my mother

In honor of my Mom on Mother's Day- a photo & memory montage:

This is one of my all-time favorite photos! On the right is my Grandma holding my Aunt's hand, and on the left is my Mom. I love the era & especially the movie marquee w/ Spencer Tracy and Lana Turner.

My mom taught me to appreciate old movies! She'd always say "They don't make 'em like that anymore." or "Actors just can't act these days." My favorite *old* movie is Singing in the Rain with Gene Kelly! Of course my mom would also say, in regards to a scenic movie, "Kids, come! Watch...it's just like being there." And, I can say with some assurety, after living in other places like the Big Apple, that it is most definitely NOT like being there. In a movie you don't get the smells & peripheral view & tastes of actually being there.

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This is a picture of my Mom when she was in third grade, or 8 years old. I love the dimple in her chin (she's still famous for it to this day).

My Mom always liked doing my hair. She'd gush over how easy it was to curl. After a bath she'd just comb it and then take sections of my hair and wrap it around the end of the comb or her finger so that I'd look like Shirley Temple. I think she was living vicariously through me as she always said that, growing up, she loved Shirley Temple.

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This is one of my favorite photos of my Mom. Isn't she pretty?! She's 17 here.

Some of the gems that my Mom has taught me and that I'm passing on to my girls are:

• "Clean up as you go--it just makes life easier."
• "Makeup should accent your natural beauty, not be seen for what it is."
• "Play with one thing at a time and put it away before you play with something else."
• "When dying hair stay as close to the color that God gave you--He knew what would look good on you."
• "Eat lots of citrus fruit--it's good for the complexion."
• "Act lady-like; keep your knees together, your voice down & always say Thankyou."
• "If you want something done right do it yourself, and do it right the first time or you'll pay twice to have someone else do it."
• "Proof read proof read proof read!" (Again, this has made it impossible for me to write in a careless *freeing* style--sometimes I hate it.)

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This is my Mom & Dad with their first born, my brother Mike, circa 1960-61.

My Mom isn't perfect, but she never claimed to be. She's made some tough choices in life and has had to struggle at times, but who of us hasn't?! She's endured the loss of a child and both parents, and has been through a divorce, but she's also supported 5 kids, by herself, while graduating from college. I've never doubted that my Mom loves me. At fragile times it was the best she knew how. At other times she's down right smothering. But always loving!

I love you Mom! Happy Mother's Day. :)