Mother’s Day: Make-it-yourself Memories

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Daughters and Susan on Mother's Day 1989Mother’s Day Memories:

Do you remember this time we went
Camping and all the time we spent
Finding a spot to put up each tent
Next to the shade of a tree?

It was Mother’s Day, 1989.
In southern Utah, the weather was fine.
I can’t remember.  Did anyone whine?
No, you made it special for me!

With the stove Daddy set up, our meals could be hot.
We ate oatmeal for breakfast, like it or not.
And that was the Mother’s Day present I got!
I was happy as I could be.

After 24 years, I remember the way
We laughed as I watched you climb and play
On the rocks at Arches that Mother’s Day
And the memory is precious to me.

oOo

The poems I write for this blog are usually from a child's viewpoint.  But this Mother's Day, I thought I'd write my own memories, for my daughters.  

oOo

Favorite Mother's Day Presents

I know I’ve received beautiful gifts for Mother’s Day over the years.  In another place, I have written about why the ones I remember are the gifts like plaster hand prints, poems framed in painted popsicle sticks and cards that shed glitter all over the rug.

Coupon Book 

I remember making my own mother a “coupon” for breakfast in bed.  It was more the size of a certificate, with fancy borders and third-grade calligraphy.  I remember I even used the word “entitles”.  That was back when I thought big words were best.

Today, children can go on line and find lots of print outs for whole books of coupons.  

That inspired me to go to Pixlr.com and design a simple coupon book cover and page, myself. Mother's Day Coupon Book Cover I think it would be a great project for Dad and the kids to draw, or design, or print out and write up a coupon book for mom. 

Coupon InsideSome Coupon Ideas

Here are some ideas to get you started.  I’m sure you can come up with something YOU know your mom would love.  And don’t forget Grandmas.  They are mothers, too!

·         Doing chores with a smile

·         Reading Aloud for 10 minutes

·         A Puppet Show

·         A Family Walk

·         A Foot Massage

·         15 Minutes of Weeding, Anywhere Mom Says

oOo

I hope your Mother’s Day makes memories for your family.  I’m sure it will make memories for Mom.

oOo

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On the First, Warm, Sunny Day…

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Daffodils three

Daffodils

On the first warm, sunny day
What did I see?
Three tiny daffodils
Too shy to look at me.

In all the muddy, melting yard
I saw only three
Tiny yellow daffodils.
But they did not see me.

They huddled all together
Underneath a tall tree.
Three golden, bowing heads
Too shy to look at me.

oOo

From Year-Round Read-Aloud, Read-Along Rhymes: Celebrating Holidays and Seasons  

 oOo

Fun Family Activities for Spring

 

Indoor Herb Garden

The daffodils in our yard waited until one day after Easter to bloom this year. 

We live in an area of the United States that stays cold fairly late into the spring.  We won't be planting anything outdoors until the threat of frost is gone.

But we have been growing herbs in our kitchen window. 

We found a kit by Buzzy, that made it fun and easy.   And now we are enjoying watching the green plants turn toward the sunlight as they grow.  

Bird Watching:  Feed them, and they will come!

Even in the cold, a fun outdoor project is feeing birds.   I'm experimenting with making smaller versions of this birdseed wreathbirdseed-wreath_thumb I found on Infarrantlycreative.  

There's nothing like the joyful riot when the birds find your feeder.  

If your family can't have house pets, for some reason, this is a good way to invite animals into your life.  The birds will find the food you leave for them, and return day after day.  

Tips-for-Bird-Watching-book

 

 

Keep a Bird Log and Contribute to Science

We are learning a lot about the different kinds of birds that come to our yard.  It's quite a research project to identify each kind of bird.

Your bird log can be as simple or fancy as you like.  Just be sure to record each bird you identify and the time and date you see it.

There are some great on-line resources to help you get started.  The picture of the bird log comes from a post of Go Explore Nature that was written the week of The Great Backyard Bird Count.  By next February, your family will be experts at identifying the birds in your own back yard, and you can help scientists by recording your observations on line all year!

Let Me Hear From You

What do the first, warm sunny days of springtime make you feel like doing?  Share your ideas for fun family projects!

oOo

 

 

 

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