Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Love, Erin Ann, Natalie, Scott, and Steph

Every year for Mother's Day/Mom's birthday (which often land on the same day) we add to this ever growing blog post with new pictures and stories for the year. Some pictures and thoughts are contributed by my sisters. Not all of the pictures are family pictures, but just images to represent some of our memories.

I has been almost 6 years since we've been able to spend holidays with our parents. And we all look forward to making up for all of the missed birthdays, Mother's Days, Father's Days, anniversaries, and Christmases with you next year!

It's been lots of fun to see you become a world traveler.

Thanks for teaching us to love all the animals. And for loving all of our fur babies. 

And for taking the nephews on awesome trips.

You are a great example to us all for choosing to serve the Lord!

Thanks for all the great dresses and fun presents from around the world!

Thanks for the pretty weddings and loving our in-laws so much.

And for raising Scott to be an awesome dancer and soooo humble.

Thanks for supporting some of our more ambitious and crazier ideas. And for encouraging our creative sides.

--------------------------- Everything below this line is from last year's post. Everything above is the new stuff.------------

Mom never went to medical school but she is one darn good Witch Doctor.  What ever ailment you may have mom knows how to fix you right, and 9 times out of 10 it works.  Thank you, Mom, for always taking the time to keep us healthy.

She scored when she married the handsome Naval officer!

My mother might not realize this but she gave me a gift by teaching me to always see the gentle beauty and humor in little children.  She always gets a kick out of the cute things children do and say and she also points out the sweet innocent faces that might have gone unnoticed.

Baby Scotty

Baby Porter

Baby Dallin

Not so baby Dallin

Dallin

Handsome Tell

Who doesn't love a nekkid toddler? 

First grandbaby - Tell

A fun memory I have of you is that if you saw a strange fruit you would always buy it and bring it home for us all to try together.  I always enjoyed that and I now continue that same fun tradition with my own kids. (From Natalie, pictures by Erin.) 

We both are terrified of roller coasters, why are we on one? We sure did have fun!  (From Stephanie)

Best host! Always throwing the best parties. (From Stephanie)

People always ask me where I learned to plan events. I always tell them it's just a skill you learn from your mom! (From Erin)

Letting me take a bath wherever I want!  (Stephanie) (Obviously.) 

When I eat an artichoke I think of my mother.  A nicely softened artichoke was always a fun snack she had us all share with her. (Natalie and Erin)

For having a father who thoroughly disliked animals we sure had plenty of pets.  Thank you, Mom, for always being on our side when it came to our pets.

Steph and Streaker

Cricket the world's most demented cat

Reminds us of Leo and Culpepper

"He's lonely. I'm being his friend." 

Hamsters! And gerbils!

Trog

Steph and Kon the world's most ferocious fighters

Nosee

We had a parakeet? (Erin)

Romeo, Juliet, Shakespeare, and all of their dozens of babies

You made the cutest dresses for me. My two favorites were the blue corduroy and the green velvet one. (Stephanie)

We always had the best dresses because of you!

Am I nekked at a petting zoo? (Stephanie)

Thanks for all the fun family vacations!

Thank you for all the time you spent taking us to sports, dance classes, school, and more.

We all know we always had the prettiest mommy! (And ageless too!)

(You've been fighting the fight against curly hair and winning!)

Happy Birthday, Mom! We love you!