She’s a fabulous cook.

9. She always tries to see the best in others, always giving them the benefit of the doubt.

10. She is classy. She’s stylish and up-to-date. She is gracious and kind.

11. She always supports me and all her children. No matter what we decide, she & dad support us.

12. She is creative and artistic. She used to paint until us 7 kids took over her life! She studied interior design and has a great eye for decorating. Her home is beautiful, and her yard is stunning. People who know her come and show people her yard all the time. And she gives them starts of her plants/flowers if they want them!

13. She is so giving. She’d give you the shirt off her back.. or the hard-worked-for home canned grape juice from her shelves.

14. She is a peacemaker.

15. She is really funny to scare... like hide behind the door and jump out kind of scare..it’s awesome, She totally jumps and then a split second later she screams in your face and then says “did I get ya?”. It’s quite the treat.

16. She could entertain you for hours with her embarrassing moments. She’s done some pretty embarrassing things... like at a hotel one time there was a bowl of doggie treats on the counter.. she saw them and got excited. She told the gal behind the counter that she LOVED these (pointing to the treats).. she said "I can only find these in Utah when I go to visit my kids!" and she popped one in her mouth. Then she realized that she was eating an actual doggie treat... not the Keebler Scooby-Doo doggie bone Graham Cracker treats she was expecting! Priceless.

17. She is calm. Whenever I need comfort, she always knows what to say. And when she tells me that ‘everything’s going to be ok’, I believe her.

18. She is tough. Don’t mess with her kids unless you want to see the wrath. And don’t be the solicitor calling either. I don’t recommend.

19. She is beautiful.

20. She is inclusive; she doesn’t like people to be left out.

21. After all these years, she still doesn’t realize that there’s no break on the passenger side of the car. But then again, she has had to be driven around by my crazy driver dad all the time. No offense Dad.

22. She can never remember if she’s seen a movie before.

23. She pronounces Sunday, ‘Sundee’

24. She thinks that life is too short to eat bad produce. I have to agree.

25. She loves God and it is clear in the way she lives her life.

Happy Birthday Mom. I love you MUCHO.