Posted on December 18, 2010 by jackieinpdx
Well I was wrong. The theme turned out to be a “Coney Island Christmas”. Debi rented a hot dog warmer, borrowed a popcorn machine and we built our dogs and nachos. Debi did make mom’s famous potato salad. She hung up photos she printed of amusement parks. But the best part was we had a good family get together.
I haven’t had much to write about lately. Or maybe it’s that what I do have to say I put on Facebook.
My sister Debi, who my mother lived with, is having her annual family Christmas dinner. Debi always has a theme dinner and keeps it a surprise from her guests. For example last year it was Mexican and the year before seafood. She sent us individual emails telling us what to bring so we couldn’t “put 2 & 2 together”. My daughter is bringing my Mom’s chili and I was told to bring some type of green salad. She told us all that we needed to dress in ugly Christmas wear or beachwear.
I am guessing since my mom loved the beach and LOVED Christmas that the theme and the menu has something to do with her. This will be our first Christmas without her. It will tough but we will have our memories to share.
I will take my camera and Flip video to record our day.
Filed under: family, Holidays | Tagged: family, Mother | 3 Comments »
Posted on May 8, 2010 by jackieinpdx
Tomorrow will be the first Mother’s Day without my mother. It has been hard the last couple of weeks hearing all the Mother’s Day commercials on the radio and TV. Thanksgiving and Christmas will be especially tough the first time around because my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer just before Thanksgiving and died three days after Christmas. Christmas was my mother’s favorite time of year.
I created the electronic invite to the memorial service for my Mother which is taking place next month on her birthday. It took me at least three tries to get it done because I had to stop when I started to cry.
This morning several members of my family participated in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. “The walk is to honor breast cancer survivors, remember people we have lost, and raise funds and awareness to help end this disease. Making Strides is not a race; it is a celebration of survivorship, an occasion to express hope, and a shared goal to end a disease that threatens the lives of so many people we love.” Although my mother did not have breast cancer my sister Debi pulled together some family members to help out the cause. I donated enough $ yesterday to get them to their team goal.
Filed under: "Good causes", Mother | Tagged: cancer, Mother, Portland | Leave a comment »
Posted on December 28, 2009 by jackieinpdx
Mother at her 80th birthday party
Helen Louise
June 27, 1929 – December 28, 2009
My mother passed away this morning about 9:30AM. It was about 6 weeks ago that she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. She was admitted to the hospital Saturday as she was very dehydrated and had a lot of pain in her stomach. The CAT scan showed air in her stomach and liver lining and in an artery. The decision was made late yesterday afternoon to take her off all meds and give her morphine to try to make her comfortable. She went into a coma last night and was gone this morning as I said around 9:30. She made it to Christmas which was her favorite day of the year.
After all of the family in the area came to say our goodbye’s mother’s eyes were going to be donated to Devers Eye Institute. Although she was blind in one eye from a stroke years ago and had been treated for glaucoma they said that she would be an excellent donor for research purposes.
My mother had the foresight a few years ago to make cremation plans through the Neptune Society. We will have a small memorial service in three weeks or so.
Filed under: family, Mother | Tagged: family, Mother | 10 Comments »
Posted on December 20, 2009 by jackieinpdx
My mother may be 80 but she loves stuffed animals especially those that make noise and move. She has most of her Christmas stuffed animals on display in her bedroom suite. These photos are of just some of the decorations and stuffed animals in her bedroom. She has more on display in the hallway outside her bedroom.
You are never too old for Christmas, right?
Filed under: family, Holidays, Mother | Tagged: Christmas, Christmas decorations, Mother | Leave a comment »
Posted on June 30, 2009 by jackieinpdx
Saturday morning I bought two Lilium Lilies for my mother as part of her birthday present. I bought a yellow plant and an orange one. The yellow had several flowers open while the orange didn’t have one open yet. When Tara and Kelly picked me up to go to my mom’s birthday party she said “we bought grandma the same thing”. Tara bought an orange lily and had it potted while I just had mine sitting in the pots I bought. Tara and I bought the flowers at the exact same store. Turns out my mom just bought a couple of the yellow lilies too at the same chain store but out near where she lives.
I guess we were all thinking the same thing. After taking a bunch of photos of my mom’s flowers the last two times I was at her house I said she needed other colors in her yard since most of her flowers were pink or lavendars.
Filed under: Daughters, family, Mother | Tagged: daughters, flowers, Mother | 3 Comments »
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