Hey! Its ya girl Sarah, comin’ at you with a fresh sun tan and mosquito bites. I’ve spent a lot of time outside with the kids during quarantine, and I'm lucky to be able to. Like many of you, I will be spending Mothers Day at home. So while day drinking and hanging out with my chickens, I’ve compiled a list of unique Mothers Day Ideas to help keep the day special for your mom and or baby mama, despite the global pandemic we are facing. So, let us begin.
1. Ink Cards
Never heard of them? Check them out. Ink Cards is an app you can download in your Apple or Google Play store. Using the app, you’re able to design a card and have it mailed without you ever needing to handle it. I’ve been using Ink for years now! I get the upgraded card and pay no more than $4 a card. Its thoughtful. Its easy. Its phenomenal. Below is an example card I sent to my grandfather a couple weeks back, they have a plethora of Moms Day cards. Hurry so your mothership may receive the card in time!
2. Give the Gift of Relaxation
Is mom a little tired from being quarantined with the kids for approximately too frick fracking damn long, like I am? Maybe she could use a relaxing day.
Start it off with breakfast in bed. You probably expected this to be on the list. Admittedly, it IS a little cliche but I do not know a SINGLE woman who doesn’t enjoy this. Especially if its followed by sleeping in and accompanied by Netflix and coffee. Let her have time to herself to eat and wake up before she rises to enter the day with all of her glory. Pro tip - when she does get up, let her come into a clean kitchen! This is easily forgotten, but VERY important.
Accompany breakfast in bed with Netflix and Chill. And I mean that in the literal term, but if you play your cards right you may even get a little some-something ;). Get the kids distracted, have them doing activities on their own for a day, and just let mama veg out and watch whatever she wants on television. I have a three year-old and an eight month-old, so I RARELY just watch what I want on TV. For just one day, be Mr. Mom. Do all the baths, the feedings, play, etc. An actual day of rest is the perfect quarantine-friendly gift she'll appreciate.
3. Plant a Garden (& other DIY Home Improvement Activities)
This is for the mamas who want a fun activity in addition to a little rest and relaxation for their Hallmark Day. Did you know you can order seeds on amazon? You sure can! Order some as soon as you can as to ensure that they are delivered in time. Help her plant a garden with her favorite vegetables and flowers. While you’re at it, help her design and decorate an outdoor spot for her with her new plants (assuming she hasn’t already started a project or 5)! Digging up the yard or even just potting plants is actually a fun activity to share with your spouse.
If you’re feeling extra hard-working, help build a chicken coop! I can speak from experience on this one that my husband and I have bonded over shopping and designing a unique coop idea while raising chicks. 10/10 would suggest for you animal and egg lovers.
4. Put on a DIY Mommy & Me Photo Shoot!
Still haven’t found an idea for your special lady? Here is something I find unique and personally would LOVE (hint Chase if you’re reading this). Put together a fun Mommy & Me photo shoot! Let her put on all her makeup, do her hair and wear something she likes, while you get your kids presentable. Too often moms are the ones taking the pictures. I bet she has a ton of pictures of you and the kids and very little of her that aren't selfies. Having her photo taken will make her feel beautiful and loved, especially with her kids. Plus, it's really easy to set up and do at home with just your camera phone.
Here are some photo shoot hacks to try:
Lighting, lighting, lighting. Not just any lighting...diffused lighting. Which means, soft evenly disbursed lighting. Harsh direct lighting can cause unsightly shadows and over exposure. If it ends up being a cloudy day on Mothers Day, you have hit the jackpot! Go outside and take some wonderful photos in the great lighting mother nature has provided. Sunrise and sunset are excellent alternatives (look up golden hour). And If outdoors isn’t an option, inside with open windows should work great!
Front porches or the siding on your house/apartment can make great backdrops. If you have a nice bed with a pretty headboard, that can work to your advantage too. Below is a photo I’ve actually taken of a client using her bedroom!
Want to attempt lifestyle? Capture mama in her element! Whether it be coloring with the kiddos, providing snacks or playing in their playroom. All you need to do is hang back and capture moments of her interacting with her children. Personally, these are my favorite types of portraits.
I hope these ideas help you make her day special. We are currently facing unprecedented times in our lifetime, so it is important to find the good in every day. We are faced with a health and economic crisis, and while Mothers Day truly is a Hallmark holiday (and in the words of my brother, “a mother should be celebrated everyday”), I feel that this Mothers Day “hits different”. We should aim to celebrate anything we can in such bleak and uncertain times to maintain positivity for our kids and our families. But stay tuned for Fathers Day ideas! Wouldn’t it be so accurate for the U.S. to be officially open for Fathers day? *insert eye roll here*
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About the Contributor:
After seeing her first episode of Gilmore Girls, Sarah Diehl had been obsessed with the idea of becoming a girl mom. Now, she has Audrey and Serenity! Sarah lives in a beautiful and quirky small town on a lake with her dogs, cats, and her husband, Chase. She is a photographer in her spare time because she loves showcasing the world in a different way, something she finds enlightening and inspiring.