Got Cake?

I made this card for my older brother. He is the same brother who started our family's weight loss club (as a family we are down 301lbs since February). He loves receiving my cards. He thinks they are just as good as hallmark. I think they are 10x better but that is his way of paying me a compliment.

I thought the sentiment "Got Cake?" was perfect. His answer should be no on any other day, but for his birthday he should indulge.

Happy Birthday (not so big anymore) Big Brother. Love you!

Favorite Mama

I'm sure you guessed it, I saved the best for last. My favorite kind of mama is MY MAMA!!! Now I know that most people think their mama is the best. But hands down, my mother can beat your mother in a mother contest....whatever that would entail.

I always tell her she is my favorite mama to which she replies, "But I am your only mama" (my mom is smart as well as adorable). My response is "But if I had other mothers, you would be my favorite." And it's true. She would be my favorite.

She is the cuties 4 ft 10 inch - 73 year old - nicely round and squishy mother you will ever come across. She is soft in all the right places; the perfect partner to snuggle up with. She makes the best tortillas this side of the border. And she has this laugh.....I can't explain it, you have to hear it to fully understand what it does to you.  No matter what we are doing - whether it's playing Wii bowling (yes, she is in an senior citizens  Wii bowling league) or playing cards (you better watch her - she cheats) or just sitting on the couch talking, I always have the best time.

Happy Mother's Day to my FAVORITE MAMA!!!! I love you!

And Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers out there. Thank you for being your child's favorite mother!

Godmother Mama

I admire women who give birth and raise nothing but boys. To be the only woman in a house filled with dirty stinky boys takes a certain type of person. Someone who isn't afraid of washing a load of whites - which haven't looked white since the day they came out of the package. The type of woman who has learned to no longer ask where a stain came from or why a pair of tidy whities with three holes is in the laundry basket instead of the trash. Between stories of video games and gross bugs they find outside and bring inside, I am amazed at how a mother of boys keeps her sanity. But they do because that is a mother's love - to love what others wouldn't. To see the beauty in bugs, the poetry of the stories, the humor in the laundry. 

My godmother is a mother of four boys. She raised them practically on her own. They have grown up to be wonderful young men who are kind and giving. They love her so much and would do anything for her. They are no longer dirty or stinky, however I doubt it very much if they throw underwear away once there's a hole in it - its some kind of guy thing they never grow out of. I would be willing to bet that Adam had holes in his underwear and Eve couldn't convince him to throw them away either.

Happy Mother's Day Godmother Mama!

New Mama

Motherly instinct is a wonderful mystery. Although modern medicine and science try to explain the phenomena of instinct there are no words or definitions that can nail it down. When a woman becomes a mother she somehow taps into a psychic and connected power with her child. That's how they know you are sneaking Oreos to your room and that you are dating your ex for the third time. Most mothers worry whether or not they will be good enough for their baby. They worry about organic vs processed baby food, Barny - is he really worth it, and will their child love them more than they love their father. They will read many books on parenting hoping that someone has the answer and is willing to share. But in the end, all they have to do is follow their instinct.

This card goes out to a mother of one adorable baby boy.  She is a new mom and like most new moms she was worried for nothing. She is perfect. She spoils him just enough (and allows the grandmas to spoil him rotten like every good mom should), she talks to him in English instead of baby gibberish, and she is not worried if he stands up and bumps his head on the table - according to her, how else will he learn to be careful.

It is my firm belief that in the end, all that mothers have to do is love their child more than anything else in the world. As for the rest - let psychiatrists figure it out.

Happy mothers day New Mama. You're doing great!

Buffalo Bills Mama

Mother, mom, mama, ma, madre, however you say it, the feelings and memories that follow is almost always the same - love, warmth, cuddly,  soft, judgmental, hugs, kisses, safe, laughter, busy body, cookies, your favorite sandwich with the crust cut off - I could go on. Mothers are superhuman. They know everything, see everything, and can do anything. Being a mother is a full time job they will have for the rest of their life. I am over 30 years old and I still call my mother when I have a bad dream. What?.... she makes me feel better.

This year I have decided to show my appreciation to all the mothers in my life - sisters, sister-in-laws, and friends - by creating and sending them a card for mother's day.  Here is card 1 of 8.

The lovely mother that is receiving this card has a very giving heart. She always makes you feel right at home when you go over to visit. She'll make your favorite food, play your favorite card game, she'll even let you watch whatever you like on TV. But come football season look out - she is a wonderful hostess up until the Buffalo Bills lose. Then she is in a bad mood for the rest of the day and it is best to stay out of her way. Unfortunately for her family, that's almost every Sunday from August to January :)

She has one child - a teenage boy. He is polite, giving, smart, and will undoubtedly become a wonderful young man. But for now he is a teenager which means he can be a butt-head. I love how she reminds him that no matter how cool he thinks he is, she can still tell him to put his underwear away...loud enough so his girlfriend can hear in the other room. Cracks me up. She is awesome.

Happy mother's day to my Buffalo Bills mama.

97 miles down - 85 left to go

I am very happy to report my brother made it through the first day without having to use the butt cream. He breezed through the first 97 miles in just five hours. Once the riders arrive in La Grange (the half way point), they are told to take a shower and sign up for massages. There are several shower trailers lined up but the lines are still long.

Each team has a tent where the riders and their families eat lunch and dinner. For those riders who were not lucky enough to reserve a hotel room they sleep in the tent as well - my brother was one of them. Some of the teams have the most interesting bbq pits. This one belongs to a sanitation team.

Unfortunately there is a flash flood watch in La Grange this evening. My brother was told to remove any items from the floor to avoid getting wet, which was very funny seeing as how his blow up mattress was on the floor. But looking on the bright side of things, he could turn this bike ride into a triathlon if the flood waters do come. That is on his bucket list as well. 

Below is a card I made him for the second day just in case he needed a little pick me up.

MS 150

The MS 150 is a bike ride from Houston to Austin. It takes place over a two day period. Riders ask for sponsorship to help support this great cause. Although it is called MS 150 the ride is over 180 miles. My brother has been training for the MS 150 since October of last year. He took it up as a form of inexpensive exercise. Little did he know the bike, the shoes, the gear, the training classes, the butt cream, and cycling classes would add up to over a $1,000 - but he has loved almost every minute of it - the times he has had to use the butt cream - not so much :)

This will be his first year in the event and he is so excited - I am nervous. There are thousands of riders every year and unfortunately its raining and a bit yucky this weekend. I know he is well trained and he will be carefully but it's the people around him I'm most nervous about. He is part of an awesome team The Hammer Heads. His team leader has been doing this event for many years and is very detailed oriented, qualities both my brother and I admire in a leader. For example, below is one of many emails my brother has received leading up to this event - notice this is a MINIMUM packing list. 

Here is the suggested minimum packing list...

Bike and both wheels

Helmet

Cycling clothes (both days)

Cycling shoes

Cycling gloves (2 pairs)

Cycling socks (2 pairs)

Cycling sun glasses

Change of Clothes for after ride (both days)

Change of shoes

2 Towels

Toiletries

Cool weather clothes (jacket, tights, etc.)

Ride packet (including numbers)

Cell phone - please leave it off while riding unless you are on call or need to make an emergency call

Plastic grocery bag (for bike seat in LaGrange)

Rain jacket

Bike computer

Saddle bag

Water bottles

2 (or more) spare tubes

Prescription or reading glasses

Aspirin, Advil, Tylenol etc. (we will have Ibuprofen in the tent and a first-aid kit for small items)

Medication (as needed)

Lip balm and sunscreen

Cash and a credit card

Copy of Identification & insurance card (put this in your seat pack)

Cable & lock (optional, if used, be sure to NOT lock or block any other bikes) 

As of 9am (central time) he has completed 38 miles and has 62 left for the day. There will be a small group of us meeting him for dinner in La Grange. I can't wait to see him. This will be such a wonderful accomplishment for him.

Below is a card I made for him to help kick off the event.  Hopefully it helped calm any nerves he might have had this morning. 

The sentiment was stamped using two different stamp sets. The dragonfly is a brad and the border was made using a fiskars border punch. I really liked how it turned out. I hope he did too. I will be taking pictures of the event throughout the day and posting them this evening and tomorrow. I have no doubt he will successfully complete this bike ride and be able check it off of his bucket list. GO HAMMER HEADS!