Celebrate Good Times, C'Mon!

Today would be my mom's birthday. I'm not sure how to word it properly...Today is my mom's birthday? Anyway - it's a special day that I think we in our family will always remember. I don't want this entry to seem sad, but rather an annual celebration of my mom. This year will mark the first that I journal about it. (But I can't promise that I won't blog about her on other occasions.) She was pretty awesome, and is sorely missed! She was more fun than most moms even know how to be; Not just with her own family - but with everyone she enteracted with. This year, I will post a couple of pictures from our trip to Hawaii in 1989. My little sister Sarah finished photo albums that my mom started so long ago and gave them to us as Christmas presents last year. Best presents ever! She kept all of mom's original documentation such as our meal on the airplane, the movie that they showed (Chances Are, with Cybil Shepard - FYI) and our itinerary for each day.

Like I said, "Awesome," right?

I think this picture below is how I remember my mom the most. Okay...she wasn't always draped in a flower lei, but she did wear a MooMoo more often than you might think. (She often wore it after church on Sunday afternoons while making taquitos, or Belgian waffles.) She's so pretty, and when I dream of her, this is always the age she seems to be. (Except she's usually in a pink and navy sweater - not the MooMoo.)

I love this picture below of my mom, Shelley & Sarah. Shelley was always so tall, slender and pretty! And Sarah was just the cutest little nugget. Actually, she still is really cute, and she's still a little nugget. This was such a great summer!

I don't know why, but this picture makes me laugh. Hard. I mean, what else can I say? It's me and mom.... Apparently modeling snorkeling gear?

(Incidentally, this is the navy & pink sweater that I always dream of her wearing...)

Tonight Jen suggested that we get together to celebrate mom's birthday.

What's the best way to honor mom? I have three thoughts on what she'd prefer: 1) Get together and quote movie lines and see who can guess them. Or... 2) Dance to the jukebox as long as we listen to three of her favorites: B52's Loveshack, Long Cool Woman in a Black dress by the Hollies, and Mony Mony by Billy Idol.
Or... 3) Bake.

We chose to bake.

Jen shared that one of her favorite memories of mom was when she would randomly sign our notes, weekly envelopes, and papers for school as "Elizabeth Taylor." Seriously... she really did. I wonder how our teachers felt about that.

Paulina said that one of the best things mom ever said to her was "You can tell me you wanna go to Krispy Kreme anytime, and I'll take you. And we'll eat donuts!"

Love you mom. Thanks for being the best mom ever! Happy Birthday!