IDK...My BFF Jill

BFF: Best Friend Forever

Best Friend Forever: Someone who you can spend hours upon hours with and never get bored or angry or annoyed, yet who you can also tell "it's time for you to go home" and no one is offended.

Why a BFF is hard to find: You need to both enjoy each other...and each others' kids...and each others' spouse. And your spouses need to enjoy each other too. You need to have enough in common to understand each other, but enough differences to keep things real. You need to be deep enough to have meaningful conversations, but shallow enough to let things roll.

I'm not sure I've ever had a BFF like Jill. I certainly wasn't looking for one and definitely didn't think I needed one. But I found her. And I will miss her terribly. I can honestly say, I don't know how I'm going to get on without her. She is my neighbor, my taste-tester, my left-over eater, my baby sitter, my cup-of-whatever-I'm-out-of giver, my confidant, my soundboard, my think tank, my inspiration, my creative genious, my server, my reality-check giver, my always-fun-to-have-around friend...she is my very best BFF. In fact, I think I have truly only had 2 BFFs in my life. Jill and my sister.

She has taught me so much about paint and crafts. She has taught me to enjoy fried foods, yet not eat high fructose corn syrup. She inspires me all the time with her creative genius. Her home is stunning because she just keeps making things she wants to have around. And she has an eye for decor. She has inspired me by how much she adores her children and would rather spend a day home with them than do anything else. She taught me how to coupon and score BIG on great deals. Then she also taught me you can go broke on a good deal. She's who I could always drop in on and know either I'd be welcome or she would honestly tell me it was not a good time. She's who we could always throw plans together with at the last minute and have a great time. She doesn't like pork and doesn't like to get her hair wet. She loves frozen chocolate chips. She has an amazing mom and really great sisters. She is gorgeous and always looks good, even though she doesn't think so. She is always smiling and I think everyone who meets her, loves her, and wants to know her better. I love that her living room used to be purple and her bedroom used to be a hideous dark green. Sorry Jill, it's true. She loves Goodwill and can transform anything she finds there into a masterpiece. She owns a few different saws...and she's the one who uses them (I know, John...you do too). She is an awesome cook and great baker and everything she's ever made is delicious.

What will I do without her? If in 27 years, I have only had one BFF that is not family, I don't know if or when I will ever find another like her. And unfortunately, her daughter Parker is Keara's BFF. I don't know what Keara will do without Parker. We may just have to cry and eat chocolate together. And her husband, John, is awesome too (as are Quinn and Paisley, of course). He is so easy going, real, and helpful. Never complains...at least to us.

AND, Jill also happens to be just about the most creative, talented, visually artistic crafter/home decorator/refurbisher/WAHM I have ever met. You need to take a look at her talents. Sorry, Jill, I'm stealing pictures from your blog.

Simple, I know, but this is her Thanksgiving Table spread. Just beautiful.

Her eye for decor.

Her home business...gorgeous signs

One day, she got an idea, whipped it out, and hung it up. Oh, and she made the frame too.

Simple but fun. A week later, I saw the same idea on Martha Stewart's site...but John just got the idea from his own mind.

She got this beauty...

...and turned it into this.

Then got this beauty...

...and turned it into this.

John, Jill, Quinn, Parker, and Paisley...we are going to miss you SO much. There simply aren't words...