Honoring my mother, Lorraine

My mom, Lorraine Rubie Mullen, left this world on the 29th of April.  This past Saturday I had an open house in honor of her and I invited those who had known her well over the last few years in Denver.

My mom loved peonies and she was crazy about the baskets in Mexico.  So I made an arrangement of over 50 peonies in a basket I had recently bought in Oaxaca.

I made over 30 tent cards with photos of her on each side and I wrote the date of the photo and where it had been taken under each photo.  Everyone loved them, especially my dad.  I made my spicy pecans, a Spanish Coco (a flat bread with caramelized onions, piquillo peppers and Manchego cheese) and a spinach and artichoke dip with seasoned pita chips.   My mom was always so proud of me, I could just hear her saying, "That Robin!".

The weather was really strange that day.  It started out cold and gloomy.  Then around 12:30, big snow flakes started to come down and then it turned into rain.  But at 1:15, the sun came out!  My mom wasn't going to have bad weather ruin her celebration.  I also hired a couple who I have used for large parties before to come in and bar tend and serve.  She would have loved that.

The dining table on the back patio with more flowers and photo tent cards.

The kitchen counter had a big arrangement of Sunflowers and Irises.  I bought that gorgeous copper pot on one our adventures together over in Santa Clara de Cobre in the state of Michoacan in Mexico.  She and my dad loved that area and searching out the different artisans in the mountain villages.   The three of us explored that area often, especially when I was on my buying trips for my import sales.

Here are just some of the photos I put on the tent cards.  This was taken in front of the San Francisco church in San Miguel de Allende, 2009.  This is when her cousin, Marje, and Marje's daughter, Jill, from Minneapolis came to visit us at our casa in San Miguel. 

At the Denver Botanic Gardens, touring the Chihuly exhibition, 2014.

An exceptional day north of Colima, Mexico at the Hacienda de San Antonio.  What an exquisite property.  2004.

 Having a picnic up at Barr Lake, just north-east of Denver.  Fall - 2016.

 One of my mom's favorite restaurants in Denver, The Capital Grill.  On their anniversary, June 19, 2013.   

Another anniversary dinner at The Capital Grill, 2015.  This coming June would have been their 71st anniversary!

A typical scene, my parents sitting in the jardin (main square) in front of the Parroquia (the parish church) in San Miguel de Allende.

 At Carter's 60th birthday party - Scottsdale - spring 2010.

Hamming it up.  A friend of mine gave her these "royal slippers" so I had her model them for me while reading Majesty magazine.  She just loved reading about the Royals.

When Carter and my dad would go on their annual Dove and Duck hunting trips down in Ciudad Obregon, Mexico, my mom would come up from Scottsdale for the week and we always had the best time.  One of the highlights was having crab legs (and a lot of butter) for dinner along with a bottle of Spanish Cava.

 We moved to Arizona in 1962 from Minnesota.  The Phoenix Airport back when...

 More Arizona.  I loved that sweater that my mom had on.

Up on a rooftop restaurant that overlooks the Parroquia in San Miguel de Allende - 2012.

My mom was always up for an adventure, upbeat,  always beautifully dressed,  just a real lady.   My parents traveled through out Europe, especially Ireland, and Mexico.  They had custom-built homes that my mom decorated beautifully.  She was so talented and really embraced life.  

She was the best mom, wife, mother-in-law and friend.  

She is sincerely missed. 

Love you Mom!! 

PS:  

A special thanks to those who contributed to making Saturday such a special day.  Patsy and Tom W., The Green Girls (Holly, Jill, Shelley and Leslie) and Debbi W.