Loving the Mommas

Happiest Mother's Day to you! (especially my momma!)  The kids and I were just joking today that it's really more like Mother's Day Hour..you know that sweet celebration followed by hunger and making them breakfast and cleaning up and playing with them..and then they start to argue and totally forget that you only asked for one, great be-nice-to-each-other day! : )

I've noticed my mom cracks up when I'm talking to her on the phone, 'cause I kinda lean toward ADD (attention deficit disorder) when I'm talking..and yes, I'm just weird too.  I had to tell Ethan to get his mouth off the window today (he was blowing on it and then wiping his lips down the window making Carter laugh!).

Yesterday we went to Farmington to take a JDRF Bag of Hope to a newly diagnosed little girl, Ellie.  She and her mom, Melinda, were so sweet!  And Ellie is really doing well, but you can keep them in your prayers.  Diabetes always rocks worlds.

Afterward, we had a mom's day lunch with my mom and dad, and then visited my great aunt and uncle.  It was my great aunt's 82nd birthday!  What a treat to get to take all the kids over for a visit.  They really enjoyed hearing my uncle Bob tell about his mom making pancakes right on the old cast iron stove top (with the fire inside!) on Christmas morning.  They had all kinds of questions for him..Clay even wanted to go back today! : )

 

Then we had church, bought roses from Clay's troop selling in the vestibule after church (for some sweet ladies we know!), and then went over to Mom's house for dinner and an evening outside!  Clay and I played baseball and catch, and Mary Claire and Ethan played inside plastic tubs..and Carter ran between all of us and played with the big yellow Tonka dump trucks and backhoes.  I didn't get pictures since we were really just busy having fun!
 

making lemon squares for our Mother-Daughter Tea : )

Today was more relaxing..Clay had to go back to church this morning and sell roses before and after church, and the other kids swam!  Late this afternoon we all went to see Rio2 (but Carter didn't make it much more than ten or fifteen minutes!) and then we had dinner outside at Qdoba.  We went to Home Depot and I picked out some new flowers.  I got a new hydrangea bush, some geraniums, verbena, ivy, and some Stella d'Oro daylilies.  I love spring and planting.  Nothing is more motivating that warm weather and longer days!

I hope that if you have kiddies under your roof that you had a blessed Mother's Day today.  Even if your babies are grown or gone, Happy Mother's Day to you too.  Happy Mother's Day to the mommas that gave up their babies, and Happy Mother's Day to the mommas that are raising those precious gifts.  And Happy Mother's Day to the mommas whose babies didn't quite make it into their arms.  You are still a mommy if you've carried a little heart-beating bundle in your womb-you know what it feels like to carry a life.

To all of you who've helped teach me or mother me (or my own kiddos!), thank you.  To my mother-in-law who mothered my sweet husband, thank you.  And to my babies, thank you for accepting my mistakes and shortcomings and still loving me all the same.  Especially when I'm checking your blood in church, and I knock off the lid to the poker (and it flies three pews up!).  And when I forget to change your site when you only have nine units left..and I forget till morning.  And when I forget to hang your drapes.  For four months.  I'm just so glad you can see into my heart of best intentions.  May I have an even better, more intentional year.  I love you, babies!!

Catch Up!

Oh..the things that come flooding back when you upload your camera and phone! : )

Our week in review.  Heehee.
Clay's new hair style:

He says it's NOT Justin Bieber style.

My little mess (created by my littlest mess):

I should be more specific.  It's the mess of Fruity Pebbles on the floor!

..and on the counter.

And here is one from the wedding shower at Mojitos we went to last Sunday, Mary Claire's first baby shower!  And how beautiful is Gaby? : )

And here are the very limited (in number!) invitations for Mary Claire's sleepover next week (we had a sleepover two years ago, and last year she had no party, this year we limited to four girls-it can get kinda wild! : )  We are coming back from Florida on Friday, and having the party on Saturday-advance apologies for anyone we didn't invite!!  I wish we could do more, but I'm in over my head!!):

the fronts of the scrapbook/invitations, before I tied them closed with ribbon ; )

the inside with the actual invitation, and tabs inside the bag opening-one for Pictures (that we'll print from the party!) and one for directions!

And my wonderful Mother's Day!  We had a great morning in bed, uploading music from new cd's for Mary Claire's birthday, and shopping for more songs on itunes!  Then, church, lunch out, and park time with my parents.  The kids played out in the beautiful weather, and got all tired (making for awesome bedtimes), then we took my van for its checkup with our insurance company.  They had a "catastrophe" team evaluating all the hail damage.  We apparently have over $4000 damage just on my van (Ches' had $3700!), so now we have to get them fixed.  I'm taking mine in today to see if they can work on it while we are in Florida (leaving today!).  Oh!  Here are some pictures of us outside sweating:

She was sick from the merry-go-round, but attempted to smile. : )

And my last one.  The one that tells me once in a great while I rock!  It happens so rarely, I had to take a picture.  Mary Claire got up at 3:30 this morning feeling low (wish I had a constant glucose monitor, so I'd have known she was low before she had to make her way downstairs alone!), and she was 58.  I gave her a sugar tablet and a yogurt drink, and she stayed with me till she came up.  Then, I reset her basal to 93%, and let her go to bed.  She woke up at 100.  This. Never. Happens.  So guess what we are doing?  Going to Disney World to celebrate!!! ; )

..and just so you know-I don't rock for long.  By 9:40 at her school check, she was 314!  All that adrenaline pumping through her veins is rocking her blood sugar!  She can't wait to go!  (She even told her nurse, "two more blood checks, and I won't see you for a week!") (but now it's three more blood checks..)

Happy Mother's Day, Mom!

Happy Mother's Day, Mom! 

How she looked when I was born : )

Thanks for paying for braces (the first time around! haha), letting me ride a motorcycle (even a small one..) (..and a big one), playing games with us, for all the times you said no (it really did make me want it more), stopping the girl fight (that embarrassed me), going to Branson on my birthday so many times, letting me tape balloons to my wall, letting me go to New York, taking me to a dermatologist, making me tuck my shirt in, staying on top of my homework and grades to help me get a scholarship, getting me a puppy, babysitting my dog (and kids), and for showing me how to give.  
Should I go on?
Making dinner every night, showing me how to mow the yard, making desserts, letting me watch Scooby Doo, Dukes of Hazzard, Love Boat, and Fantasy Island.  Making me laugh when you rode up the tree on the Hodaka motorcycle (and turned it over), taking me to the hospital when I broke my ankle on Jody's bike, letting me have friends come over, letting us hang awful crepe paper streamers all over, making me sweet tea, bargaining with me over Mother's day for both of us.  Getting hamburgers at the cafe, making chocolate gravy, walking me through a death, and funerals, and driving fast to my house to watch Clay after my water broke with Mary Claire, coming to Rogers after I totaled my car.
Should I go on?
For planting a garden, for letting it all grow over.  For planting hyacinth bulbs that still come back.  For flying kites with us, sharing your car when I started working, buying me a Holly Hobbie dollhouse, for all my Strawberry Shortcakes, moving my furniture when I've moved, being willing to give me your new purse, getting Mary Claire a sewing machine, getting Ethan a machete (heehee), for my birthday cakes, for my birth day.
I love you, and I appreciate you, Mom.  : )  I'll see you later for playing in the park!  xoxox

Those We Mother

Sorry I'm so slow to update.  You know it's been crazy-hospital, my Little Rock doctor's appointment, and now we are trying to get back into the groove (not that I ever had one!).  Clay's had three baseball games, and his friend's precious parents have taken and picked him up for every one!  I'm so thankful.
I haven't left Ches with the kids.  Well, I did leave them to nap for a little bit yesterday afternoon to run to get some groceries.  He's just tired.  I can say I've learned during all this.  I adore my kids even more.  I missed them while we were at the hospital.  And it tore my heart out to leave Ethan on the driveway screaming for me as I drove away.  I've tried to keep him with me lately.  We ran errands yesterday-and he was good!  Just happy to be with me-precious!
I read Oprah's tenth anniversary issue while he was in the hospital, and it was good.  I don't have a subscription (since I have too many, and no where to store all these magazines!), but I bought this one.  You know my new XM addiction? Well, they are talking about the latest issue all the time, so I broke down and bought it-totally worth the $4.95!
I've learned to let some things go.  That I won't regret 15 minutes of game-playing with my kids.  That I can leave my kitchen un-perfect to spend time outside riding bikes.  That I should be aware of what I'm doing every minute, and enjoy it.  Like appreciating that I'm talking to a friend, enjoying the taste of food I'm eating, listening to my kids like they are the only ones in the world, being mindful as I walk-for the sounds, thankful for my feet, etc.  There's so much more, but I'm thankful for what I have, even when it's hospital.  The nurses were soo sweet-we had a very good experience.

I have also learned it can cost more to have a d&c than a live birth.  No kidding.  I have started getting my bills.  For the hospital, it was $8585. (yes, I called to make sure there wasn't a typo or a misprint-I thought they confused the decimal point!)  They are sending me an itemized bill.  My doctor's office bill was 800-something.  I just had no idea!

 

Ok, it's taken me almost three days just to write this post! We now have more exciting things going on!  We got a puppy on Friday morning, so that's my last time-occupier.
She's so precious!  I just think she's perfect for us.  Her name is Genevieve-our friend's daughter named her, and it fits her!  She's a ball of happy, with a side of attitude.  When my friend, Carol was telling me about her, I didn't get it.  I do now!  She wants to play all the time, and if you don't let her chew your hand (or your jeans, or shirt..) she'll bark at you!  When we first put her in the crate (pet taxi), she whined, barked, and generally complained. My dog training book came in handy!  We taught her to "shush!", and then "good shush" when she complied.  Last night, we'd worn her out, so we never heard a word out of her at bedtime!  She didn't make a peep till 6:40 this morning-so much better than the 2am-3:30am Friday night and the 5:45 wake-up on Saturday.  She just couldn't wait to start having fun!

Seriously, she's been really good.  She's had a couple accidents inside, but every time we take her out to go to the bathroom, she goes!  We are using the book (and giving her a piece of her food after she goes), so Yay, Us! (oh, and her too! heehee)
Alrighty, if I don't stop now, I'll never get this out.  I'm so slow lately!
If you have children, or want them, or watch them, help raise some, or even have brought up a sweet puppy, or mother another-Happy Mother's Day to you!  May God bless you for the time you spend to help raise up our next generation.  They'll be as good as we allow them to be.

Don't YOU need a new hot pink purse?

Well, I was quite productive! I had the runaround to deposit a check in the bank (insurance check for my painter made out to me AND ches AND my mortgage co, so I took it, it was refused due to lack of mortgage co signature-what?-then went to mortgage bank, had to wait almost 20 minutes for signature, then she told me to *be careful* that the check was *endorsed* and Just Like Cash-since I look 12 or something-then ran it back to my bank-all so dumb), and got plants, and had ice cream, and made it to Hobby Lobby for new wreath material, returned more library books, and got my plants planted before the rain!, met the painter, paid his deposit, gave slippery baths, read more Ramona Quimby, Age 8, ordered new purses and shoes (use code MACYSFF for 25% off and free shipping TONIGHT ONLY!!), and caught up on emails, and had to feed my family leftover Southwestern Soup due to my productiveness. They didn't complain, so all's well. : )

Tomorrow is Mother's Day Out, and I haven't decided whether or not to send Ethan. He's better, no fever in over a week, but I just worry about him catching something new, and everyone is just crazy over this H1N1 virus! I don't want anyone getting anything! The painters start tomorrow, and will be here till Friday. I don't know whether I should be worried when I'm alone with them. Ches will be here some, but has a meeting tomorrow at lunch. I also have Clay's Reading Restaurant tomorrow from 8:15-10am. So, I'll have to run over there either before I drop Ethan or afterward. Both ways, I can only stay a little while.

My desk is all a mess. Again. What on Earth happens to this space? It's like my mail threw up and my kids played in it. Papers, pictures, water bottle, phone, folders, pump pouches, a ring I ordered (and haven't decided if I'm going to keep), and all sorts of things-none of them in their places. : ( A messy desk makes me feel messy.

Do you help with your Mother's Day gift? Is it better to get something you really need, or leave it to chance? A couple of years ago, I told Ches to take the kids to WM and just let them pick out some stuff for me. Never again. They visited the office supplies department, and got me a pack of 10 short, colored, Sharpie markers (that you can hang on things ?), and a pack of 4x6 photo paper (that I've never used), colored post-its (that I did use), and some pens (that I used up). I am a tad more specific these days. Last year, I took the kids to Brighton and told them to surprise me. I had the lady wrap the gifts, and it was so fun! (for me!) So, this year, I ordered a ring my friend recommended. It's very pretty, but very square-ish, and flat. You'd have to see it. Here. It's just great, but maybe not for my short fingers with no nails. It doesn't make me feel like a better mom, but I found something maybe better! I found the Macy's sale (thanks, Mom!) and ordered a couple purses (hot pink and a green) and some shoes. I think I feel better already! : ) I hope I like at least one of them!

We are headed to Disney on the 14th, so I thought it'd be nice to have a smaller purse to wear across my body, so I'm trying it. It's like 8.5 inches square (theme here?), with a long strap, so we'll see. Wanna see it too? I've figured this out! Here. Ok, I tried that one, and you have to click on the hot pink color to make the purse pink-so cute.

Alright, the coffee is wearing off, and I must sleep. Hope you have a great Mother's Day with something YOU want (hot pink purse?) rather than something you need (post-its). B : )