Mother's Day

Aaaaaah Mother's Day!

 

 I look forward to Mother's Day every year. I drop hints about what I would like for weeks leading up to it. The gift, however, isn't important to me. What is important are my daughters. And spending relaxing fun time with my girls is what I really want each Mother's Day.

 

The Mother's Day gifts started rolling in late last night. Olivia made me a big card on the whiteboard. If you know me, then you know this is all true. Especially the part about "moving coolnessly". I love it!

 

First thing this morning, I was served breakfast in bed. Complete with a vase full of lilacs, and some leaves from a tree - but it's still wonderful.

 

We headed outside to get some good pictures of me & my girls.

 

Now, I don't know if I am biased or what, but these girls are breathtakingly beautiful.

 

Rachel Claire,

I thank the Lord every day for blessing me with you. You are adorably quirky. You make me so very happy. I love being your Mama! You will forever be my baby.

 

Olivia Grace,

You made me a Mama. You are hysterically funny. You are so much like me, it's a little scary. I am so very thankful for God choosing me to be your Mom. I love you with my whole heart.

 

And here is my Gangnam Style inspired Mother's Day card from Olivia.

We headed to Bloomington to go to a late breakfast/lunch at a place of my choosing. I wanted Cracker Barrel. But evidently, every other mom wanted that too. The wait was going to be an hour. An hour with 2 kids in that little store, I don't think so. If it wasn't a chilly 50 degrees today, we could have sat outside to wait. Honestly, I wanted it to be a good relaxing experience for me. And the girls would have been going insane waiting for our table. So, I made the executive decision to go to a Mexican joint instead. It was delicious. Jarrett & the girls had never been there - I had only been there once before. It was a big hit.

 

Jarrett & the girls got me a gift certificate for a pedicure. I guess he caught the hints I was dropping after all. I am in desperate need of one. And I want to just sit and relax have my feet pampered. My Mom & Dad invited all the kiddos over to their house Tuesday for dinner. I suspected a Mother's Day surprise/project was in the works. But when I questioned them both they stuck to the strory Grandma told them to say "we just played and had dinner". I bet she told them all to say that several times. Here is what Grandma & Grandpa worked on with the girls Tuesday night. Stepping stones. I love them.

 

Jarrett,

You had a little somethin somethin to do with me being a Mama. I love you. Thank you for choosing me for your wife and the mother of your children.



 

I'm winding down this lovely Mother's Day with a bowl of butter pecan ice cream with caramel on top & watching Harry Potter on abc family. Perfection.

 

Happy Mother's Day to all of the mothers in this world.

Olivia's Spring Concert

Each year, Olivia's school puts on a Spring Concert. It was last night. I love them!

 

This year's theme was "Music Through the Decades". Each class was assigned a decade & they performed 2 songs from that time.

 

Olivia's class was first up, they had the 1920's. They sang "Alexander's Ragtime Band" complete with kazoos & "Bye Bye Blackbird".

 

They were supposed to dress from their decade. As you can see, Olivia just wore a pretty dress, I just wanted her to look nice. As did the rest of the kids. Not really much fashion available from the roaring '20s.

 

Then the whole school gets together & sings 1 final song. It was "Let it Grow" from the movie the Lorax. All the kids did such a great job.

 

3rd grade is almost over for my little darling. I can hardly believe it. I think she only has 1 week left of school.

My Day with Olivia

finding the balance. i struggle sometimes, finding that balance. you know, the balance between working full time, raising 2 beautiful daughters, being a wife, daughter, sister, friend, myself, etc...i feel the pull in several different directions, several different times a day. i feel like i do ok.

 

here is why i think i do ok...

 

friday, i spent the day being super mom to my first born. i helped in her class for the day. took her on a surprise lunch. and after school, i took her to the mall.

 

it's important to me that i do things with my girls independently.

spending time with just Liv alone was good for my soul.

it was fun. it was wonderful.

the end of the school year is rapidly approaching for her.

and her 9th birthday is next month ::insert one sobbing mother here::

 

here a few notable things about my lovely Olivia.

 

a) she's gorgeous.

she has the best smile. the brightest blue eyes. and her hair that she had chopped into a bob last summer has grown out so much. and i believe i see a little dimple there on that cheek. just beautiful.

 

 

b) she's pretty hilarious.

she loves to tell jokes. she loves to laugh. she's silly, care-free, laughs really loud - all the things an 8 year old girl should be.

 

c) she loves pizza.

i ask you, who doesn't? she said "take my picture eating this huge piece of pizza, mom" -- more of that carefree hilariousness.

 

d) she loves to take pictures with me.

this works out great because i love to take pictures with her.

 

 

e) she is so incredibly loved with my whole entire heart.

 

other notable items:

 

f) her best friend Jaylee - whom i have never met, told her "wow, Liv you like totally look exactly like your mom". Liv replied "I knooooow" with an eye-roll. this could have something to do with people - mainly adults - telling her this all the time.

 

looking at the picture above, she really does kind of look like me, huh. wow.

 

Olivia,

my day with you at school was one of the very best days ever. i love you. i love seeing you succeed and try your best. i love seeing you interact with your classmates. you are a special girl.

 

I love you with my whole heart. I enjoyed my day with you so very much.

 

All my love,

Mama