Mother's Day

I have a very wise friend who told me that she has stopped celebrating her birthday on just one day. For her, her birthday celebration lasts the whole month of June, not just one day of it. How brilliant!
So, this Mother's Day, we stretched our celebration over the course of a weekend. We left Friday morning and caravaned up to Traverse City with friends, where we spent a rainy hour in Horizon Books, my favorite bookstore. We didn't let the driving wind or the sheeting rain stop us. Our frends had to leave to visit a loved one in the hospital in TC, so we walked around and browsed the shops. This is what I found: a beautiful chocolate shop, and the saleswoman was so nice. She recommended the lemon infused dark chocolate for me, which was fabulous. We each picked a different chocolate, and all of them were divine.
Dinner at Pangea's, where we got a little crazy and ordered the Caribbean Jerk Chicken pizza. We'd gotten a Greek pizza last time we were there, and I whole-heartedly recommend that one over the Caribbean. Not so tasty.
Soon, we arrived in Boyne, where our friends had rented 3 condos. Our was really nice, and as it was the largest, that's where we all gathered in the evenings and for breakfasts.

Jonah and his friend had fun playing Pass the Pigs, although there was quite a bit of Pig Tossing, rather more than Pig Passing.

And Jared was quite the fan of Jennifer's whole wheat pancakes.
We spent Saturday in Mackinaw City, which--I must admit--was not very much fun on a cold, dreary day before the summer season has started (read: most of the shops were closed. And really, in Mack City, most of the shops are just souvenir shops--not my fave), but at least it wasn't snowing. And joy of joys: we found two wonderful places, a bookstore and a cupcake shop! Yes, of course I had a cupcake (or two) (but the second one was tiny) (and a free gift from the very nice gentleman at the counter). Oh, and Lauren and I got to have uninterrupted shopping time, as Clint took the boys to a waterpark (the indoor kind).

Sunday we left for home after the dads cooked breakfast and the kids washed dishes. We got to make a very pleasant Mother's Day shop at General Jim's, a peach of an army surplus store. Clint's just always thinking about what I would like to do. I didn't buy anything, although I was quite torn between a pair of shiny new combat boots and a gray woolen sleeping bag. Hard to choose, I know. That's what made me realize I shouldn't get either. (This is a good rule of thumb, impluse shoppers: if you can't decide between two, DON'T BUY BOTH--buy neither.) (Oh seriously, do you really think I do that? OF COURSE I buy both.) (But I almost fooled you, didn't I?)

A few more hours and we were home.

We had snacked a bit in the car, so were weren't very hungry for dinner. After unpacking the van and sorting cleans and dirties, Clint skedaddled to the store "to get some crickets for Jonah's lizards" (which I knew was code for: MOTHER'S DAY?!?!? I forgot to get a gift!).

Sure enough, he came back an hour later with something secret hiding behind his back. He got me an orchid (beautiful) and a Bob Marley CD (which led quite naturally to this Friday Night's first annual Bob Marley Night, which a few of my dear readers were fortunate enough to attend--that's because they're spontaneous, folks--that and they too wait till Friday night to make plans for Friday night).

The kids got me presents too. Here's one:

(front and back)

In summation, it's a pretty formal sounding agreement between the kids not to fight with each other for a period of three days. If any fighting does occur, those responsible will be punished by having to do dishes for a week. You may have noticed above that only two of the kids signed it. Jonah abstained, and Lauren added her commentary about that at the bottom. Let me share an overheard conversation that happened Friday:

Lauren: Jonah! Just sign it!

Jonah: NO!

Lauren: It's for MOM!

Jonah: She's not going to die if we don't give her something [I must add: I think this kid has some serious maternal misconceptions] [...I'm talking about Jonah]

That's when I walked away because if there's one thing I like more than a present, it's a cupcake. I mean, no--a SURPRISE.

I didn't want to ruin their plan.

Well, when I opened and read the Non-Aggression Pact on Mother's Day, I had to ask Jonah why he hadn't signed it--it was only a Three Day Commitment, after all. His eyes bugged out a little at that. He had thought Lauren was asking him to literally sign his life away--that he had to agree to never fight with her or Jared again. And he didn't think he could handle Jared's near-constant tormenting in particular.

Anyway, he had his own present for me:

A pair of robins built a nest above the lintel of Clint's hobbit house (don't ask) and the chicks hatched over the weekend. Jonah took this picture for me.

So all in all, it was a nice relaxing day. I got sweet presents all around, a nice weekend, and peace to read to my heart's content all day Sunday.

Happy Mother's Month to all the rest of you. Don't let your holidays be over and done in just one day any more. You owe it to yourself to live it up.