Let's Dish #8 Mother's Day Challenge~ Here's To Mom!

Welcome to the Mother's Day Challenge at Let's Dish.
This week I invite you to link up a table, or table related things from your mom or mil.  This topic was decided on by the members.

Are you a member?

 It is free to join, just show up Wed at 7 to link up or participate in the conversation! :)

My mom's favorite color was yellow.  Her kitchen was a sunny yellow, and her gkids knew if they saw something in yellow, Nana would like it!

 Her mixer, her coffee pot, and in later years, even her pale yellow Cadillac!  Apparently, they were very popular in Florida. :)

I featured a bowl here she made in ceramics in her later years.  I know she would have loved the yellow table!

My mom, Grace, was the oldest of  7 children.

She raised 4 wonderful daughters, the youngest turning out the best!  My sisters who are reading those are throwing up right now, lol!




This linen table cloth and napkin were an engagement gift to her, monogrammed with a D.

The day she got married, in 1934  I believe, she worked half a day at her job, went home and got ready for her wedding.


Her younger sister is in the upper right corner.
  She died at 33 leaving 3 young boys.

 Though my mom had 4 children of her own, including my sister who was in a wheelchair her whole life and needed a tremendous amount of care, my mom wanted to take the 3 boys to live with us.

PS, it didn't happen.  My uncle raised the boys, but my mom did all she could.

The cousins still joke about the look on the Connolly girls' faces when they thought they would have 3 brothers! My cousin always talks about how my mom sent him money every week when he was in the Army.  She loved those boys, and they knew it.


My grandmother died at 54, and my mom's youngest sister was still a teen, so she came to live with us.
 She was treated like one of their own girls, and when she got married, my dad gave her away and took care of the wedding.  Strong family values for sure!

I always think back about how hard my mom worked.  Her house was always immaculate, the laundry was done, and there was  a home cooked meal on the table every night. Yet, she always had time to help others.

After we were all gone, she would go to Sat. 5 PM Mass and bring home some older  ladies of the parish  who were alone.  She'd give them a good dinner, and drive them home.

Whenever she could steal a few minutes, she was out in her beloved gardens
I think it was therapy for her
She put her family first, took no nonsense and had a strong belief in God.

We often heard, "God never closes one door without opening another."

We weren't rewarded for good behavior or good grades because that was what you were supposed to do.

She had no problem giving us a smack if we thought we could answer back.

 We weren't told we were loved, but we knew we were.



My dad was always working , so she did everything herself.  A very strong woman, for sure!


She was widowed at 49, my sister died the next year at age 26.

She  died at 83 on my 50th birthday.

I was very blessed to have 2 wonderful parents who taught us what was important and showed us through example.

And she is probably in Heaven saying how there are things I should be doing, and blogging isn't one of them!

On to my simple table dedicated to my mom.
 She loved flowers, the only kind I ever heard her say she didn't like were gladiola , as they reminded her of funeral homes!

I started with a white cloth with embroidered rosebuds and a handkerchief edge.  It is a cotton shower curtain!
 
Next came a mirrored charger

It has been raining for 2 days, so the light is horrendous!

The pink plate is Rondo by Mikassa that I got at Savers.  I had never heard of Savers till a few years ago!  My friend, Marigene at In the Middle of Nowhere always found such good things, I had to check it out!  I found the silver candle sticks there too, and Marigene said they were a steal!

Next came a purple wavy edged plate by Pfaltzgraff.  It picks up the purple in the dinner plate.
The linen  napkins were my mom's, we got them at Gimbels for .10.  There was a huge box of napkins and we picked through till we found enough for both of us!
The silver napkin rings were hers too, we got them with box tops from Land O Lakes butter!

I used a teapot from Villeroy and Boch filled with roses.
The flowerpots filled with roses were place marks from a wedding.
Pink glassware by Gorham, via Lenox.
The sterling silver s and p's were my mom's too.

Silver by International.

Here's to all the mom's, grandmom's, special aunts and big sisters who made a difference in your life!
May God Bless them all, and you!
I know my Mom would like one of these whipped cream topped cupcakes with a cup of tea.


Thanks for stopping by!
Since this is a challenge week, there will be a drawing for a surprise  gift for anyone who is a follower and leaves a comment.
***Be sure to visit The Tablescaper to get in on the $100 dollar gift card give away to celebrate her blogaversary!
I am joining Susan for Tablescape Thursday
Diann for Thrifty Friday
Beverly for Pink Saturday

Happy Mother's Day!  Now Let's Dish about our Mom's!
Please visit as many entrants as you can, I know so many of you do.
And thanks for leaving a comment for me too!
ONE LINK,    NO WORD ID allowed,     Mother's Day related,     and a link back IN your post! 
Thank you! 
Link opens at 7