Mother's Day 2014

Mother's Day 2014 was:
- Collin hiding his card and gift from school under his bed, asking me multiple times when it would be Mother's Day, and telling me he was giving me chocolate but he wasn't going to tell me what kind of chocolate.
- A happy son gifting me with a cute card and hand-painted box of Hershey kisses in the morning

- Opening two necklaces from Collin.  Cas took him shopping at Sam Moon, a store I never shop at, to pick out a gift for me.  He wanted to get me what Cas described as an over-the-top rhinestone cross necklace, so the compromise was a green flower necklace that was a bit closer to my taste, but still gaudier than I ever would have chosen for myself.  Hopefully the lesson learned for Cas was to take the kids to one of my favorite stores where the chances of success are much higher!  But of course, I wore the necklace Collin picked to church and posed with the kids beforehand.  I am just delighted that I get to be their mom!

Maya was not particularly delighted to be taking pictures.

After church, Maya napped and Collin played with her birthday present doll house.  The doll house currently is in Collin's room, since he played quietly with it during rest time.  But compared to the ways the girls in our preschool Sunday School class play, Collin's dollhouse has more battles and aggression!

Sunday afternoon, we had the family over for a meal my sweet parents prepared.  Neither my mom or I had particularly relaxing Mother's Days, as I was cleaning up our house and my mom was cooking, but we both had a great time that afternoon and evening with all the family!

Mother's Day 2014 was dinner with aunts, uncles, and cousins from my mom's, dad's and Cas' mom's side of the family - such fun!  My cousin Leo in the pool - 

Collin and Jackson - wherever Jackson is, that's where Collin wants to be - 

Beauties Stella and Melissa watching the guys in the pool - 

Maya spent a lot of time with my dad and Uncle Bobby around the backyard.  

Uncle Bobby had her smiling away, but not when she'd see mama behind the camera -

First time with cookie cake -

Pretty sure she's a fan!

Mother's Day was capturing a [blurry] picture of a common moment with my daughter.  Often by late afternoons on my days off, the kids and I wait for Cas to get home - or kill time before dinner if he's traveling - swinging and cuddling on the hammock and listening to music in the backyard.

And Mother's Day 2014 was pictures with the moms - both my grandmas with Bobby and Larry -  

Mother - sons - great-granddaughter -  

Cas jumped out of the pool to take a quick photo with his mom -

And my mom and Maya having a gleeful time together -

Compared to Mother's Day 2013 when Maya was three days old, this Mother's Day was more restful, more exciting watching Maya take steps all around the backyard, and more fun to have a functioning pool and family to celebrate with on Sunday evening.  I'm so fortunate that I have a family full of incredible mothers, that Cas and I feel we have the best moms ever, and that I have the gift of being a mommy to my two favorite children in the world!