The Mother's Day SCORE

So before I let you all in on a few of the AWESOME gifts I was spoilt with I thought I'd just ask first if anyone else with older children noticed how Mother's Day conveniently became the perfect excuse of the moment for not listening/being generally obedient/getting things done? : )

I did and Oh how amusing it was.

Bobo/Monk for instance - Oh I can't get dressed because I'm diligently building this Lego monument to you for Mother's Day

Donts - Oh I can't do my homework/make my bed etc because I'm making one of a bazillion Mother's Day cards for you

How does one argue with that?

Anyway...onwards to the gloating over the score!

I must first (having touched on them briefly) reveal those imparted by the kiddlicks.

Monk's Lego Monument which I renamed a "Lego Sculpture"

( I also suggested that perhaps it was some kind of armoured fish - don't you think?)

Meanwhile, "Donts", I'm convinced was out to break some kind of Guiness world record for Mother's Day cards (picture to follow).

As for self-nicknamed "Dodo" - well he's just adorable enough as is - isn't he?

And Fuzz got me this brilliant companion planting gardening book - EXCELLENT! It's an A-Z guide for NZ with all sorts of handy tips, including some really interesting info on herbs and flowers that can deter bugs and other pests. I started reading up on foxgloves and was just beginning to think what a perfect sounding plant it was - helping to vitalise tomatoes, apples and other plants as well as deter pests - at least I was right up until the part when I read a little further only to discover that it was in fact (for all its goodness) HIGHLY poisonous and even potentially fatal. BUMMER.

A close-up of the awesome new book

I also just had, had, had to share this lil' passage about Basil from the book. HILARIOUS. I think it's my favourite part:

"Early botanists warned that those delighted enough by the smell of basil to take the powder of the dry herb and snuff it up the nose would turn mad and die with a nest of scorpions in the brain. Statistics don't seem to prove their findings."

BRILLIANT.