Mother's Day (original title, I know)

Seeing as how yesterday was Mother's Day, I think today is a fitting time to share a few of yesterday's best moments.

When I woke up yesterday morning, I shuffled into the bathroom to begin my morning routine. As my focus cleared, I saw this sitting on the bathroom windowsill.

Snapper went to a birthday party on Saturday, and they did these plaster hand prints for their mothers. Needless to say, I love this gift!

After I had sufficiently gushed over the gift, I happened to look out the bathroom window at the driveway, and this is what I saw.

My sweet husband and Snapper had gotten up early to do this chalk art for me. Seriously, how cool is that?

I also received a foam Coke can holder that Snapper had made at school, and a homemade card (the very best kind!). I love the card. Here is what it says:

Happy Mother's Day! Mom, this letter is espeshally for you. I love you. You are my BFF. You are all mine. You are sweet. Love ya! Happy Mother's Day! Love, Snapper.

We had a relaxing afternoon, which was just what I needed. After tacos for lunch, I folded some laundry and tidied up the downstairs so I could relax in peace. As laundry cycled, I sat in my comfy chair with Dove chocolate and the book I am reading--a great one about parenting boys. The kids played upstairs, and Matt was working on putting away all his office stuff into our home office. I thoroughly enjoyed the quiet.

A little later in the afternoon, I got to do one of the things moms do. I have been having a laundry power struggle with Snapper for several months now. It started when I got tired of turning dirty socks and pants right side out...because all the socks and pants were put in the laundry inside out. Nothing worked in helping her remedy this. Then I began to notice a new trend. Mixed in with the dirty laundry, I would find pieces of clean, folded laundry. I would also find clean outfits that she had tried on, decided not to wear, and dropped in the dirty clothes. Seriously, that is NOT cool. I do not have enough hours in my day to be washing and folding clean laundry. So we decided that the best way to help Snapper learn responsibility in this area is to teach her how to do her own laundry. When all the burden of turning clothes the right side out, sorting and cycling laundry, and doing the folding lands on her alone, I'd be willing to bet that she won't be throwing clean laundry in the dirty clothes basket again. Throughout yesterday afternoon, Snapper learned how to do laundry. I taught her how the washer and dryer work, what settings to use for different types of clothing, and how to use the right amount of detergent. I also taught her how to remove spots so they won't become stains. We watched America's Funniest Home Videos together while she got a fresh lesson on folding. The end result was a tired, but wiser girl, and a huge basket full of beautifully folded clean clothes. She beamed with her sense of accomplishment. A job well done, and a mommy much relieved.

The other great thing that happened yesterday involves Pepper. He is such a delightful boy...and he is all boy. He thinks creatively, and gets into mischief that Snapper never even imagined. I came upstairs in the late afternoon and found Matt working in the office. Pepper was in his room with the door closed, which is never a good sign. I went in and found him happily occupied in little boy mischief. He had a mostly empty bucket of water in the middle of his room, and all his stuffed animals and plastic soldiers were spread around the room. Upon closer examination, I noticed wet fur on the stuffed animals. Pepper joyfully announced that he had given all his soldiers and dinosaurs and stuffed animals baths, and now they were nice and clean. Yes, the animals were clean, but they were also sopping wet. I also reminded Pepper that the new carpet in his room does not have a drain like the bathtub does. So the carpet was sopping wet, too. I had Pepper help mop up the carpet while Matt put all the animals in the tub to dry.

I love my kids. I love my flighty girl and my mischievous boy. Yesterday was a great reminder to me of how wonderful it is to be a mother, and how much I thank the Lord for giving me my two, precious gifts.

I forgot to mention that this precious boy also thought it would be funny to pee in his sister's closet yesterday. She didn't think it was funny at all.