Landmark Birthday

Today my mama turns 90 years young!     She is such an amazing woman, and at 90, can you imagine the changes she’s seen in her lifetime?    Her second cousin is Elizabeth Dole and she remembers playing with her as children (Elizabeth is younger than mama).    She is also closely related to Billy Graham, the world renown evangelist.    Pretty good group of folks to be related to, huh?

My mama and I have not always seen eye-to-eye, especially during my teenage years.    I remember saying some terrible things to her but her love was unconditional.    Fortunately, our relationship was not permanently damaged and we’ve had some wonderful times in my adult years.     After I got divorced, she was my anchor and travel buddy….she loved traveling, eating out and was pretty much game for anything.     Even now, she is still “prissy” and always wants to look good.     Every Monday at her assisted living facility she gets her nails done then heads up a bingo game 3 times a week!      Last Friday at the beauty shop she got a new “do” for her birthday then she wanted to go shopping for a summer purse!   

So last Saturday we had a big shindig at my sister’s lake house with 3 of her children (me and my two sisters), grandkids and great-grandchildren.      Her best friend, Catherine, who turned 90 last January, was included as those two “girls” have lots of fun when they get together.

Catherine (left) and mama on the right – true Steel Magnolias!

The weather did not cooperate for most of the day as we got some pretty heavy rain and had to stay inside all afternoon.    But around 5:00 the sun came out and we took a spin in my brother-in-law’s new toy.    

My sweet little grandson Jackson was wishing the rain would go away so he could get his life jacket on and get in the lake.

I thought these were real and was surprised to see they were “fake”….aren’t they beautiful?

Jackson loves trucks and he loves to figure out how things work.    These were just a few of the toys the boy cousins got out.

 

Let the eating frenzy begin!

Taylor is always ready to give her MiMi a big beautiful smile!

“Real” men cooking in the rain!

Homemade hamburger, baked beans, bread-and-butter pickles and marinated vegetable salad (recipe below)

My handsome son Shane and my sister Betsy

The birthday girl’s favorite cake – Coconut

Shane, me and Taylor (notice bad hair day due to rain)!

Shane, me (looking way up at my baby boy), daughter Shannon (her hair NEVER looks like this!), granddaughters McKinley and Taylor

The two birthday girls, me and my sisters Betsy and Kim

I put together a family collage for mom’s birthday….she loved it!   I also have one I will be giving her from just me that has old black and white photos in it of her and my dad in their early years, her folks and me as a baby.    Since I was an only child for 5 years, I thought she would enjoy seeing her “favorite” child before the other rug rats came along!

Jackson finally gets to get in the water!   

Taylor riding on the Sea Doo with her Uncle Shane….she just loves him to death!

Betsy’s son-in-law and her littlest grandson Austin

Now it’s Taylor’s turn on the boat!

Our own personal escort!

 

Granddaughter McKinley was having such a “large” time she actually fell asleep on Shannon during the ride

My sister waiting for her turn to ride on “her” boat!

Everyone brought enough meat for their own family and other special dishes.     One of my contributions was a yummy marinated vegetable salad.     I was served this at a Mother’s Day church banquet a few  years ago and loved it so much I begged for the recipe.    It’s a great summer salad and very easy to make.

Marinated Vegetable Salad

1 = 11 oz. can white shoepeg corn

1 = 16 oz. can French green beans

1 = 16 oz. can green peas

1 med. onion – finely chopped

1/2 c. celery – finely chopped

1/4 c. bell pepper – finely chopped

1/4 c. pimento – diced

Drain vegetables, mix all ingredients together

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 c. vegetable oil

1/2 cu. white vinegar

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

Mix all together & heat until sugar dissolves.    Pour over vegetable mixture, cover and refrigerate overnight.

In other news (I sound like an announcer!) this week I’ll be going to my son’s house to begin the makeover of McKinley’s new bedroom.    She will be giving up her old room for her baby brother who will be arriving in August.     My goal will be to get the room painted…I doubt we’ll have time to do anything else.    I have been making some frames and will be painting and distressing her bed and nightstand here at our house and then later delivering them to Birmingham to get the room set up.     We are painting brown and pink stripes on one feature wall, then alternating brown and pink on the other walls.    Her furniture will be a creamy white.    In my mind, it sounds pretty so here’s hoping it turns out like I’m imagining it!     Otherwise, I’ll have to come up with a Plan “B”!