happy mama's day!

It's almost here! The LOVELIEST day of the year. No I am not talking about Christmas...I am talking about the the one day every year when daddy gets up with the pumpkins, throws together a special breakfast and everyone stays nice and quiet so mama can sleep in...until 8 or so!!!

What do you all do for the blessed occasion?

My family all gathers together for brunch made by all the boys at my parents home. FABULOUS!!! The boys cook, serve and clean up as well as chase kiddies while us girls sit around chatting...oh the joy!

As for the gifts we stay away from cut flowers, candy and even jewelry...not that those are not three of my favorite things, especially the jewelry, but i prefer to give things for a beautiful spring holiday that will grow and flourish as well as provide memories each year. Two years ago my mother in-law had a beautiful weeping cherry tree planted in my front yard for me...YES, I was getting one for that specific spot anyway ;)

So if you a lucky enought to have sunny weather this mother's day (we are not on the east coast) try these little tips for after your hike/ picnic that Suzi suggested:

Check into giving potted plants, a great alternative to taking the lives of innocent little flowers being cut down in their prime!!! A few weeks back I wrote an article on bringing plants into your home and workplace so I have re-listed some great ones here again:

Gerber daisy

Bamboo palm

Spider plant

Areca palm

Reed palm

Dwarf date palm

Boston fern

Janet Craig dracaena

English ivy

Australian sword fern

Peace Lily

Rubber plant

Weeping fig

I actually went to the florist yesterday and picked up nine, yes you read correctly we have mamas, grand-mamas, god-mamas & special aunts; in my opinion whether you gave birth or not, if you take care of a child in any capacity you deserve a mother's day gift, nine little peace lillies. I must say the lillies and the adorable pots I picked out for each one came to about $15.00 a piece. I was shocked that what I consider to be such a thoughtful, generous gift was so inexpensive.

Now my own little pumpkins are giving me a day outside, my FAVORITE. When the weather gets nice again, the kids and I are going back out to plant more "kid-friendly" plants. Baby #1 even made me some "coupons" good to be used for digging, weeding, raking leaves and such (he's 9 so of course he HAD to tell me early;) ) We have used up all of our planting area for this year so I went out and bought recycled, re-usable pots to make little container gardens for our patio. The girls love the LOUD flowers like marigolds and daisies so that's what we will get...LOT'S of color!

Whatever you give, receive or do for mothers day, just knowing a child makes you the luckiest, most blessed person "in the galaxy!" I thank my babies everyday for choosing me to be their mama, they always laugh, but really there wouldn't be a mother's day without those precious little devils.

Have a FABULOUS mama's day and week and hug every baby, whether 1 second or 100 years old extra tight!!!

breast cancer petition

See link below to sign up for the petition. I just did it and it only took about 1 minute.

From a nurse:

"I'll never forget the look in my patients eyes when I had to tell them they had to go home with the drains, new exercises and no breast. I remember begging the doctors to keep these women in The hospital longer, only to hear that they would, but their hands were tied by the insurance companies.

So there I sat with my patients, giving them the instructions they needed to take care of themselves, knowing full well they didn't grasp half of what I was saying, because the glazed, hopeless, frightened look spoke louder than the quiet 'Thank You they muttered.

A mastectomy is when a woman's breast is removed in order to remove cancerous breast cells/tissue. If you know anyone who has had a Mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure.


Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery.

It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important .. Please take the time and do it really quick!


Please share this link with everyone you care about. If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times.

There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require Insurance Companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the 'drive-through mastectomy' where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.

Lifetime Television has put this bill on their Web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on."


PLEASE!! Sign the petition by clicking on the Web site below. You need not give more than your name and zip code number.


http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php


PLEASE PASS THIS ON to your friends and family, and on behalf of all women, THANKS.