Five on Friday: Mothers' Day Recap

Another Mothers' Day has come and gone, complete with potted plants, artwork and thankfully no breakfast in bed! (Worst idea ever.)

Here are some highlights:

1. Remember how I told you recently that my parents sold their home, where they operated a nursery business for the past 45 years? When I was a kid, my teachers frequently purchased Mothers' Day flowers from my parents so that the kids could decorate pots at school. 

I'm sure it was a lovely gift for every other mother in the township.

This year it occurred to me: I CAN BUY MY MOTHER FLOWERS FOR MOTHERS' DAY NOW! But then it further occurred to me that they're sort of between houses right now, staying in the lake cottage while they get floors sanded at the new place, so a potted flower is maybe not a great choice this year. But next year, watch out, Mom!

2. Also, this is ridiculous and simultaneously sort of predictable: we had a quick visit to my parents' new, not-yet-lived-in home that is absolutely not a nursery and somehow my Dad still gave me several potted plants to take home. Happy Mothers' Day to me!

3. Forced artwork: Kids each made a card . . . well, no, actually. I admired each of the four cards presented to me and then recalled I had a fifth child around here somewhere. When his siblings asked why he didn't make a card with the rest of them while I was at work, he replied, "What? I thought we were only making birthday cards for Grandma!" 

4. Non-forced artwork: later in the evening, my youngest child disappeared for awhile and then returned to present me with this, a homemade "blind bag" of paper doll and accessories. Which would I get? Alana or Lucie? What accessories? Party or cozy? I had to open each little package to discover before assembling.

5. Sometimes you have to ask for what you want, Mamas, and I thought I was clear with my chalkboard demands suggestions made earlier in the week. I did get no breakfast in bed as requested, the cards and a quick hike to a place of my choosing that even had historical markers (squeal! They must really love me.)

However, I did not get what I wanted the most, which was a surprise cleaning of the cabinets and drawers. Then I remembered: it doesn't have to be a Hallmark holiday for me to boss my kids around! Wednesday afternoon we pitched in and got the kitchen--and then the car interior, because why not keep bossing them around?--sparkling clean.

Happy Belated Mothers' Day from Me to Me!