"I love you, Darryl MacPherson!"

(Click on cartoon.)

Ever had one of those days? I've had this old wrinkled-up cartoon on my fridge for years now. It still makes me smile.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I rolled out bed this seemingly normal morning, walked into the living room, and stopped dead in my tracks.

What I saw was this:

What I thought was, "I'm going to kill.that.dang.dog!"

There I stood - Eyes like hubcaps, jaw hanging open, and wondering if any of my neighbors were members of the local PETA chapter. Before I had time to worry about it, the girls came running out of the kitchen yelling, "Happy Mother's Day! Do you like your surprise?"

I gave them the same clueless look the guy at the photo shop gave me when I asked if he could transfer slides to digital. "What are slides? Are those the really old square things? My dad used to have some of those." But I digress.

I put on my best surprised mom face and said, "Wow! Look at that." They were so excited. Apparently they'd been up since 3 AM working on it. How could I be mad?

Turns out, they decided to give me Alaska for mother's day. Along with a sort of zoo/carnival/theme park thingy. Since we've already hit 100* this year in FL, the girl's decided I needed some snow! That was what was all over the carpet. (Alright, Buddy, you'll live to chew another day.)

My sweet girls had rolled their art desk into the middle of the living room and started to work.

There were signs, stickers, and snowflakes all over the walls and bookshelves.

They had set up a little game with the plastic cups. Of course, they couldn't wait for me to try it out. (I never did knock them all down!)

They also had a 'fortune teller'. Apparently I will either write a hit children's book, or have a designer clothing line for dogs.

And what would a snowy house in Alaska be without a roaring fire?

You may be wondering, "Why the Yule Log?" Well, for one thing, it's hot as blazes down here. And for another, the huskies and arctic foxes and polar bears (Oh, My!) had already set up residence in the actual fireplace - er, um, I mean their 'den'.

So it was a mess, but a mess with good intent. What to do?

Enter the Hero! That's right, my knight in desert camo and combat boots. My very own Darryl Macpherson!

What did he give me for Mother's Day?

He's sending me here!

A suite - with a king bed - all to myself in beautiful historic St. Augustine, FL! He even packed a goody bag for me! Oh, how I love that man of mine!!

I love my girls. I can't imagine life without them and don't remember life before them! And I'll be thinking of them fondly while I'm having a quiet, Disney Channel free weekend;)