Memories of my Family

Hi everybody. I have always enjoyed hearing stories and fond memories about family members, so I have decided to come up with a few of my own. I want to start with Dad and Mom and eventually say something about all of my siblings. So here's some memories of Dad and Mom:
(this might be a gratitude/memories list)

Dad

He helped me learn how to garden
He let me sit on his lap (quite frequently) when I was little
I don't remember it, but I'm glad that he sat and held me all night when I had pneumonia as a baby
He came to my softball games and band and chorus concerts
He asked me to dance at youth dances, where we danced a big circle covering the full area of the gym
Often I would play the piano and he would tell me that he enjoyed listening to me play
One time we hooked sleds up to the back of the truck and he pulled us all around the research farm
As most of you know, I loved cats and at first, animals were not allowed in the house, but eventually he consented to letting me have my cats inside
I remember frequently seeing him sitting and reading his scriptures or the Ensign
While I was sleeping, him "needing" to hammer something on the roof, so I eventually woke up
I have enjoyed several bowls of ice cream and popcorn in his "honor"
Many times I have seen him cry at church or while telling a touching story, which would make my tears flow
He occasionally was the driver who took me to the store with my friends to stock up on candy
When dishes needed to be done, he never hesitated doing them
I followed him out to milk the cow and thought that it was funny/cute how our cow liked him so much
We sat and watched movies and played games
The night before I left for college, he told me that he would miss me
He used to give all of us a kiss before he left for work

Mom

She took me to music lessons
She instilled in me a love of singing (especially with my family)
She taught me to think for myself
She gave me a love and enthusiasm for many things-- music, literature, art, the beauties of the earth and a love for God
She (and Dad) helped me buy my own horse, then helped me work to pay for boarding
She made sure that we had horses, cats, dogs, etc.--I have always loved animals
When I was kicked by the horse, she came to my rescue and gave me mouth-to-mouth resusitation.
When I was in Jr.High, I got a failing grade in one of my classes. I was devastated. When I brought it home to show Mom, she didn't get upset. She was compassionate and understanding and helped me to succeed.
When I struggled in school or didn't want to go, she would help me with my homework and several times let me skip going to school. In place of school, I had several fun shopping trips to the mall.
She took me to horseshows and horseback riding lessons, sometimes stopping at McDonalds for a shake.
She tried to teach me how to sew (even though the first dress that I made looked terrible!)
She and Dad sat at the table and played games with me. One time while we were playing, she made a hurtful comment to me. I told her that what she said made me feel bad and she immediately apologized for saying it.
She faithfully wrote me letters after I left home to go to college or on my mission. Her letters were full of praise and encouragement and helped me feel good and feel that I could handle the difficulties of life.
When I was dating Mike and having a difficult courtship, she would call and listen to my pains and offer advice to help me know how to handle certain situations
She always used to tell me that I was beautiful
After I had my first baby, I longed to have my mother there. In spite of her failing health, she made a difficult journey from New York to Utah to be with me and give me some company and help as much as she was able.
I love her greatly and admire the wonderful things that she did. She made mistakes, but she had far more successes.