Celebrating My Mom

My mom is a beautiful, generous, kind, and creative woman. I love her for her continued support through my years as a mom with young children; she offers advice and encouragement and a shoulder to lean on. I love her for her love affair with food (which she successfully passed down to her two daughters)  because each and every time we go up to her house we are spoiled with good eats, good drinks, and fabulous treats! 

My mom had a birthday last week. So we went up the hill  to spend some time as a family and to celebrate her and the life and family she helped create.

Saturday was a lovely afternoon filled with laughter, love, and laziness (except on the part of Papa Dan who worked incredibly hard to make the day special for his wife and family.) Kudos, Dan, you did a tremendous job! Thank you hosting us and your silly, adorable, and crazy grandchildren!)

Harlie and Maxton (the youngest grandchildren)

Footsies!

Maxton with Austin, the oldest grandchild.

Dan providing everlasting entertainment

Three generations: Me, Grandma, Erin, and Mom

Grandma telling a story about a radium jar (a jar that as a child she would drink water from for it's health benefits).  For years it sat in my grandmother's living room during my mom's entire childhood. After the kids were grown and out of the house my grandma took it in to have it confiscated...this is my mom laughing while Grandma, the fabulous storyteller, continues on with the radium story.

From Wikipedia:" Radium was once an additive in products such as toothpaste, hair creams, and even food items due to its supposed curative powers.[13] Such products soon fell out of vogue and were prohibited by authorities in many countries after it was discovered they could have serious adverse health effects. (See, for instance, Radithor or Revigator types of "Radium water" or "Standard Radium Solution for Drinking".) Spas featuring radium-rich water are still occasionally touted as beneficial, such as those in Misasa, Tottori, Japan. In the U.S., nasal radium irradiation was also administered to children to prevent middle-ear problems or enlarged tonsils from the late 1940s through the early 1970s.[14]"

For grandma, days are often spent recounting the past. Some memories are crystal clear, others have blurred with time.

Mom blowing out her candle, a trick candle! 

(The remaining photos were taken by Austin....kid has an eye!)

Love makes my world go 'round.