Like mother, like daughter

My mother and I live thousands of kilometers apart, and I usually manage to visit her only once a year. I call her twice a week to catch up. This is the time of year when she will nag me: don't send me flowers for Mother's Day! I want a card! The flowers always die but the card will last forever!

And, being the awful daughter I am, I always send her flowers. Because I never remember to get the card to her in time, and then end up calling up a local florist the Friday before Mother's day to order a big colorful bouquet in a vase.

But this year I remembered, and I bought her *2* cards. One ridiculously oversized one, about 18x12", which opens up to reveal a large folded butterfly and one of those tinny recorded songs. I'm not sure this bulky envelope will make it through international mail - will it look like electronics are being smuggled? But I do know it will make her giggle in delight when she opens it. As a backup, I also got her a regular sized card, all pink and flowery with glitter, because my Mom is a young girl at heart and glitter is still a treat for her.

And, because the hub and the kids never remember when Mother's Day is, I have already nagged all three of them that their butts are mine on Sun, May 8. I called it "family day" and *still* none of them connected the dots and realized what day it is. I never get cards or presents, because we are a family of absent-minded dolts, but I am claiming a day of family time. We are going to spend all day together - we are going to eat together. Maybe play a game together. Maybe go for a walk somewhere together. And, realistically, probably going to spend the evening with our heads buried in four different laptops, but in the same house, darn it, so that counts as together!

Now let's see if I can manage to get everyone to sign both cards and get them into the mail tomorrow for my Mom!