Mother's Day

It is actually Monday morning, the day after Mother's Day.  Blythe came to me, well after I was up and doing my thing, to say, "Mom, you need to go back upstairs to bed.  Brandt and I wanted to do stuff for you yesterday, but you got up too early.  We want to do it today."  I suggested that perhaps I just stay in the library while they worked in the kitchen.  Blythe made a list of ten things that needed to happen, and then I was to write them down so they could do them.  Here is the list:

1. games--Parcheesi, Skip-bo, Spot It
2. food--toast, fruit, cheese (This was a tricky category because it had to be something the children could prepare without help; Kent is still upstairs.  Fruit was already cut from yesterday, I have some Baby-bel cheese, and it isn't difficult to put a piece of bread in the toaster.  However, the cheese ended up being difficult.  They couldn't find the cheese cutter, so Blythe just came to me and said, "Mom, how about chips instead of cheese?"  Fine.  Kent just called down to ask if the kids need socks and Blythe said, "We are trying to make a Mother's Day feast for Mom, so could you please come down and help?"  I hear much chip munching.
3. songs--If the Savior Stood Beside Me, Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam, Mother Dear
4. table cloth--orange-y square one
5. glasses--small ones (Brandt just came to me with clear plastic cups left over from yesterday's dinner and asked, "Are these your style?"  Yes indeed.)
6. plates--red paper plates
7. drinks--mango smoothie
8. presents--done! (These were given to me yesterday and are included below).

Although the list actually went to 10, Blythe couldn't think of two more things they needed to do, so she just crossed off 9 and 10.  They are beavering away in the kitchen, demanding I stay where I am until everything is ready.  I hope they hurry because it is 8:06am, and they both need to leave for school shortly.  Blythe is saying, "Kent, Brandt can't reach Parcheesi or Skip-bo.  You need to get those out of the closet."  After explanation that there isn't really time for games this morning, Blythe said, "Brandt, games are off-limits right now."  It is almost time for me to be welcomed to the feast.

Isn't he cute holding my chair?

Feast, complete with orange-y square tablecloth.

Me wearing the Mother's Day crown which is actually normally in the Primary music box.

I'm not sure why it came out.

The two reasons I get to be celebrated on Mother's Day.

I got presents from the children on Saturday because they couldn't contain their excitement and had to, just had to give them to me a day early.  Both children made me cards that are absolutely wonderful.  Here they are.

This is the front of Blythe's card with two separate drawings of us, one big and one little.

And a rainbow.

This is the inside.  

The green stems are Blythe's hand print. 

And I'm glad Blythe thinks I'm "nis," at least today.

This is Brandt's.

This is his picture of me on the cover of People Magazine, as "Mother of the Year."

I love my eyelashes.  

I asked Brandt what that brown thing in the middle of the picture is, right below my mouth.

"It's a microphone.  You're singing," was his reply.

He sure got that right.

I do sing, all the time.

And the inside.

Here is what Brandt wrote.

There are many reasons why my mom should be on People Magazine.  The first reason is because she is a good cook at macking my favorite food cornbread.  The next reason is she is good at builing Legos.  She hepls me wen I get a new Lego set.  The next reason is because she puse (pulls) out my tooth when it is soosl (loose).  The last reason is because she loves me.  She reads books at bed time for me and my ster (sister).  Those are just some of the reasons why my mom should be on People Magazine.

This touched my heart, of course, but it touched Kent's heart too.  He was incredibly proud that his son wrote such a beautifully constructed paragraph, with a strong opening sentence, follow up sentences that support the main idea, and a conclusion.  When Kent taught writing in college many years ago, some of his college students didn't write this well.  

In addition to this, on Sunday in Primary, Brandt made a list of eleven reasons he loves me.  Here is that list.

1. Legos, how to do my sets

2. how to go to the bathroom (I taught him that)

3. takes me places.

4. cleans the lode (which I think is laundry)

5. awesome

6. takes care of you

7. she's awesome

8. tearts  (teaches) me

9. good kid

10. teaches me things.

11. I love you.

Love Brandt

I am grateful to be a mother and to have the many and varied experiences that come along with that responsibility.