Mother's day

As previously stated (see Valentine's day post), we are not much for the "Hallmark holidays".  Not that I didn't sort of start to understand Mother's day after having Ellie and realizing just how much a mother has to do on a daily basis.  But I just can't get into the whole commercialism of the holiday and general pressure to be doing something amazing for someone one day out of the year when said person works their butt off for you for the other 364 days of the year (well at least when you are living under their roof).

Which certainly isn't to say that we refuse to celebrate or that Mike or I have less than the upmost respect for our mothers (or all mothers for that matter).  And I sort of think that Mike has this deathly fear every year that I am secretly not fully on board with him in our sentiments and going to freak out because he didn't get me a huge gift or flowers or anything from the kids.  And he VERY much believes it should be a holiday from the children to the mother (so is there a Wife and Husband day?  maybe I should sell that to Hallmark).  He always sends his mother a card without reminding but I don't get one (not a complaint).

And today was just a great day.  I broke all the rules of all the things that mothers typically wish for (again mothers with small children at least) .  I got up with the kids and let Mike sleep in (he let me sleep in yesterday and nurse a mild hangover.  Easy trade).  I didn't shower, in peace without distractions or at all.  I went grocery shopping and made the kids breakfast and gave them a bath.  I sat out in the sun on a blanket with Zack when he refused to nap.  I spent time with my family and loved every second of it. 

I did insist on doing a family project though, and we got about 1/2 way there.  I wanted to make beds so that we could attempt to plant some vegetables.  Anyone who has ever lived with me knows that I don't really do a great job keeping plants alive.  Even cacti might perish under my roof.  But I really want to try and grow vegetables, for so many reasons, and its already getting late in the season, even though April was barely above freezing.  I've been mentioning doing this for quite some time, and I'm not quite sure why Mike hasn't taken to it the way he normally does for a project, but I definitely used the excuse of "it's mother's day and I want to do it" to get it done. 

Of course it was almost 4 before the materials were bought and at the house and we started said project....

Who wouldn't be proud to be this little love bug's mom?

My best mother's day present was coming home to a new babysitter on Saturday night and being told that "your kids are the most well behaved children, and I watch a lot of kids".  Sniff.  Ellie is very into coloring these days.  Love it. She just sits down and colors for hours.  Mostly on paper...

Um, damn, I had better get on that. It rained a lot last week and she kept mentioning that I was going to get her a new umbrella and boots.

Ellie's school project

Ellie was a very good helper.  She was handing Mike the screws/

And then she found the pencil.  I told her she could write her name on the wood and she went to town.

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Classic not listening to Mike saying "don't sit on that they aren't screwed in yet".  You can sort of appreciate Mike rushing over to her.  He's going to need to let his type A cool off a bit to let Ellie do projects with him.

The semi-finished project.  When Mike got home I said I didn't think he had enough wood.  I was promptly told there was enough wood.

There was not enough wood.

My home made card.  LOVE IT!