Moment of the Week - Regular Days

Instead of a moment this week, here's a collection of pictures that depict a normal week.

We do homework.

We go to church (although this is new).

We eat ice cream.

Draw family portraits.

Take naps.

Wash the car.

Give presents.

Frost cupcakes.

Pretend to get married.

And climb all the fences.

It's a good life.




 

Mother's Day Gift Ideas for Every Type of Mom - Guest Post

Celebrate those women who gave us life, raised us and helped us become the people we are today. There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to moms, however, so here’s a handy list of Mother's Day gift ideas based on your particular maternal situation.

Spa Package

Single moms rarely get a second to themselves, let alone an entire hour or two for pampering and relaxation. Help them find the time they need with a spa package for a local day spa. Spaweek.com provides resources whether you’re looking to spend big on a trip for mom, or small on a massage or other service nearby. If traveling with her sounds like your cup of tea, you can even book a trip for two.

Photo of a day spa by ppacificvancouver via Flickr

Flowers

Since the dawn of time, flowers have spelled out affection, romance and love. Married moms often succumb to the demands of work, children and the household, with little time left over to — well, stop and smell the roses. If you are a child or husband of a busy family mother, flowers are the best way to let her know she is remembered and that all the magic hasn’t fled her life. Consider Mother's Day flowers at FTD.com, a responsive site with a wide variety of arrangement choices, then shop by color, price or flower to find the perfect match for your mom.

Photo of tulips by photosteve101 via Flickr

Guidebook

There’s no gift more powerful than a willingness to carry your baby if you cannot do so yourself. Surrogate moms provide a service that cannot be paid back, but at least you can do something wonderful for them on Mother’s Day. Since your surrogate has made your dreams come true, consider helping her with hers. The Lonely Planet has wonderful guide books to almost every country on Earth, complete with a range of places to stay, eat and tour based on the price of the traveler. If your surrogate mom needs a new experience after giving the baby back, this could be just the ticket — no pun intended.

Photo of a Lonely Planet Guidebook by Jaymis via Flickr

Gift Certificate to ModCloth

New moms have entered a whole new world, rife with sleeplessness, anxiety and changes in their relationship with their baby, partner and the people around them. More than anything, though, they are dealing with changes in their bodies. Give a new mom some pleasure with a gift card from a fun site like ModCloth.com, where she can choose something that fits her new size and makes her feel pretty.
If you’re feeling generous, accompany it with a gift certificate to a nice restaurant where she can sport her new dress.

Photo of a gift card stand by 401(K)2013 via Flickr

Netflix Subscription

Empty-nesters were once people too! Even though a mother’s life is largely devoted to her children while they are at-home, when the kids leave, she’ll finally have time to do a few things for herself. That could include taking up a hobby, attending a class at the university or catching up on a show she really loves. If the empty-nest mommy in your life is really into a new program or has a soft spot for one of the old classics (think “Bewitched” or “Gilligan’s Island”), get her a Netflix subscription so she can indulge her passion. If she has time between all the great new programming in her life, she’ll thank you for it.

Photo of a Netflix envelope by Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar via Flickr

This Mother's Day Give the Gift of Experience

This Sunday is Mother's Day, and while I'm sure I'll gobble up whatever it is my little darlings made for me in preschool (something scandalous involving nail polish...they won't tell me anything more!), I have to think of my own mother as well.

Thankfully, I think I've figured out a gift that will take care of both of us in one fell swoop. Maybe the idea will help you, too.

This Mother's Day, why not give your mother the gift of being a mother all over again!

Really, it's brilliant if you think about it. Don't we all want the gift of making up for lost time, of second chances, or simply of reliving the memories we hold so dear?

And when was the last time your mother got to truly experience motherhood and all its joys for an extended period? Reading stories, playing dress-up, painting and making cakes and pudding? She's always going on about what a magical era it was.

It's been far too long since she found herself on her hands and knees looking for a lovey to the dulcet tones of intense shrieking.

She hasn't been able to experience the joy of being asked the same question 19 times in a row in years!

And how long has it been since she squatted uncomfortably on a bathroom floor, singing songs and making up stories while a little one tried valiantly to push out a stubborn number two?

Speaking of that, can she even remember the last time she got to use the facilities in front of an audience? Sometimes you need a cheering section! Give her that gift.

Your mom is probably aching for someone to go shopping with who will pull all the grocery items off the shelves then ask for a balloon like she's been nothing but well-mannered and deserving the whole time.

You just can't get the same experience over the phone or in a short visit.

Imagine the light in your mother's eyes as your cherubs open her refrigerator and accidentally spill an entire gallon of milk all over the floor! And, of course, it wouldn't be complete unless they left the door open and ruined the meat she was going to make for dinner.

Clearly, your mother's life is lacking. But you can help!

This Mother's Day, why don't you drop your children off at her house for an entire week of super-happy-fun-playtime with Grandma? You won't regret it (but she might.)

Plus, it will get her back for all those times she laughed at you for your kids being just like you.

Okay, so maybe that's not what my mom wants for Mother's Day. Maybe it's actually what I want. But I'm a mom, too! Maybe, if I just work on the presentation a bit, I can get her to go along with it...

Happy Mother's Day. To you, to your moms, and to everyone.

And if you want some real ideas for cheap yet satisfying Mother's Day gifts, head over to Nerd Wallet. There's a whole slew over there!

 

Mother's Day? What's That?

"Oh, my boss asked me to work tomorrow and Saturday night."

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, and Sunday is Mother's Day."

"Oh, it is?"  A worried looked seeped into his eyes.

"Yeah, but don't worry about it, seriously, don't worry about it." I smiled. "I'm not your mother."

...

Mother's Day has always been very important to my own mother, and I'm not sure why. All she ever got was some burnt toast, spilt coffee in her bed and maybe a macaroni necklace or two.

We have so many holidays already, I almost feel guilty celebrating Mother's Day, like maybe I should have to choose...my birthday or Mother's Day. I choose my birthday.

My kids are two and a half. They understood both Christmas and Easter this year, but that involved them getting stuff.  I highly doubt my asking them to behave on Sunday will do any more good than it would do any other day. And really, that's all I want for Mother's Day. I want children that behave without me having to redirect them, cajole them, sternly speak to them, guide them. I just want them to be fully-trained, well-behaved human beings without having to put in the work, for just one day. Since I can't have that, the nice dinner and walk about town can wait, too.

Honestly, every day, if I can take my head out of my butt long enough to realize it, is Mother's Day. My kids drive me up the wall, they're incredibly needy, illogical, demanding and frustrating.

They're also the best Mother's Day present I will ever receive...every day. Making every day Mother's Day to me. Although a gift from here wouldn't hurt either.

Have a happy one.

___
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This is in cooperation with The Epic Adventures of a Modern Mom.

There's a Mother's Day bloghop going on over there! Go and link up!