Way Back Wednesday

See this picture of the most wonderful mother-in-law in the world? Really, she's pretty darn good. She makes the best pies and has taught me a trick or 200. It's her birthday next week and she'll be 75. That is amazing to me.....she married in 1958, had six kids--5 of them boys and 1 girl--and now has 5 daughter-in-laws, 14 grandchildren, 1.5 great-grandchildren, and she is still sane.

Unbelievably sane.


Of course, the reason she is sane is because she had a belt in a kitchen drawer and she wasn't afraid to use it on naughty little boys. Not my husband--he was an angel and she liked him best. And not his sister....she wasn't ever naughty. Just ask her. But don't ask her brothers. Hays Boys tell lies.

Oh and she smoked cigarettes and drank coffee to live through the 70's. If I had 6 kids in 9 1/2 years and 5 of them were boys--I would smoking something other than cigarettes and drinking something other than coffee.

Just sayin'.

This picture of the 6 of them was taken about 8 years ago. They all think they still look this good. Really. But remember--the Hays Boys tell lies.

It thrilled her to death to have each and every grandchild. They all were like having the first grandchild 14 times. It pleased her to be able to hold Frick and Frack at the same time. Look at her smile! It was great!



Here is Granny's favorite pastime. Talking on the phone. Yep, we've got a million of this same picture. My kids think it is hilarious to take her picture while she talking on the phone. But seriously, she loves her family and calls us to check in a lot. And we love it...we love to tell her jokes and hear her laugh. I just talked to her tonight and told her a joke just so I could hear her laugh. There is nothing better than hearing Granny laugh.

And someone taught her to text. So now we get text messages--I love it! And she sends texts to her grandchildren....and she figured out that if she would learn to text, then her grandchildren would answer and she could talk to them.

And you can only see the backside of my father-in-law because he is building her a fire. He does whatever she wants. She is at his beck and call. He loves her more than anything. And she loves him more than anything.



This picture was taken at College Girl's Confirmation in the fall of 2005. With my favorite Hays Boy. He loves his mom. She worked hard to make my Hays Boy what he is today.

And for that I say.....Thank You.

I couldn't do it without you, Granny.

Happy 75th Birthday, Granny! And many more....