Happy Mother's Day

By K.J. Cardinal

Yesterday was so jam-packed with pampering and traveling that I didn't have an opportunity to publicly wish all of The Cardinal Blog mom's out there a much-deserved Happy Mother's Day. So, Happy Mother's Day!

I was originally scheduled to work a crew race yesterday (voluntarily), but I opted against it in favor of taking care of the women that always take care of me, my Mom and Angie.

First up was Angie. She woke up and was graced with two wonderful gifts... no not Anna and Sammy, but the two photos of them in this post instead. I have to admit that my photography skills are coming along for an idiot.

Next, Ang wanted to go out to breakfast, so we gorged ourselves at this place called Steven Anthony's down on Route 20 (this is the place where we took Anna to feed the ducks the other day). Pancakes, french toast, sausage, hash browns and biscuits and gravy were flying around, so it was no surprise that when lunch time came, I just skipped the meal entirely. Anna was also spotted taking shots of milk out of little creamer cups... a great photo op.

After breakfast we made a quick trip to Home Depot where we picked up some fresh sand for Anna's new sand boxes/Daddy's old horseshoe pits and some hoses and sprinklers so I could officially get a poor man's irrigation system set up to water the lawn.

Back at home, I was working outside, while Angie went to get her hair done. Nothing like a fresh cut and dye job to make a woman happy, I guess.

When Ang returned home we were off to NH. We had a surprise visit in store for my mom and a planned trip to the greatest ice cream place on earth, Lone Oak.

Other than gusty winds that made the 60 degree day feel like 45, it was a great time. Anna thoroughly enjoyed herself by having an ice cream sampler (taking bites off everyone's cone). I think that we ate our ice cream faster because it was so cold and we wanted to get back in the car, then when it's hot out and you down your ice cream to avoid a sticky, melted mess.

Anyway, we then spent the rest of the day doing what we love to do more than anything in the world... hang out as a family with my parents. Nothing special on tap, really, just a few beers/champagne and good conversation... pretty much par for the course.

One big score for the day for Anna though, as she was happily graced with Marissa/Emma hand-me-downs from Auntie Carol, Uncle Bill and Vicky, which included a Little Tikes slide and playhouse. I could only fit the slide in the Xterra, but we'll get the playhouse soon enough. As you can see with the photo at right, Anna has already taken quite a liking to the used gem... thanks Marissa & Emma!

All-in-all a great Mother's Day. I don't think I have to go into too much detail on how much my wife and my mom mean to me, I think this blog is partial evidence enough. But thank you both for being the two greatest women that I could ever ask for. I am very lucky to have you both in my life... now go back to taking care of me like you do the other 364 days of the year :P