Category Archives: Holidays

My sisters and me (I'm on the far left)

“A printed card means nothing except that you are too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world. And candy! You take a box to Mother — and then eat most of it yourself. A pretty sentiment.”

                                                – Anna Jarvis, Founder of Mother’s Day

There’s no mistaking that today is Mother’s Day.

The stores, florists and e-commerce sites have been preparing for this holiday since Peter Cottontail hit the Bunny Trail.

As we near the day’s 100^th celebration, I’m sure if Anna Jarvis were alive today, she would not be pleased at the day’s celebration. She surely wasn’t happy with the “commercialism” of it back in the 1920s, although I am struggling with what that really looked like. Printed cards? Flowers? What would dear Anna say to an iPad? Yikes.

How I am celebrating the day? Well, with both of my girls covering shifts at their place of employment, my husband took over, making me a wonderful breakfast. Plus, coffee, paper and the TODAY show. What more could I want?  Then later, we’ll get together with my husband’s side of the family for a cookout and I’ll call my parents, who live out-of-state and my sisters who also don’t live nearby (sorry, Mom, the cards will be late again this year!!).

So here it goes:

1. Always leave a place cleaner than you found it. (My grandmother and mom were both die-hard Girl Scouts and when I got married, my husband’s mom and her mom were also of this same philosophy!)
2. If you get something out, put it back where it belongs. (This one not only helps make your mom stay sane but comes in handy when you grow up and have roommates. I am struggling to help my youngest learn this one. She is of the camp that believes you need to have multiple homes for things).
3. Ask! What’s the worst thing someone can say? (Shoot for the stars! So what if they say no? If you don’t ask, you can’t get where you want to go!).
4. Don’t be late. (If you’re on time, you’re late. And if you’re early, you’re on time. Employers want people who are going to be on time).
5. Don’t lean on your broom handle. (Don’t stand around not doing anything. If you are all done your chores, ask for more to do).
6. Believe in yourself and respect yourself. (Even if things don’t seem to be going your way or you’re taking the hard road, respect will get you where you eventually need to go).
7. You’re guilty by association. (Choose your friends carefully.)
8. It doesn’t look good. (This one applied more to my youngest sister. It was not a reference to her attire but more to whatever she was doing. It just never looked good. She must have listened, since she did still grew up without any major incidences!).

And then I just must finish with this:

The statements my Mom used that I swore I would not use with my kids:

• Well, when I was your age…
• Who died and left you in charge/boss/queen?
• What part of NO didn’t you understand?
• Yes, I DO have eyes in the back of my head.
• You’re the oldest. You should know better (As the oldest, I seriously SWORE I would NEVER EVER say that. Sorry, daughter #1).
• Do you think money grows on trees?
• If so-and-so jumps of a bridge, would you do that too? (I have modified this to be: Well, I’m not so-and-so’s mom).

And my all-time favorite:

• Because I said so!!

Somehow it does all come around again. And MY kids are saying that they won’t use these lines.

We’ll see about that.

So, to my wonderful mother, thank you. And to my amazing two sisters, my terrific mother-in-law and my awesome sister-in-law, Happy Mother’s Day!

May every mother reading this have a truly wonderful day …