Five Simple Traditions for a Fantastic Mother's Day
A few days ago, Caleb came to me with a simple question: "What would you like to do for Mother's Day?" Honestly though, I didn't have a good answer for him. After all, I bought my own Mother's Day gift about two weeks ago, a beautiful silver cuff bracelet engraved with the words, "Let Him lift your load" across the top. I didn't know what to say, but it turned out to be a perfect Mother's Day nonetheless with these few simple traditions.
1. Fill-in-the-blank Mother's Day Cards
During church each child was given a little fill-in-the-blank letter to write some of their favorite things about mom. On one side was the letter and on the other was a picture to color. Older children helped the younger ones as needed to write their thoughts. It was a delight to read their sweet notes, and something I want them to do every year, if not at church then definitely with Dad. Snuggles were at the top of both lists as favorite things to do with Mom, along with "playing dollies together" (Vivian) and "buying me all the things I needs" (Peter). I love that Vivian thought I was only 15 years old! If only I could take the difference between my real age and her perceived age and be that! This would be a great gift for grandmothers as well.
2. Put Dad in Charge of Meals
I can't begin to express how wonderful this was. Waffles and strawberries for breakfast, quesadillas and guac after church, homemade pizza an brownies with ice cream for dinner. And I didn't cook or clean up one single bit! Caleb cooked Every. Single. Meal. I forget how much time and mental energy I spend on food until I don't have to do it for an entire day, and I feel so refreshed!
"What did I do with all of my free time?", you ask. That is where some more lovely traditions come into play.
3. Read for Pleasure
I don't know about you, but I don't get nearly the amount of time I would like to read. This could be a book for yourself or a read aloud with your kids, depending on how you feel! The kids and I happened to be in the middle of a really fun book we were all enjoying, so we spend an hour or more just reading together, cozied up in a pile of pillows on the big rug in the living room.
The Goblin Baby, by Berlie Doherty, was the perfect balance of adventure and fantasy for Peter and Vivian to both become enthralled. The plot line was fast moving, and we enjoyed the good descriptive language. The reading age for this book is 6-9 years old, so if you're looking for a good book for a beginning reader, this would be a great choice as well. I'm excited to find more by the same author.
4. Get All the Snuggles
I laid next to Elliot's warm little body at nap time, snuggling my not-so-little baby until he drifted off to sleep. I don't always have the time to soak up these little precious moments and I reveled in his smell, the softness of his cheeks, and his perfectly peaceful little body.
5. Spend Time with Your Own Mother
My parents live very close to us, and we were blessed to enjoy both breakfast and dinner with them today. They gifted me beautiful flowers and a touching card, which now grace the center of my dining table. It is so fun to both be celebrated and celebrate my own mother. If we could not physically be together, a long phone call would do the trick, but I truly enjoyed the extra time with them today.
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| Me and My Mother, in our Mother's Day Princess Tiaras |
Happy Mother's Day, everyone.
