Mother's Day

I love being a mother. The day my son was born making me a mother was the day I figured out the meaning of life and he's been teaching me more about life everyday since that beautiful Monday morning. Coincidentally, it also happens to be the first day I really began to appreciate and understand my mother and everything she has done for me. Now with the additional of Marceline my life is that much more full and rich.

I feel truly blessed to have had an excellent example of a mother growing up. I'm thankful for all she taught me and all the wisdom and knowledge she continue to give me when I need it. She was my pattern to follow. I know through my teenage years I rejected the idea of being like her, but now I feel honored to be like her.

And I feel truly blessed to have two beautiful, smart, happy and healthy boy and girl of my own now. I try really hard to be a good mom and do what I think is best. Even when it's the opposite of what my child wants and I'm torn between giving them what they want and what I know they need.

I also feel blessed to have such a wonderful husband who helped make me a mother and now is the provider for our family so I can stay home with my babies fulfilling my role as mother. I know it's an important and eternal role that I hope I can perfect as much as possible while here on Earth.

On a lighter note, check out the gift my husband and babes got me for Mother's Day (the owls). And Russell brought home this note from preschool which is pretty solid evidence to me why being a mom is the best job ever! There's also a picture of Russell the first night I brought him home from the hospital, Marcy in the hospital, Ryan holding Marcy, and Russell meeting his little sister for the first time.

Rolo Valentine's

Here's a cute and simple Valentine's you can make for your kids school. I made them for Russell's class.

You'll need:
- Rolo's for however many kids are in the class
- red, black and pink construction paper.
- pipe cleaners
- electrical tape
- hot glue gun
- tape
- marker

1) Cut out strips of construction paper big enough to wrap the Rolo in. I found that by fastening the paper down with tape and then rolling it up made it easier. Once you've rolled it up hot glue the outer edge down.

2) Wrap a small piece of electrical tape around the middle.

3) Using the pipe cleaners make a fuse and hot glue the to the end of the Rolo. I used a silver pipe cleaner for the fuse and a sparkly red and yellow for the flames. Simply twist the silver pipe cleaner around the middle of the red and yellow to connect them, but make sure you leave enough straight silver pipe cleaner to be a fuse. Fold the red and yellow up to look like sparks.

4) Cut out circles with the black constructions paper, about 1.5" diameter. Then cut out slightly smaller circles with the pink construction paper and glue a black and pink circle together to make a tag.

5) Write something cute on the tag like, "You're the Bomb!", "You're a Blast!", or "You're Dynamite!" and glue it onto the electrical tape.

If you want to arrange 3 Rolo's together to make one big Valentine for a teacher or whatever you can do that too.

And there. In 5 easy steps you have cute, unique and delicious Valentine's.