Francie can't say "Jannie is 60!" to everyone she meets anymore! Today is Jannie's 61st birthday... but she sure doesn't look a day over 41!

MY MOM :) I feel so lucky to have Jan as MY mom. She was, and still is, the most fun mom around. She taught me how to be a good mother (I just wish I was half as good as she was at mothering babies and toddlers!) and she always put us first... and still does.

She made having four kids look easy- taking care of us, cooking healthy yummy meals, keeping a warm/cozy/good smelling house, baking, thinking up fun projects, reading books, playing board games, whipping up after-school snacks, organizing the house, driving carpool, planning vacations, making time for extended family, doing thoughtful things for her friends, planning birthdays, hosting holidays, sewing, knitting, needle-pointing, crafting, making perfect carmels, opening our home for friends and guests, saying yes to all the crazy pets we begged for- and caring for them when we didn't keep our promises, helping with homework projects, letting us stay home from school to play our new Nintendo when it came out, staying in PJ's alll day in the playroom and convincing Dad when he came home from work we were just ready for bed early, driving to sports and activities and friends houses all over town, supporting and helping orchestrate summer fun camps and lemonade stands, making fresh smelling laundry and being able to get any stain out clean, teaching us how to drive, how to be responsible adults and how to be a good friend to others, having the whole entire family for Christmas for almost 30 years, restoring a 100 year old farmhouse from a haunted house on stilts to a beautiful home to grow up in, setting up a college dorm room to feel like home, planning my wedding, doing the details right, making Sunday dinners every week to bring everyone together, being a supportive and caring sister/daughter/wife and mother AND being the best Jannie-the-Grannie-Nannie in the whole wide world. How do you do it Jan! I only hope to be like you. I love you Mom!

What a MOM! (and awesome outfits :)

Look how cute Jannie was in this newspaper slipping from 1954. She was 5 years old and the photographer, a cousin- Jim Vestal, won an award for this photo

Last year we were all in Palm Springs to celebrate Jan's big 60th...

Francie got the royal treatment too as Jannie's sidekick (I love this picture :)

We had an "Orange" party in PS for her since it's her least favorite color

Tonight as I was typing this and Francie is sitting next to me laughing hysterically at the squirrel-in-the-house-scene in Christmas Vacation (don't ask why she is watching that!) she turned to me and said "I think you're SUCH a great mom, Mom." I thanked her and she said "Good job Mom. It's hard work." She couldn't have said it better!
Jannie- THANKS for being such a good mom- you are the best at it and I know- IT'S HARD WORK!"