Mother Dear, I Love You So

It's always fun to celebrate the moms in our life, especially in May!  Here's what how we did it:

Before school on Friday, May 10th, the kids made darling cards/pictures for their grandmas and great grandmas.  Callie added perler bead creatures (that I turned into magnets with a bit of hot glue and some stray fridge magnets) as special little gifts.

The artists at work.

Finished products.

Sam's handwriting! I'm in love!

Friday afternoon was the cutest, sweetest little kindergarten Mother's Day tea that I got to go to with Callie (while Sam napped and then watched/coached a track meet with Gregg).  The kids were all waiting outside their classroom door for their moms to arrive.  When I got there, Callie grabbed my hand and walked me into her decorated classroom to our spot.  She then went to get me a plate of snacks and a drink of purple punch.  We ate and visited for a while and then it was time for all the kids to read their Mother's Day poems.  Callie did awesome (even her teacher commented on how confident she was - we both were expecting some shyness and/or tears, but she rocked it).  After all the kids were done, we got to make tissue paper flowers together to go inside a hand painted flower pot that Callie had painted earlier in the week.  Then it was time for "centers" where she pampered me by reading a mother's day story to me in the book nook, combing and styling my hair, and painting my (and her) nails in a peppy hot pink.  We also got to snap funny pictures together in the "photo booth" and, of course, check on the baby chicks.  The grand finale was a Mother's Day story read by Mrs. Gobar.  And then we all went home 15 minutes early!

Cal's turn (Mrs. Gobar is holding a mic for
every reader).

Here's the poem she was assigned. (The longest
one of any of the kids, by the way.)

Pretty pink peony.

Is your mama a llama?

Photo booth shenanigans.

Meeting the chickies.

Matchy matchy pink squared.

Hair do of love.  (There were little pony tail holders and head
bands at the hair station, but Cal couldn't quite figure those out,
so clippy over board she went!)

She also wrote a book about me that we got
to look at together while eating our snacks.

Accurate, at least for the left side.

I do like salad, but I wouldn't say it's my favorite. ;)

Yep.  :)

Absolutely my favorite sport!  :)

I'm noticing a theme here.

After school, Cal and I had some time to kill while waiting for Gregg and Sam to come back from the track meet.  We played Dos, Uno, Rack-o, Mancala, and probably No Match (but I can't remember for sure).  When the boys got back, we threw our stuff in the car and headed back through the canyon to meet up with the Wihongis and Gma and Gpa Blanchard in West Haven for a fun Mother's Day dinner.  We ate taco salad and visited and played.  And then, as a fun bonus, we stayed overnight at their house!  Gregg was playing golf with Paul in a ward event early in the morning, so we decided to all stay over and make it a party.  In the morning we ate pancakes, took a walk with Aggie, and played with toys.  So fun to be together!

Bedtime stories by Grandma.

A little Minnie surgery - Grandma is always so good about
mending things that need a few stitches (she was sewing Minnie's
bow back on, and I remember a time she served me by fixing
a cuff on my fleece jacket when we lived in Colorado).

Being so brave!

Cal's turn to hold the Ag.

On Sunday morning, Gregg made some yummy crepes for breakfast.  He didn't have (super) early meetings, so we all got to walk together to church, and then the kids and I got to play at the park for a few minutes before church started.  Sam refused to sing or even smile on the stand during the primary children's mother's day singing, but Callie did a great job (and I only messed up a couple of notes as I accompanied them).  I got a yummy mint truffle bar from the Sunday School presidency during primary.  And then we enjoyed a gorgeous walk home.  It was a magnificent day!  

Slanty and shady family selfie in our matching Sunday best.

A little bit better. :)

Love these hooligans!  And I love being their
mom!

We ate a quick lunch and changed clothes and packed up desserts (lemon bars and fallen chocolate cake) and then we headed to Providence.  There we visited, painted, played outside, and ate a scrumptious fajita dinner with my parents, my Elwood grandparents, Heather's fam and Ky and Michael (and they announced a new baby coming to their family in November! - what a fun Mother's Day surprise!).  (I don't know why I'm so bad at snapping pictures at family functions, but I have none to show for it.  We had a lovely afternoon, even if you can't see it.)  My mom shared a new song that the primary kids had sung in her ward (and Kylie's ward did the same) and we all bawled as we watched and listened together, surrounded by sisters and mom and grandma.  More tears came when we watched a little Mother's Day video message from the church.  I surely am lucky to have so many amazing women in my life, who lift, listen, love, and forgive.  I have some big shoes to fill as I hike my way along this hard and beautiful motherhood trail.  I also have the best, most patient and un-grudge-holding kids who are quick to say "I love you" and forget when I slip up every day.  I'm so grateful for that and for them!