May: Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all women. Above are the gifts the kids and Brian showered me with to make me feel loved.


Brian did very good on the flowers. He also showered his mother and mother-in-law with flowers without even being prompted. I was very impressed this year. He woke me up mothers-day-morning and said, "I guess I should fix you breakfast or something.....but Jill, you know that just isn't me. Oh, and Ethan is crying." Then proceeded to turn on the TV and read his church lesson. Classic Brian! Love that boy!


Andrew made this beautiful flower display at scouts complete with the names of the flowers on the popsicle sticks!


Andrew's non-specific your the best mom in the whole world note.


Andrew also made me this cute cube at school complete with a decorated magnet inside.

Ethan made this for me in nursery. He was so excited and proudly said, "Happy modders day mom! I made this for you!" with a grin when I picked him up from nursery. My heart was so full and then crushed when the nursery leader informed me that Ethan refused to participate in the activity and another child's hand was used as a substitute for Ethan's due to his defiance in participating. Do you save that gift?



Lizzy & Sophie cards and pics of us together. Lizzy drew me larger than Sophie, but I am certainly darker in her pic!

Sophie and Lizzy painted pots in kindergarten and filled them with plants.



Lizzy also loves me because I buy her things.....children can be bought!


I am the luckiest gal in the world. I was raised by an amazing woman and I was lucky enough to marry into a family with the coolest mother-in-law. My mother-in-law had us for mother's day dinner. She brought out her flutes and gave each of us some Martinelli's sparkling cider and had us each go around the room and say something sweet about our mothers. Andrew couldn't think of anything and had to be skipped, Lizzy said I was beautiful, Sophie said she loved me, Andrew then piped in and said I was a good scrapbooker (which I interpreted as "She spends lots of time on the computer), and then Ethan said, "I have something to say, 'I love my dad!'" Thanks Ethan, it was never in doubt who was the favored parent but on Mother's day?

Well, I love my mother for the following reasons: Because growing up she was so much fun. She was the life and entertainment of the party. She was the storyteller. She was the fun aunt. She was the treat lady. She made everyone feel loved and accepted. She was the good listener. She was the charitable lady always serving other sisters. She loved her family. She worked all while I was growing up and truly felt mortified that I was a latch-key child complete with the key on a chain around my neck. But I never felt neglected or unloved. I would go home for lunch during school just to visit with her, not because she had top ramen, vienna sausages or mac n cheese waiting for me, but because she loved to hear what was going on and to be a part of my day.

I love my mother-in-law because she cares for everyone. She loves me unconditionally. She works hard to serve others. She drops everything at the drop of a dime to help a child/daughter-in-law in need. She is well versed in the gospel and shares her insights with me. She helps with my children. She is my personal shopper. She is stylish and keeps me and my children in fashion. She raised a good son. She understands her son. And she loves us both as her children.



I hope my children will one day be as happy they had me as a mom as I am of my own mother. I love them all so much and feel blessed to have 4 beautiful kids.




Even on days when Ethan refuses to conform!