A Very (Un)practical Mother's Day

Most holidays I ask for useful gifts. Things that I need, like a new vacuum cleaner or hand blender. One birthday I had to get a new bed because Lance broke our other one. (Don't ask.) ((And, no, it was not what you think, gutter-mind.))

But every once in a while I don't want practical - I just want what I want.

And Lance totally pulled through this year on the non-practical gift: he got me the punch bowl of my dreams! I am so happy. I was too lazy to take a picture of it, mainly because I would have had to clean it and set it up and it was Mother's Day and I didn't want to. But I did take a picture of this:

Yeah, that was the first punch bowl Lance ordered. It came like this. So Crate and Barrel sent him a whole other set, which means I got another ladle and eight extra cups for free.

Sweet.

Warning: Any social event at the Madsen home will now feature punch. And lots of it. (Any recipes you'd like to share?)

The boys also got me and impractical gift:

I think it's sweet. Last week I teasingly asked Spencer what he was going to give me for Mother's Day. (I was expecting a card or picture or something.) He said he was going to buy me a lot of toys. After fifteen minutes of explaining that I didn't really want any toys, he said, "I know, I'll buy you a bracelet. You like bracelets, Mommy!" So cute. Lance took them to Target and this is what they picked out. (He apparently steered Spencer away from his 'bling bling' tendencies. Good job, Lance.)

Mother's Day also brought the usual flowers and handmade gifts:

As much as I love punch (and I love a good punch!), I love these best of all. How could you not love a flower made out of your toddler's hand print? Or a flower planted in a small cup, with twice as much dirt as needed? (That's right - you can't. You have to love it.) Talk about impractical. And best-loved.