Mom

 Today would of been Mom's 82nd birthday.  I have a hard time trying to imagine what she would be like now.

Some of my fondest memories of Mom are around Christmas time.  She always made it special for us, not just the holiday but the led up to it.  I remember writing letters to Father Christmas and leaving them on the mantle place, in the morning they would be gone.  Mom would then tell us to look round carefully, hidden somewhere would be a small chocolate.  Mom said that the elves had been and taken our letters leaving the chocolate, which meant that the elves were now watching us and we had to be good!

I remember the food shopping for Christmas, she always bought enough to feed an army but we managed to eat the lot. Lining up the milk bottles outside, it was cold enough.  Getting up at some ungodly hour to see if Father Christmas had been, Mom coming down with us and getting the turkey in the oven.  I never realized how much hard work went into Christmas until I had my kids.  For me it was even harder as Japan doesn't celebrate Christmas so finding things like wrapping paper was so hard!  Now Christmas is big, the store know how to get people to spend more money!

Mom was big on manners, always remember please and thank you.  She also had "the look" down to perfection.  When we were visiting friends, if I misbehaved Mom would just give me the look and I knew that I was in trouble.  

So Happy Birthday Mom.  I miss you so much!

In the kitchen

with Dad

She thought there was no film left

with Hannah

First meeting with Mikey

Very young Dad and Mom