Sammy & Ilna - love you to the moon.

REAL McRollers and Readers, we love you all! For all the moms. Here and in heaven.

Hunting for a Good Idea part 2/2

Mother's Day

From her comfortable spot on the sofa, Catherine placed her mug on the end table. It was a couple of hours since she'd enjoyed breakfast in bed served by her favorite people - and animals - and was read to by the kids from a book celebrating moms around the world.

She looked up as they filed in from the kitchen. From the 'good job' high fives they exchanged with their father, she knew the preparation remnants of ketchupy eggs, pancakes, and mango scones had been cleaned up and put away while she'd followed orders to 'R'lax with some yummy tea' as Angie had put it.

They joined her on the sofa, and DJ was smiling ear to ear when Steve handed her his tablet, saying, "Commencing Operation Mommy is Awesome part two."

"We really liked this one idea because it's like what you did for my birthday. We recorded three things we love about you, Mommy."

"Three was hard cause there's lots and lots," Angie said as the video Steve took filled the screen and she snuggled against her mother's side. "There's me. DJ let me go first."

Catherine bent to kiss his head as she watched, whispering, "Best big brother."

"It's Mother's Day and I'm almost 6!" Angie's voice accompanied her beaming face in the video. "Happy Mother's Day, Mommy! My three things I love about you are you are the nicest and most beautiful mommy in the world, that you give the best hugs and kisses and always make me feel happy, and you're smart and the most fun! I'm very very happy you're my mommy!"

"Awww thank you, baby girl." Catherine grinned at Steve while wrapping her daughter in a hug. "I love you so much." She kissed the little cheek just as DJ appeared on the video.

"Hi, Mommy," he said and waved at the camera. "Three is pretty hard because I've got about a hundred to pick from. I love that you teach me so many things, not just school stuff but life stuff, too. Like how to stay safe and have fun and make the best choice in different situations." He took a breath and his smile grew. "I love that you love me so much and that you always care about everything I say and do, and I love that you're smart and so much fun and we laugh a lot and I think you're the best most beautiful mother ever… that's a couple more than three but like I said, there's like a hundred." Looking off camera, he motioned for Angie, who was holding Pumpkin, and Cammie who popped into view with a 'woof'. All smiles, both kids announced, "Happy Mother's Day, Mommy! We all love you!"

Catherine wiped a tear and hugged her son, kissing his cheek and reaching for Angie even as she said, "I love you, my sweet boy." The group hug included Steve and Cammie when she opened her arms to both. "I love you all and this is a perfect way to spend mother's day. I can't wait to see what's next."

"We're doing a mommy sc'venger hunt next!" Angie announced. "That's where we find stuff about you!"

Catherine chuckled. "About me?"

"All about you. We found it on a website." DJ nodded. "Daddy's got the list we made!"

She raised her brows at Steve. "The list, hmm?"

"Absolutely. We're on a mission." He took a paper from his pocket. "Things about you."

She grinned. "Oh I can't wait."

"We gotta start outside, Mommy," Angie instructed.

"The first thing is to find a flower for you!" She was already moving towards the door to the deck and the others followed. "Cmon, DJ! Let's get Mommy her flower!"

Minutes later, Catherine was seated on one of the adirondack chairs while the scavenger hunt progressed. She was holding a flower from one of the butterfly bushes, the word Mommy spelled out in seashells was in the sand at her feet, and the kids were running back to her from the tideline with Steve. "We found enough koa wood to make a frame!" DJ announced. "Like the kind you made for your wedding picture when Cammie found the wood before you and Daddy got married."

"You remember that?" She smiled. She'd told him the story once, years ago when he said the frame was pretty.

"Yeah, it's an awesome frame."

"We can help you make another one and then you can put a picture of all of us in it," Angie said while placing an arm around Cammie.

"That's a wonderful idea, I definitely will."

"What's next on the list, Daddy?" Angie looked up at Steve.

"It says make Mommy laugh," he read with a grin for his wife.

"I can tell a joke and DJ can tell one, too!" Angie hopped with excitement. "You go first, DJ, you have funny jokes."

"Thanks," he said, thinking for a moment. "I have a new riddle, ready?" When Catherine nodded, he went on, "Why are fish so smart?"

"Hmmm, I don't know. Why?"

"Because they're always in schools!" He cracked up at the answer while his mother laughed and Steve chuckled at Angie's slightly delayed laughter.

"I get it! Groups of fish that match are called schools, right, Daddy?"

"Right, baby girl."

"That's very very good, DJ. My turn, okay, Mommy?"

"Okay, baby girl."

"What do you call a goat in a tutu?"

When Catherine barked a laugh, Angie giggled. "That's not even the funny part yet!"

She pressed her lips together and glanced at Steve who was controlling his own laughter. Of course their daughter had a goat joke.

"Do you know, Mommy? What do you call a goat in a tutu?" The little girl pushed a lock of hair back and waited.

"Nope. I'm afraid you have me stumped."

Angie did a little twirl and giggled again. "A baaaa-lerina! Get it? Baaaa because goats say baaa!"

"That's really good, Angie." DJ laughed at both the pun and his sister's absolutely contagious glee.

Catherine wiped her eyes and was still laughing when Angie jumped into her lap for a hug. "You definitely both made me laugh." She looked up at Steve. "What's next? I'm loving this whole scavenger hunt."

Both kids cheered and high-fived each other while their father read the next item, "A picture of you and Mommy."

They nodded and tore off towards the house to find the next treasure and Steve sat in the second chair. "Totally on a mission," he said.

"Whose kids are they again?" She giggled. "This is actually a great idea."

Angie and DJ were back before long with a photo each. DJ's was from his recent visit to the governor's office. Catherine had printed it for his room and he held the framed shot of them in the cafeteria of the building eating lunch and wearing huge smiles. "Here's mine. It was such a fun day!"

"Grace took mine!" Angie announced about the recent photo she'd grabbed from her own room of her and her mother sitting on Catherine's surfboard. They wore similar colored blue and white bathing suits and her mother's arms were around her waist as they floated in the calm, shallow water and smiled at the camera. "Remember the tide went out and we took our picture cause Grace said in our bathing suits we were twinning?"

"I remember. I love both those pictures and my beautiful kids that are in them."

"We're almost done, guys," Steve said with a soft look at Catherine. "Tell Mommy what's for dinner later, because that's the last thing."

"We picked one of your favorites, 'cause you have a couple," DJ said, looking at Angie with a nod to say the item together. "Barbecued ribs!" they called out and Catherine laughed happily at their excitement.

"Well you absolutely know me very well. I can't wait for dinner now."

"Daddy ordered them so nobody's gotta cook and we can spend the whole day on the beach with you." Angie grinned. "And Grandma and Grandpa and Grandma Ang are coming over for dinner!"

"Because you have to spend time with your own Mommy and Grandma, too." DJ said. "We can give them the presents we made when they get here."

"Instead of a big lunch, we're having cheese and fruit and bread as snack. We already got it set up after we cleaned the kitchen. We'll go get it and we can eat it outside, okay?" Angie asked.

"Very very okay," Catherine replied with a nod. "Dinner with everyone will be the perfect end to my most perfect mother's day yet." She stood and gathered them in for hugs and kisses before the kids ran inside again and she and Steve moved to the deck.

Slipping his hand in hers for a squeeze, he bent to kiss her softly. "That last part was their idea."

"Awww, really?"

"One hundred percent them. They suggested ribs and having your folks come here so you didn't have to leave your stash of gifts to go to the condo." He helped her gather the items up with a grin. "Day's not even halfway over, and for the record, I kiboshed a goat…again."

She snorted a laugh. "Thanks for that…" She leaned up to kiss him just as the children stepped onto the deck with the snack foods. Looking at Angie and DJ, she smiled at the warm feeling in her heart. "And for them."

"Right back at you, Cath. Right back at you."

# End thanks for reading

Note: Mom-themed scavenger hunt idea from bigfamilyblessings [doc] com

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