“But there's a story behind everything. How a picture got on a wall. How a scar got on your face. Sometimes the stories are simple, and sometimes they are hard and heartbreaking. But behind all your stories is always your mother's story, because hers is where yours begin.” ― Mitch Albom, For One More Day

Mother's Day lunch at El Tapatio

From Left: Daughter Holly, granddaughter Shelby, son in law Jerry, hubby Neil's hand, grandson Elijah, Elijah's cousin Matthew, grandson Knox, son in law Kerry, moi, and daughter Kelly

Mother's Day cards

I'm sensing a theme here

El Tapatio was handing out roses to the moms at lunch

Me and my peeps

From Left: granddaughter Ella Rose, daughter Kelly, moi, granddaughter Shelby, daughter Holly, grandson Elijah, and grandson Knox

“But kids don't stay with you if you do it right. 

It's the one job where, the better you are, the more surely you won't be needed in the long run.”  

~Barbara Kingsolver

Daughter Holly with her kids Shelby and Elijah

Daughter Kelly with her kids Knox and Ella Rose

Me and my girls

They are simply the best kids a mom could ever have.

Maybe all moms feel that way about their children.

But it's my truth.

They are a blessing to me.

“Perhaps it takes courage to raise children..” 

― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

Kids and Grandkids

And the dads who make Mother's Day possible

From Left: granddaughter Shelby, son in law Jerry, daughter Holly, grandson Elijah, moi, hubby Neil, son in law Kerry, daughter Kelly, granddaughter Ella Rose, and grandson Knox

All my best blessings together today

So thankful for all of you

Holly gave me two hanging baskets of petunias ~ one purple ....

.... and one a dark pink.

I'll enjoy these all summer

And I'll enjoy my Amazon gift card from Kelly

Thanks, girls!

“I love you every day. And now I will miss you every day.” 
― Mitch Albom, For One More Day

“I loved my mother too,' I said. 'I still do. That's the thing - it never goes away, even if the person does.” 
― Anna Carey, Eve

Thanks!

"Our Father, fill our hearts, we pray, 

With gratitude Thanksgiving Day; 

For food and raiment Thou dost give, 

That we in comfort here may live." 

~Luther Cross, Thanksgiving Day

Daughter Kelly and sister Ann loading up their plates with our Thanksgiving feast.

Daughter Holly, granddaughter Shelby, and grandson Elijah 

Kelly and her hubby Kerry hosted our dinner once again this year. Thanks, you two! Everything was really nice.

Bro-in-law Terry pointing the way to the macaroni and cheese he made. It had double doses of every kind of cheese known to mankind. Seriously. And bacon! Yum!

Son-in-law Jerry says Hey while my hubby Neil is either ready to give him a big hug or showing him just how big the turkey is.

Shelby and Elijah digging in. And that plate full of food right there belongs to Holly who never met a turkey drumstick she didn't like.

Thanksgiving Feast. Turkey, dressing, ham, deviled eggs, grit casserole, potato casserole, mac and cheese (with bacon!), green beans, fruit salad, broccoli casserole, sweet potato casserole, and of course, cranberry sauce.

"Give me the end of the year an' its fun 

When most of the plannin' an' toilin' is done; 

Bring all the wanderers home to the nest, 

Let me sit down with the ones I love best, 

Hear the old voices still ringin' with song, 

See the old faces unblemished by wrong, 

See the old table with all of its chairs 

An' I'll put soul in my Thanksgivin' prayers." 

  ~Edgar A. Guest, Thanksgiving

Dessert! Pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and chocolate pecan pie (hadn't made it to the table yet). After that meal, nobody had any room for it but we ate it anyway.

Shelby putting the finishing touches on her signature dessert ~ Candy Bar Caramel Apple Pie (not sure if that's the official name) made with Granny Smith apples and Snicker candy bars and (I think Cool Whip) and drizzled with caramel. It is my fave dessert, and it was totally decadent. 

We all enjoyed this fantastic feast and sitting around the table after we were stuffed, talking and laughing (mostly laughing) and never wanting to see another bite of food ever again.

Thanks to Kelly, Kerry, and Knox for hosting a great dinner and to everyone who made all that delicious food.

So thankful for those of us who could gather together this year and missed those who couldn't join us.

Thankful for so many people and so many things that bless my life every day.

Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, 

for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Psalm 107:8-9

"I ate too much turkey,

I ate too much corn,

I ate too much pudding and pie,

I'm stuffed up with muffins

and much too much stuffin',

I'm probably going to die.

I piled up my plate

and I ate and I ate,

but I wish I had known when to stop,

for I'm so crammed with yams,

sauces, gravies, and jams

that my buttons are starting to pop.

I'm full of tomatoes

and french fried potatoes,

my stomach is swollen and sore,

but there's still some dessert,

so I guess it won't hurt

if I eat just a little bit more."

    ~Jack Prelutsky, I Ate Too Much

Happy Thanksgiving, America!

“But there's a story behind everything. How a picture got on a wall. How a scar got on your face. Sometimes the stories are simple, and sometimes they are hard and heartbreaking. But behind all your stories is always your mother's story, because hers is where yours begin.” ― Mitch Albom, For One More Day

Mother's Day treat -- lunch at Outback

Me and my peeps -- left to right: Kelly, Knox, Neil, moi, Jerry, Holly, Shelby, and Elijah -- Kerry couldn't join us because of work

Daughter Holly, granddaughter Shelby, grandson Elijah

Daughter Kelly and grandson Knox

Blessed with the best daughters on the planet

My daughters and hubby surprised me (can you tell by the look on my face?) with a new iPad Pro 

And they always manage to make me cry (happy tears) because they always give me the sweetest most loving mommy's day cards 

We always get silly because we can't help ourselves -- today we were marveling at just how tall Holly  is and not only because she was wearing high heels

The only thing that makes me sad with regret this day is not having a picture made with my grandchildren and daughters all together -- how did that happen?! It's a terrible first

My daughters both have a great sense of humor and know how to make fun of themselves (and everybody else -- tee hee) I do adore them and I'm so thankful for the blessing that they've always been to me -- I couldn't have asked God for more awesome children and that's the mom's honest truth.

They are fabulous mothers to their children, and I'm thankful for that, too. Wishing you both Happy Mother's Day! So glad you are mine!

My mom passed away two weeks before Mother's Day five years ago. Missing her especially today.

“I love you every day. And now I will miss you every day.” 
― Mitch Albom, For One More Day

“A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts.” 
― Washington Irving

“You are evidence of your mother's strength, especially if you are a rebellious knucklehead and regardless she has always maintained her sanity.” 
― Criss Jami, Killosophy

“No man is poor who has a Godly mother.” 
― Abraham Lincoln

“No one is ever quite ready; everyone is always caught off guard. Parenthood chooses you. And you open your eyes, look at what you've got, say "Oh, my gosh," and recognize that of all the balls there ever were, this is the one you should not drop. It's not a question of choice.” 
― Marisa de los Santos, Love Walked In

“But kids don't stay with you if you do it right. It's the one job where, the better you are, the more surely you won't be needed in the long run.” 
― Barbara Kingsolver, Pigs in Heaven

“Perhaps it takes courage to raise children..” 
― John Steinbeck, East of Eden

"It's not easy being a mother. If it were easy, fathers would do it." ~ The Golden Girls

SNAPSHOTS FROM MOTHER'S DAY, 2016

God has blessed me with a terrific husband, two amazing daughters, two wonderful sons-in-law, and three extraordinary grandchildren

Daughter Holly with her daughter Shelby and son Elijah

Daughter Kelly with her son Knox (hubby Kerry had to work today)

Me and my girls ~ I know, we could be identical triplets, right? {Just kidding}

Kelly brought D.Q. Treatzza Pizzas ~ M&M and Heath ~ scrumpdillyicious!

Holly gave me a way cool rocking chair ~ great for porch sitting and reading

So comfy!

Kelly gave me a gorgeous hydrangea ~ the picture doesn't do it justice ~ I'd love to leave it on my porch, sit in my rocker, and rock and stare at it all day

I enjoyed Mother's Day with my peeps. They always go out of their way to make me feel special. Thanks so much, dear daughters! The two of you are wonderful moms. I love you so much!!

Happy Mother's Day!

~A few Mother's Day Outtakes~ 

GRANDPEEP LOVE

 Grandson Knox finally got to enjoy his Mother's Day Out Valentines party today after being out of school for all those snow days of late.

 He brought home a bag full of Valentine loot and was positive he got way more stuff than his cousin Elijah got at his Valentine party. 

 Grandson Elijah's recent 4-H demonstration paid off with a third place ribbon.

 He demonstrated how to make chocolate chip cookies and was the only guy in the food sciences category. He said the 4-H demonstrations at his school were videotaped and showed to the county-wide judges. Winning third place was a very big deal. Way to go, Elijah! 

 Granddaughter Shelby is in high school where there are no Valentine or any other holiday parties to enjoy. 

I snapped this picture of her today simply for being such a lovely young woman, my one and only granddaughter.

Love all my sweet, beautiful grandpeeps and so proud that they are mine.