I Love My Kids

I had a fabulous day yesterday.  It was Mother's Day.  

I have a love hate relationship with this day.  

Some years it has been rocky (not due to the kids) but this year it was fantastic. 

 I told the two that live near me that I didn't want anything for Mother's Day except them to come to my house and help me in the garden.  

The front garden especially has gotten out of control and really just needed to have most everything removed so it can be re-done.

Little did I know how this day would turn out. 

 First thing, my eldest daughter wanted to take me out for breakfast. 

 She asked if her MIL could come too as her son (my SIL) was out of the state and 

my daughter wanted to celebrate for him. 

 Of course I said yes! 

 So we went to breakfast and that was followed up with manicure/pedicures at the local salon. 

 I did not get a manicure as I knew we would be working in the garden.  

After that we went back to my house and about 10 minutes later my son showed up.

He came out of the truck with the biggest, most beautiful bouquet EVER!

I LOVE both Stargazer Lillies and Daisies.

This arrangement had them in abundance!

Isn't it gorgeous?

This was from all three of my children.

The middle one lives in NC so she could not be here to celebrate with us.

Then the garden work began.  Shelby and I were weeding and I charged Thadd with turning over the grass that was in the expanded portion of the garden.

He took the weed wacker and leveled the grass into dirt. 

Not exactly what I expected but I think it will work with a bit more effort on my part.

Then I asked them to help me remove the dead bush.  

Oh baby, taking out the one dead bush ended up in removing all 4 bushes 

(they looked awful once we got the dead one out.)

Shelby and I dug out around each bush and we hooked up the towing strap and Thadd pulled them out using the truck!!!

Just look at the roots on those things!!!  

Then we had to drag them to the back yard.  Chris can cut them up when he gets home.  

They were incredibly HEAVY!!!

Empty gaping holes, and branches filling some of the space in.

Now I have a LOT more work to do in leveling out the ground,

 making sure I can kill the left over weeds and grass.  

I plan to fill in with some purchased dirt, put down weed barrier, and maybe plant.  

Then wood chips on top. 

 My plan is to plant some blueberry plants and Peonies near the house and

 fill in with some vegetables in the large center and border with annuals. 

 I will have to see what hubby thinks.  

He is out of the country this week.

I kept on saying, dad isn't going to be happy we did this...

And they kept on saying, well, he should have been here then.

And we would all laugh and laugh.

It was fantastic!

I was dirty, a little sun burnt and exhausted and incredibly HAPPY!!  

This was one of the best days ever!!!  

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and celebrated your moms, moms to be, grandmas and any other mother figure you love!  

~XOP~