I think this could be so fun if we all list memories to give to her for her birthday. I'll complile them for her if you all post some. I'll start with a few:
Making raisins on sheets in the backyard at Dunbar.
Mom teasing us about dunking graham crackers
Yoga in the kitchen (two nights ago)
Mom always coming to see us in the Bustoz Halloween parades. I loved seeing her...just waiting for us to pass by.
Mom wanting to make temple clothes for all of us.
Apricot parties - I don't think any of us will forget how she could make it so fun.
Laughing (and crying) about being bald with Dad
Mom sharing her testimony about Heavenly Father's awareness of each of us
Mom getting excited about wedding plans. I love it.
Testing the colored printer for some company. we had so much fun playing with that thing
Mom with Dawnetta and Alana
Reading for book club and loving the ladies in the ward
Mom just told us tonight that Nancy Guilliam told her that she used to come to church just because she knew Mom would be looking for her and would say hi to her. Mom has always been such a sincere friend to people. People really value their friendship with her. I love that.
I used to love following Mom around the house. I just liked to do whatever she was doing. I still like it. Just today we all talked with her in the living room all afternoon. When she moved to her bed, one by one we all followed her to her room.
Scrabble games. and Boggle.
Making meatballs
Driving to Utah and back - often with tons of canning under our feet. I don't know how Mom did that so many times. I'll bet we drove her crazy sometimes. She would always put up with our music. Joseph and the Technicolored Dreamcoat. Boy From New York City. I Want to Grow Old with you.
Wee Sing
Mom singing and teaching us to sing "Mares Eat Oats and Does Eat Oats..."
Mom's amazing lunches on car trips. -usually turkey on rolls with cheese and lettuce
Making family trips happen. She always did tons of planning and made trips happen. Sedona, Palmyra, Disney World, Salt Lake day trips
making me a prom dress, dress for senior dinner party
mom teaching me how to sew - so much patience!
so many rides home from Provo High
Driving me to work at Dad's office a couple times a week during my 1st semester freshman year
During high school I learned that Mom tries to do at least one act of kindness for someone every day. She really does it, too. She is always thinking of others.
Fixing dinners for my dinner night at the dorms
Sending Clinton down to the dorms with a bag of treats (Martinelli, banana bread) when I was first starting to get sick with the thyroid thing freshman year. That was so thoughtful. I just cried and loved knowing Mom was thinking of me.
I have always felt that our mom would do just about anything for us. She is so unselfish. She's taught me that unselfishness is a big part of what love is.
I could go on forever, it's so fun to think of all these things. I'll stop there for now...
Here's a good start, I'll see what elese I can come up with later.
ReplyDeleteSewing - making Jams (shorts), Halloween costumes, dresses - often late into the night
Taking "two minute" showers
Working in the garden, in Arizona or Utah
Mowing the lawn and enjoying it more than any kind of house work
Becoming friends with widows and others who needed someone - Helen (and her bird), Inez Turley, Pauline McCleve, and women whose names I don't remember
Joy School
Helping me follow my passions - whatever they happened to be at the time - model rockets, tennis, Lego, books
Practicing at the piano with me
By far consistently the most excited to talk to me on the phone. When I call she ask questions, makes me feel her love, and then will let me know when she is done.
Visits in Houston - restaurants, the Aboretum, museums, Galveston
Get us ready to go on Father & Sons Outings. Those dinners were always amazing. It makes my mouth water just thinking about them.
I would call Mom a behind-the-scenes kind of women. She works, serves, gives, etc. and does not get enough credit.
Making lunches before we would walk to school in Arizona.
ReplyDeleteLast Chance trips.
The many trips to the library- putting up with the fact that we always get more books than we'll ever read.
Coming up to Salt Lake City for Aunika's wedding. Alicia and I got to be flower girls. We flew, just Mom and us.
Along the sewing lines- Mom made me an 8th grade graduation dress. I was picky, and probably ornery, but she altered it and fixed it until I loved it.
Homemade bread all of the time. We were so spoiled. Dad giving her the Bosch mixer, experimenting with bread recipes.
Feeding the ducks at Kiwanis park when Dad would have firesides at the house. We would save our old bread and feed it to them while we walked around the park.
Toting me to and from play practices in Springville (Villa Theatre), Orem (Scera), and Spanish Fork (Spanish Fork High School).
Encouraging me to practice piano and teaching me to love it. Her encouragement and praise kept me taking lessons and practicing.
While in Utah, trips to MPS with Grandpa and Grandma.
Watching Mom with Grandpa. Admiring her love for and relationship with her Dad. Gardening together, canning together, sharing books, etc.
Getting excited about American Girl dolls. I loved that she was excited about it.
Continually encouraging us to fill the bird feeder. Noticing when it is empty and fixing the problem.
Her joy in a well-tended garden.
While I was in New York, Mom let me call every day. Assuring me she was fine. Worrying about me when I was sick, home-sick or otherwise.
Singing "Rainbow Connection" at the piano.
Drinking hot chocolate with Dad in bed at night.
Sunday dinners- always roast beef, mashed potatoes, vegetables.
The pioneer trip- ripping her dress because of pregnancy with Ryan.
Going to the ultrasound (all of us girls) to find out whether Ryan was a boy or girl.
Wearing our clothes and us wearing hers- we all share one size.
Keeping grandparent's pictures of us updated on their picture wall.
more later...
I just thought of some more...
ReplyDeleteMom's love for the mountains
Like Clinton said, she gets excited about things we're excited about. I see this in her interactions with Dad. She encourages him and loves the things he does. Joy, Learning Thrills, River Shelfs, healthy food etc.
The movie, White Christmas
Giving us a bad time about fastforwarding the mother nun's song in Sound of Music
homemade pizza on Saturday afternoons
ReplyDeleteTaking the Family to Kumas to go to State and Kyake at Mirror Lake
ReplyDeletePopcorn and Slush
Love of Christmas
Sitting and talking on Mom and Dad's bed. And she always gives up her pillow so that you can be comfortable
ReplyDeleteFitting into clothes that she has not worn for 20+ years.
ReplyDeleteFinding joy in callings as a Relief Society teacher, Primary President, Young Women's advisor, and nursery leader
Being in the Celestial room together, always a meaningful moment.
Insistent on getting a family pictures at different times - before I left on a mission, before Natalie got married, etc.
tomatoes with salt
ReplyDeleteconvincing you that your gray hair was hip and cute
picking books out for me at the library
more later
teaching me how to change a diaper
ReplyDeleteJoy school
lovingly and enthusiastically teaching Art Masterpiece at Bustoz elementary
ReplyDeletepatiently wedding dress shopping until we found the "perfect" dress
playing and sleeping on the bed with Will and being patient and not giving him a bottle so that I could nurse him after class
putting the needs or wants of your family above your own desires
writing notes, attending concerts and simply loving the Oak Hills 4th ward YW - even after you were released
teaching and inviting discussion at Enrichment on learning & playing as a family
helping Dad take his coat off or scratching his back while he drives
serving as VP of the Bustoz PTA with Marci Trim
always telling me I was so cute pregnant
finish her elementary education degree at ASU, one class a semester
weekly attending the temple with her dear friend Ruth Biddulph
telling us "you have great ideas"
picking out fabric for the living room
ReplyDeletepuzzles
this is alicia by the way
alicia again
ReplyDeleteyou're breautiful
swimming pool areobics
running to the back of last chance to get leather jackets
the foxy red coat picture
playing primary hymns
I remember a youth trip to Ensign Peak in SLC. I wanted to ride home with the Sheffields. On the way home, we stopped at McDonalds where Annette bought ice cream cones for all.
ReplyDeleteApricot parties.
After my brother Ben's homecoming talk at church, Annette told me I had a great family.
Annette made Julianne's prom dress the year we went to prom. She looked so beautiful. I remember thinking that I didn't deserve to be going with her to the dance.
Annette gave me an alarm clock as a graduation present. I used it throughout my mission. Wait, I still use it to this day and it's never failed me.
I remember the first times Annette wore her gray hair, it looked really good. Julianne just informed me that I have 5 gray hairs. I'm excited to be joining the elite group!
A couple of weeks before I asked Julianne to marry me, Annette gave her some coaching. Thanks for helping her prepare...I think it really helped.