I love my Mom!

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I have the greatest Mom. These are some of the things I love about her, in no particular order.

1. My Mother is a fabulous cook. Her recipe box is full of awesome creations that she would share with her family. Some of my children's favorite recipes have come from my Mom. I love lemon ribbon ice cream pie, Strawberry Freeze, Ritzier Chicken, Chicken Broccoli casserole, Sesame Chicken, Fluffy Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce, Dream Bars, and Egg Casserole.

2. Presentation is everything! That's a big thing I learned from my Mom. Whether it's how you dress and look or how your table looks or how you present your food, it was always to be our best. The meat platter on Sunday always had a sprig of parsley. The food was always aesthetically pleasing. Cookies were arranged on a beautiful tray, instead of a paper plate-no matter where we were going. We were always dressed clean and neat, sloppiness was just not acceptable.

3. Our home was a beautiful place to live. I really do remember it being clean and tidy. The living room was a special room that we didn't go in unless company came. Mother helped us learn to take care of the home by treating it with respect. Feet didn't go on the furniture, we couldn't sit on Mom's bed. She liked to create and decorate. She always was changing things around--a new arrangement or piece was added here and there. She had a traditional, classy home.

4. Mother is committed to the gospel. She shared her testimony with us by how she lived her life. Church was her life and she helped our testimonies grow. She always did her best in her callings. I remember her when she was RS president, the primary chorister(She was great!), and Stake Homemaking Leader (Now that was stressful just to watch, but she was amazing!) Our family was always the last ones at church--that's just the way it was. I think we had to be the last ones in the building even if we weren't in charge! When she went on her mission with Dad to Palmyra, NY she set an amazing example for my family. She is always willing to rise to the challenge and to grow as a person. Serving in the church has allowed her to stretch and get out of her comfort zone.

5. Sunday dinners were always a special event at our house. The dining room table was set with the elegant china, crystal and silver. A fabulous meal was prepared. We stayed in our Sunday clothes for dinner because it helped us remember that the Sabbath was a different day than the rest of the week. I loved those dinners--I helped get everything ready. That's how I learned to cook by spending hours in the kitchen with my Mom. We made amazing things together. Sometimes we would have company--missionaries, a new family at church, relatives. My mom always seemed to be prepared for any number of extra people at any time. After the dinner we would always "hang out" at the table just talking and laughing and sharing funny stories. Things always came out in those discussions that Mom and Dad never knew happened. Craig's stories of hunting were awesome! Brad and Craig always had some funny event to share. I miss those dinners. Thanks for bringing the family together on a regular basis.

6. My mom is an awesome Grandma. She has created such a special relationship with my children. They know that their Grandma loves them. She is so good at remembering the special events. When the children were smaller they were able to spend many hours with Grandma. She was always willing to just sit and play with them or read a special story. She liked to spend time in the kitchen with them cooking and teaching. Grandma always had some fun little creation to do up her sleeve. Now that we are living far away, the children still feel a connection with her through emails, phone calls, birthday remembrances and now this crazy blog. They feel honored if she leaves a comment about their post.

Mom,

You taught me how to be a Mother by your example. Thanks for loving me and teaching me and helping me to be the person that I am today.

I love you!
Sheila