Best Family Ever

So I really love my husband and kids, but I do try to keep it real on this blog and to keep a little self-effacing/family-effacing humor alive, but this year I just had the best birthday and best Mother's Day. It was possibly the best Mother's Day I have ever had. Kip was off and the kids were old enough to get what the day was about (though they did keep asking why there wasn't a kids' day) and do little things for me on their own (and with Kip of course).

We slept in (just a tiny bit) and then Kip got the kids ready for church and then we went to church (a tiny bit late; whoops) and I got two flowers and a chocolate bar. I know some people don't care about gifts like that, but as a bonafide cheapskate and gift-lover, I do. They always make me happy. Church was also excellent.

When we came home, I had to go to the bedroom while Kip and the kids got their stuff ready. Then I went on a treasure hunt where I found tons and tons of Hershey's kisses. They came with a note that I could eat them or I could trade them in for a real kiss or a hug from the kids. They really really wanted me to trade:). So I cashed a few in. Then Mark gave me his gift. He gave me a pen with a fake flower attached, which I was actually really happy about since our pens are always being stolen by little hands and this one will be easier to keep track of (though perhaps also more appealing to steal). He also gave me a packet of seeds with a little poem (not self-written, but he was pleased about it anyway). And two cards. But the best and cutest thing was just that he was so excited about them. He was like, "Do you like the flowers (for the seeds)?" Of course I did and then he was like, "I picked red because it's your favorite color." And then he asked if I liked them several more times. And then he wanted me to plant them. Like, immediately. So we did because we were outside anyway. And then he asked if I liked the poem (which was a photocopied poem and which was cheesy and about love and doing things with your mother and I didn't think he would approve of such a thing) and then he said, "Because I thought it was kind of cool."

And, really, that's just the sort of thing that made the whole day so awesome. My kids cared. They cared about me. And they showed it. In their ways of course. This morning Mark said in a joking voice, "Have a bad Mother's Day." But what he really meant was, "I remembered that it's Mother's Day without anyone reminding me, but I'm embarrassed to say anything too nice."

Elizabeth made her very own treasure hunt for me and I also got a cute note from the Secret Elf with the words, "To Mom" incorporated into a picture (like with the 'o' as part of a bow) and that sort of thing. D.a.r.l.i.n.g.

Everyone was just happy. The weather was lovely. Kip made dinner. It was great.

My birthday was equally awesome.

I found a bathing suit I liked. After several unhappy hours of life lost in stores trying them on, I threw caution to the wind and ordered one from Amazon, which came three days later and fit right and looked great. Humph.

The kids gave me some super sweet gifts. First there was Emma who got me a chocolate bar, which she fully believed to be her own. She gave me the gift bag, which I set on the couch, which she opened when I was looking another direction. And then she claimed the chocolate. (Don't worry; I wrestled it away from her--or at least I told her she could have some later, which I meant, but then--3-year-old style, she forgot entirely about it.) Mark really wanted me to open his gift first. He's needy/sweet like that. It was a candle. Just like with Mother's Day, he kept asking if I liked it and if it was my favorite candle ever. I told him I loved it, which I did. Then came Savannah's gift. It was a picture frame that said, "I love [picture of paw print]." Why, yes, she picked it out 100% by herself. She also gave me the cutest picture of her ever. I love this picture. It makes me feel like a crazed Twilight fan holding a picture of Edward/Jacob. I just wanted to squeeze this picture and give it kisses, it was so cute. And I mean--the picture frame just made it all the better. Elizabeth ordered a gift for me online. It didn't arrive in time, which she was a little disappointed about, but I was super touched by her gift. She thought of my birthday long before anyone else. We got a Kohl's catalog and she found this locket with a flower and the word 'Mom' on it. Then she started asking me how she could earn $21. Hmmm. I told her it might take a while and she said, "I need it this week." Double hmmm. I told her maybe we should look online for what she wanted so that we could find something similar but cheaper. She said she wanted to buy a necklace. For herself. With the word Mom on it. So she could always think of me. Triple hmmm. So we looked. She wanted a heart-shaped locket with the word 'Mom'. We looked and looked. Some were expensive. Some were ugly. Finally we found a beautiful, affordable one, and although it didn't say Mom, she was willing to compromise. After that, I left Kip to help her. But it was just so sweet and touching to me that she thought of me a good two weeks before my birthday and wanted to get me some fine jewelry. So sweet. It came the day before Mother's Day and I couldn't have been more happy. It is really very pretty (picture in top picture with Mother's Day stuff).

Then I made the best cake. Ever. It was a three-layer chocolate cake with salted caramel frosting in the center layers and chocolate frosting on the outside. I mean, it was awesome. Though I wouldn't recommend eating a bit honking slice.

One of our friends, Becca, offered to watch the kids while Kip and I went out for dinner, which was super nice of her. We got Indian food, which I love and Kip doesn't. But I get it every year for my birthday and it makes me feel special.

We had friends over for cake.

It was just a great day.