Mother's Day on a Boat!

The sunshine, a 19' power boat, the warmth, the water, a yummy picnic, and two of my three kids with me. What an awesome Mother's Day!

What was your day like?

Mother's Day Ideas

Ideas first, story second....

For those who want a way to celebrate your moms, or the mother of your children, or any other special mom in your life, here are some inexpensive Mother's Day ideas for for my favorite kind of Mother's Day! They are last minute Mother's Day ideas, yes. But they are also thoughtful ideas your mom will love.

• A picnic near the water, in a wooded setting, in the park, or just in your own backyard. Homemade sandwiches. juice, cupcakes and fruit. Stuff kids can prepare if you have little kids. Even if you don't, a simple meal so the focus is on mom instead of a gourmet feast
  
  
• Homemade cards. Doesn't matter how young or old, we can all MAKE a heartfelt card for mom. Beats Hallmark hands down!
  
  
• A small sentimental gift. Forget the big stuff. If you're buying a gift, make it something she can see/touch/look at every day. A silver heart necklace. An I love you key ring. A teddy bear with a bow around its neck for each child (or grandchild...or both!) A framed photo YOU took (not a studio!)
  
  
• Time. this is something no mom has enough of. Give her time to do what she loves without grumbling about where you'd rather be. Time for a bubble bath, scrapbooking, a long walk, browsing at an art gallery or museum, or sitting at a cafe reading a new book in her favourite genre.
  
  
• Help at home. What mom wouldn't like to have a day (or a week) where the kitchen is cleaned or the laundry is done, or the carpet is vacuumed by someone else in the family.
  
  
• A collage. Find pictures in magazines or ads that show how you feel about your mom. Make it big or small. Frame it or just give it to her to hang on the fridge. If you want to use family photos in it, make color copies and use those instead of originals.
  
  
• A website or blog. Give your mom her very on space in cyberspace. If your mom is new to the web, choose a simple type and post site like Blogger or Wordpress. Set it up. Add some of her favourite photos, or create it in her favourite colors. Just be sure to be on hand to help her learn how to use it.
  
  
• A day in the life scrapbook page. Moms are busy people! Let her know you appreciate everything she does by creating a day-in-the-life scrapbook page. Take photos of all she does in a day. Or if it's too late for that, take pictures of things she uses every day, places she goes every day, and describe her daily routine. You can give it to her for her scrapbook, or buy an inexpensive 12 x 12 frame at any craft store. Either way, she'll love the fact that you notice all she does.

Now for my story....

When I was growing up, Mother's Day was a spend-a-thon. My dad would take us out, and we would buy perfume and jewelry and clothes and fancy cards and all sorts of things for mom. Ironically, she was never happy with any of it. Our best efforts never seemed to be enough. At the time, it made me very sad. Now, looking back, it just makes me sad for her. She missed a lot.

It's different for my kids and me. From the time they were able to pour a bowl of cereal, we have started Mother's day with a homemade breakfast in bed. A tray decorated with homemade cards. And since preschool, gifts they made themselves. Actually, a few times, we've gone out to eat, but there are still the handmade cards and gifts. I love Mother's Day. I love this chance to celebrate my beautiful children who made me a mom. I love their cards and messages, their love and caring.

My mom wasn't the homemade cards and gifts kind of lady. But even with the kind of gifts she loved, she was never happy with her Mother's Day. She'll never know how much she missed.

To all of you moms -- happy Mother's Day. And to you kids of all ages, GET BUSY!

Some thoughts on Mother's Day -- Now versus Then

I had a very good Mother's Day...

My teenaged daughter brought tears to my eyes when she gave me a lovely necklace that featured a small silver dangle engraved with "Mother" -- and showed me that she had the matching "Daughter" one! A teenager who WANTS to match mom...I am beyond words!

My little one made me breakfast...her very famous scrambled eggs and toast. It was perfect! She has a secret to her delicious eggs but I had to promise not to tell anyone. Especially not the entire internet! And she made me a beautiful card at school...all hand woven with stories inside.

My son, who lives with his dad far away, sent me an oh-so-sweet card, and called. I'll be seeing him in just a few weeks and can't WAIT!

As a single mom, I suffer from too few hours and too many responsibilities. When I'm not actually at work, I'm usually cooking or doing household chores or taking my girls to one destination or another. (That's why I treasure our nights listening to music that I talked about in earlier posts!). Sometimes I think I'm not making it, not giving my kids everything they need, never mind what they want.

And then Mother's Day comes along, and I discover that according to my kids, I'm doing just fine.

I am one very happy mom! And a very blessed one.

How different it was when I was on the other side...as the daughter.

I remember many Mother's Days with my mom. My dad would take me shopping, and I would spend hours and lots of Dad's money picking out my mom's favourite perfume and some jewelry and maybe a book or two. Then there would be a big card and some drawings to go inside. I'd come home, wrap them carefully and wait for the big day. Then I wait while she opened the gifts...

"I already have this perfume."

My smile would fade just a bit.

"I don't wear this kind of jewelry."

I would start to feel guilty...how could I have messed up so badly?

"I think you picked this book out for yourself."

Sometimes I would try to salvage the moment by pointing out the advantages of the gifts.

"This is the new kind of the perfume. And I thought you would like the book because..." But my pleadings would fall on deaf ears. She'd gather up the paper, looking for all the world as though she was the recipient of a tax audit instead of the offerings of a little girl who wanted to make her mom happy.

So when I see the smile on my children's faces as they present me with their cards and gifts and gestures, I also allow myself to thank the little girl inside of me. Her gifts were just right, too. And the little girl that once was me smiles on Mother's Day...finally.