Painting

So last Christmas (we're talking 2008, here), my sister and I gave my mother a gift of painting her kitchen. We had a date set in March 2009 that worked for both of us and the plan was to paint that day (and part of the day before). ALL Mom had to do was pick out the color.

It didn't happen.

In November, MS, Mom and I were driving to my niece's b-day party and I asked her what she wanted for Christmas this year. She said, "Well, I never got my gift from last year." So after reminding her that she never picked out a color, MS convinced her to pick it out and we'd get it done.

Shockingly (not really) she picked out a color that next week so MS and I bought supplies and made a plan. The other siblings were going to help but they ended up being busy so it was a winter project for MS and me.

Well, I have photos, but I'll post those later. It ended up looking better than we thought it would last night (it looked really peach instead of the sort of light tan we had picked out). And the project is done.

Here's my conundrum. My sister gave me her half of the costs plus half of my half since I was doing the painting. My OOB gave me over a third of the cost and a few "supplies" since he couldn't be here. My YOB wants to contribute but hasn't yet and I'm not really pressing the issue.

This is all well and good, except when we dropped off Mom's paper to her today, she gave me a check for about $15 more than the cost of the paint and supplies (she didn't know the cost). So now I have over twice as much than what it all cost and I don't feel right about the money from mom. She said she didn't think it was fair that MS and I were doing all the work and the other kids weren't doing anything. Even after I explained that they had given me money she told me to take it anyway and use it on our trip.

This doesn't feel right. It, the painting, was her Christmas present! She shouldn't be paying for it! I don't know. I took the check but I may just let it ride. We'll see.