Mother's Day

I will get to my Mother's Day story in a minute. First here is my mom and the kids on Mother's Day. We bought and planted a dogwood in "Ma's" backyard for her. Ben picked it out. I was looking for a Mimosa tree, but the helpful guy at Youngs Nursery told me they no longer sell them, so this was our second choice. It's really quite pretty! We hope to remember to take a picture every year on Mother's Day to see how the tree and the kids are growing. Remind me next year will ya?

Will is dressing himself these days. I told him to put his hands down for the picture. He listened so I won't complain about the soldier posture.

Kate about to cut some flowers. Ma's yard is teaming with beautiful flowers and plants in bloom. She spends all of her free time out there planting and pruning and growing things. The yard has become quite transformed in the seven years she's been there.

The kids just love to go over to play. There are woods for them to explore in, water to play with and holes to dig in. Given the choice they would choose to live there over here any day.

Here is one of Ma's two ponds. This one is right behind her screen porch and has a small fence around it to keep the kids and dogs out of it. Jesse still manages to make her way over the fence though and can be found just sitting in here when visiting Grandma's house.

And here's a close up of the Dogwood we got for Ma. Isn't it cool?! I have been blessed with the best mom ever. My kids thinks so too! I really don't know what we would do without her!! Thanks for everything Mom. I love you. We all love you!

We spent the afternoon at Ma's playing and planting. But my Mother's Day morning was quite the change from my usual Sunday morning and very different from Mother's Days of the past. I woke up in a hotel room. In uptown Charlotte. With no kids. Don't worry I know how I got there.

But before I tell you the story let me tell you a little about Mother's Day in the past.

They've been nice. Nothing great. Nothing terrible. Just a day for the kids to give me cards and their homemade gifts, which I love, but you know, the normal stuff.

Well this year, some one must have tipped off my husband as to 'what mom would really want'. Thank you whoever you are. I owe you one!

Saturday was a crazy busy day around here. Ben's soccer game kicked it all off at 9:00am. From there we went straight to Charlotte Latin for their annual May Day Play Day. It's a small town festival of sorts~ games, rides, food, a fun run, silent auction ect ect. It's the school's biggest fundraiser. And all us lucky parents are not only who the funds come from (because we don't pay enough money to go there in the first place!! Right.) but we are also the organizers and volunteers. After six hours of being in the HOT sun, I was done! Jon and the kids had left about an hour earlier. They had had enough sun, junk food and worthless prizes to last them until next year's May Day Play Day. We drove seperately knowing I would have to be there longer than they would, so imagine my surprise when I get to my car and ... there is Jon! The sneaky little bugger (along with his sneaky assistant, my mom) had planned a night away for him and me and it started at that moment. He even packed my bags. I didn't need to go home to get anything. We headed uptown where I was able to shower in peace, have someone else make me dinner, go to bed without reading any kids books, or tucking anyone in, or singing bedtime songs, or getting water for anyone, or answering a million questions, or give any back rubs, or take cats out of rooms, or turn on closet lights, or move a toy that was not in the right place, or put the dog out, or .... you get the idea. And I slept ALL NIGHT. And I woke up when I was ready. Had coffee in bed, went for a run in the city with Jon (and if you know me at all you know that's the best gift anyone could give me!!), then had a leasurely breakfast with adult conversation (ok so we talked about the kids, but hey at least they weren't there ;). Ahhhh. It was perfect. Relaxing and restful. Just what I needed. Mother's Day is about mom. Every other day of the year is about kids. Jon got it right this time!! Thanks honey, you did good.

I would post pictures here, but as you know Jon and cameras don't get along. Someday I will have a picture of me with the kids on Mother's Day. But I'm not too stressed about it this year.