A Retro Mother's Day

A few weeks ago I was digging through a kitchen drawer looking for a calculator (I, apparently, cannot tell the difference between a 3 and a 5 when maintaining my checkbook) when I found something my mother has had hidden away for I have no idea how long. It has to be almost twenty years ago now that I spent an afternoon making a delicious mess in my bedroom, while creating for her what has become a kid craftiness cliche: the Mother's Day Coupon Book.

May I draw your attention to the childish "title" of this book? As well as that stellar stapling job holding it all together? And you gotta love the faded old construction paper.

 I even stuck in a bunch of dividers like a real coupon book. I always wanted one of those--I would go shopping with my mom and the other ladies would have their neatly organized coupon folders. I remember thinking that I would definitely have one when I grew up. Now I keep my coupons the way my mother did--crammed in my bag until I need them. Why mess with a system that works?

Let's see what she was entitled to oh so many years ago:

These were obviously joke coupons. Our dogs have always loved my mom best--no coupons needed for snuggles. I think she never redeemed the bath coupon because she knew it would be triple the work to clean up the major flood that would have been caused.

 I reeeaaallllllly used to hate vacuuming. I think I threw that little disclaimer in there so my brother couldn't try to pull a fast one when it was his turn...

 Here's some artistic free-styling on the furniture polishing coupon. I never could tell what that pink sticker was so it needed a qualifier.

I am appalled at my lack of straight edges. I think I made everything and never measured so there was last-minute trimming.

  I thought I was oh so clever with my sticker choices.

 I have absolutely no idea why I included my sisters and the dog in this but not my brother. He had probably already bought her some useful store-bought gift...

When I made this I remember that I fully expected her to use these. Never mind that most of the chores were things she would have had me do coupon or no coupon. I recalled some years later that she had never turned them in. I didn't fully understand why. But now that I've watched my nephew grow up and have been able to spend a ridiculously lucky amount of time with him and received some things made with his own little hands I get why she kept it, staples and messy disintegrating layers of construction paper and all. I suppose it's one of those things that you ladies call a "mom thing."

So now I wish to you, all of you wonderful mothers, the most delightful of days. I hope you cash in on some breakfast in bed, some sweet smelling flowers, and hugs and kisses to last a lifetime. I hope you know how much your children appreciate you, even if they don't always say it, and how empty our lives would be without you in them. You give us that "thing"--that thing that having a mom gives you, and for that we thank you. I have not yet been blessed with children--but I have been blessed with an angel mother. I heart you beyond comprehension, my dear mumsy. 

Happy Mother's Day!

I'm showing everyone what a geek I was at these parties this week: