"Happy April!"

April is one of our bigger party months. Especially this April. Our oldest daughter is turning twenty one, another daughter is turning eleven, one of our littlest is turning five, my niece is turning sixteen and my Mother is turning sixty! My sister has plans for our Mother that I won't mention on here just in case my Mother decides to read this post but I've been stumped on what I want to do for her. Of course I will be a part of my sisters plans but I'm more of the quality sentimental type that wants to take a day to spend with my Mother. When I think of her, I think that she works to hard, she hasn't seen or has been able to see much of this world. She's never owned a passport, she rarely takes holidays and if she does, she spends her time working in her garden. My Mother has worked all her life. When I think of her, she's helped me all my life; from my first baby up until having many Grandchildren. She's accepted my life choices that have changed her life because now she has a list of who's turn (what grandchild) gets to spend the night with Grandma. She's the only Grandmother that juggles her time to make time for our children. She's my Mother who made me who I am today. Without her guidance through my childhood, I wouldn't be as organized, structured and routined as I am. Most of my fondest memories was of her baking and cooking in the kitchen, having a warm fresh bun with butter. Camping all summer long and her making us our homemade cabbage patch kids, big frog pillows for the floor for Christmas. So when I think about my Mother's birthday, I think giving a gift is traditional. All our children have a choice on their birthdays what they want to do. It's making it special for them, it's their day. For my Mother, she deserves a day off. Not only a day off from work but some quality time with her daughter. Yes that's me! I'm in thought mode but I want to bring her places she's never seen, I want to treat her as special as she means to me. When I was a child, (like our children now) I never thought too much about my parents, they were my parents. They were suppose to do everything they did. Now being a Mother reflecting back, I was lucky to have my Mother. I know she loved me and did the best she could, I know she loves me now and is trying to be the best Grandma she can be given her time. Gifts are like a collection of pigs, it's clutter. For years and years I bought my Mom different ornaments that she still has. Now I don't want to do that. She doesn't need another lawn ornament or cement statue for her porch. She needs a day off with her daughter, pictures and some good laughs about the good ole days. Now I just have to figure out where, what, how and when? For the rest of the birthdays it's a piece of cake, add a little icing, tlc of their liking and they age another year! Amazing how fast we're all aging and our hearts remain young. I hope when I grow up, our children will still spend some time with me too!