10 Things That Make My Mom Absolutely, Unequivocally, Super Duper Happy

(a blog post by guest blogger: Carrie)

1. Spending time with her favorite child. Okay, I’m her only child, but I’m sure if she had others, I would totally be her favorite.

2. Being an Aunt. My mom is seriously the world’s greatest Aunt. She eats it up. She does so many great things for all of her nieces and nephews and loves them to pieces. This is the only thing I hate about being an only child – I see how much joy it gives her and I will never get to experience it (until I marry into a big family!). But seriously, her second favorite nickname is “Aunt Deb.”

3. Watching TV. My mom has quite a few favorite TV shows that she and Doug catch every week. Gilmore Girls has always been our favorite (Doug does not/did not participate in the watching of this) – we have spent hours comparing our lives to Lorelai and Rory Gilmores’.

4. Coffee. Every night, Doug sets up the coffee machine to make coffee the next morning. He usually brings her a cup while she’s still in bed. And, when he goes out of town for camping trips, he always prepares it and leaves a little note letting her know she’ll have coffee the next morning even though he won’t be there. Is that not the sweetest thing ever?!

5. The cats. I’m sure this doesn’t come as any surprise to you, her blog readers, but she is obsessed with the cats. Both Fancy Jane (who doesn’t come on here often but is my favorite) and Whiskers are spoiled and loved like crazy. Even though she’s not really a dog person, my dog Marcus has a special part in her heart too, and I love that.

6. Crafting. Duh.

7. Recollections. Recollections was a scrapbooking store that was owned by Michaels. My mom quit her job that she had been at for 25 years to live a more creative life, and started working at Recollections to have some extra cash flow while she made stuff. Working there was life changing for her – she had the opportunity to work and create with inspiring people every single day. She still says to this day that she “worked at her other job for 25 years, but she has made more life-long friends from her short time at Recollections than she ever made from her old job.” Recollections girls: you mean so much to my mom – to both of us. We are both so thankful that all of you are in our lives to inspire us, share with us, and support us. You are the best.

8. Singing. Since I was a tiny baby my mom would sing to me, and this never stopped. Throughout our lives, the two of us have always broke into random song and harmonized with each other. Some of our favorite songs to sing together are: “Hey Julie” by Fountains of Wayne, “California Dreamin’” by the Mamas and the Papas, “Where You Lead” by Carole King (AKA the theme song for Gilmore Girls) and “When You’re Good to Mama” from the Chicago soundtrack.

9. Food Presentation. My mom loves arranging plates with pretty colors before she sets them down in front of me and Doug. Doug probably has about 50 pictures saved in his phone of food that my mom has put together in a pretty way – and it all tastes delicious, too!

10. Her Blog Readers. Seriously, there’s not a day that passes that my mom doesn’t mention you ladies. She loves reading all of your kind comments and they encourage her to create more and blog often. I love hearing her yell “I have another follower!” It’s so cool. Thank you for making her happy.

I wish all of you a very happy Mother’s Day, but I wish the happiest day to mine.

I love you, Mom-friend! Happy Mother’s Day!!! xoxo, Carrie