Mother's Day

So I know Mother's Day was a month ago, but I forgot to put these pictures up. Mother's Day 2010 began inauspiciously as I spent the first 40 minutes of it cleaning up dog pooh from the bathroom (the dog sleeps through the night now but those first few nights, we didn't really realize that she'd need to go out at 4 AM so we let her pooh on the newspapers in her room. M.E.S.S.Y. She's almost potty trained now, thank heavens!).It got better though - I made crepes; went on a nice walk with the dog and kids; had nice, relaxing church meetings in the afternoon; then the whole extended family came from the surrounding area to have a family dinner honoring mothers in general and Nanny (my paternal grandmother) in particular. Nana and Papa (my parents) were up here too, and nothing makes my kids' day like having their grandparents in town! (sorry, ignore the ugly decorations - I haven't collected nice, matching tablecloths for four big tables yet but I'm going to as soon as I can afford it!) Dinner was easy and yummy as everyone brought their favorite potluck item, with Aunts Diana and Mary Kay providing tasty pulled pork sandwiches.

What's a dinner out in the party barn without disco lights and dance music? All the cousins totally jammed out to Thriller and Hoedown Throwdown and the Cha Cha slide - it was awesome! Another huge highlight: watching second cousin Brooklyn (who had a stroke in utero and was not supposed to see, hear, or walk - ever) taking some of her first unassisted steps. Holy. Wonderful. Freaking. Cow! She is such a miracle!

I love so much that I got to spend this day with my Nanny. She is a true treasure. She calls frequently, just to see how I am doing and if she can do anything for me - it never fails to brighten my day! She is a whiz on the piano and the sewing machine, and her skills are frequently called upon to make curtains, pillows, dolls, bedspreads... and all is done with consummate skill and taste. She is elegant, lovely, accomplished, kind, thoughtful and always performing service -we just adore her!