Mother's Day 2017

Two-thirds of the people who call me "Mom"!

May 14, 2017

As they do every year, my children made me feel special on Mother's Day. It started as a quiet Sunday morning, with the house all to myself, so I got a lot of little things done throughout the morning and early afternoon. I always enjoy that.

Sarah's tasty Mexican Chicken Casserole.

As the day wore on and everyone got finished with their church meetings or work shifts, the house started to fill with family. First Mark, then Sarah and Chris, and then Dylan and Jake. We started right off with dinner, provided by Sarah and Chris. Sarah had already put together her casserole, so all she had to do was pop it in my oven. While it baked, she set to work chopping vegetables for "Dad's Salad," so named because their dad (Mark) invented it when the kids were small and he was trying to throw together a meal from whatever he could find in the fridge. The kids loved it, so the recipe remains a family favorite.

"Dad's Salad" consists of diced cucumber, tomato, olives, and cheese

with seasonings and a little mayonnaise.

After dinner, Sarah, Mark, and I enjoyed the 2-hour season finale of Once Upon a Time while Dylan, Jake, and Chris competed on video games. And then it was time to open my gifts!

Waiting to be unwrapped.

Mary with her Mother's Day gifts.

Gifts of love.

My boys and their offbeat senses of humor!

Dylan decorated his envelope. I suspect the rose started as a heart...

"You da acorn"? "You da Christmas bulb"? Oh... "You da bomb!"

Sarah and Chris added this sweet figurine to my Willow Tree collection.

Jacob and Danielle, my Utah children, sent beautiful flowers in a dark pink vase.

They also sent a gift in the mail but it hasn't arrived yet. Can't wait to see it!

Dylan and Jake gave me these cool seat covers with a steering wheel cover,

an air freshener, and a CD holder that goes on the visor.

Mark gave me the blue glass rose on the left, which lights up (see below)...

It's gorgeous in the dark.

Blue is my favorite color!

Sarah's hand-dipped chocolate strawberries.

For dessert, we enjoyed the chocolate-covered strawberries Sarah prepared for us. It was her first experience hand-dipping fruit, and she was disappointed that they didn't turn out as smooth as she'd envisioned. However, they tasted wonderfully delicious and we were not complaining!

I even ordered a Mother's Day gift for myself! I haven't received it yet,

but I got this shopping bag free from Shutterfly (only had to pay for shipping).

It was a joy to design and I can't wait to use it!

Thank you to my amazing family for making Mother's Day--and every other day of the year--so memorable. It's always been my greatest joy and privilege to be my children's mother. I couldn't do it without them!