Today would have been my grandmother's birthday. She was one of the most important people in my life. She was a bit unconventional, but that made her pretty fantastic in the eyes of her offbeat grandkids.

My family is from San Antonio and we all grew up steeped in many of the wonderful Mexican traditions that give that city its heart and soul. One of the those traditions is the Day of the Dead or El Día de los Muertos. The holiday, also known as All Souls Day, is about gathering to celebrate and pray for friends and family members who have died.

My mom, who is incredibly creative (and awesome), took a class on Day of the Dead alters at Casa Ramirez - a gallery and store in Houston. For the past few years we've paid tribute to my grandmother with an alter. Here are a few pictures:

Here's a little something I wrote about my grandmother. How can you not love the woman who actually mailed your picture to Bob Barker because she thought you should be in the Miss America pageant?

Ellen Teague Taylor

beauty operator in residence on Schley Avenue
who loved polyester, KFC, and hamburgers from Dairy Queen

she ordered enchiladas and craved deviled eggs
she read the National Inquirer and smoked Benson & Hedges
she had little crushes on Burt Reynolds and Freddy Fender

she liked cowboy boots and really big hair
and always watched Dallas and the Jefferson's

she loved instant tea with extra ice and Sweet 10
Scrabble was her game when she wasn't playing solitaire
or spying on the neighbors from the front door window
eating petit fours and whistling the theme from Murder She Wrote

she danced during Hee-Haw and Lawrence Welk, and loved to go fishing, and slapped her thigh when she laughed

Me-Ma always loving us and always believing that we were wonderful and amazing children
and telling us so
on the way to buy groceries at the Piggly Wiggly

me-ma, my mom on a horse, and a baby picture of meHappy Birthday Me-Ma! I'm listening to Freddy Fender, Charlie Pride, and Dolly Parton just for you!