one mother's day.

i made my husband take this picture.
he was cranky because we were a bit late for church and would have to sit in the hard chairs.
ellie, in the back, didn't want to be in the picture at all.
eve, in the front, is screaming to get away (she is getting big molars and screamed all through church).
anna has her hair in her face like Violet from Incredibles, she crimped just the bottom (oh how i want to chop off that hair), and she is wearing a dress that she folded down and tied so it looks like a skirt.
(?? funny. but i love her style-- really.)
leah is crazy.
lily is wearing pipe cleaners and was sneaking in a whole tub of crayons so she could "color me pictures" during church.
i asked jakob why he always folds up the sleeves of his shirt... he says that his shirt is too small.
nice.  i had no idea.
the boys look fine but they were teasing the whole ride to church so that's why ellie is cranky-er.
and i just realized that i am NEVER going to be a spokesperson for mothering because i am SO DANG honest.
honestly, my family is better than i tell you.
i need to stop being honest and just be positive.
because there is SO MUCH to be positive about.
my family is DARLING... i know it.
and that is why i LOVE this picture...  tantrums and all.
it is REAL.

today was a mother's day.
my husband was dreamy.
he took me shopping on Friday to pick out a new dress (his idea),
we went out with some friends to see Avengers on Friday night (loved it)!
he had a cute card from him and another one from the kids.
he remembered flowers (lilies and roses).
he got me rafaellos (white chocolate and coconut).
breakfast in bed (cream of wheat).
and a nice dinner...
he's putting the kids to bed as i type this post.
sweet guy.
because todd made a big effort, my kids were darling.
i got colored pictures and flowers and hand-written love notes all day long.
i did have some time for an afternoon nap and some time for reflection and journal writing.
i gave my kids the thank you notes i had written them.
and, we had a chance to talk with both of our mothers.
(should have called todd's grandmother-- maybe we still will).
it was nice day.
not a perfect day, but a nice day.
i love being a mother.

we tried pipe cleaner curlers on Saturday night...

pipe cleaner curlers are hard to get out...

pipe cleaners give little white girls, little black girl curls...

i love this picture!
my mom called me back right when we were on the way out the door for church...
i was in the bathroom finishing up hair do's for all five girlies.
i love my girls.
my necklace has the cutest "MOM" written by lily on it...
i cut it out from the card that the kids gave me for mother's day...
i think it was the first time that lily has ever written a word without my help.
i LOVE that todd cared so much about mother's day this year.
and, can you see my bird seed bracelet?  it was a gift from anna.
i think eve is sucking on ellie's toothbrush... mmm!

this is my "mother" face... are you starting to recognize it?
this is the face that comes right after i tell ellie that i would really like for her to come in our picture, but it is her choice.

today was a happy day for this mother.
i hope you enjoyed your day!
i have no grand mothering lessons to share.
no secrets to an easy family.
i would pay money to spend a few days as a fly in the wall of some of the families that i admire--
just to see how they do it.
i love being a mother.
and yet, i could use a week off every now and then.
hah!  there is my great mothering wisdom for you!
i'm ready for bed.
my greatest mothering moment tonight was when i realized that if i only had five children (like todd's mother and my mother), my youngest child would be entering kindergarten next year.
can you imagine?!!!
i still have five years (till jakob is 18) before my youngest is five...
and that is IF i don't have another baby...
oh my!!
Happy Mother's Day to me!!
i think i need another bowl of cream of wheat.

life is good.