The Mother's Ring Hubby gave me

In accepting my Mother of the Year Award I would like to thank my Hubby and my four perfect children…

That is how I would start my acceptance speech.  Okay, so it may be a bit boring and in need of a joke, but seriously I don’t think I’ll ever need it, so why spend the time fine-tuning it?

Every experienced mom knows that there is no such think as the Mother of the Year.  We acknowledge that some moms are more organized, find time to exercise and look good.  This qualifies them as Looking Good Mother of the Year and they really do deserve an award for this as it is a good thing.

Having a card or sweatshirt saying, “World’s Best Mom” or “Mother of the Year” can be quite intimidating for most of us.  A few years ago Hubby got me a cute little ornament that I treasure.  It says:

“Most Loved Mom“

This is my kind of title.  I can handle this kind of talk as there is no pressure, just pure love.

Now is where I tell you about my Mother’s Day.  The kids (after being kindly reminded that 8:30 would be the perfect time to awaken mommy the night before) woke me up at 6:57 this morning with breakfast in bed.  Very sweet, but very early!  I got flowers and cards and a great necklace.  We also took a three mile hike and found a cache using our Geocache Junior.

After finding several ticks and being exposed to an amazing amount of  poison ivy we showered, changed and spent the evening with my parents.  Food and fun.  The kids got to play with cousins and I got to see my mommy   She bought me an awesome plant and a beautiful apron off Etsy.com.

All and all a really great day for our FourAgainstTwo clan.

So Happy Mother’s Day to all the loved mothers out there.  Even if you are not feeling very loved right now or feeling like a less than perfect parent, Mother’s Day is still our day!

]]> http://fouragainsttwo.com/index.php/2010/05/09/most-loved-mom/feed/ 1 http://fouragainsttwo.com/index.php/2010/02/22/my-valentines-day-gift/ http://fouragainsttwo.com/index.php/2010/02/22/my-valentines-day-gift/#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:09:19 +0000 Amanda http://fouragainsttwo.com/?p=927 Hubby and I don’t always do gifts.  During lean years or times when we don’t need or want anything we may forgo Christmas gifts, birthday gifts and anniversary presents.   Other times we go all out.  This Valentines day I gave Hubby a six pack of Sam Adams.  It may seem silly, but he liked it so much more than a card and cologne!  He spent the entire weekend re-doing my KITCHEN! 

Yeah!  Our kitchen was nice before, but the several shades of green just weren’t for me.  I wanted Spice and lots of it!  Hubby delivered and not only painted the walls, but the cabinets.  He also bought matching rugs,  and wall decor, built a corner shelf and just all around did a fabulous job!

Hubby is the decorater in our relationship. I hate having to pick out colors and decorations.  It put way to much stress on me as I am freaked out about choosing wrong.  If it were up to me all my wall would be ecru and I’d  have no curtains, not because I dislike color and decoration, but picking things out paralizes me (a lot like crafts).  Hubby, however, does a great job with colors and I am content and very greatful that he is.

He said next year he is getting me flowers… maybe I’ll get him a twelve-pack…

Photo Credit Mandy W.

Disney Christmas, as we surprised the girls with a trip to the happiest place on earth!  I’m excited about the trip, but tired just thinking about the planning  I’m sure we will have even more great memories by the end of next week.

I highly doubt I will be blogging much over the next two weeks, but I will try and upload pictures regularly and when I get back and recover I’m sure to have stories (both bad and good) and tips to pass along to all my family and friends.

Happy New Year and God Bless us all!  Mandy

Next year your hair will be as long as you want it to be. Keep growing it out!

Dear Mandy,

Christmas 2009 was great and we made a lot of great memories.  I just wanted to let you know a few ways you can make 2010′s Christmas even better.  You need to stop stressing on the stupid things, let go and live in the moment.  This is easier said than done and you have done better this year (e-cards saved time and money!) but next year try and remember a few things:

1) Don’t buy matching Christmas outfits.  It was a miracle they all wore them ONCE this year, and that miracle won’t happen again until they are older and trying to make their geriatric mother happy.

2)Don’t ask them to be in the Church Christmas play.  Wait for them ask to be in it and then have them sign a contract swearing that they will go to all the practices without whining. They were so cute this year and I am very proud of them.

3) Bargain more.  Tell them they will get a bigger Christmas gift if we skip some of the Christmas “fluff” activities like Breakfast with Santa and Santa’s Secret shop (Sorry PTO).

4)Don’t expect them to love and cherish your favorite Christmas book, song or activity. It’s not worth the energy and they will like it better without your endorsement!

5)Don’t begrudge your Hubby to much for being right on more things than you would like to admit.  Maybe he has it right that matching hair bows just aren’t life and death and the fact that Elle wore snow-boots two years in a row to see Santa isn’t all that bad.

Mandy, I hope you remember to read this next year and do as I say.   If you don’t maybe someone will remind you and save the season.

Take care and drink a lot of Chai.  Enjoy the season while you can and remember that one day you’ll be asking to join them in their family’s celebrations someday.

Love,

You

Here are some pictures of the gifts.  I have so much fun playing Santa…thanks!

Photo Credit Mandy W. 2009

We decorated our tree and went and saw the  A Christmas Carol in 3D (kids didn’t so much like it FYI).  Here are a few pics from our weekend, including a bike ride yesterday that was a bonus due to the nice weather we had!

Thanksgiving means cousins wrestling!

Christmas tree time!

Hubby looks good holding our new niece... he is a natural!

Elle did great on the bike ride!

Photo Credits Mandy W. 2009

While your cooking the turkey (or watching mom cook the turkey) the kids can be coloring up a storm and get in t the mood for the upcoming Holiday Season.

*This picture was colored by the famous Mita who made her first snowman just last year and cannot ever recall watching Frosty the Snow Man (did we really miss it last year?  Was I that busy?)

At my party I had 14 sets of photo book coupons and coupons for 12 free Christmas cards to give out.  I felt like Santa Claus on Christmas Eve!  Photo books are some of my favorite things to make as I failed with the scrap-booking thing and love pictures of my children.

Add some wine, great tasting cookies and we had a nice time.  My wire-less Internet proved to not be able to handle ten different users at once unfortunately, but everyone got to see how to make a photo book extremely quick and easy for those of us creatively deficient or lacking time.  For the scrappers out there, Shutterfly has some great ways to create your masterpieces with many options, fonts, lay outs and themes.

Thank you Shutterfly for helping my friends and family have a great time.   I cannot wait to see every-ones finished books and cards.  If you want to have your own House Party, you can click here and see what opportunities await you.

Books I've made through Shutterfly.

FireMom and Outnumbered mom enjoying themselves.

(Disclosure:  Shutterfly gave me and 14 of my guests coupon codes for 8×8 hard cover photo books and 12 holiday cards, as well as a Shutterfly bag and pen. I also received a 7×8 soft cover book, and balloons to have at my party.  All of this was in exchange of sharing my Shutterfly products with friends and family. I was not asked to blog about it…but I had such a good time I wanted to!)

Photo Credits:  Mandy W. 2009

This week I’m going to post a lot of my pictures as I have been taking them like a mad woman.  With  one more Halloween party and trick or treat I am sure to take another hundred or so this week!

Mita participated in her first ever Pumpkin Bowling game at her cousin’s birthday party.

Elle wanted me to take this picture. She was feeling cute I think!

Enu was still recovery from the flu, but she loved getting out in the fresh air for a walk.

Meg milking a cow.  It was a fake cow built to teach people how to milk.  Not sure why this exists, but it does and it is at our local corn maze for the kids to check out!

All these pictures were taken by ME, Mom or Mandy W. in October 2009

Here are a few giveaways at StopDropandReview :

A Harry Connick Jr. CD

A VeggieTales Christmas DVD

A Fire Safety Giveaway worth $135

A $100 Gift Card (That’s right One Hundred Dollars!)

A Joshua Bell CD

I hope you all take the time to enter the above contests and hopefully you will win one. If any of the above is given to you for Christmas from me, please don’t be offended as I view it as earth friendly to re-gift!

Photo Credit