Mom's Awesome

This is not a blog dedicated to me.  It's the other mom, MY mom.  The inspiration for this came to me when she announced that she and my dad were going to go to see my little sister, Stephanie, and her family in Texas, have a day at home to rest, and then head to Washington to see my sister, Jen, for a week.  I declared that it was The Favorite Daughters Tour, then wondered, why weren't they coming to see me. 

This is the only picture that I have of me and my mom.  Really, it is not a picture of me and my mom together, per se, nor is it a picture of just us as noted by the people in the background and The Pineapple Delight I am beginning to enjoy from the Polynesian Cultural Center.  But I love it because we are both smiling and happy, which is usually not the case when I am around my mom.  I tend to make her a little crazy and irritable. 
Here are the reason why Mom's Awesome:
#1  She can cook.  I know this is what a lot of people say about their moms, but whenever I go back to Utah, I am actually glad to get away from my mom's cooking because I love it too much.  She can whip anything up for a crowd in seconds flat.  And it is very healthy and tasty.  I remember when I was growing up that she would make 10 pizzas at a time.  Our family got three and the rest she was giving away to people that were sick or needed pizza.  The kitchen would be packed with pizza and I may or may not have picked an olive or two off, but I loved those times. 
#2  She helps everyone.  And I mean EVERYONE.  I went back to Utah this summer and heard from so many people how she had changed their lives, etc, because of all that she has done for them.  I really want to have a witty come back like "Oh yeah? You should try being her daughter" and then recant some torturous event that happened or ways in which I was neglected, but I have nothing, because she is a helper to all.  When Kevin and I were selling our house in the Avenues, the wife of the couple that ended up buying it was from my home ward and she told me how my mom had been like a second mom to her when her mom had died in a tragic car accident when she was a teenager, and how my mom would take her to functions where a mom was needed.  I never knew this.  Maybe because all the good that she does is under the radar and she's not looking for any acknowledgements for her good deeds.
#3 She can throw a party.  Our house was the gathering place for all parties in the ward or family gatherings.  She's even had parties there when she hasn't been home, that's how good she is.  I didn't realize how important this was until I moved away and find myself missing all of those family gatherings (especially when I hear about an event that got a little heated).  Thanksgivings have 50+ people there, and she has made her home a welcoming place and made sure that everyone who enters, whether she knows them or not, feels that happy, peaceful feeling that she exudes.  But she did have a misstep at an event.  I remember one baby shower that she threw and everyone had gathered and were talking, eating, and having a good time, when my mom asked where the guest of honor was.  It was then that she realized that she had not invited the recipient.  She quickly called her and she came over, so all was well.
#4  She is industrious.  My mom is one of those people who never sits still, because when she does, she falls asleep from all the work that she has been doing.  She wakes up early, early (which used to drive my cra-a-zy when I was a teenager and wanted to sleep in) and works the live long day.   Now, I wake up early.  I don't get as much done as she ever did, but I try and emulate her.   We never had a plumber come to our house when I was growing up.  That's because my mom fixed everything.  If there was an issue with anything, she would fix it.  Her and my dad had major projects they did every summer when my dad was off from school.  They added a room on the back of the house, redid the kitchen twice, made an extra room downstairs.  I could go on and on.
I could go and on about how awesome Mom is too, but then I would make myself and other moms feel bad because we aren't doing as much.  And by other moms, I mean my sisters.  I kid of course.  Those are four separate blogs right there that I need to do on how I am not as great as they are.  I bet they get it from their mom.  So way to go, Mom!  If you have any comments on how awesome you think mom is, please leave them.  Or, you can leave a comment on how awesome YOUR mom is.  Yay for mom's!!