Happy Birthday, MOM

I'm taking a page from Mandy, I love it when I read her last few years on Mom's birthday. This is for you, Mom. . .

73 Things Mom Taught Me
1. It’s easy to smile, they’re contagious, and it makes everyone around you happy.
2. Be positive, don’t dwell on the bad things that happen in your life. Deal with them, but keep your attitude positive.
3. Learn to love everyone, accept them for who they are, don’t try to change them, you can do it.
4. Keep a prayer in your heart, always.
5. Do the best you can and don’t compare yourself with others because you’ll come out behind.
6. Pie crusts can be patched and still taste wonderful.
7. Let your kids play in the mud, water, & sand. It’s good for them and a little dirt never hurt anyone.
8. Housework will always wait, but kids and family can’t.
9. Sing while you cook and clean.
10. A kiss and a band-aid make everything feel better.
11. In the end, family is all that matters, it’s all you really have.
12. Learn to laugh, it makes life more fun.
13. Mothers and Daughters can be best friends.
14. You don’t have to be wealthy to feed a crowd. The best meals are simple.
15. Love your spouse, even when you don’t agree with them.
16. People are much more important than things.
17. It’s better to hold your tongue and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
18. Step out of your comfort zone once in a while, it’s good to do something new.
19. Always keep an open mind, you can change your opinion if you learn different facts.
20. Sisters are the best, most available, loving, and forgiving friends you can ever have.
21. It’s never too late to learn to play cards.
22. When your husband asks if you want to go somewhere with him, drop what you’re doing and go with him.
23. Picnics can be spontaneous.
24. Grandchildren are a piece of heaven on earth.
25. Take meals to your neighbors often.
26. Brothers are the best, most available, loving, and forgiving friends you can ever have.
27. You can hurt or be in pain somewhere else as easily as you can hurt at home.
28. You’ll get through your trials, it will always get better.
29. A baby’s first bath at home is best if given by Grandma.
30. Make your home as inviting as possible. It doesn’t matter if you live in a mansion or a log cabin.
31. Learn something about your ancestors, what traits you have that they passed on to you.
32. Love and accept your children’s spouses.
33. Good friends are invaluable. Keep up with their lives.
34. Sleep when the baby sleeps, no matter what time of day it is.
35. Learn to can fruit, vegetables, and meat, and do it each year. The bottles are so nice to look at when you’re finished, they fill a fruit room and feed a family.
36. Sewing can be a therapy, it can be fulfilling. Making clothing for your family is a valuable skill.
37. Lefties can teach Righties to tie shoes, crochet, and knit better than Righties can.
38. Dress up in costume on Halloween once in a while, just to surprise your family.
39. Mom didn’t tell me how to live, she showed me.
40. Talk to people you haven’t seen for years when you see them, no matter where you are.
41. Let the neighbor kids play at your house, you’ll know what they’re up to.
42. Compromise to keep the peace. Swedish or Norwegian pancakes can become Scandanavian.
43. Sometimes it’s important to go to Parent-Teacher Conferences just so you can tell the teachers how great your child is.
44. You can turn a visit from the kids into a party in a few minutes, a few phone calls and they’ll all show up.
45. Learn to cook for a crowd, it builds character and gives you more confidence.
46. Make and keep traditions with your family.
47. You don’t have to worry about how much milk spills if you use a quilted tablecloth.
48. Dance with your partner every chance you get.
49. Plant and weed the garden as a family, do the irrigating, harvesting & canning together as much as possible.
50. You can always share what you have.
51. Sometimes you have to find an excuse to get together.
52. Encourage your kids to take band, choir, or orchestra, even for a little while. Find money to rent the instrument from somewhere.
53. You still are intelligent even if you can’t help your 6th grader with math.
54. Home-baked bread is the best comfort food. You just have to knead it for 3-5 songs on the radio. There’s always a loaf to share with a neighbor.
55. Some of the best family times are spent around the kitchen table.
56. Your children will always be your babies, and you will always be willing to help them, no matter how old they are.
57. Your family is never too old to read to. Libraries are exciting places to visit. Every child needs his own library card.
58. We’re on this earth for such a short time of our existence, what’s all the fuss about?
59. A wise wife will never spend all the grocery money, but save a part, even a little, for emergency use.
60. The ability to cry is a gift.
61. Nothing is wrong with using a bread maker.
62. Learn to love home-making tasks; cooking, washing dishes, cleaning and doing laundry, it makes your life more pleasant.
63. Don’t ever learn to use the snow blower because then it will become your responsibility.
64. Young children enjoy loading the dishwasher if you challenge them to do it in 2 songs on the radio, or make it a contest.
65. Let your children make play-dough and tempera paints. Butcher paper is an inexpensive canvas.
66. A wrong turn on the road isn’t necessarily a mistake, it can become an adventure.
67. You don’t always have to tie quilts inside. Under the shade of a tree is sometimes the best place to be when you’re tying with your family.
68. It’s important to write things down about your life and what you know. You won’t always be around to say it out loud.
69. Kind, quiet service makes you feel great & it improves your own life.
70. Showing people your goodness is a lot better than telling people about how good you are. It’s also a lot more believable.
71. Wear a coat if it’s cold.
72. Toss wrinkles clothes in the dryer with a damp towel for 10 minutes. It saves hours of ironing.
73. A crock-pot makes a mediocre cut of meat very moist, tender, and taste wonderful.

Fun Scarves

I saw a great idea for recycling T-shirts...make scarves! Megan and I got creative with the cloth, scissors, and started cutting, stretching, and tying. What a neat idea, so easy, not much time or effort.

I looked out the window and what did I see?

It was great to see the kids outside playing four-square. It reminded me of a few years ago when each stall in the parking lot was full of kids and Aunt Mandy taught them how to play Democracy Ball. That way everyone got to serve and they all rotated squares.