50 for 50

Today my mom turns the big FIVE ZERO! For this special birthday I thought I would write 50 reasons of why she is the best mom ever!

1. She is beautiful inside and out.
2. She is very intelligent. 
3. She loves hotdogs. We love finding hotdog places to eat a Chicago dog (minus celery salt).
4. She is spontaneous. 
5. She has a good sense of style. I have even gone into her closet before borrowing clothes and shoes.
6. She is very clean and organized. Her house is always clean. I can remember every Saturday morning was cleaning day and the house was already pretty much clean.
7. She makes a delicious tomato and cheese sandwich.
8. She always has my favorite foods at home when I come home and visit. For example she always has my favorite string cheese that isn't easy to find. 
9. She is always loyal to her friends.
10. She still tucks me into bed when I go home to visit.
11. She puts up with my craziness. 
12. She has watched Shadow for me while I was at college. (And she is allergic to cats)
13. She shops with me and tells me what looks good and what doesn't.
14. She took me to get my first pedicure when I was little. Now we go when we have the chance. Best mother/daughter relaxing time.
15. She stopped biting her fingernails, which got me to stop biting my nails. 
16. She loves and appreciates a good sunset. Anytime I see a good sunset I always think of when we were little and we would say goodnight to the sun or the egg yolk in the sky. 
17. She loves the beach. Now because of her I love going to the beach and finding sand dollars.
18. She has never given up on her dreams. Montana!
19. She holds the longest record for a plank. (I'm convinced!)
20. She always has fresh flowers in her house.
21. She is a worthy temple card holder and attends the temple as much as possible.
22. She snorts when you get her to laugh hard.
23. She has gloves in her trunk ready for any car accident.
24. She is willing to try new things.
25. She knows everyone. It doesn't matter if we are in our hometown or across the world she knows someone. 
26. Which lead to how she is friendly to everyone. She is such a people person and can have a genuine conversation with anyone.
27. She LOVES One Direction. <-- one proud daughter! It took her a few times to listening to them, but now she is converted and a 1D fan forever! (Now I just have to get her to their concert)
28. She loves candles! Ever since I was little I can remember a candle lit in the house.
29. She is an amazing traveling buddy. Road trips or long flights to another country, she knows how to have fun, even when our luggage doesn't make it.
30. She loves taking selfies.
31. She is the best grandma to Nora bug. 
32. She sends me care packages in times of need. 
33. She sings every word to TSwift... "hella good hair"
34. She drives a RAV4 in blizzard pearl.
35. She taught her children that they can accomplish anything if they put their minds to it. 
36. She has Italian kissed skin.
37. She finds the best cards. Most are from Papyrus. 
38. She really knows how to rock wearing pajamas and heels, holding a fire extinguisher while running down 20 flights of stairs. 
39. She gives the best gifts.
40. She doesn't have the word 'can't' in her vocabulary. She is definitely a doer.
41. She says her prayers every morning and night. I have never seen her miss a prayer. At the good and bad times I always find her praying.
42. She lets me lay in her bed after a long day to talk even when she is beyond tired.
43. She is a good listener. Half of the time she is probably so tired she just wants to sleep, but she still listens to me as a yap away.
44. She is a hard worker. 
45. She never misses church. Even when she is traveling she searches for a ward to attend. 
46. She is the best parallel parker I know. It only takes her once to squeeze in a tight spot.
47. She never gives up on herself or others.
48. She has the best smile.
49. She gives the best advice. Many times I have found myself needing advice and I always go to her because she knows exactly what to say. 
50. She is the strongest woman I know. She has the strongest testimony in the church and never gives up on the Lord. She is the greatest example of who I want to be someday. Everyday I pray and hope I can become as great as my mom! 

Great things are coming for my mom and I am so proud and happy to call Katie Dill my (not mother) but mom! Happy Birthday and love you lots gator! 

***Hugs and kisses across the miles! (emoji red heart, emoji smile face, emoji thumbs up, emoji blue car)*** 

Selfie With Signs

Over the winter break my bestie (mom) and I went on a road trip. First stop was Arizona. Approaching the state border, my mom had an idea to take a picture with the sign. It had been a long drive so I agreed thinking it was a great opportunity to stretch my legs. Well that first selfie with the Arizona sign started something fun for us on the road trip. After taking the first selfie with a state sign we decided to take pictures with every sign we passed. (Note: we decided to only take pictures with signs of the states we were staying in.)

So the first stop was Arizona. My mom was asked to help at a wedding to do a candy bar. She agreed to do it only if I would come with. Of course I agreed to come! Road trips are the best with my bestie. And also I got to catch up with my favorite girl that wears socks with sandals, Aubry Hiatt. It was a short trip, but way fun!

Next stop was back to California. We unpacked, did laundry, and repacked for our next place. I said my goodbyes to Shadow and the next day we were off on our next place on our trip.

After our short over night stay in Cali we were off to Utah for Christmas. All we wanted was a white Christmas and we got it. Christmas was once again magical with the white snow and being there with Nora, her second Christmas. But it felt like her first because she was old enough to open her own presents and get excited from them. The joy of seeing Christmas in a child's eyes is so magical. I loved it! The day after Christmas we did a Dill Christmas with me, Kev, Bailey, Nora, Mikey, Jen Jen, and my mom. We all went to California Pizza Kitchen and opened presents. My mom surprised us all with a Disney trip! Can't wait for that trip. It will be Nora's first time. Just like Christmas, Disneyland has some kind of magic that is best seen in kids eyes, so it will be fun to see Nora's excitement. After our Christmas celebrations were over, it was time to pack up again. 

The freezing, cold Montana was up next. Gosh, I did NOT pack right for this state. Negative degrees was too cold for me. When your nose hairs freeze, it's a sign it's too cold. With it being too cold I mostly stayed inside with Nora, playing ball, laughing, and dancing. Miss her so much! Saying our goodbyes was very hard. 

Mom and I were back in the car dancing, singing, and chatting. We were headed back to Utah for New Year's Eve and more importantly Jen Jen's birthday. We don't have a pic with the Utah sign again probably because we were having car problems and just wanted to get to Utah. A drive that was suppose to be six hours took close to ten hours. We were so exhausted, but ready to get our groove on at Jen Jen's 25th birthday party. It was retirement theme and of course my mom and I went to the DI and got the funniest clothes to look like grannys. We were Ethel (mom) and Harriet (me) for the night. The next morning (New Years Day) we headed to find a shop to fix our car. Ya, nothing was open. So we stayed another day to find a place to fix our car. The next day we woke up thinking, more hoping, it was an easy fix for our car. Well it wasn't and it was cheaper to buy a new car. So Katie Dill is now the new owner of a RAV4 in blizzard pearl... Beautiful car. I even got to drive it a little. 

After purchasing a new car, we were ready to head home. And that is where our trip come to an end for the both of us riding in the same car. And our last selfie with a sign, the Nevada sign. 

I will admit cries were shed at the last sign, but tears of happiness. I miss my bestie already! Can't wait till our next road trip!

Students that will always have a place in my heart

For my last semester at BYU-Idaho I moved to Las Vegas to do my student teaching. This student teaching experience was the best thing ever to prepare me for my own classroom. I learned many things, but the most important is to love every student that enters your classroom. The last day was a hard day saying my goodbyes. I hope I have made an impact in each of their lives, like what they have done for me. These little kiddos will always have a place in my heart. 

On the last day, the kids made me sit in the middle as they sat in a circle around me. Then they went around reading their handmade cards, cutest thing ever! Kids are just the sweetest!! I will always treasure their cards. Oh and the One Direction cup one of my students got me... they truly knew my favorite things.