Happy Birthday [52]

Today my mom is 52. 

(Mom-o and Alisa and some wedding we were at)

52. She loves black licorice. Gross, but I won't tell her that 'cause it's her birthday.
51. She once took me to Sea World AND Disneyland in the seventh grade.
50. She would always let me borrow anything I ever wanted from her.
49. She knows how to BBQ as good as any proclaimed Grill King.
48. She probably has the best relationship with her parents that I have ever seen come between parent and child... well, they do live in her backyard half the year!  
47. She has made, literally, hundreds of receiving blankets AND hundreds of crocheted baby booties for the Humanitarian Aid.
46. She taught me to love the Temple.
45. She has great skin. Seriously, she looks 10 years younger than her age. I will be singing her praises once I hit my forties.
44. In elementary school, she would always wait for me at the end of our street and walk the last little ways home with me. With a cold, diet caffeine free Coke for me of course.
43. When I had nightmares growing up, she would hear me screaming and come in to lay by me.
42. She's in her fifties and didn't have a single gray hair until... her fifties. And even still, it's just a single. gray. hair.
41. She taught me that Michael's, JoAnn's, and Ben Franklin can be toy stores in themselves. For Mormon ladies.
40. She'd always watch my ridiculous reality TV with me. Oprah, America's Next Top Model, Project Runway, American Idol... I'm sure the reason I don't even know when those are on now is because I don't watch them with her anymore!  
39. She was born in a gorgeous home in Rigby, Idaho.
38. She's a current BYU student.
37. She earned her Young Women's Recognition twice.
36. I would always go grocery shopping with her growing up and it was one of my favorite activities.  
35. She's the best mom for me. 
34. She always has a funny or good story to share every time we visit her. 
33. Her and I share an absolute love of Colorado and could easily live there.
32. She is pretty obsessive about her cats. But... you aren't really a member of the family if you're not.
31. I think it's safe to say that her favorite band is The Eagles.
30. Her favorite flowers are lilacs.
29. She loves her Kindle.
28. Speaking of, she's an active member in her book club!
27. Her favorite lotiony good scent smell is Sweet Pea.
26. She loves a cool breeze.
25. She loves anything and everything to do with Noah's Ark. Must be an animal thing! Her entire living room is decorated with super cute Noah's Ark decor.
24. She's a major rootbeer fan... I think she had a short-lived stint at A&W back in the day.
23. She is an amazing gardener.
22. She's beyond patient.
21. She is a NATURAL when it comes to being a grandma.
20. She is a major Star Trek nerd. And proud of it!
19. She's a big Tom Hanks fan. So am I. Yeah yeah we're alllll aware of his Big Love involvement but I'm over it.   
18. She is an excellent cook and knew how to get me to eat some of my least favorite foods... except broccoli. I still won't it. 
17. She loves having her hair combed and back scratched. One of my favorite things to do as an 8-year-old.
16. She loves a good candle. Don't we all?
15. Even still, our house growing up was always filled with the smell of home cooking moreso than a candle or potpourri. 
14. She loves the epic cinema. Ben Hur, Dr. Zhivago,  Spartacus, Dances With Wolves--even a few of the good cheesers like Titanic and Pearl Harbor. If it's shorter than 3 hours, it ain't epic.
13. She always made sure we ate together each dinnertime as a family. 
12. One of my favorite traditions was receiving a new ornament each Christmas until we were married (when we got that same, last porcelain ornament of a man and woman dancing). Can't wait to start that tradition with Beckett.      
11.hji gramma! (that was Beckett, he wanted to help)! 
10.  She is the best sewer. THE BEST. Nearly everytime we see her, either Elliott or I have something we need fixed and she does it better than any seamstress could... And she doesn't give us crap for constantly needing our clothes fixed! 
9. She is the only woman I know that has made an entire large room her sewing room for which she utilizes every square inch. 
8. She has a fabulous voice as a... tenor. That's right. In church choir the director refers to her section by saying, "OK men and Angie." She holds her own with the best of them.
7. She is incredibly craft-oriented. She can paint, create and glue like mad.
6. She never has a negative word to say about anyone, even behind closed doors or when she's the most upset.
5. She is the most genuine person I know.
4. She loves her two grandbabies.
3. She is a devoted wifey who loves her hubby
2. She is easily one of the easiest people to talk to. I  used to whine and complain at all her talking to the ward ladies but she was probably just doing her thing, making their day or something. 
1. I love my mom on this here her birthday. Feel free to wish her a happy day too!
0. She's cool enough to not mind me saying her age on here...