Happy Birthday Mom

Today is my mom's 50th birthday. Instead of having a giant birthday bash, she is giving the opening devotional at youth conference. It may even be hard to find her, because she will be busy chasing kids and organizing youth conference activites all weekend. She's a saint.

Here are 50 Things About My Dear Adorable Mother:

1. She never quits or gives up on anything or anyone.

2. She loves and laughs at ALL my dads jokes.

3. She is the best grandma to my kids.

4. She is a great phone talker, and can talk for hours on the phone.

5. She likes to swim, and actually learned how to swim about 7 years ago.

6. She has the most beautiful hair.

7. She never sweats the small stuff.

8. She is famous for saying, "Don't worry it will al work out in the end." And she means it.

9. Her full-time job is keeping my dad from going totally squirrelly.

10. She is an excellent pianist, but most people don't know that she can sing too.

11. She is as beautiful as a "jersey calf" (a direct quote from my grandma Cook).

12. She is great at baking treats, cookies, and cakes.

13. She is "Castle Dale's sweetheart" (thanks for another memorable quote, grandma).

14. She is funniest when she gets mad and when she swears.

15. She claims that she was "not so perverted until she met us (her children)."

16. She's a good skiier, and had dreams of being an Olympic figure skater.

17. She is very good at keeping up on her scrapbooks and has completed one for each year since

1980.

18. I don't think there is a movie that she has seen all the way through. She usually falls asleep within the first few minutes.

19. One day in 2003 she asked me, "who is Princess Di married to these days?" I had to tell her that Princess Di was dead.

20. She smiles all the time.

21. She was a pre school teacher for many years, and has a love of 3-6 year olds.

22. My kids love her many many toys, and she never cares when they pull out them ALL out and scatter them around the house.

23. In recent years she has learned to play the harp.

24. She can be found in the morning doing Turbo Jam, or walking on the dip road.

25. She is very respectful to everyone.

26. She is slowly trying to get caught up on technology. She knows how to mail merge and scan pictures.

27. She reads her scriptures everyday.

28. She loves M&M's.

29. She always waited up for us to get home, there was no sneaking by her....ever.

30. She is very good at letting her kids make their own decisions.

31. She only gives advice when asked.

32. She a very good seamstress and used to make us matching dresses. Not to mention the thousands of stage costumes.

33. She loves the Oregon coast, and has a small obsession with lighthouses.

34. She loves ice cream, especially flavors with liquor or coffee in them.

35. She is very affectionate, but HATES to be kissed on the lips. So we try to smooch her on the lips all the time.

36. She grew up on a turkey farm, and has no fear of mice or other dead animals.

37. She likes animals, but NEVER in the house.

38. She served as a gospel instructor to the women at the Emery County Jail. She learned a great deal about meth.

39. When I would complain about my hair or clothes before school she would say, "It's not a fashion show, it's school."

40. Her favorite color is purple.

41. She loves Suburbans and teared up a little when hers finally bit the big one.

42. She has had about every calling in the church and is now in the Stake Young Women's Presidency.

43. She has had a lot of health struggles in her adult life, but you wouldn't know it, and she would prefer that you don't.

44. I can tell her anything.

45. She always gives money for gifts, and I like to plan what I'm (she's) going to buy me for my birthday.

46. She likes to help those in need.

47. Her strength never ceases to amaze me.

48. My dad would never survive without her.

49. She has more talents than any other person I know.

50. She is the best mother.