My Dearest Mother

Over the years, I and my siblings have learned many lessons from our mother. She taught us to cook, clean, write, read (some of us more than others), work hard. The usual things that a mother teaches to her children. Then there are other, more unique things she has taught us.

Like the value of sleep. Older sister learned this lesson many times.

She taught me that it is important to take care of one's health.

(I always ask exactly what medicine she is giving me after this experience)

 She never missed a chance to teach us the proper way to punish naughty children. Older Brother, and Oldest Sister often provided the perfect opportunities for such lessons.

She set the example of valuing tasty treats.

And especially to never waste tasty treats. EVER.

She wasn't afraid to slam on the breaks of life (and her Subaru Forester) for a chance to enjoy nature.

She has always been there for us.

At night, to wipe away the tears from a bad dream...

...And during the day to provide plenty of entertainment.

Here's to you Mom!

Happy Mother's Day

Easter Bunny

I was a gullible child. I mean, SUPER gullible. I believed in Santa Claus until 6th grade. I was almost 12 years old one Christmas day, when I started thinking about him. I was looking at a radio/cd player the big man had left for me and it dawned on me. There was NO WAY a single person could get around the world, visiting every single house along the way, in one night. Or fit down chimneys. Plus, reindeers can't fly. My realization was solidified when oldest sister came down the stairs and saw me looking at my present. She asked "who'd you get that from, Santa?" She smiled and walked away. Life got much less magical after that day.

There was a day, sometime close to Easter when I was a bit younger, before I had the magic completely ripped from my life, that little sister and I were looking for something. I have no idea what we were looking for, but we were having a hard time finding it. As anyone with a mother (or wife) does, we decided to ask Momma if she knew where the item was.

That was a much harder task than one might think. Especially because Momma was reading a book. I remember times that I actually had to put my hand in from of the words she was reading to get her attention. On this occasion, I used a method some might recognize from a popular animated youtube clip. This was way before the clip, mind you, but I don't have any difficulty imagining where they got the inspiration.

I don't know why I took such a risk. Momma and Pappa's closet was usually off limits. Especially around holidays. I knew this, yet I still suggested we look in it. Had I only known...

Little sister and I found a paper grocery bag FULL of candy. How did I not connect the two? One would think I would have seen it, and that Easter + bag of hidden candy = NO EASTER BUNNY. I wonder how many lies people told me that I believed without thinking twice.

It didn't click. So like the naive little child I was, I ran off to inform my mom of the hidden treasure. Because, ya know, obviously she didn't know about it.

To clarify. Momma is one of the coolest, most laid back, nicest people one could meet. So us children must have been especially annoying on the given day. That would also explain why the book was being read. It would have been a way to escape the spastic children, without leaving the house.

Oh....