Take #50 MILLION!

For whatever reason I thought it would be a good idea to have a picture with my mom while we were celebrating her birthday last night.  It was right before we sang happy birthday, and we were excited for the cheesecake...which by the way, tasted DIVINE! 

I'm not going to tell you which birthday she was celebrating...we'll just say it was a big one.  When my dad turned that age it wasn't weird to me, but my mom is different...I still can't believe my mother is that old.  Anyway, my professional photographer, Ciara, was taking the pictures for me, and this is the sequence of what happened:

 

#1:  Wait, we're not ready, yet, even though you have the camera.

#2:  Um, the flash didn't go off.  Let me fix it.

#3:  MITCHELL!  (Trying to be like the You-Tube guy we were watching the other day.  Heber showed us these videos of a goofball who makes these silly random faces in odd situations and catches people with candid reactions).  Thanks a lot, though.  Let's try again.

#4:  I think Mom blinked...um...yep, yep she did.  I've had enough of this.  Let's sing Happy Birthday and then try again.....

#5:  DAD!  You've GOT TO BE STINKIN' KIDDING ME!

#6:  Finally a keeper, and I don't even like it that much, because how could I when the 5th picture was so amazing?  You RUINED me, Dad!   But it's so funny!

The irony is that this GREAT picture only needed ONE take with the camera and a timer. 

Last night was really sweet.  I hope it was great for my mom.  I'm so glad Ciara went with me on the Cheesecake excursion.  We found peas in a pod salt & pepper shakers, we ran around the stinkin' town, Dad made the most delicious steak in the world--he really has a knack for seasoning food, we had cake and presents and surprises, and we all ended it by dancing to the music my dad accumulated for my mom.  It was so sweet to have all of us there slow dancing in the living room to my parent's song "You Are my Shinning Star".  Mom & Dad started, then me & Mitch. Ciara got Emmett to dance for about 30 seconds, and Taylor, Heber & Jodi were making stupid faces and and making fun, but as for me, we were all having a precious moment.  The only thing that would have made it better would have been to have Mike & Erin there dancing with us.  We really miss them during moments like this.  But it was so sweet, and my heart was filled with so much love for my family--my mom especially, and my dad, and seeing the way my dad loves my mom, and thinking about our life and family, and my new life with Mitch and our sweet kids.  It's just a tender moment.  It was my mom's birthday, but it was a highlight of my summer, and a fantastic day for me, too.

Happy Birthday, Mom! You look so great!