Mom’s work hard all year long. They cook the meals, keep the house clean, and care for the children. Some moms are involved with their children’s activities and others work a full-time job on top of their household duties. Creating a special mother’s day breakfast is one way to show mom a little appreciation.

Everyone can help pitch in to make Mom a scrumptious breakfast on Mother’s Day, even the little ones. You don’t have to serve an elaborate meal for it to taste good. In fact, you can probably find many items at your local grocery store, some of them pre-made.

Does Mom love pancakes but hates the time it takes to make them? Some grocery stores have packages of pre-made plain or blueberry pancakes which can be fixed in a jiffy. Warm up the syrup, add some berries or other fruit on top, sprinkle them with powdered sugar or a dollop of whipped cream and Mom will think you’ve spent a long time creating this delicious meal. Finish it off with juice, coffee, or tea.

Every mom likes to splurge a little on Mother’s Day. Spend some time with the children in a local donut shop and allow them to pick out donuts for breakfast. Maybe they can pick out pretty donuts for Mom or simply choose her favorite flavor. Place them on a pretty plate and serve them to her in bed with hot tea or juice. It’s only one day a year, maybe she won’t feel too bad about going off her diet.

An omelet and fruit platter is another scrumptious Mother’s Day breakfast you could prepare. Find out what type of omelet Mom likes best and then be sure you have those ingredients available. Some options are onions, green peppers, ham, turkey, bacon, chopped tomatoes, and cheese. For the fruit platter, choose fruits which are in season – strawberries, cantaloupe, watermelon, grapes, or pineapple may be available.

Don’t forget to make breakfast a feast for the eyes as well as a feast for the tummy. Start out by picking a bouquet of flowers, either from outside or from a florist, to place on the table or tray if you’re serving breakfast in bed. If breakfast is being served at the dinner table, plan to serve breakfast on a fresh tablecloth, with pretty cloth napkins, and pull out the fancy dishes.

Have the children make home-made Mother’s Day cards to place on the tray or table. They’ll be the perfect accompaniment to these scrumptious Mother’s Day breakfast idea. Remember, anything your children do for Mom will be appreciated.

Original post can be found here: Scrumptious Mother’s Day Breakfast Ideas

Are you trying to think of unique ways for you and your children to say “I love you!” to the women in their lives? Concentrate on gifts from the heart. Then learn how to make inexpensive but memorable Mother’s Day presents any mother will love.

When you’re trying to be frugal during any holiday, home-made gifts can’t be beat. They are the perfect gift because you know Mom will love them simply because her child made them. And most home-made gifts are inexpensive to make. They’re sure to be special to the moms in your life.

Gifts that are like a frozen moment in time are surely to be memorable. Create any number of gifts using the handprint or footprint of the children. Mom will be delighted with these gifts.

Find a plain t-shirt in Mom’s favorite color and washable fabric paints. The children can place their hands or feet in the paint and then onto the shirt. Write “My mom is covered in hands of love” or “My children walk all over me” with the names, ages, and date the shirts were made. Be sure to follow the directions to make the paint permanent.

Crafts stores often have classes for children leading up to Mother’s Day. Take the children to one of these sessions and they can make a great gift Mom will enjoy. Some of the classes provide everything for free, including an expert to teach and help the children. Others require you pay a small fee to cover the cost of materials.

Gifts with flowers are also a hit with moms. Purchase a terracotta flower pot for each child. Allow them to paint it however they like. When the paint has dried, help them plant some of Mom’s favorite flowers. Of course, if Mom doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty, she may enjoy planting the seeds or seedlings in the plant with her child.

Take some photographs of the children during various times of the day and night. Then create a collage with the photos. Be sure to write down the children’s ages and the date it’s to be given so Mom will be able to think back to how the children were when they were younger. If you can get it laminated at an office supply store or printer, this will protect the photos for years to come.

Have the children pick out some pretty beads from the craft department or a craft store. Since there are so many beads to choose from, they may have a hard time. You may want to limit them to a specific number since beads can be expensive depending upon the type. Get the string and clasps while you’re there. Then let the children make Mom a one-of-a-kind bead necklace.

Mother’s Day gifts don’t have to be elaborate or expensive for mom to cherish them. If they are gifts from the heart made by the hands of her own children, Mom will adore them. Use some of these ideas and then learn how to make inexpensive but memorable Mother’s Day gifts this year.

Original post can be found here: Gifts from the Heart – How to Make Inexpensive but Memorable Mother’s Day Presents

Moms do so much for the rest of the family throughout the year. It’s nice to make Mom feel special at least once a year. Listed below are some frugal ways to spoil mothers on their special day.

Even if all of the children aren’t writing yet, a handwritten note or letter will be cherished by every mother. Have the children write a short paragraph explaining how special she is. If they can’t write, have them dictate what they want to say. Be sure to write it down verbatim so Mom knows exactly how they feel – even if what they say is funny. This gift is one of the most frugal since you probably already have everything you need at home.

Rather than taking Mom out for lunch on Mother’s Day, why not plan a fun picnic. You can either have it at a local park, the back yard, or even indoors if the weather isn’t co-operating. Spread the blanket out on the living room floor and you won’t even have to contend with ants!

Springtime is a great time to fly a kite because it is often windy and warm. It probably won’t matter what type of kite you fly as long as you have fun doing it. Make your own kit or pick one up at a discount or dollar store. Then go fly a kite together as a family.

Balloons don’t have to be expensive. Find one nice Mylar balloon and several plain ones in Mom’s favorite color. Ask the clerk to blow up the plain ones (often they’ll do that for free but you may have to pay a little bit extra) and make a bouquet of balloons. Then write a special Mother’s Day message on the plain balloons. This is a great way to personalize a message without breaking the bank.

Create a day spa in the privacy of your own home. Set up candles around the bathtub, find some nice bubble bath, play soothing music and let Mom have time to enjoy the peace and quiet. If possible, before she’s ready to get out of the tub, toss some towels in the dryer for a few minutes so they’ll be warm when she uses them. She’ll definitely feel spoiled and pampered.

Find a favorite book shared by Mom and the children. If the children can read, have them record themselves reading the book. This idea can also be used with children who are small; instead of having them read, give them specific words they can say while you read the book. Mom will love having this memento of her children’s voices, especially when they get older.

Make a coupon book she can use at a future date. One hour of time alone is a good coupon, and vacuuming or ironing could also be offered. A back or foot massage is always appreciated, but she may enjoy the coupon for a breakfast in bed most of all. Use your imagination. Think of things the children could give her and then a few from you.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make Mom feel valued. In fact, any of these frugal ways to spoil mothers on their special day will probably do just fine. Of course, anything you give that comes from the heart will be treasured because she knows it came with love.

Original post can be found here: Frugal Ways to Spoil Mothers on Their Special Day

Grandmas adore handmade gifts from their grandchildren, even if they don’t have a use for the gift. They know just how to fawn over present given in love.  The following are five ideas that children may like to make for Grandma this year.  (Mom, be prepared to help, just in case.)

1.  What woman doesn’t love jewelry?  Make Grandma a perler bead necklace.  Perler beads are short pieces of plastic that are specially made to fuse together when heated with an ordinary household iron.  You can buy kits at any craft store; the kits come in a variety of colors and sizes to make multiple patterns.  After you have fused the beads together in whatever shape you desire (a heart would be great), why not hot glue some ribbon, sequins, or plastic gems on to make each a one-of-a-kind gift.

2.  Potpourri pies are popular in gift stores.  Here’s how your little one can create a similar experience.  Create this pie with a disposable pie shell.  Make a bottom pie crust out of flour/salt dough.  Add a potpourri that smells like your grandmother’s favorite scent, and then create a lattice pattern out of the dough.  Cover the potpourri and allow the dough to harden overnight. To enjoy the potpourri, “bake” the pie in a warm oven.

3.  Help your child make Grandma a great pillow without having to sew.  Purchase a floral polar fleece large enough to make a pillow from and some fiberfill to stuff it.  Cut this out into two pieces in the shape of a heart, about two and a half inches larger than the finished project should be.  Mom, carefully cut a fringe about an inch apart all around the fabric. Line up the fabric wrong sides together and then double knot each fringe, leaving a few pieces untied so you can fill the pillow.  Fill the pillow and then finish filling it up, making it as fluffy as you would like.  You can leave the pillow as is or decorate with paint markers, or any way your child would like to decorate it.

4.  This is another gift that Mom will have to help make, but it could be a lot of fun for both of you.  Buy at least 8 ounces of clear glycerin (you should be able to find this at a major craft store), a soap mold, and a very small bottle of lemon essential oil (or Grandma’s favorite scent).  You will also need yellow food coloring, 6 tablespoons of corn meal, and 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds.  Melt the glycerin according to directions, then add 2 drops of food coloring and 2 drops of lemon oil.  Add the corn meal and poppy seeds and stir very well.  Pour the mixture into the mold and allow it to sit until firm.  Remove it from the mold and place into a small basket.

5.  If you really want to tug on Grandma’s heart strings, find photos with your children and Grandma in them.  Create a small memory book with the pictures in it.  Have the children write the descriptions for each one, explaining what they remember about that particular time.  Pre-made scrapbooks would be great for this, and your child could decorate it they like, as well.

Mother’s Day is a time to let mothers and grandmothers know that we love them.  Each of the above five gifts made by your children will make Grandma’s day.  Not only will she know that your child loves her, but she’ll treasure each gift that was made especially for her.

Original post can be found here: Five Home-made Gifts Perfect for Grandma

Let’s face it, unless a child is taken to the store to pick out a gift for Mom for Mother’s Day, the only hope they have of giving a gift is to make it themselves.  The following are gift ideas that children can make this Mother’s Day:

Mothers love cards from their children, especially if they’re handmade.  It doesn’t matter if the card is a simple piece of paper folded and colored, as long as it’s from her child.  Any mother will cherish it.  There are places you can go online to find a Mother’s Day card template, but that won’t matter as much as a mother knowing that her child has spent the time and effort to create the card just for her.

Of course, she’ll want to display the card for some time after her day has passed.  What better way to help her do that than by making a seashell magnet for her to post the card on the refrigerator.  Make a couple so that she can hang several items at once.  All it takes is a dad willing to help with the hot glue gun, a few seashells, some small pieces of ribbon or dried flowers, and some round magnets.  Glue the magnets and ribbon onto the seashells and allow them to cool.  Pack them in a small basket and they’re ready to give to Mom.

Moms enjoy displaying photos of their kids, so what could be better than finding a favorite photo and creating a home-made frame to place it in?  Find a CD case and cut two pieces of scrapbook or construction paper large enough to fit snugly on the inside of the CD case.  Carefully cut a shape out of the center of the square to place the photo.  Decorate the paper before gluing the photo in place.  Put each piece of paper into the case and cover the back of the photo to keep it from falling out.  Glue the back of the paper into the case.  You can also put decorations on the frame itself.

What mom wouldn’t love a coupon book for Mother’s Day?  Write out coupons for “One free hug”, “Good for one foot massage”, “Control of the remote for one evening”, or “One undisturbed afternoon nap”.   Your child can come up with ideas of their own.  Make the coupons about 3” x 8 1/2” with a pretty cover and staple them together.  This gift is meant to be returned, so don’t be surprised if she redeems them quickly.

Bookmarks are another item that most moms would probably enjoy.  All this gift takes is some ribbon a little larger than a standard book, some fabric pens, and a little bit of patience.  Personalize them and Mom will like them even more.

The ultimate home-made gift a child can give their mom, with help from Dad, is breakfast in bed complete with a flower in a vase.  This gift may take a little more time than some of the other suggestions, but Mom is sure to love it and those that prepared it for making her feel so special.

The gifts a child can make for Mother’s Day are really limited by their own imagination, creativity, and ability.  Having Dad or an older sibling help will ensure the younger child is being safe during the creation process.  Whatever your child chooses to make and give, as long as it is made with love, it’s sure to be a big hit.

Original post can be found here: Home-made Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

Grandmas are wonderful people who mean so much to us.  We want to show them how much we love them, especially on Mother’s Day.  Sure, you could give them the traditional gift of flowers, but why not give them something unexpected this year instead?  Here are some ideas.

Write them a poem – Using the letters of their name, create an acrostic poem for them.  Not only will this gift be personalized just for them, they will love it because it was created especially for them by you.  You could use either their own name, or the name that you call them like Grandma, Nana, or whatever it might be.

Gift certificates to their favorite restaurant – Everyone loves to eat out at their favorite restaurant, but sometimes it can be quite expensive to do so.  By giving her two gift certificates, she can invite a friend to join her.

Plant a tree in their honor at the local botanical garden or park – This gift will help the environment as well as show how much you love her.  Plan to visit her tree each year as a special day for the two of you to enjoy together.

Name a star after them – Tell your grandmother how stellar you think she is by naming a star after her.  You can also inform her that she’s heavenly and deserves a place among the stars.  One of the benefits of this gift is that it won’t fade or die – at least not for many years to come.

Buy them a book by their favorite author – Many people won’t miss the next novel by their favorite author.  Find out who that author is and then when their next novel is coming out.  If that author is signing books at a local bookstore, why not take the opportunity to purchase a signed copy to thrill your grandmother even more.

Family photograph – What grandmother wouldn’t enjoy an up-to-date photograph of her favorite grandchildren and their parents? Plan ahead so you can get photographs taken in plenty of time to present her with a framed family photo.  She’s sure to treasure this gift for years to come.

Grandmother’s ring or necklace – If there are a number of grandchildren, in more than one family, consider sharing the expense of a grandmother’s ring or necklace.  This jewelry has multiple stones – one for each grandchild’s birthstone – and can be set in a number of ways.  A heart is often used for necklaces.  If you can’t manage to get everyone involved in the gift, consider the same gift and give it just from your immediate family.

Homemade cookies or their favorite treat, if they can have them – If your grandmother isn’t diabetic or has any other health issues that would keep her from having sweet treats, consider making her favorite treat for her.  She’ll appreciate your taking the time to make something for her to enjoy.

Mother’s Day only comes once a year.  Take some to consider what your grandmother would truly enjoy and then see what you can do to make that happen.  Whatever you do, be sure to let her know how important she is to you and how much you love her; that will be better than any gift you can come up with.

Original post can be found here: Mother’s Day Gifts for Grandma

Any mom in the world would be silly to return a gift they are given on Mother’s Day, but maybe they don’t really want gifts they can hold.  Perhaps they want something even more thoughtful.  The following may be what moms really want for Mother’s Day.

Moms want to be recognized for their hard work and sacrifice on the rest of the days of the year.  Quite often moms pull double duty – helping to bring in much-needed financial help and being responsible for keeping the home running smoothly. So they love to have their family members tell them how much they are appreciated.

Moms usually spend a lot of their time taking care of the home.  On Mother’s Day, consider doing all of the cooking so she doesn’t have to.  Serving her breakfast in bed would also be a great surprise for her.  The meal doesn’t have to be elaborate – it could be something as simple as cereal, toast, and juice – the fact that you took the time to put it together will be greatly appreciated.  Oh, if you can find some, wild flowers would be a nice touch.

Any hard-working mom would love a day or weekend at a spa so that someone else can pamper them for a while.  Moms want to spend a little bit of time someplace where they don’t have to worry about which fire needs to be put out next.  A facial or full-body massage would be heaven for Mom.  Instead of just giving her a gift certificate, go ahead and make an appointment so she won’t cancel.

A night out on the town would also be appreciated by moms the world over.  Perhaps the husbands could agree to stay at home with the kids and allow Mom to have a girl’s night out with friends. Dinner and movie with time to dish may do wonders to improve a stressed mom’s outlook.

How about some time to just enjoy and have fun with the family?  Moms are often pulled in many directions throughout the year.  Many moms say they would love an opportunity to sit and play board games with their family.  Watching comedies with a great big bowl of popcorn would also be a welcomed change of pace.  Spending time with their loved ones is high on Mom’s list of gifts.

Ultimately, what moms want more than anything else in the world – more than a card, a box of candy, or a beautiful bouquet of flowers – is to know that they are loved.  Children stop telling their moms how they truly feel as they get older.  A handwritten “love note” ranks the highest of all things moms really want for Mother’s Day.

Original post can be found here: What Moms Really Want for Mother’s Day

Some historians believe that Mother’s Day began as a pagan holiday celebrated in Greece.  Some believe it started as a way to recognize the Virgin Mary and was celebrated in conjunction with Lent.  While these may have been a type of Mother’s Day, they are not what most people think of when they consider this holiday.

In fact, most people don’t know the history of Mother’s Day or how long it has been celebrated in the United States.  Since very few people are left that were alive when Mother’s Day began, we just figure that the holiday has always been celebrated. This is untrue, however, so it’s time to set the record straight.

Mother’s Day was first suggested as a holiday in 1872 by woman who wrote the words for “The Battle Hymn of the Republic”, Julia Ward Howe.  She was so adamant about there needing to be a holiday to honor mothers that she held annual Mother’s Day meetings in Boston each year.

Anna Jarvis picked up the Mother’s Day baton in 1907 and began trying to get Mother’s Day added as a national holiday.  The most she could accomplish was to talk her mother’s church in Grafton, West Virginia into celebrating the day on the second Sunday of May.  The following year, the City of Philadelphia, known for Brotherly Love, began recognizing motherly love by celebrating the holiday.

For the next two years, Ms. Jarvis and her supporters tried to convince ministers, businessmen, and politicians that there should be a national holiday to honor the nation’s mothers.  By 1910, because of these efforts, the governor of West Virginia proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.  Nearly every state picked up the holiday the following year, and by 1914 President Woodrow Wilson officially announced the second Sunday of May as a new national holiday, Mother’s Day.

After spending so much time and effort to get the holiday established, by 1923 Ms. Jarvis filed a lawsuit to stop the holiday.  She felt that the holiday had been too commercialized and that businessmen were just trying to make money from it. In fact, at the Mother’s Day festival, Jarvis caused such a scene that she was arrested for disturbing the peace because they sold white carnations – which was Jarvis’ symbol of motherhood.  She told a reporter she wished she’d never created the holiday.  Eventually she died alone in a mental institution in 1948.

Mother’s Day continues despite Jarvis’ attempts to have the day to honor mothers removed from the historical record.  Many other countries have picked up the holiday, although they are not all celebrated on the same day.  Denmark, Turkey, Australia, Belgium, Italy, and Finland do celebrate the holiday on the second Sunday of May, just like we do in the United States.

Most mothers will receive cards and gifts on this day although they probably would prefer just being pampered for the day.  No matter how you celebrate Mother’s Day, make sure you let your mother know how important she is to you, and express to her how much you love her.  Those are probably the greatest gifts a mother could receive from their children.

Original post can be found here: The History of Mothers Day

When Mother’s Day rolls around, kids want to show their moms just how special they are. Store-bought gifts and cards are nice, but they lack that personal touch. Something made just for Mom has much more sentimental value, and kids don’t have to spend much money (if any) on it.

Even toddlers can make Mother’s Day crafts with a little help. Here’s a sampling of things kids can make for Mom.

Framed Photos

Every mother loves to look at pictures of her kids. So why not pick out a favorite picture or yourself with Mom and create a beautiful frame for it? There are many ways you can go about making photo frames.

One of the cheapest and simplest ways to make a picture frame is to cut one out of paper. Construction paper, card stock and thick scrapbooking paper are good choices. Or, if you want to make the frame even sturdier, use corrugated cardboard. Just make sure the opening in the middle is large enough to show the part of the photo you want to display, and make the frame any shape you like. Decorate with paint, glitter and stickers. Add a magnet to the back for easy display on the refrigerator.

You can also make frames out of craft sticks. Just glue the ends of four sticks together to make a square, and decorate with markers or paint. Or if you prefer, buy a plain photo frame and decorate it as you please.

Candle Holders

It’s easy to make a lovely candleholder out of a small jar. Larger baby food jars work well for tealights and votives. Pint jars can hold votives or small pillar candles.

To decorate, use tissue paper. Mix equal parts white glue and water, and stick the paper onto the outside of the jar, stopping below the rim. Use pieces of different colors to create a stained glass look. Cut some shapes out of the paper if you like, arrange them in a pretty pattern, and glue on top of the larger pieces. Coat with the glue mixture to seal, and let dry.

Bath Salts

Want to help Mom pamper herself on her special day? Make her some homemade bath salts. They will help her relax and leave her skin feeling great.

Just mix 3 cups of Epsom salts, 2 cups of baking soda, and 1 cup of table salt. Add about twenty drops of a fragrant essential oil. Lavender, sandalwood and chamomile are good choices. Mix thoroughly. Present the bath salts to Mom in a pretty jar tied with a ribbon.

Decorative Flowerpot

Moms adore flowers. Creating a unique flowerpot with a plant you’ve grown for her is sure to bring a smile to her face.

Small unglazed terra cotta flowerpots are easy to paint on. Use acrylic paint to make a pretty scene or design. If you don’t have a flowerpot, a styrofoam cup will do. You can decorate it with markers, glitter glue and stickers. When your creation is dry, fill it with potting soil and plant a few seeds. Try to do this a week or two before Mother’s Day so the plant will have time to start growing. Don’t forget to give it plenty of sun and water.

Mom is sure to appreciate these simple yet thoughtful crafts. They will give her fond Mother’s Day memories for years to come!

Original post can be found here: Mother’s Day Craft Ideas