Sean is really good at making me cry

...and my mother, as well. Now that i've sufficiently gotten you to believe Sean's mean and abusive (don't we love how i use my blog to taunt him?), i shall explain. First, let it be known that I am turning more into my mother every day. The list of ways is growing rapidly and it is very amusing for me and I actually love it. Some of the things on that list are: love of Bighunk candybars, "the wheeze" (as my sisters and i call it) when i laugh, urgent and spontaneous need for climate control, (or maybe i'm just very pre-menopausal) love of all things lemon, etc.

Another thing to add to the list is getting weepy at sentimental gifts. It has long been a goal of my siblings to get my mom to cry at Christmastime. Therefore, each year we put together a big gift from the kids to the parents in hopes that this will happen. We've learned that anything from us, no matter what it is, will do it. It's too easy.

One year Sean was commissioned to head up that project and painted portraits of my parents' parents. Here they are, just for fun, because they're really pretty great.







Aren't they cool? He made the frames too. What a handy dandy. (<--first time i've ever said that in my life, and i apologize)

We weren't there when they opened it but someone videotaped it and it was awesome. I actually think my mom started crying when she just read the card that said something like "Merry Christmas! Love, your children." It's really funny for everyone.

Another year was a double whammy. That summer we had gone to Lake Powell and there was a wretched torrent of a storm. Masses of rain and violent wind. We almost beached our houseboat if it were not for some miracle. Seriously, it was bad. But afterward was the most glorious rainbow i've ever seen. I think it was a double rainbow too. I tried to take a bunch of pictures of it so as to put together some kind of panorama but never did anything with it.

So for Christmas, Sean took the pictures i had and put them together in a really cool way (he had to be creative because when you see what he had to work with you see that i totally failed at my goal of a panorama) and framed it and, given my and my family's deep love for LP, I totally wussed and cried when he gave it to me. AND, not only that, but he made a replica and gave it to my parents when we went home a few days later for Christmas and then made my mother cry when she saw it. Ha.

Here is a picture:



This year, Sean gave me a present. To understand him and his artistic style better, you may want to check his website, particularly in 2005 & 2006. But, he said he found this when we were engaged and he calls it "The Wedding Present." And yes, once again, Jen cries.



So anyway. Just wanted to share. Now all you men know what to do to make the women in your life cry.