Happy 80th Birthday Mom!

The Daisy has returned to the Daisy Patch and all is right with the world.

If only it was that simple!

This is the official family portrait. Mom and her three girls. If baby sister (middle of portrait) doesn't look very happy it's because she wasn't and she made every one of us aware of the fact!)

We had a card shower for Mom.....and she received about 80 birthday cards from friends and family. Oldest sister Barbara (right of picture) compiled all the cards , pictures and greetings and made an album for her which she is continuing to enjoy. Baby sister and I compiled a list of 80 memories and qualities we admire about our mom and printed them out on individual pieces of paper that she can pull out of a decorated jar on a daily basis for the next 80 days. (Talk about a birthday hang-over!)

Mr. Wonderful was the only male at the all girl weekend and was promptly put to work. Mom is an independent woman and rarely asks for any assistance with any household project. Since the sisters had arrived several days before we got there they had discovered some projects that needed doing and made sure that Mr. Wonderful brought his tools with him.

One major project was converting an old TV cabinet into a bookcase. My mom is a very frugal woman and really liked the cabinet which has doors that closed over the TV. My dad was an avid sports fan and loved watching all sports on that TV. When he died and the old tube television no longer worked Mom just couldn't bring herself to get rid of the set. Consequently it has set in her living room (doors closed) for over 20 years.

Mr. Wonderful and his beautiful assistant (yep, I'm talking me) moved the set to the garage and disassembled the parts. Mr. Wonderful kept several of the old vacuum tubes and transformer. The picture tube alone weighed about 30 pounds. Disposing of the parts also called for some creative distribution (which is another story for another day!).

He built a shelf into the cabinet, put a bottom over the base, and added the back to the cabinet. He stained the wood to match the dark walnut of the cabinet and we set it in place (back in the living room) moments before we left for Savannah.

He also dug out the clay and stepping stones by my mom's back door that accumulate water and filled it in with 200 pounds of sand, and more stones that will now absorb more overflow from the drainage off the roof.

We were both tired when we left but glad to be able to help. I rarely get to see my sisters so it was fun just to be able to be together if only for a few days. Mom really wanted the pictures of all of us so it would have been nice if Baby sister had been at least attempted a "happy face".

We played several games of Parcheesi. Parcheesi was always a family favorite of ours - its easy to get the hang of but offers some challenge and strategy. Kids and adults can play together, which was always a plus for our family. We learned to play as kids and our grandmother was the all time reigning champion. Our mom now holds the title and won every game no matter who was partnered with her.

The great thing about family games is the memories they evoke. We laughed at many "grandmother" stories and as always found some new rules (not written in the instructions so don't look!) Mom can whip around the board and what ever number you roll she has her finger on the space long before you can count it out.

In our house you roll to see who goes first and who gets Mom for their partner. Whoever has Mom wins so really the game is decided on the first roll!

Did you have any family games that your family still plays whenever you get together?