My Childhood Home

As we pulled up at my mom's house last night around 8:30p.m., I saw my mom, Quinn and his son Jake picking apricots. I was so happy to see them. Quinn looks so good. I hugged Jake about 8 times. Maybe more like 10. I had 4 apricots, so ripe they are almost red. I had to stop Jake as he was about to bite into the apricot like an apple. "No Jake, stop! You have to lightly separate the halves at the crease, take out the seed and then savor each half separately. Like this." Whew. I'm glad I stopped him in time.

Wow. It felt good to be here. I spent many a summer reading in a hammock under those apricot trees. I could read for hours at a time and make myself sick on apricots. I was a total introvert during the summers. I don't remember even playing with neighbor kids much. Mostly just my family. Reading, listening to ELO, Grease, Queen or the Pointer Sisters. I assigned a Pointer Sister to each of my sisters and made us all learn a routine to "We Are Family...I've Got All My Sisters and Me."

As we came inside, I was so grateful to mom for making her house so kid friendly. It has been a while since I have had a little one so I kind of forgot the magic this house is to a child. Kate was going crazy with delight.

My mom loves "whimsy." If there is something that lights up, or moves, she buys it. Can't get enough. There is a room in my mom's house, my old bedroom, that is full of toys and whimsy for her grandkids. Here is an example. These fish are moving and the other doodad thingamabob changes colors and is fun to touch. The see through phone on the right lights up when it rings.

This is just ONE NIGHTSTAND PEOPLE. The whole room is full of wonders like this....

My mom put a mini toy baby on the mirror on the wall. I'm telling you, the quirky touches in this room are endless.

My mom's house is full of food. Full of frozen donut holes and frozen gummy worms as well as cookies and always 2 or 3 homemade meals to choose from. She is always feeding us.

If food were the 6th love language, that would be hers. Well, that and words of affirmation. We always knew we were wonderful, good, etc. Never wondered how my mom felt about us.

My maiden name is Farley. I like this tile from Misty.

Here is a picture we took during the boy haircut phase for all 3 of us girls with our neighbor Karen.

She was like Lauren is to my family. She was always there for us. She picked us up one year and said, "Let's go take a fun picture for your mom for Mother's Day." My sisters wanted the fancy dresses, and I loved the girlish school one. Love Kelly's sash though in this pic. I wish I had a dress with a sash like that. My mom loved this picture then and still does now.

Her fridge is full of pictures of funky animals doing quirky things.

Why? Because grandkids like to look at it. She has had this sign on her fridge since I first got married. Each child either has a running tab of money owed, things borrowed or stuff she needs to talk to us about. Obviously Kelly needs to help mom move a heavy plant and mom owes Misty $22 for a theatre ticket.

Ah. The puzzle....

Always a puzzle out on her dining table for adults to take a moment at. (Since this photo was snapped earlier this morning, I've done about half of it.) I can't explain it, but I love sitting at the table for 1/2 hour and doing parts of a puzzle. My joke with mom is that I always say, "Hey mom, I'm helping you with the sky" or "I just did the kite section for you" as if I'm doing her a big favor. She always says, "Oh thank you!" just to humor me.

This is the piano I spent hours at playing and practicing.

Many a memory tied to this piano and many a memory tied to my enjoyment of accompanying people, playing with people, and teaching because of this little piano we were lucky to have.

My mom's house was built in 1955 and hasn't been updated hardly at all since. Raising 4 kids alone didn't leave money to fix anything. It's still not top on her priority list. Here is the carport that my sister's high school boyfriend painted for my mom once.

Looks like it needs it again. Here is the driveway that needs some serious help.

Oh look! Here is Brett working out to INSANITY outside so he won't wake anyone up at 6:30 a.m. He's not falling, he is lunging and pulsing his leg up for 20 counts. I promise :)

We slept with the fan blowing on us. All kids are sleeping at cousins or friends. It was just Brett, Kate and me sleeping at my childhood home, my good mom's. I love her so much. She raised us with such love and positive words that amidst circumstances which were tough sometimes, we never felt lacking. And we weren't. Thanks mom.