Pj's, Plants and Pancakes

Every year I tell my husband not to stress about Mother's Day.  I think it is a good thing to take the time to show gratitude for the mother-figure in your life, but I hate how the flower, jewelry and card companies - with the help of the media - have whipped this day into the over-hyped guilt fest that it has become.  What a shame.

All I ever want for Mother's Day is a hand-made card and breakfast (in bed is a bonus).  And then I hint-drop about a little-something-extra.  Year before last it was garden beds.  Last year it was a kitchen sink.  This year I made it easy - new pj's.

And my husband came through with flying colors!

I woke up to the youngest child, Colin, (with the help of his oldest brother), entering the bedroom bearing a gift bag and a card.  My husband had a breakfast tray.  A long hug and a cuddle and then they all left the room.  Inside the bag was some pj pants.  On the breakfast tray was chocolate chip pancakes, bacon and juice - complete with a balloon left over from Rylan's birthday the day before.  Score!

A little while later another child came in, bearing a gift bag and a card.  Pj top.  Repeat.... Another pair of pants!  Repeat.... Another top!  Yesssss....  I got in a couple of hours of reading time and I dozed and I ate pancakes.  The day will go down in history as the best.  day.  ever.  (thank you honey!)

After I roused my lazy self out of bed I figured it was high-time to get my garden beds in shape and ready.  I had already spent a bit of time turning the soil, so I was ready to plant.  I went downstairs to the basement refrigerator to retrieve my huge Ziploc bag of seeds from previous years.  No seeds.  I spent the next hour searching high and low in the basement for my seeds.  I know they were in that fridge.  I open that fridge on an almost weekly basis and I have glanced at them every time, thinking about the gardening season to come.

Still no seeds.

Some little two year old bandit had removed them from the fridge and deposited them God knows where...

So, a little while later my mom came by to watch the kids (as my Mother's Day gift - thank you mom!) and Dean and I ran errands.  I know that doesn't seem special or anything, but the ability to run errands, comparison shop, read labels, wander aimlessly and stop for coffee is severely hampered when you have four kids.  Severely.

Dean absolutely spoiled me.  He knew I wanted to begin planting in our front bed, that has remained barren for three years now, so as a final stop we went to the garden center.  I haven't been able to wander in a garden center for years.  Something has reawakened in my soul.  (More on that later).  He treated me to a couple of very nice specimens of Jacob's Beard.  (pictured above).  I have admired these beauties in every garden tour we have been on in our seven years together, but had yet to put one in our yard (so I think this also qualifies as one of my 40 Things).  I also bought a new seed packet of everything I wanted in the garden this year - and then some.

We came home happy and rejuvenated - and worked in the garden all evening.  I have said - more than once - that I have a great dislike of spring.  I have one exception - the start of gardening season.