Happy Birthday, Mom!

I thought I would write down some fun memories I have of my Mom.

1. I remember when I was a teenager during the summer, my mom and I would wake early and go walking. I loved the fresh air and talking about life with my Mom. The exercise time always flew by when I had her company.

2. I remember at Christmas time my mom would help me make homemade gifts for my friends. One year we made potpourri hats, another year we made fabric and lace covered soap. She taught me that the best gifts are ones that are made with love. When I smell a hot glue gun (the high temp ones), I think of those times I spent making gifts with my mom.

3. My Mom is a very hard worker. She gets up early and goes strong all day long. I remember when I was young her teaching me how to clean a mirror and vacuum to leave the neat lines in the carpet. The summer before my 8th grade year, her and my dad shipped me off to live in Wyoming with my cousins to weed beans so I could pay for cheer camp. We'd get up at four in the morning and work until mid-morning and then go back again in the evening when it got cooler. I was so excited to be making $4 an hour! She taught me when you want something bad enough you need to work for it.

4. My Mom is an amazing cook. She bakes yummy pies, bread, soup, cookies, rolls and homemade candy. Everything she makes tastes great. I have fun memories of canning peaches with her and how the skin of the peaches just fall off after you blanch them. (the kitchen floor would get so sticky from the peach juice) Her face turns red when she works out or is out in the hot sun. (her mom is like that also and of course that happens to me to) When I'm at the gym people start to get worried when I turn red- I am fine but my face looks like I might have a heart attack or something. I have memories of her coming in the house after picking strawberries and her face matching the strawberries.

5. She is crazy in love with my Dad. They always greet each other with a kiss. When I was younger I remember thinking "ewwwww". Now I am so grateful for the security I always felt knowing how much my parents loved each other. She does cute things for him too. I remember her making my dad a huge homemade cookie one year for Valentines Day.

6. She has such a strong testimony of the Gospel. She has always been someone I could lean on when I needed help with my own testimony. She knows what is right and she just does it! I feel her prayers for me and my family daily.

7. My mom has beautiful light blue eyes with a touch of light green. She also has the cutest little legs. (no fair!!) The first thing she does in the morning is get ready. She always comes down from her room ready for the day. I remember when I was super huge and swollen while I was pregnant with Conner and I didn't feel like moving, let alone getting ready for the day. I must have told her how I was feeling and she told me, "even a barn looks better with paint on it." She wasn't calling me a barn (although I looked like one) but she was right. After doing my hair, getting on a cute outfit and some makeup I felt 100x better.

If I had more time, I could go on forever but the kids need to get to bed. I hope you had a great day, Love You!!