Little Brothers are Super Clever

I open my front door to see this....

 

What are you doing?

 

"Dad said we can't be outside with the IPad."

 

By all accounts, they are sitting in the doorway!!!

I gave them five more minutes and shut the door.

 

The creative problem solving in this house exceeds my creativity and expectations.  5 years ago, I might have been 3 steps ahead.  Not anymore, I am about 3 steps behind. 

 

Gotta love these boys.

The Perfect Gift for a Teenage Boy!

 

With the family gathering coming up fast, Aunt Sharon asked,
"What would Hockey Player like for his birthday?"

 

Not such an easy question to answer.

 

Hockey Player wants new club(s) from Golf Warehouse

 

Itunes gift cards

 

Net for practicing hockey in the driveway.
Now this can't be just any net!

This net has to be strong.

Really strong.

We have even talked about buying him steel trash cans.

This is why ~

He hit the puck so hard he put holes in his first net.

Then Daddy O recommended he hit at the trash dumpster.

Well he hit the puck so hard, he put a hole in the side of the dumpster.

AND...

the puck bounced off and went flying towards the vehicles.

Fortunately no damage to the cars.

Anyhow, a net for this kid to practice is going to pricey.

We have shopped and looked.

 

Hmmm, what else would make a good gift.

 

The kid likes food

 

food

food

food

 

The amount he can consume in one sitting is astonishing.

 

Golf time with Uncle Terry and Grandpa would be cool.

 

Aunt Sharon sighs and says good bye. 

Nothing overwhelming exciting and affordable to choose from.

The kid has expensive likes, hobbies and preferences.

 

Then the weekend came and we celebrated with the family.

 

Aunt Sharon presented him this huge box with various theatre candies

attached to the outside. 

I laughed and said there was probably a small little gift card down in the bottom.

 

Nope!!!

Instead there was food!

Can you see the smile on his face?

This smile says it all.....IT IS ALL MINE!!!!!!

ALL MINE!!!!

 

 

Oh yeah, Aunt Sharon scored.  Scored really big.

In our house that would be called a Hat Trick!

Their eyes were causing trouble!

My two youngest boys remind me tremendously of my childhood.

My older three are the kind of children that could allow a parent to become prideful.

They simply just never participated in the,

"He's touching me!!! 

She's looking at me!!!

They breathed on me!!!"

At least not until the younger two boys came along.

GOD knew the risk of me becoming prideful as a parent.

He knew it.

I have a tendency to get comfortable in my abilities.

He knows that.

So He allows circumstance to keep me on my knees. 

To keep me focused on HIM.

To NEED Him.

Because He loves me.

Because He knows without Him, my life is nothing.

One day, the sun is shining.

There is promise in the day.

A promise to accomplish much.

A promise of time together as a family.

A promise that I will need my Heavenly Father to survive,

as I step out of the bathroom, dressed and ready for the day

when I hear my two youngest striving against the other's existence.

**SIGH**

Lord, help me to get through today.

As I sit at the table, trying to encourage children to start school.

It begins, "He is looking at me!"

"Nuh huh ~ He is looking at me!"

**Sigh**

God reminds me of the poster board in my room, I recently pulled out.

The older children come running.  Hanging over my shoulders.

What are you doing?

Shhh!

Still sitting at the table, the two youngers are still looking at each other and annoying one another.

Supposedly, trying to do school but can't 'cause "HE" is looking at him.

** SIGH **

And I plop these poster board dividers down and tell them to do school.

They laughed.

I didn't, my sense of humor had left me.

I think I forgot to ask God, to sustain my humor for the day.

I wish I could say it solved all my problems. 

One of my "sweet" little gifts discovered the poster board shielded him from my view and he snuck away to play instead of doing school.

**SIGH**

But at least they weren't looking at each other.

 

Sometimes it takes me a while...

I have been slow to come around. 

You see I can remember back in the day...way back in the day
When Candle Light (spelling) was all the rage.

It was back when I was young and in love and newly married.

Before 5 kids.

They smelled pretty.

The home parties were fun.

So I have heard rumblings here and there....Scentsy.

No way! 

You see I gave up my candles. 

Somewhere around kid number 2.

Just couldn't keep up when I was alone. 
Someone was always out of sight.

And well fire can be so pretty.

It can be so fascinating.

Then they learn to blow and well, they just blew them out.

Then I was hook line and sinkered into scrap booking.

Then along came child number 4 and 5.

Well, not doing much there. 

But all these neat and wonderful things cost money to keep up with and keep going.

My kids are the same way!

Come this past March I visited my frugal friend Dara.

Hook line and sinkered me! she did.

They got to her.  She is just as penny pinching as I can be, but they got to her.

I fell in love.

Pretty to look at. 

Pretty to smell.

But I didn't buy.  I just smiled.

Then summer came.

My boys played!

Need I say anymore.

I got to where I didn't want to go downstairs.

Opening windows helped.

Air freshners helped. 

Deodorant helped.

But only for a while....

Then I went to my family reunion.

They auctioned off some scentsy.

For sure what I thought was a bargain price.
(and it was!!! I soon found out...see the frugal me. )

But I had no warmer.

So I batted my eyes and said pretty please to hubby

and

he looked at me with this look that I know all too well.

The one that says, what is this really going to cost.

And he asked me what is SCENTSY???

Makes the house smell pretty.

Still the look.

Remember Candle light when we got married??

Maybe that wasn't the best comparison, cause that was a little pricey...

The eye brows go up!

But there is no fire.

We don't have to worry about the house burning down.

We would have a pretty smelling house....

He just can't resist my smile and eyes.

And I know it and I am sooo bad.  

He asked how much?

I had to restrain myself so he didn't go apopletic.

Then the next week, I inherited some from Papa and Grandmama Mac
(my parents!!!)

I saw them in their house and was so excited cause they were a part of the club!

Papa was like I don't know where the baseball thing is.
It was for a fundraiser, here take it all!!!

Are you sure?  It is pretty.  Surely Momma wants it.

Nope, they stuck it in my box of books.

I have been waiting and waiting.

My stuff came today!

My bathroom, cause I should get first dibs!!

 

My living room!

 

 

I quickly plugged them in and left for the night.

When everyone re entered they smiled!

Even hubby! 

He even agrees the basement needs one or two!!!

Then he asked about the cubes. 

I figured it out. 

Well it is a bit more than I spend in air freshners...

but it smells so yummy!

Surely I can stretch it out a little bit...

Surely, with some frugal conniving,
I can sniff to my heart's pleasure!

 

Saturdays at Grandpa's...

Grandpa has acerage.

There is golf swings to perfect.

As well as archery skills to work on.

Horses that come to the fence to feed.

Popsicles to eat.

Trees to run around and climb on sometimes.

And space, lots of space for exploring.

Wii, when you are a little hot and need to cool off.

Or maybe, western movies to watch with Grandpa.

 

And then the drive home, always ends like this....

 

 

Surviving the first day of school

I am not much for reward charts.  Not much for check off the boxes or put a sticker here and there.  Not that I don't try.  I make lots of lists and plans.  But the long term follow through just isn't there.  Sometimes it is a lack of motivation on my part, sometimes it just works for a day. 

But it was the first day of school and my younger two were hard to convince.

Thankfully, we had started our day with prayer. 
Thankfully, I was crying out to God to help me survive their combined efforts to color my hair gray.

Next thing I know I was in my cabinet pulling out the business card paper, typing up reward coupons.

My boys speak electronics. 
They love their DS, Wii, Netflix and TV.
They love their siblings' I Touches

For every assignment completed they get one card. 
For every whine, contrariness and headache they give me, I can take one or more away.

Plus, I was thoughtful enough to declare myself not responsible.
Not responsible to keep them from being lost.
If I find them laying around they are mine!

This week it is working.  Hard at work and asking for more assignments to earn more time.

Critical Thinking Boy Style

So Dad's Bud is reading aloud his Critical Thinking Riddles.

A powerful gun on,
The deck of a ship;
And I'm much too large,
To wear on you hip.
What am I? ......................................................

To which THE MAN responds, "RPG!"
My eyeballs popped out of my head.
Read that riddle again.
I have RPG running through my head and Fun Girl quickly starts describing a large black "gun" that "kabooms" while her hands are exploding out. 
I give in and say, "Cannon"
Dad's Bud then responds with, "That's old stuff.  We don't use things like that anymore."
Fine, write RPG down.
Dad's Bud ever so smart asks, "Do you even know what an RPG is mom?"
Sigh
"A big gun that you can't wear on your hip."
Dad's Bud, "A rocket launcher, something that destroys stuff."
Sigh.
I go back to what I was doing.
Dad's Bud, "Fine I will write cannon down."

Who knew the conversations I would have when home schooling.
Glad to know Cannons are old school and don't exist anymore.  What is really weirding me out is it was my sweet, loveable 6 year old who quickly responded with "RPG" in the beginning. 

Just in case you would like to check out where we find our critical thinking exercises.
This is the book we are working through right now.
 


This is post contains affiliate links.  You can read my disclosure here.

Tornados and Girls

Modern technology allows for really advanced warning.  Such a blessing! 
We have known days in advance of the severe weather on its way. 
Along with the advance warning it is possible to secure survival stuff and belongings you want to protect as much as possible.
Nothing like when I was little.  The sirens would go off and you took cover.  No worries about the stuff in your life. 
This mom thinks about medicine, dog food, water, a cell phone, financial information.
With 45 minutes to spare before the storm hits, I realized I had a 15 year old daughter and a 10 year old daughter.  Clearly identifiable by their priorities 
The 15 year old daughter takes care of the basic of needs and then makes sure she secures her hair styling equipment and makeup. 
The 10 year old daughter grabs her pillows, stuffed animals, blankets and crocheting. 
The brothers.....  well 2 of them are asleep on the basement couches.  Hockey Player makes sure the flashlights are in working order. 

Mustaches and Men

This is what happens while momma is away.  I was running errands on Grandpa Wednesday.  Fun Girl showed me the pictures she had taken.  Her words were, "It was a dry erase pen, be glad it wasn't a permanent marker!"

2 different definitions of clean............

I have been on a cleaning spree.  My family keeps trying to hide.
Though husband is happy about this sudden urge to clean.  It means I am the one doing it.
Lately, I have been urging him to conquer, the basement boys' bedroom.  When we had 2 boys upstairs sharing the room, I normally attacked it at least monthly.  Since the combo room moved downstairs, I have just avoided it like the plague.  Begged hubby to take on the instructing of his boys in how to clean their room.  Finally, out of desperation to try and find Hockey Player's i-Touch, I headed down there.  Not too bad, since 2 weeks ago, Big O Daddy did venture down there to help the boys.  The first thing I did was pull out a drawer from under the bunk beds. 

NOT SO GOOD! ! ! !

I found 4 rolls of toilet paper.  Mostly unrolled!  What on earth??   None of it used, which was actually pretty cool..cause I had just run out of toilet paper in my bathroom.  Now I didn't have to go to the store right away.  I continued to pull stuff out from under the bed.  Mind you these are twin size bunkbeds.  With drawers underneath.  There isn't a lot of room under there.  I filled a large dirty clothes hamper with laundry and 2 trash bags with trash. 

I thought the men (husband included) cleaned 2 weeks ago.  On one of the many trips up the stairs, I popped into the bedroom and gently woke my not feeling well hubby, to tell him, "Our definition of clean is NOT THE SAME!"  He just rolled back over and went to sleep.

I kept asking my kids over and over.. "any sentimental value, attachment issues"  As long as the answer was no, it went into the trash.  That worked really well with "The Man" until he realized trash bag really meant trash.  Ohhhh the tears.  He would follow Hockey Player to the dumpster with the bags.  We started trying to slip things out while he wasn't looking. 
Then I started in on the closet!
I don't know how they live like this.  I know where all the socks have been hiding.  No wonder they never seem to have any clean clothes.  All their dirty clothes ended up in the toy box.  Aiy!!
I forced them to stay with me and clean. 
4 bags of trash + 2 laundry hampers filled later, I announced, "NOW you know to clean your room!"
Hockey Player looked at me with his big eyes and said, "Ok."
Time will only tell. 

My Name Is..........

He may be a shorty but he makes up for it in personality.

He is so stinking adorable and hilarious.  He has us in stitches all the time.

When Fun Girl entered high school, she was known as "The Man's Big Sister" in youth group.

Just a little backwards, normally kids are known by their older siblings.

When he turned 5 he asked to go to Olive Garden.

He proceeded to flirt with the waitress like no other.  He was nose to nose chatting with her about who knows what and she was captivated by his charm.  He ended up asking her to write her name on his to go box.

She did.  He then asked for her phone number and extracted a promise that she would wait for him to get a little bit older!   Really?

That is just one of many stories we could tell.

He loves the girls.  He loves that he has a teenager sister and all her friends think he is adorable.  He has a hockey team of big brothers who think he is hysterical and they include him in everything.

So when we were in Wisconsin he found this T-Shirt.

It was a must buy.

Now he says,

 "That's me, Ladies Man, all the ladies love me."  

&  

"Cause, I always get the ladies!"

And he is correct.

 Cause when all the youth group girls stop to give you their undivided attention cause you are so stinking adorable, you rule the roost. 

 

He will even tell you,

"They all go "The Mannnnnn"  in their high sweet girly voices."

I just wanted one good photo. 

He required a photo shoot and a promise I would share all the photos,

so that I could even get the one I wanted. 

Oh brother !

Shopping with the Boys!

My boys have never been much for shopping with me.  They will a little as long as it is in their best interest.  Meaning more often than not sporting goods, Nike, Under Armour and the occasional garage sale. Occasional meaning one every couple of weeks.  Sometimes they will allow me 5 without complaints.  Just depends on the day.  So when in Wisconsin we had to stop and check out some of the major sites...shopping sites that is. 

On the list Once Upon a Child.  Guaranteed we have one here, but I will admit it doesn't compare to the one Dara took us to visit.  The quality and quantity of these quality clothes far surpassed any that I find here back home.  The prices were mind blowing.  Not only were many of the items like new or new with tags, but most of them were priced between $5 and $8.  All high end Name Brands.  Gymboree. Nike. Under Armour. Rare Editions. Justice. Ralph Lauren. 

Heaven! 

So with Fun Girl next door at the color coordinated and organized like a rainbow Plato's Closet, I directed each of my other 4 to their size of clothes.  Told them to take a look.  I figured I would get a few minutes to myself.  

AH contraire my sweet cherie. 

My 2 youngest boys were in heaven.  Go figure? ! ?  

Every couple of seconds I was interrupted with,"I like this one."  "Check this one out." "This one has my name written all over it."  "I want this one."  

I learned a lot about my boys.  I knew their styles and color choices swayed in certain directions, but I never would have chosen some of the things they did.  

Like these shorts.  Even though I enjoy the fun plaid shorts in the store, never in my wildest imaginations did I dare think one of my boys would wear them.  And yet..... Dad's Bud chose this pair.  Then he discovered they went really well with his Cub Scout uniform.  

The Man discovered "the handsomest, fanciest white church shirt ever" and we actually had to go back the next day to get it cause I put in the reject pile.  He asked like a bazillion times for the shirt.  Talk about throwing this momma for a loop.  And well it is "the handsomest, fanciest white church shirt ever".  Dara found the tie and the look was completed. 

The Handsomest, fanciest white tie shirt ever really does need to be worn to church.

He didn't forget, cause this is what he wore to Awana !

When the white shirt is in the laundry, you can still wear the "choker tie" as he calls it. 

Growing Up!

Some of my younger friends have been asking me what I have done in terms of talking to my son about growing up.  I have been telling them about the Boy's Body Book.

I had done quite a bit of research before deciding upon this book.  But what caused me to take the plunge was the reviews that compared it to the American Girl book, "The Care and Keeping of You.  

I especially like the fact that the 3 letter word is not discussed.  It, also, encouraged the boys to take on household responsibilities like laundry.  Talked about how body changes aren't an easy thing to talk about for the kids or the parents and some of the reasons.  Presents a nice foundation for understanding and communication on both sides.  

Flutter Nutter Quoteables

While being forced to do his school work and not liking it one bit Flutter Nutter was fussing and mumbling. 
Then all of a sudden we heard, "HUMBUG!"  "That's the word I was looking for!"
To which Big O Daddy O would not chuckle over because Flutter Nutter was being disobedient.  Unfortunately, Fun Mom and Mom dissolved into chuckles.  The charm of this young man could very well be his undoing.  At least he will know the word for it, HUMBUG!

Cause he is goofy and we love him..

Flutter Nutter found a sticker laying around.  Decided he needed to be a little creative and animated. 

His praise hands !

His growl look !

Fist pump!

Check out those bottom two teeth missing!

Hard to believe when he does things like this, that he is six!

ZooBooks, Zootles, and Zoobies Buy One Get One Free + 25% off

My boys love Zoobooks!
Recently we added Zootles for the youngest. 
Every year I hold out to renew until the Buy One Get One Free sale is here. 
This time the email contained a coupon code for 25% off.  Not sure if it would apply, I typed it in the coupon code box.  It worked! 
Happy Dance!!!  Love, love, love unexpected deals and savings.

For the sale click here.  The coupon code is: 25OFF

What is it with Wednesdays?

Last week it was all about language.  This week, Daddy's Buddy asks me about Grandma when she died.  Did we put her in a box and she died or did we put her in the ground and she died?  I had to explain, she died in her sleep at HOME, then she went to a funeral home, they put her in a nice box called a casket and then put her in the ground.  AHHH, that is how it works. 
Hockey Player then asks, "Don't they drain all the blood out of the body and replace it with a preservative?"
A lot of oooohs and yucks. 
"Yes and sometimes  no," I replied shaking my head the whole time.
Little Princess pipes in with, "Unless they want to be cremated and turned into ashes."
Daddy's Buddy adds, "If they don't want to be in their dead body for the rest of their life."
Hysteria breaks out.
In their dead body for the rest of their life....
repeated over and over and loads of laughter
At this time, I am in the Pizza Hut drive through, at the window and can't stop laughing.  I have to explain to the lady in the window about last week and the current conversation.  She starts to laugh pretty good over being in the dead body for the rest of your life.  I mean seriously, how do the kids come up with these things?

But it doesn't stop there.  Flutter Nutter is giving me trouble with wearing his seat belt proper.  I decide drastic measures must be used.  I very calmly inform him, I do not want to buy a casket for Christmas.  I do not want to spend Christmas crying.  Would he please sit properly in the car?

He did for all of 5 minutes.  To which I sounded off and told him, "Fine, you die, I am not buying you a head stone.  I refuse to buy you a head stone for Christmas."  He shaped up and sat all good in his seat and seatbelt.  Who knew.  Having a head stone is important !

Then coming home from church Flutter Nutter is being all super silly and disobedient, AGAIN.
I am done and tired.  I am not letting them take you to the funeral home.  I don't want a Christmas funeral.  I will just leave you by the side of the road if you get killed.  Shaped up and sat like he was supposed to.  FLutter Nutter did respond with, "Cool."  Not exactly what I was looking to hear.  Hockey Player quickly responded with, "Not cool, cause then people would think you had been murdered."

Time to change the subject..."Let's go look at Christmas lights!"

I don't play possum !!

I catch frogs.  I catch toads.  I catch snakes.  I will even hold a boa constrictor.  I dissect creatures for science classes.  I put worms on fish hooks.  I take fish off of fish hooks.  I don't do possum. 
I "caught" a possum eating Gus' dog food last night. 
Scared it off.  Except it went under the house.  **sigh**
Now we know why Gus keeps having the HUGE barking fits.  Why he runs like a crazed animal we don't recognize.  He runs in circles from one of the yard to the other, back and forth, back and forth for what seems like forever.  Barking and freaking out. 
So I started making calls this morning.  Animal control won't do anything.  Told us to talk to Animal Services.  They don't do anything.  They told us to call  the Department of Wildlife.  They don't do anything. 
Somewhere along the line someone thought it was helpful to tell me we probably had a nest under my house. 
A NEST ! * ** * * *  A NEST !  * * * **
And noone can be of help.  They offer suggestions on how to trap them.  Tell you how to release them. 
And then they all feel the need to tell me the good news...they don't carry rabies.
And then they tell me, they have ugly smiles and yucky mouths.  Their mouths are incredibly dirty and full of bacteria.  BUT they don't bite unless provoked.  They are possums.  Don't bite unless provoked.  I kinda forget some of the other things they said it was rare for possums to do... Cause all I can think is I have 3 boys.  Setting a trap to catch a possum would be cool.  As for bites and how rare that is, I am having flash backs to a collison with a bowl of ice cream and the need for stitches....and the many other strange and rare events my family has had the joy of experiencing.  Somewhere along the line, something was said about kids and traps and not a good idea and I start hyperventilating..
Big O Daddy O looks at me.  I am hyperventilating.  Pretty much freaking out.  My kids jaws are on the floor.  I don't do possum.  Giant, filthy, bacteria infested, foaming from the mouth, overgrown, wiry, hairy, ugly RATS!  I break down sobbing, big sobbing.  Big O Daddy O just looks at me.  I sobbed, I don't know why I can't do this, I just can't.  I do all the other things, just not possum.  PLEASE, GET THEM OUT OF HERE! ! ! !  It doesn't help not knowing if there is a "nest".  I am certainly not getting down on the ground to look under my house.  This is not the kind of zoo I live in/with.  This could take days, weeks....  Can I go somewhere else, please????

Flutter Nutter and Daddy's Buddy!

Driving past the car dealership near home, I hear...  (I am referring to Boys because I can't remember exactly which one said what. )
Boys:  That camo truck has gas in it.
Mom:  I am sure it does. (Afterall, how could one drive without gas in a vehicle?)
Boys:  Gas like Grandpa has. 
Mom:   Trying to not laugh.  Which Grandpa?
Boys:   The Grandpa with gas. 
Mom:  Trying so hard to not laugh.  At this point I am thinking they are refering to the gas tank we take out to the lake to fill the boat and ask if that is the case?
Boys:   Noooo,
Boys:   But that Grandpa. 
Mom:  Ahhh, Grandpa D.  Are you refering to his Oxygen tank? 
Boys:  Yes, and Oxygen is a gas.
Mom:  Right you are!  More chuckling quietly to myself.  So glad we had a bit of clarity there.

April Reflections, part 5, the finale

Day 8 of this roller coaster. I am blogging.
I truly hope, this will be the last of the spring time excitement. I have yet to check, but I think we are probably close to having exhausted our flex account.
Monday morning started with a quick shower, history lesson about Justinian 1 and Theodora. I knew it would be the only lesson I would get done for the day.
Flutter Nutter in his PJs is out the door promptly at 8 am.
Time for ear tubes.
All went well, till the recovery.
I did not expect 30 minutes of crying.
and drama...remember the ER.
DRamA.
Flutter Nutter is king of drama.
Nurse would walk into the recovery area and wailing and sobbing when resume.
Thermometers were as scary as a horror film.
I was compassionate. I was kind. But completely not prepared emotionally for how emotional he was. I mean, I had ear tubes. I remember being a little freaked out by bloody cotton balls laying by my head and the fact I was in bed with a sheet over me and my gown and undies were missing. But then again, that was 30 years ago. I don't remember crying.
I asked him what he wanted to eat.
FN: "I can't eat today!" more sobbing.
Misunderstanding, fasting only until surgery was over.
In that case. McDonald's.
Can do.
Then he remembers the lollipops.
The nurse comes into the room.
FN: "I think that was worth 2"
She looks at me.
I laugh. He thinks what he has been through is worth 2 lollipops. She smiles.
And returns with another lollipop.
So I take him to McDonald's and like any good mother, I remember the Gymboree email I received this morning.
Gymboree is 2 miles away.
I coax him into letting me shop. $2.99 sale! TV, chairs, lounge and rest. Drink your root beer.
YES! He agreed. Turned out to be a good thing. An hour later, he was feeling much better and ready to see his siblings.
I scored some awesome deals.
Casting in the afternoon. More appointments scheduled for the ENT and follow up for the broken arm.
Wiggles, and wiggles and wiggles.
FN: "I am not allowed to hit you guys with my cast!"
That's right. Rule number 1 from the doctor.
Daddy's Buddy is quick to say he would have chosen the neon green. Without thinking, I said, "Well, break your arm and you can have whatever color you want."
Hmmm, running out of humor and patience and little fried.
Doctor was quick to say, "Shhh, don't say that. That one would likely take you up on it!"
CHOKE, GAG, he's right, what was I thinking?
By now, my boys look like they have beaten each other up. But it is all self~inflicted.
Do they slow down? No.
Do they care their mother's nerves are shot? No

Then.... yes, there is a then....
Almost bedtime and FN has a gushing bloody nose. Noticed by Little Princess.
Caused by picking his nose, of course.
Blood everywhere. We are trying to clean him up.
He sobs, dramatically, of course,

"It's just be mean to Flutter Nutter Day!"

and I am sure it very well felt like that. Tubes, fasting, casting, nose bleeds, blankies being washed...

Tomorrow had better be "Pamper the Mom day, cause she needs a vacation!"