Mixin it up

Happy Mother's Day!

Yes, I do realize that it's not until Sunday, but we have a syndrome around here. It's called the "once I've bought the gift I can't wait until the actual occasion to give it to you" syndrome. We have suffered from it since before we married. Thus things like "Happy Tuesday" were born.

Aaron asked me what I wanted for Mother's Day this year, and I told him I wanted a massage. Not from some spa, one from him. Partly so that I didn't have to get in a car and try to drive home afterward! : ) Thinking we'd both win that way (I'd get a massage, and he didn't have to spend any money), I figured it would be a good idea.

My dear husband is way too generous with me. He always has been. He does these little things (that typically aren't very little), typically when I'm not expecting it. For my birthday two years ago he brought home a catalogue and said "here. pick furniture." Well, ok then! (and thank goodness for connections that bring huge discounts!) I told him that was to cover birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, Valentines, Mother's Day, etc for a number of years. I think I need to get his hearing checked! Not only did he not listen, he has continued to go over the top. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining in the least! I just feel guilty that he always does these wonderful things for me and I don't get a chance to reciprocate. I will say that often times the things I ask for (a toilet brush and a swiffer-don't mention that to FIL who was ticked at those choices! lol), are not typical. It always takes me back to Father of the Bride. "A Blender?" I'm the kind of person who thoroughly enjoys practical things. Like a toilet brush. For my birthday last year he bought me the cadillac of vacuums (and yes-it was a gift that rocks!), and though I adore it, and use it multiple times every day, he still for some reason thinks it was a dumb gift. Um, no, it was GREAT! It IS great! I love it! It makes my life easier! I love anything that makes my life easier! Like my washer and dryer. I love them. and my husband. I love him too! ; )

Anyway, said wonderful husband was recently recognized by his company. On a local level he was presented with an award that is a huge deal. (YAY!) Then he found out this week that he was also being recognized by the corporate directors on a national company-wide level! Woo-hoo! I am very proud of all the hard work he puts into his job, and was thrilled to hear that he was being recognized. To add to the fun, each recognition came with a bonus.l Nothing huge or life changing, but hey, every little bit counts! Since there's not a lot of fun money floating around these days, I was excited that he would be able to do something for himself like get the bike he's been eyeing so he can go ride with the kids or something. Nope. He is taking a business trip soon and is taking a night to go up to NYC to see Wicked, so he said that was more than enough for him, especially since I am not going with him. I'm happy for him to get a chance to go! But being who he is, that wasn't enough....

He came home from work on Wednesday with a few wrapped packages and told me we were doing Mother's Day early. Sunday will be a crazy day (what else is new), so he wanted me to have a chance to use it now. He kept saying that it wasn't much, it was kind of a dumb thing, but it was something I had recently pointed out as something I'd like to try. (note: A good husband listens to his wife. A GREAT husband listens to his wife when she makes random comments while looking through some catalogue.) Being the freak baker that I am-and constantly craving carbs-I was happy to have some fun mixes presented to me to bake up some good stuff. Then he gave me a silicone muffin pan! Yay! (you must understand the rate at which I am baking muffins lately to appreciate that) He had heard me mention that I'd like to try the silicone baking cups instead of going through so many paper ones, but since he couldn't find the individual cups, he just got the whole thing. I love it! I didn't think it was a dumb gift at all! Then he handed me one more little box. He has a way of doing these things. Like when for Christmas a couple of years ago I opened a small piece of a nativity set that I'd wanted for years, only to find when I went to put it out that he had purchased and set up the entire set already. So- I opened the box to find cookie paddle attachments. For a mixer. A new mixer. A newly released Bosch Universal mixer with a 7qt bowl and 800watt motor. Hello! It is the mother of all mixers! After he was chastised for spending that much on me, we promptly began mixing away! : ) His explanation: I bake all the time, and he felt like instead of always doing breads and such by hand, and doing everything else with my broken hand mixer where sometimes the beaters just randomly fall off, he wanted me to have a way to do it more easily.

So, two days, two dozen muffins, many dozen cookies, and multiple loaves of bread and banana bread later-my house smells wonderful! Thanks babe, for spoiling me, indulging me, and not thinking I'm crazy for using baking as my therapy. Thanks most of all for giving me the gift and privilege of being on the receiving end of Mother's day. I love you!

The oven calls.