I was going to write about the hours that Moms spend caring for their families, like the 21,900 meals they cook in the 20-ish years of rearing each child.
Or the 52,000 pieces of clothing and accoutrements they provide, launder and replace in a never-ending cycle.
But instead, I decided to take an excerpt from my A Holiday Handbook and share a few creative ideas, I’m going to do a few of these for my Mom.
DECOR AND CENTERPIECE
Create an arrangement or bouquet of Mom’s favorite fresh cut flowers or make a French floral basket with potted flowers that she can transplant to her garden later
Showcase Mom’s talents by displaying quilts. paintings, family records, flowers from her garden, photos of Mom and Dad, family and friends
Enjoy the shade of a market umbrella for outdoor events
Mom’s favorite selections: colors, flowers, china and background music
Thank Mom for all the love and time and resources she shared with you. Tell her specifically what you remember and appreciate.
Ask mom for your favorite recipes if you haven’t copied them yet.
Make a quilt featuring her favorite things and colors. Write notes on blank squares; love will keep her warm!
Present her with tickets to a favorite concert or play. Take her to a gallery or museum. Or give a gift certificate to a favorite store.
Collect stories about the women in your family, print them and present them to the girls for inspiration and to strengthen loving bonds.
How well do you know your Mom’s story? Copy the following questionnaire and hand it out to family and friends; have Mom give her answers. How well do you know your Mom?
Have Mom and significant women fill in the following questionnaire.
ALL ABOUT MOM
Your favorite color
Favorite flower
About your birth
What you loved to do with your Mom
Your Dad
Your favorite relatives (and why)
Values they instilled in you
Favorite childhood activities
Family trips
Books you loved
Who were your heroes?
Your dreams?
Your brothers and sisters
Childhood home
Your grandparents
Memories of church
Your favorite teacher in elementary school (and why)
Your favorite holiday (and why)
Your favorite subjects in high school
Some popular songs
Did you play sports, act, write or….
What you did with your friends
Your first job
Your first car
Your first boyfriend
How you he met my father
Why they picked my name
About college
Your accomplishments
Service to God
Service in the community
Your favorite vacation
People you’ve known
Places you’ve been
Your favorite president
Your favorite music
Your adult dreams
Your favorite game
Favorite scripture story
Favorite books
Favorite television and movies
Things you wished you’d done differently
Your passions
Your hobbies
What you’d like to do.
Life’s lessons
Here’s a delicious Mother’s Day meal to celebrate the love you share.
MENU
Serve her favorite foods or enjoy this traditional luncheon menu
Croissant Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Bake, skin and cube
16 chicken breast halves
Add
1 15 oz can crushed pineapple, drained
6 stalks celery, chopped
1 bunch grapes, halved
2 C light mayonnaise
1 C vanilla yogurt
1/4 C frozen orange juice concentrate
salt and pepper to taste
Chill until serving time. Scoop generous amounts onto
16 croissants, split almost through
Garnish with
leafy green lettuce
Fruit with dip or chocolate fondue; offer pineapple, strawberries, melon cubes, grapes, orange wedges, raspberries, kiwi, banana chunks, coconut macaroons
Fruit Dip
Mix together
8 oz light cream cheese
7 oz marshmallow cream
orange juice to thin to desired consistency
Chill until time to serve
Wild Rice Salad
Cook with 2 C. of water and enclosed seasonings:
2 boxes Uncle Ben’s long grain and wild rice mix (don’t use instant)
Cool, set aside.
Mix salad ingredients except avocados and pecans. Combine with dressing, refrigerate 2 – 4 hours. Before serving add avocados, pecans and serve on a bed of torn lettuce.
8 green onions, chopped
6 oz. sugar snap peas, ends removed
4 med. avocados, diced
2 C pecans, chopped and toasted (350* – 7 min)
1 red peppers, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
Dressing, combine in food processor
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 TBSP Dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 C. seasoned rice wine vinegar
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 lemons, juiced
May be made a day ahead.
Honey Lemonade
In a saucepan, stir over medium heat until combined :
Juice of 10 lemons (about 2 1/2 C)
1 C honey
Cool, add
12 C water
Serve over ice with sliced lemons
Rich and Easy Fondue
Melt over low heat, stirring constantly
16 oz. chocolate chips or chunks
Whisk in
1 1/2 C whipping cream
Serve warm with fruit and coconut macaroons, ice cream, shortbread or other cookies
Happy Mother’s Day!
I’ve shared this before but in reaction to a ridiculous political move to reduce the role of Mother’s to “birthing persons,” here is a tribute to the actions, duties and love that follow “birth.”
To Mother, Grandmother,Aunt,Sister, friend and precious women
Who give life,
nurture and give joy.
Who bled and fed and hid Easter eggs,
and wrapped gifts and dyed Halloween costumes.
Who took me to the zoo
and Disneyland,
and grew pumpkins,
and taught me to play chess
and feed my babies.
Who taught me to write thank you notes
And have good manners
and remember birthdays
and ancestors(and love them).And gave me crayons
and dolls
and retainers
and fishnet nylons
and a radio to take to the beach.
Who took me to visit my grandparents
and on road trips
and swimming
and had a barbecue.
Who taught me to pray
and love
and find joy
and set a beautiful table.
And to watch out for little ones,
and spell correctly,
and feed stray kittens,
and read books.
And to try,
and fail,
and try again.
Who found our great grandfathers were kings
and great grandmothers were queens.
Who took pictures,
and listened as I learned to read,
and filled a piñata.
And eat Thanksgiving at the beach like Pilgrims,
and go on bike rides,
and read Luke on Christmas Eve,
and sing carols,
and find treats in my stocking.
To share with those in need,
and love art and beauty,
and wear bows in my hair
and shoes that fit,
and remember God and go to church.
Who sewed clothes,
and prayed for soldiers,
and firemen,
and missionaries,and me.
Who baked cakes
and arranged flowers,
and made 20,000 meals,
and made me brush my teeth.
And bought sugar sticks,
and made drawings,
and bread,
and Beef Stroganoff.
And soothed wounded hearts,
and took us to movies,
and to the woods,
and the sea.
And played
and prayed
and gave time
and love
and life.
Thank you.