Friday included:
Muffins and Mimosas
Bargain shopping
Vintage shopping
Downtown shopping
HomeGoods shopping (grand opening!)
Lunch at Raccoon River Brewery
Beers at Bar Louie post-shopping
Chili, Cheese Soup and Cinnamon Rolls for supper (With husbands, kids, grandkids, and Brett and Kelly's family)
Saturday included:
Maddox's football game
Joey's football game
Maya's soccer game
Family photos
Family Birthday Dinner at Urban Grill
Ice cream shakes at our house after
It was a great weekend!
I don't have a lot of photos because we were just so busy going from one store to the next, or one game to the next. But, I'll have family photos to share later!
We also put together a book of birthday wishes for mom. We had people answer 3 questions- How do you know my mom/how did you meet? What's the best part of my mom? Share any memory/story about mom. There were sooooo many nice things that people said - I think she definitely felt loved. But, for this blog, I just wanted to remember what I wrote to her:
1. How do you know Sheila/how did you meet?
She birthed me and I was her favorite child.
2. Tell me what you love the most about Sheila?
Growing up, mom and I got along pretty well that I can remember. I don't ever remember butting heads with her too much. I think my smart mouth might have gotten me in trouble a few times but that's it. I don't think I shared everything with her, but probably shared more than both Jeff and Heather combined.
But, I appreciate mom more as an adult now than I did as a child. I appreciate what she taught me about social etiquette, manners, decorating, dressing respectful (and cute), caring for your children, cleaning, being kind, being thoughtful, being a good sibling, being understanding, and not leaving other kids out. She was always concerned about us leaving other kids out or inviting everyone, which is why she was never a fan of slumber parties. She took care of her home inside and out, and the people in it. She was the one who kept track of schedules, meals, groceries, games, activities, and never missed a beat. Mom was a good influence on my work ethic because she worked part-time her whole life, so she had to balance both work and home, which I now know was probably very hard. As a parent now, I clearly understand everything she did behind the scenes to make our household function. She definitely taught me to shop for bargains and not spend money needlessly or wastefully. She taught me that you don't need a lot of money to make your house a home or make it look cute and welcoming. Whenever I go to her house, I get a new decorating idea for my own house. And, she always is quick to compliment if she likes something in my house, which is a good feeling.
As a grandma, she will ask if she can help instead of making me ask for it, which is nice. She's always willing to watch the kids or fold laundry or rock a baby or let me run errands. She's always in a good mood around the kids and even when the kids are sassy or not behaving, mom never gets mad at them or never judges my parenting, in fact, she usually comes up with an excuse for them ("She's tired" or "I don't think he feels good" or "It's been a long day."). She's understanding when I'm tired or when the kids have worn me out or when I'm feeling like an inadequate parent. She often says "I remember those days" and "I know how that feels" and "I understand how you feel." That feeling of validation from your own mom is so nice to hear as a parent.
3. Can you share one memory of Sheila - this could be something you did together or something Sheila did for you or something that you will always remember about her? You can even just say a few words/inside joke that may lead her to guess you!
A few memories:
* One time mom came home from a shopping trip and she got me a teal green crop top. That was a big surprise and I was soooo happy. I couldn't wear crop tops in public but mom let me wear it at home!
* I don't know if I remember the actual day or just remember the picture, but I got a pink jogging suit for my birthday and I loved it.
* I had a party in my garage with friends my 8th grade year. Mom kept making totally awkward and embarrassing entrances....like with nachos or cookies or something. She really just wanted to check on us but it was WAY too often.
* Mom and Susie Boyd did the Locomotion as jr. high chaperones at the middle school. I came out of the bathroom a cool, popular girl to find mom waving at me to "hop on." It was mortifying and almost ended my cool status forever.
* I loved having cakes on my birthday, and she's the reason I ALWAYS have cakes at my kids' birthdays. Both mom and I like cake - but we are cake snobs. We like cakes from bakery with good frosting, not store-bought! For my 16th birthday, I got a white cake and it had a telephone on it and for some reason, I have always loved that cake.
* She was way too obsessed with cleaning the tins on top of the cupboards, and she also would make us use Murphy's Oil on the baseboards around the house. I have never once done this in my own house, so I learned nothing from that experience. BUT- I do think of mom when I smell Murphy's Oil soap.
* In the winter, she would put this smelly stuff on the stove- like cinnamon, oranges, apples, and cloves. I started doing this a few years ago and always think of her.
* Mom rearranged furniture a lot. You would get home from school and the living room would be all moved around and the whole house would smell clean. I wish I had rooms that would allow me to rearrange. Heather and I would rearrange our bedroom every 3 months and that was soooo much fun.
* I remember when we got new beds, bedding and carpet in our bedroom and I was SO excited to come home from school. I thought that was the best day ever.
* She is a big reason why I go to church. Mom was the one that signed us up for Sunday School, Catechism, and made us go to church. My 8th grade year we had to do sermon notes and I think I missed like 2 sermons. Justine still beat me.
* She had like a little gift and card cupboard where she would keep little gifts that she might need for birthdays, special occasions, or for someone in need. She would have cute cards and tags and ribbon in there. I loved that and I do that today, too.
* She drove all the way back from New Mexico with me and she could have gotten a lot madder at me than she did. She handled it much, much better than dad did.
* We ALWAYS had to make our beds, but she helped a lot. I never had to do laundry growing up which I really, really appreciate now. We did have to help dust and clean on Saturdays.
* She would always hear things at the hospital and then come home and try to work things into conversation to see if I was going to admit something or share anything with her. I always knew the hospital ladies were the source of the information!
* Cape Cod trip - It was one of the best trips I've ever been on! Who knew you could have THAT much fun with your mom? She was a real trooper because I planned the whole thing and she never really knew where we were going each day or what we were doing. But, on the ferry over to Martha's Vineyard, a guy said to mom "How many daughters do you have?" And, mom answered "I don't have dollars- I just have my husband's credit card!" I have never laughed so hard in my life.
* Mom made us give some toys to a little boy who was sick. She made us gather them up and take them over to his house because mom saw him at the dime store and he wanted some toys and his mom couldn't afford them. This year, Joe and I ran into two boys begging for these action figures and the mom said they didn't have the money for them and they had to put them back. We went and bought them for them and gave them to them, and it reminded me of when mom did that.
* Mom has screwed up so many words and pronunciations that I have lost track. From Johannasville (Johnsonville) brats to Pandora (Panera) Bread, the list is endless. She's easily confused by new gadgets, technology, directions, movie titles and more. Whenever she starts out a sentence with "Hey, have you heard of.....?", I'm always excited to hear how she is going to screw up the end of that sentence.
* She taught me to watch Young and the Restless. I have known Nikki and Victor Newman my entire life.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!
