Just Givin’ it Away
This is not an act.
Unique watercolor portraits and pet portraits as seen on dooce.com, marthastewart.com and The Pioneer Woman. Commissions gladly accepted.
Unique watercolor portraits and pet portraits as seen on dooce.com, marthastewart.com and The Pioneer Woman. Commissions gladly accepted.
This is not an act.
The best was when my son showed up out the the blue and we spent a wonderful day together.
My first mothers day I was sick, felt terrible, and the baby was fussy. I ended up breaking down and going to bed early, deciding we’d celebrate my first mothers day another day, which would hopefully be a better day!
Now for my 5th mothers day, I’m hoping for no flu, no fuss, but a lot of snuggles, and fun!
Every year since I was a child, I’ve always given my grandmother a Mother’s day card and gift in addition to my mom. Last year, my grandmother tells me my Mother’s Day “gift” was the best that she has ever received. I am originally from the UK but have been living in the US for a few years. Needless to say, I dont get to see my grandmother very often. Instead of buying her plants or flowers (which is what she loves), I wrote her a letter. I told her how special she is and what she means to me, and how important she was to me growing up. She tells me she keeps that letter by her bedside and she reads it every night before going to bed. It’s her way of keeping in touch with me even though we live in different continents. I always think its the small things that make the most impact.
A Macbook! I hope it will happen this year. Keep tour fingers crosses! Great give away!
Pls correct my typos, gees I hit that submit too fast! 🙂
Let me start off by saying that I love my husband very much, BUT, when it comes to presents, er, lets just say, he tries. A few years ago, he gave me the worst present and to this day even my kids make fun of him. I had a shopping list on the counter in the kitchen, of some things that I needed to get for myself. Well, I guess he saw the list and decided it would be a great idea to get something on it. And on Mothers Day, he handed me…the mother of his children, his private chef, his washer of all his dirty clothes…..an insert for a drawer to store knives. Let’s just say he was lucky there were no knives in it…..*joking* I mean, even the kids, who were about 10 & 8 at the time knew it was a bad present. And he couldn’t understand because quote…”You had it on a list of things you wanted”…’ok, well I also had tampons and dental floss on that list, so what’s your point?”
Father’s day could not get here fast enough for me…he got a soap dish! lol
Patti: that’s a good one!
The kids got me a diamond horseshoe necklace 3 years ago. This was about a month after the family horse went missing for 3 days and I found him, scared and scarred up. I have some great kids and love anything they give me. Especially the dandelion bouquets.
The best Mother’s Day gift I ever received was actually from my husband. It’s a beautiful fountain which has become the focal point in my backyard.
The worst Mother’s Day gift I ever DIDN’T give was one to my dear mom the year she passed away.
My six year old son hopped in the car after school today with a handmade card. His little hand prints were on the card and this is what he wrote, “I remember my mommy, by Connor. I remember my mommy cook my favor meals for me. I remember mommy listening to me. I remember mommy cleans when I am sick. I remember mommy buying stuff for me. I remember mommy helps me ride my new bike. Happy Mother’s Day.”
I was a puddle of tears. Could not drive for 5 minutes. Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there!
The best for me were my two children. I know, obvious, but I earned them fair and square after months of heparin shots, bladder malfunctions, waits through the Foster’s Freeze drive thru and subsequent gym memberships! 🙂 I adore my two little munchkins more than life itself and consider them the best gifts ever!
Thanks for the lovely giveaway….I’m still saving my pennies for a couple of family/dog portraits!
Yesterday I received a framed picture of my little girl at daycare with a bunch of flowers around her. Her teacher framed it for me and gave it to me from my daughter for Mother’s Day. Being that it was my first Mother’s Day gift ever, I think it is the best 🙂
The best Mother’s Day presents I’ve ever received are the ones I receive every year — those hugs and kisses from my kids. My son is 16 this year — and with each passing year, I wonder if he’ll be *too cool* to plant one on me and give me a heartfelt hug. But, he never fails to make my heart melt and tell me that *I’m* the cool one. 🙂 Ok….so, we won’t even TALK about those kitchen appliances or workout equipment that the husband buys. “But you SAID you wanted it!!!” he says. Yes, but NOT for Mother’s Day! They never learn…. LOL Happy Mother’s Day, Rachael!
Let’s seeeeeee…..I’ve gotten a green wheelbarrow, a gift certificate for two screen doors (which I never received), a rifle (I don’t hunt), a rug shampooer…(some of these may be for other holidays….it’s all a blur). In his defense, he’s manned up and gotten me some really nice things, too. I just never know.
Okay so I just re-read the question and it doesn’t have to be gifts from my husband. Soooo, I have gotten some really thoughtful things from my daughters, including a portrait of the two of them that I just love that’s hanging in my hallway to this day. I love it!
When my boys were young, my husband gave me a card that, to this day, is posted on the fridge door. The picture on the card shows a huge industrial sized vat of liquid and inside it says…………….”Your margarita is ready!”
I’m not a big drinker, but it makes me laugh every time I stand in the kitchen( surrounded by dirty, loud, running, happy boys) and see it.
My Mum is completely and absolutely wonderful.
When I was small, we used to have a specialty coffee shop in the mall, where we would get her favorite coffee (Tanzanian Peaberry) and a mug. Sadly, the store closed as we entered out pre-teen years and Mum switched to decaf because she was getting some wicked acid reflux.
And the decade of sucky presents began.
A lot of times it was something she’d expressed interest in but not what she wanted for mothers day. Or something we needed in general but not really taylored for her enjoyment. We were lost in a sea of ‘what-to-gets’ for a mother who seemingly had everything.
So the last couple years I’ve really paid attention when she says she likes something. When she said she wanted a cast iron park bench, I convinced my dad it was what she wanted (it was!). I took note of the things she circled in the Lee Valley catalogue. Got her flowers. Came over and visited and enjoyed time with her.
This year I’ve gotten her some jewlery from from Tweak Boutique – found through the Pioneer Woman. I asked the designer to make a special piece for her reflecting the sunset in the high desert in Arizona – a place she loves. So hopefully that’ll go well.
That turned into an essay! Ooops!
My husband and daughter gave me a lilac bush one year. I know it doesn’t sound like much but they are my favorite spring flower.
two years ago our wedding anniversary fell on mother’s day. that was the best day ever because i got to celebrate two of the greatest gifts in my life ~ my husband and our precious baby girl! and they really pampered me that day too 😀
The gift of sleeping in…and that works just about any day in my book! 😀
My son wrote a poem about how all of the little things I do are special to him. It made me cry and I kept it hanging up for over a year.
I still have the hand made Mother’s Day cards my son made for me when he was little. They are all my favorites.
My husband and kids made me an old school “mixed tape” although more up to date. It was via computer with pictures of our life together – beautiful.
The best Mothers day present I’ve received would be from my Angel Baby Boy in Heaven…He blessed me with the first magnolia bloom of the season last year on his memorial tree that we planted after we lost him at 5 months into my pregnancy. I know he sent that to me on a day that couldve been so difficult…instead he filled my heart with love & made me smile! <3
Sounds weird, I know, but one year my husband got me a pair of miniature donkeys for Mother’s Day. It’s my favorite gift because it’s a perfect example of my husband getting me a gift that delighted me, even though it made absolutely no sense to him.
A day off! no cooking, no cleaning, it’s great!
beautiful paintings! i hope i win! 🙂
Well, I am not “officially” a mom, but rather a Step Monster..er Mother. My step daughter made me a handmade card and told me how much she loved me and that I was all the things she wanted to grow up to be, and how much more she loved me than her mother – then she added that I couldn’t tell her mom, because it would hurt her mom’s feelings. Now, the truth is she has a pretty cool mom, so that was a huge compliment coming from a teen girl to a Step Mom!! It let me know that I was in the circle of her heart, that meant more than anything that would have come in a box.
Every year my family makes me feel like a queen. But this year I believe maybe my best gift will come in the form of the arrival of grandchild number 12. He is due any day and I believe he just might make his appearance on Mother’s Day! Now that would be the best gift ever!
I make my mom a card every year – I know she appreciates my artistic way of saying “Hey, I love and appreciate you.” I can barely wait to become a mother. One day!
Since I am not yet a mother, except to my basset hound Zoe, my best gift was one that I gave to my grandmother. She loves flowers, and was used to receiving them on a weekly basis from my grandfather, prior to his passing away. I now take the initiative to send her a lovely bouquet every Mother’s Day, along with an actual gift. It reminds her of my grandpa, while letting her know how special she is to me.
This year’s presents are great so far – I have 2 girls, ages 3 & 1. This year my 3-year old gave me a surprise delivery at work of a paper flower bouquet she made at preschool! And (this sounds kind of terrible, I know) what I asked for from my husband was to take the girls to his parents overnight so I could have uninterrupted time to just clean the house! So he did! Woo-hoo!
By the way, thank you for the giveaway and Happy Mothers Day to you! I love your paintings!
My best present is the one I give to my mother-in-law: time with her son. My DH is on his way to visit his mother. I even packed up my crockpot, a frozen smoked pork butt, buns, and BBQ sauce so that my husband can “cook” her pulled pork for BBQ sandwiches tomorrow. Since my MIL is 94, this is something that we won’t be able to do for ever. And since school is still in session, my daughter and I will visit her in July for her birthday.
A bouquet of hand picked wild flowers and a heart shaped rock.
A handmade adirondack chair, footstool and table that a local craftsman made. I got to sit in the yard and read a book in it all day!
I’m not sure yet, but my 3 year-old said it’s a surprise… I had to hold him back from showing me it. I can’t wait.
I have to make an addendum to my previous post: My Dad bought my Mum a saguaro cactus for their backyard for their snowbird home in Pheonix. 18 feet tall, 4 arms and 2 birds nest. She had always dreamed of having her own saguaro – the place they got didn’t have one so she was bit bummed but loved the place anyway.
So Dad surprised her with one last week.
It’s pretty darn hard to beat that!!
The best mothers day gift I ever received was from my son when he was younger. He has physical disabilities, so writing is hard and very tiresome. He spent 2 weeks drawing a special small poster for me. I know how much thought he put into it. I still love it after all these years.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com
I gave my mom the gift of me. She got to hang out with me and buy me stuff. Isn’t she lucky?:) hehe
When I was 9 I took up cross-stitching as a hobby and my first masterpiece was a stamped pattern about a mother’s love. I gave it to her for Mom’s day. And though it doesn’t match a thing and it was pretty “rough” looking it is something she treasures to this day. I’m 40 years old now and it still stands the test of time. Handmade gifts from the heart are ALWAYS the best gifts you could ever receive or give. (just wish I could paint as beautifully as you do Rachel! — Thank you for sharing your gifts with us).
A little black bunny names Basil, from the feed store in Stayton. He was an angel.
Last year’s Mother’s Day wake up conversation from my husband: “Happy Mother’s Day. The water heater broke in the night and laundry room has flooded.”
Yea, probably not the best Mother’s Day.
The best gifts are the homemade cards and presents even now that my kids are in their teens. But I really live it when they all chip in and clean the house. Simple but perfect.
The best Mother’s Day gift I received was the EPT test showing positive 12 years after our first and only child was born. It was a shock, surprise and a delight. Now with a 5 year old and a 17 year old, my life is never boring!
When I was a kid, I saved up for weeks for a “beautiful” mother-of-pearl brooch that I saw in Woolworths. It was encircled with fake diamonds and emblazoned with the word “Mother” in the center. I thought it was the most gorgeous thing I had even seen. I imagined my Mum wearing it with pride when she attended parties or special events.
To her credit, my Mum never even blanched when she received the gaudy brooch. She blazed a smile and said it was the nicest present she had ever received. Every time she left the house, for the next few years, she would show me that she was proudly wearing her brooch, “to show off.” Years later, she confessed that she would remove it immediately she left the house. But she did keep the brooch as a treasure – I found it in her dressing table keepsake drawer, years later. And I was prouder of my Mum than I had ever been.
When I was in first grade, the apartment our family was living in burned (the day after Christmas, no less). My mom was able to salvage very few things, among them two very blistered and damaged photographs of us three kids, which she paid to have ‘reconstructed’.
One of the photographs was of my older brother and I kneeling on either side of our younger brother, maybe two at the time, in a little red wagon- the quintessential ‘Sears’ pose of the era. It still hangs in her living room.
For Mother’s Day about 12 years ago, being pretty broke at the time, I decided to do a (very simplistic) colored pencil depiction of that photo on a handmade card as my gift to her. I knew she’d like it, as over the years she’d tell us how grateful she was that she’d been able to save what she called her favorite photo of us.
I dropped it by her house when she wasn’t home, and later received a call from her, sniffling, thanking me for the card. I thought maybe she was upset and reminiscing, as we’d lost my older brother some years prior, and holidays of any sort were still painful for her at that time.
What I didn’t expect was a call about an hour later from my younger brother, yelling, “How could you do this to me?” “What? What did I do?” I asked.
He explained that he was there when mom came home and saw the card, and that she’d burst into tears when she’d opened it- because she loved it so much.
“How am ever going to be able to top THAT, Stephanie?! I mean, you made her CRY!”
And he was right. In all the years since, neither of us has been able to ‘top’ it. It’s become an inside joke between him and I when we discuss gifts for her. “Just don’t draw her another card, ok? I’m still trying to live the last one down.”
It amazes me that a few colored pencils, a piece of paper, and a little time could touch her so much (she still keeps the card in her top dresser drawer), and bring my brother and I closer together. I know that people always say, “It’s the thought that counts,” and in this case, the memories it created are priceless.