My sweet Aunt said Mother's Day is very "bittersweet" since losing her daughter 4 years ago at the young age of 35. I have no doubt that the day brings some sadness to anyone who has lost their own mother, no matter how long it's been. And personally, I know the day can be difficult if you have been trying to become a mother for years and years and still have not been able to conceive. There are many reasons why the day can be tough on some, but overall, the idea of Mother's Day is to celebrate the hard-working, compassionate, loving women in our lives. Whether they actually gave birth to us, or have been like a mother figure in our lives, a day set apart to thank these women is so important.
I count myself extremely blessed to have such a fantastic mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, aunts, and many other motherly figures in my life. They are all so important to me and they have all played a part in making me the mom that I am today.
For me, Mother's Day is a day (or weekend) to relax, take a little break from the day-to-day tasks of motherhood, and really enjoy my family.
Friday morning, Parker's class had a special "Muffins with Mom" event where they presented us with adorable handmade keepsakes and had some little breakfast items for us to enjoy. It was so sweet.
That evening, Brian and I attended an outdoor musical that was directed by one of our good friends. The weather was perfect, the venue was amazing, and we went with a few of our dear friends, which always makes for a fun time.
The amount of food we all brought was pretty ridiculous, but as I've mentioned before, I could make a meal out of appetizers, so I was in hog heaven with a whole table full of delicious bite-sized goodies.
My neighbor brought little individual sized bottles of Prosecco and fresh raspberries, along with all sorts of little individual desserts. She went way above my box of Pepperidge Farm cookies that I brought. :)
Saturday morning, the boys got up on their own and let us sleep in. It was so nice (perks of having an older child in the house). Then Brian took the boys to church for a community service project while I got to enjoy some quiet time at the house.
After my super healthy breakfast of coffee and macarons (ha, ha) the boys came home with the most gorgeous bouquet of flowers.
I have a pretty firm rule that Brian isn't allowed to buy me roses because they're so expensive and they die so quickly. But he made an exception this time because he found a little roadside stand that was selling them for SO cheap. They opened up pretty quickly, which was a bit of a bummer, but they still smell so amazing! Maybe I'll have to get rid of that "no roses" rule after all. ;)
On Saturday afternoon, we decided to go explore downtown St. Pete. It's very unlike me to be spontaneous, so Brian was excited that I was willing to just drive to St. Pete with absolutely no plan!
Our first stop was this awesome restaurant called "The Hangar" which is located at a small private airport. The outdoor seating looks right over the runway so the kids could watch airplanes and helicopters take off and land while we ate. They loved it! And my burger was AH-mazing!
After lunch we just walked around Beach Street, which is dotted with all sorts of cute restaurants, shops and a beautiful art museum. The boys discovered these gorgeous, giant trees along the path and of course had to climb them.
After all that climbing, the boys were ready for some ice cream, so we stopped at our favorite place, Kilwin's. Their fudge and homemade ice cream is so incredible.
That evening, Brian made sure that I had an uninterrupted bubble bath - complete with a glass of champagne! I felt so fancy. :) Later on we ordered in sushi and watched a movie. It was my idea of the perfect date night.
Sunday morning, I was showered with so many sweet handmade cards, hugs and kisses and lots of "I love you, Mom". I was in heaven! It was also very, very nice that Brian and Payton got me with several beautiful gifts. I felt quite spoiled. Payton even used his own money from his dog-walking business to buy me a pair of earrings. How sweet is that?!?
We headed off to church where the service was so powerful. The guest speaker talked about "How to Treat a Woman" and boy was it awesome. Made me so grateful for a husband who loves me and respects me and appreciates me.
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| They had a little photo area set up after service with cute little signs and props. |
Much to my shock, Brian decided that he would prepare brunch for me. I have to be honest, my hopes were not set too high. The man burns scrambled eggs. I was a little shocked that he was taking on an omelette. But he poured me a mimosa and told me to sit back and relax while he took care of everything. Well... okay, I can do that!
Can I just tell you... it was the BEST omelette I have ever eaten. Seriously. That man stuffed that thing with all sorts of yummy goodness and cooked it to perfection. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
I know who's in charge of cooking Sunday brunch from now on. ;)
The rest of the day was the perfect mix of family time and relaxation. Brian really nailed it this year for Mother's Day. All my favorite things, all in one weekend, with absolutely no cooking or cleaning on my part... perfection!
And to my boys, who made me a mommy, I can only tell you that now I truly know the meaning behind Elizabeth Stone's quote:
“Making the decision to have a child - it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ”
I could never express the depth of my love for you. It is vast. It is fierce. And it is deep.
I am so thankful that God blessed me to be your mom.
Thank you Brian, Payton & Parker for one incredible Mother's Day!
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