mother's day: 2017

MOM turned upside down is WOW!
- scout gerber, age 9

did you know this?  i didn't, at least not until scout pointed it out to me.
he told me this as he presented me with a homemade card first thing on mother's day. it had MOM written in all caps across the front. he turned it upside down to show me {in case i didn't believe him}.  he was so proud of his card, and i was happy to receive it. it's currently hanging by a magnet in our kitchen, but i've decided to bring to work this week and hang at my desk. i could tell he spent a bit of time with it...he drew flowers of every color across the entire bottom. i thanked him and gave him a big squeeze. it's rare my little draws pictures for me anymore, so i will treasure this as it may be my last. finn and c wandered into the kitchen so they too could present me with their cards and a big spring flower bouquet which also filled me with warm fuzzies and made our entire kitchen smell like spring. finn's was a handwritten card with a very thoughtful message. he said he was going to "love me more in my love language", a term we borrowed from the popular book, the five love languages. we've all taken the quiz and are aware of each other's love language so that we can love each other in ways that are truly meaningful to each other.  {he even had a p.s. that said i'm going to try to love scout more in his love language too}.
finn reminded me not to eat anything because they were taking me to breakfast. typically they bring me breakfast in bed, but this year, i suggested we try a new cafe that just opened up in our neighborhood. finn seemed relieved not to have to cook, but scout seemed a bit disappointed. he LOVES to bring me breakfast in bed on special occasions, namely mother's day and my birthday, so i felt a little guilty for taking this away from him. i mentioned that breakfast in bed could be a surprise any time of the year. *wink* he said he had never thought of that. if i ever get it, i'll try to remember to come back and write about it.  also, along with scout's drawing, the cards and flowers, was a MOM questionnaire from scout.

it's absolutely adorable and though the responses aren't quite as funny as when he was in preschool, they are certainly more thoughtful and a bit more accurate {he still put an extra 5 lbs on me and the brady bunch series is one of his current favorite shows right now}. c and i introduced it to the boys a few weeks ago and he's thoroughly enjoying it. truth be told, we are all enjoying it. it's a fun walk down memory lane for us c and me who grew up watching the show. finn said he's "learning alot about our generation and how we grew up". as i made dinner, i reflected on our day together - the yummy breakfast and our lazy day at the beach watching the boys explore the rocks and catching hermit crabs in the sand. i also thought about being a mom - how so much life has changed since the days pre-kids. i loved those pre-kid days, but am so grateful that i didn't rush into the role of mother shortly after c and i married. we were so young and waiting allowed me {and c} time to grow -  as individuals and together before we took on helping another human grow.  i had no idea being a mom would be both beautiful and terrifying at the same time, but even on the toughest days, i wouldn't trade it for the world.  i don't think many mothers would. i also thought about the relationships i have with all the mothers in my life - how essential they are. i will be forever grateful for all of them - my mother-in-laws who are fierce and fabulous woman. they share, guide, listen, console and celebrate with me. barby or 'GG' has been there from my newlywed days, visited me at the hospital when finn was born and is still there now as i mother a teenage son. for sheila who keeps the gerber family connected so well and who shares so much about her journey as a mother. last, i am grateful for my own mother who is a beacon in my life - always there, shining brightly and guiding me. she spent years of her life teaching and providing her children with a compass so we can navigate through life more easily.  maybe even more importantly, she laid out a roadmap for us to follow by how she has lived her life with my father.



happy mother's day to all mother's everywhere!


xo

mother's day: 2016 [part 1]

my mother's day started with two boys in the kitchen
making some ruckus...and me patiently waiting for them
to bring me breakfast in bed. 15+ minutes later, they tiptoed
into our bedroom and finn, seeing me awake and c asleep,
whispering "happy mother's day" and then telling me he needs
help making breakfast because he's never made french toast before.

i followed him into the kitchen and gave him a quick cooking lesson
{he had the eggs cracked and bread out} and i showed scout how to make
coffee so he felt useful.c staggered into the kitchen half asleep and helped the
boys finish up.{unlike me he isn't a morning person}


the breakfast they cooked turned out to be delicious.


the boys presented me with sweet cards and small gifts.
csout's 'Appreciation Book' got the tears flowing,
and a chuckled came with i heard finn whisper "you did well scout".
he sure did.  {i'll share in another post}.


he boys also filled out these cute forms and presented the to me
and they gave me a smile. scout's guessing of my age and weight
made me smile...he made me younger and 10 lbs heavier. *grin*

after my tears and my meal, we dressed and headed towards

the soccer field. scout had a huge competitive soccer weekend...

2 games each day and an additional game with his rec soccer league

on sunday.  

i spent my mother's day biting my tongue and cheering from the sidelines.

c and i get SO into his games {yes, we are those parents}.

when finn played, that side just didn't come out since he wasn't competitive.

with a kid who LOVES the game and is pretty good, it's a whole different us.

it was a weekend full of soccer and smiles. scout's blast team took 2nd place in

the copa del rey tournament.

i ended the night meeting my girlfriend at the mall to see mother's day the movie.

{we knew our husband's wouldn't be interested}.  it turned out to be everything

we thought and hoped it would be, heartwarming and funny, and yes, we pulled
out tissues from our purses a few times.

what a beautiful thing to be a mother. it's exhausting and sometimes even a little

scary, but it's also the most beautiful, important and rewarding job i will ever have.

i am blessed to not only be a mother of two great kids, but to have so many positive
and hardworking moms as role models in my life. they've spent hours sharing,

listening and helping me navigate motherhood and i thank and celebrate them today.

it takes a village to raise a child...and it's also true with mothers.   

mother's day: 2015

the boys surprised me with thoughtful gifts on mother's day,
gerber daisies, homemade cards, dinner at isabel's cantina
and these. they were both very excited to present them to me.
{and i was very excited to receive}

the boys were so proud of their gifts. they know how much i appreciate
anything they do with their hands and any gift from their hearts.
a good cook? i chuckled reading what scout said.  he is probably the only one
who would say that. i'm the first to admit, i'm no cook.
{i'd much rather clean and have someone cook for me}

~ this year, mother's day was a little different than year's past.
for months, we had a BIG camping weekend trip planned with two families.
my allergies kicked up the day before and i was suffering pretty bad {really bad}.

since the boys had their hearts set on going and we had a new tent and everything
was already packed and waiting to be loaded into the car, i encouraged c to go ahead
with them and i stayed home and rested.  they left a few days before mother's day
and was back m's day afternoon.

they made it home mid afternoon on mother's day to tell me all about their adventures,
present me with their special cards, and since i was feeling better, i was able to enjoy a
dinner out at my favorite neighborhood restaurant.

being a mother is a gift.  happy mother's day to every mother out there.  xo

happy mother's day

my heart is full of gratitude today.

i get to be called 'mom' by two beautiful boys whose
hearts are as big as oceans and smiles as bright as any star.
they bring so much beauty to my life.

i am also grateful to the wonderful mothers in my life who share
their wisdom, listen, support, guide, and love me as i navigate the
waters of motherhood.

wishing my mom and all mother's everywhere a very happy day!

mother's day: 2014

happy mother's day!!! are you awake now?
- scout gerber, age 6

these are the words I woke to at 7:15am on sunday morning.
i've never been one to sleep in, but i was sound asleep until two
very energetic boys burst into the room and came to my bedside.

i had barely opened my eyes but i saw christopher trailing cautiously
behind them with a tray in his hand. the boys jumped into the bed with
their hands full of cards and gifts. finn presented me with a plant he had
grown at school. he announced "i'm not a very good gardener"
{i barely noticed some of the pink flower buds that had turned brown}. 
I told him it was beautiful and turned my attention to scoutie who was
bouncing up and down anxious to present me with presents he made in art class.
his gifts were bracelets - two of them.  one made of paper that he embellished
and the other was made of blue glass beads and simple string. beautiful!

they announced they made my breakfast which consisted of eggs,
sausage, toast and hot coffee with cream.  oh how i love breakfast in bed!
it's so rare and watching the boys faces light up as they bring to me is priceless.  
scout asked if i remembered bringing him breakfast in bed on his birthday.
of course i do. a mother's never forgets special days.
{though they might get a tiny bit foggy as time goes by}










the real deal - just woke, no make-up but very happy

we briefly discussed heading down to the beach,
but with the new solar heater on our roof,

the pool was 90 degrees and i was anxious to swim.
{the ocean is still so cold - about 68 degrees}
 

the pool felt fabulous!!
the boys were so excited i was 'in' the pool with them.
they've been swimming almost daily since march, but i hadn't gone in yet.
we played games, raced each other from one end to the other,
i judged dives and we ate a couple of popsicles each.

and where was my hardworking hubby while we were playing?

he was working on the walls for the treehouse.
with multiple tree trunks coming through it,
it required lots of planning and tedious cutting - took about 2.5 hrs per wall.
he was able to get up 2 walls up the other 2 will go up this weekend.
 

that evening, we all ended up cuddling on the couch watching marley and me.

i'd been wanting to see it for a long time, and when my mother recommended
it and I came across a a copy at our library, i couldn't resist.
 

we all enjoyed watching the mischievous marley grow from a puppy to a

120 lb dog, and had no idea the ending was so tough. with the exception of scout,

we were all in tears.

 

as i put the boys down, finn told me that he was 'maturing' because he now cries in
sad movies.  a line my m-i-l barby said to me over dinner last month when i was in
arizona popped into my head.  she said "is there anything sweeter than a 10 year old"?
at that moment, i couldn't think of a single thing.  

 

the boys are truly blessings in my life and i try not to let a single day go by without

letting them know that my life is fuller because i get to be their mother. it's the
toughest, most meaningful and most rewarding job i'll ever have. 

 

i also want to share how lucky i am to have mother-in-laws who,
from day one, welcomed me into their homes and hearts. i can share anything with them
and i am so grateful for this. i am also grateful for a mother who gives freely, sacrifices so
much and consistently models what unconditional love is.

 

to these woman in my life, including my mommy friends, sister-in-laws, sisters who are
mommies and a sister who is like a mommy to my boys, i hope you had a marvelous day!











mother's day 2013

via

happy mother's day!

what a wonderful thing to have one day a year dedicated to us moms.
i love mother's day and not just because i get sweet cards and lovin' from my boys,
i also love it because it causes me to reflect on my mother and all she did and continues
to do for me. {i don't do that enough}.

this day also makes me think about my role as a mom,
and how my life has changed since i became one.

everything changed for me once i became a mother.

the lens in which i saw the world was profoundly different than the
lens i was looking through before i became a mom.
the things that mattered to me before suddenly became trivial.
i was responsible for another human being {beyond myself}.
i was changed forever.

there was no way around it....no going back.

i started caring more deeply about my health, the world, politics, education,
how i spent my free time, my relationships, my career, and the future.  

everything changed and everything mattered more.
{i imagine most father's feel the same}.

so today, as i think about my mother,
i remember the good, the bad and the ugly - like the time she dumped my
bowl of soup on my lap for being a mouthy teenager. she did it. {i deserved it}.
i think about how much she sacrificed for me, and how much she taught me
through her 'sayings'. you know those things moms always say.
here are a few i remember:

"rise and shine" {mom never allowed me to sleep past 10am - EVER!  she'd come into my bedroom, open the shades/blinds and say you aren't going to waste the day away. if i resisted, she'd come back in.  she made sure i didn't waste my day away.  to this day, i credit my mum for my being a morning person}

"nothing good happens after midnight" {my curfew was midnight....no matter what age i was.  as long as i lived in my parent's home, that was the rule.  i had to move out to get around it, or sleep over at a girlfriends who had a later curfew}. *grin*  

"you'll never know what type of car to buy, until you drive a few"{mom's way of reminding me not to get serious about any one boy in high school. she wanted me to date a lot, have a social life with girlfriends, and just well, be a kid. she'd say you have your  entire adult life for a serious relationship. she was right.

"wait until your father gets home" {mom wasn't the disciplinarian in our home so she'd use the threat of us answering to my father to keep get us back in line}.   

"be a good friend and pick good friends" {she encouraged me to think about my friendships - shared values, interests, trustworthiness, etc.  i didn't always get it right, but along the way, i learned something and have made true lifelong friends.}

"shut the door. this isn't a barn" {with a house full of kids running in and out and living in the south where air-conditioning is a necessity, we heard this often}

these are just a few of her ''momisms' that came to mind, but there are LOTS more.
and can you believe as a mom, i am creating my own now.  {just ask my boys}

~  how did i spend my mother's day?
it was rather quiet.  c treated me to breakfast at my favorite little cafe,
the little guys presented me with homemade gifts. 
c gave me a giftcard for a mani/pedi {a welcome gift as i am in desperate need for one}
oh and i almost forgot.  i enjoyed our pool for the FIRST time.
the boys go in all the time but now that the water temperature is 78,
it's doable for mom.

my memorable mother's day

i hope all the mommies out there had a wonderful mother's day!

this momma had a memorable one.
my day started at 6am {before the airplanes started flying}.
two little rugrats swung open my bedroom door singing happy mother's day.

finn had a pad of paper in hand and said i'm ready to take your breakfast order.

i hugged them and gently let them know this momma was really tired and would
like them to come back at 7am.  they lingered, too excited to go away. *sigh*

then i did something i never do in the mornings....
i offered up my kindle fire and phone to buy myself another hour of rest.
{i was desperate}

shortly after 7am, i climbed out of bed and announced
that i was going for a nice run before i started my day.
finn grabbed his pad and pen and took my breakfast order before i left.
my order: (2) waffles, a half of a banana, some grapes and a coffee.

when i arrived home, finn met me at the front door and asked me
to close my eyes and to go upstairs and get into bed.
there was no way i was getting into my clean bed all sweaty from my run.
{he agreed to let me take a 5 minute shower first}

i took the quickest shower of my life, threw my hair back in a pony,
and jumped back into my bed.  finn walked in with this tray in hand,
dad had the coffee, and scout had a handful of cards.

they boys were beaming, SO proud of the breakfast they made.
it was all prepared by finn and scout {minus the coffee}.
in the hour i was away, i learned they snuck off to starbucks
to get my favorite drink - a chai latte. it sure hit the spot.

i opened and read their sweet cards and got a kick out of the
All About Mom questionnaire finn filled out at school.
my favorite responses were:

• What's the smartest thing your mom ever told you?  everything
• I know my mom loves me because... she sings to me
• What do you think your mom was like before she had kids? lonely
  {this last one had c and i in stitches}

scoutie's card to me was decorated with pretty plastic gems
he was so happy to give it to me....he had tried several times
during the week but i insisted he wait until mother's day.
{i'll post here later this week}

c asked me if there was anything special i wanted to do and i said
i'd love to try stand up paddling. it's something i've been wanting to
try for a while {i even put on my promise me list}

so that's what we did.

we waited until mid day so it was warmer, grabbed lunch at taco surf,
and headed over to mission bay for a picnic. c had gone before so he
chose to be the official camera man and videographer for the afternoon.

i had planned on going solo and the little boys kayaking, but scout insisted
on joining me and 20 minutes later finn jumped on the board too.

for the most part, they sat like little buddas on the front end while i
paddled around the bay, but later finn crawled through my legs because
he wanted to ride in the back.  whew!  {we didn't flip it but it was close}.




a fellow paddler was kind enough to snap this family photo of us.

it was a full day for all of us and i went to bed exhausted,
but not before thanking the boys for making my day so special.

i feel lucky to be the mother of two beautiful little boys,
to have wonderful mother-in-laws in my life, and to have a mom who
has taught and continues to teach me to cherish motherhood.

mother's day 2012

to all you wonderful mommies out there,
and especially to my mine,
may your day be filled with lots of love and laughter.

via

my momma's day: 2010

i wanted to be sure to record a little my mother's day.

c made sure this mom was able to sleep in - a rare treat.
it was just until 8am, but for me, this is sleeping in.
let me tell ya, it was pure pleasure waking up to silence - no 'boy noise'.

later in the day, i took the little guys to tecalote canyon for a short hike.
since christopher spends more time with them during the week,
i suggested this just be a mom and son outing only. c said 'whatever momma wants'.

so the little men in my life and i went, and had a great afternoon - hiking just under 2 miles.
we almost made it to the end without anyone asking me to carry them
key word - ALMOST.

the last 10 minutes of the hike, finn (yes, the 6 yr old) asked me to carry him

i reminded him he was almost as big as me, and that was NOT going to happen! *laugh*

some photo highlights of our lil' trek.

 



photo was taken by scoutie, who insists on taking photos now whenever i pull my camera out.

mother's day: 2010

we never know the love of the parent until we become parents ourselves.
- henry ward beecher

























i adore this photo of my mom and me.
there are very few of just the two of us, so i treasure it.

i feel a little sad for those woman who choose not to experience motherhood.
i know not everyone is able to have a baby, or may not even have the ability to adopt,
but i can't help but think if those that simply chose not to, would think differently if they
knew that, as tough as it is, it's also a bit of heaven on earth.

i think about all the different kinds of love we have - love for our partner, friends, family,
and our pets. these loves are strong, very strong, but i don't think they compare to the love a
mother has for her children.  it's fierce, protective, and permanent. i'm convinced there is
nothing more powerful.

as my boys shower me with love and affection today, i celebrate my mother too.
though i can't be with her physically, she is close to my heart.  i wanted to share some
heartfelt reasons why she is so special to me. here are just a few:

1) mom takes the time to talk to me.
i wish i would have talked to her more during my 20s but i was selfish on some level and didn't realize all the wisdom she possessed. when finn was born, things changed. our talking increased 10x. i called her all the time - to ask questions about parenting, to bounce my ideas off her, etc. i didn't have many friends who were moms yet, and i needed to talk to a pro. there was NO ONE better than my mom to call. today, we continue to talk often and about everything - children, marriage, siblings, friends, work, etc. our conversations flow like wine at a great dinner party. they are warm and so good.  

2) mom makes me laugh.
she has a great sense of humor and can even laugh at herself. i love this quality in her!
parenting brings huge responsibilities and since becoming one, i've become a more serious person.  i realize this is normal on some level as the task is monumental, but sometimes i'm probably too serious.  mom reminds me that - even in all the responsibilites, it's ok to stop and laugh - at the kids, life and myself.  she also reminds me that kids grow up and alot of the physical tasks i have to do now will be far less.  she helps put things into perspective.

3) mom is the most selfless woman on the planet. she always puts others before herself. there are thousands of examples of this: staying up late hemming pants i bought that evening because i *had* to wear them to school the next day, putting in endless hours helping with school projects, taxiing me all over town, staying up all night nursing sick children, etc. she sacrifices so much to her family, yet she seems to balance her own needs which makes her even more incredible.

4) mom has never met a stranger.
she's outgoing and makes everyone feel special when she speaks with them. 
she has the art of conversation perfected.  no one would be surprised if a walk around the block took well over an hour. we know she'll have probably stopped and had conversations with several people along the way - some even strangers (until that day). i love this about her and attribute my love of people and my outgoing personality to her. whether she's seated next to a CEO of a major company or an 80 year old grandma on a plane, she's comfortable and will enjoy the company of this person.

5) mom has shown me what a good wife and good marriage is all about. she understands what committment is, has loved my dad through ups and downs, and always made marriage her priority. she taught me how to set boundaries for my marriage, counseled me, and encouraged me by telling me what she’s noticed i do great in my own marriage and even reminds me of the great things my husband does. mom and dad are approaching their golden (50th) anniversary and well, this is special.  not everyone is so lucky to witness great marriages between their parents. i am blessed.

happy mother's day mom.
you really do make everything and everyone around you more beautiful!

and to all the moms out there, happy mother's day to you.

mother's day: 2009

my mom is a neverending song in my heart of comfort, happiness, and being.
i may sometimes forget the words but I always remember the tune.
~graycie harmon




happy mother's day to my BEAUTIFUL mother. i love you so!
and to my wonderful mother-in-laws, sisters and friends who are all mommies,
have a wonderful day.

************
here's how this mommy spent her day:

i started with a run and then i spent the day at sea world with the boys.

finn and i rode journey to atlantis (his and my first time ever).
though finn was officially 1/8" too short (had to be 42" tall),
the teenager that worked the ride let him go anyway.

his eyes lit up and he RAN all the way through the line.
we were lucky there wasn't a single person in front of us.
it was the highlight of our day.
just LOOK at his little face in the picture below!

we all took naps after we got home and later we went on a 3 mile bike ride,
stopping for ice cream at tasty freeze afterwards.  Yum!

it was a perfect mother's day for me...
nothing fancy, just a fun day hanging out with my three.

finn's first rollercoaster ride, journey to atlantis {sea world}

the mother's day card finn for me in preschool, age 5 it reads:

she is 20 years old (thx finn)
she is 5' tall she weighs 30 lbs
she likes to wear clothes 
her favorite food is corn
her job is on the computer
she looks prettiest every day (aw)
she is special because she takes care of me