mom

things you should probably know about my mom:

• she is a domestic wizard of the highest order. our home growing up was incredibly clean, but also cozy and welcoming. this is something i don't think i truly appreciated until i became a mother and quickly figured out just how hard this is to achieve.
• along with the above quality, this woman excels in hospitality. she thinks of clever ways to care for people not just in her immediate family, but people outside of it too. she organizes stellar parties (family weddings and holidays being my favorites) and manages to tackle all the details of them with perfection - food, decorations and ambiance.
• she's really good at accents and impressions. her best being andreas viestad from new scandinavian cooking.
• she's surprised me on many occasions by making up songs on the spot that totally rhyme. and are clever, too.
  
• she loves, like LOVES music. music was always playing in our house growing up. about every month, she makes mix CDs and sends them to us. we always look forward to them and they end up being a great source of really great, new music.
• also having to do with music: she's a great singer. one of my favorite childhood memories was listening to my dad and mom sing together.
• she definitely got me hooked on sewing. she used to make a lot of our clothing growing up, especially "fancy" dresses that would have been too expensive for her and my dad to buy. my favorite thing she ever made me was a complete set of clothing for my American Girl doll, Molly. she carefully picked out exactly the right fabric to make sure the clothes looked just like the ones you'd buy. now knowing just how much effort it takes to make such miniature clothing, i can't believe she did this for me.
• every year on summer vacation, we'd wait for the moment our mom would go for a swim in the lake. it was always after everyone had gone to their cabins for the night and was usually at the end of the week. it was most anticipated finale of the best week of the year. i always got a kick out of seeing my mom swim around like a little kid, totally enjoying herself.
• she loves my dad and always made sure to show us that as her kids. my dad loves her too. in fact, when I asked him why he took the above pictures, he said, "Beautiful girl, beautiful sunlight, I couldn't resist."

i love you mom, happy mother's day!