Best Ways to Pamper Mom (giveaway)

posted in: mothering | 16

May is here in all its gorgeousness and it is a month to celebrate moms.  Moms all play a special role in our lives (whether birth, foster, adopted, or mentor mom).  We owe a lot to our moms: knowing how to tie our shoes, feeding us, making our school lunches, driving carpool, talking late in to the night about first boyfriends, being our biggest cheerleaders, praying for us, celebrating our biggest and smallest victories.  The list never ends.

How do you celebrate your mom?  Or another way to ask it: how would you like to be celebrated?  This is a list of the ways that would be good to pamper me with – and hopefully you can get some ideas to pamper your mom with (or give the list to your husband and ask him).

  1.  A night away or a weekend away (solo or a couple’s weekend – no kids).  This is honestly what I ask for every year.  Depending on our budget it might be a day or night away by myself or just a day in town doing my favorite things without the kids.  The top three within a few hours of ATL that I would love to stay at is: Old Edwards Inn, Blackberry Farm, or Serenbe.  We’ve celebrated a birthday at Serenbe, but would love the chance to stay there and eat at their amazing restaurant.  Of course for me, the beach is ideal, and I’m always home there, but right now its a little far for an overnight.  It if were a luxury beach trip, I’d stay here.  This year for me I’m getting a day off to do some things I love.  I’m heading south of ATL to do a styled shoot then stay and enjoy brunch, coffee, hiking, exploring, shopping, all by myself, which is so refreshing.

2.  A great meal.  We moms usually spend a lot of time in the kitchen or the drive-thru line or the grocery store.  It is fun to be able to eat without working for it.  My mister and I are going to a new-to-us place in Buckhead this May.  My mister and I love food.  For us though, we’ve learned that we love good food but the prices are so high for good food here in ATL, that we’d rather just cook it at home after the boys go to bed.  And we love to cook for each other.

 

3.  Gifts.  My mister and I love giving gifts.  When our bank account doesn’t let us give as big or as often as we would like, we have to get creative.  Something both of us do for each other is we keep a gift list.  It is a google doc list that both of us can always see and edit, and we love to surprise each other when we can.  Right now, here are some of the things on my list.  A subscription to this magazine, a gift card to this place (my fave in ATL), or concerts to some of my favorite artists.

4.  Pampering.  What woman doesn’t enjoy some pampering from time to time?  Whether its a facial or a massage, a manicure or a pedicure, time at the spa is usually quiet and wonderful.  But, sometimes you can’t get to the spa.  Its hard especially with young kids.  Well, if you don’t have time or money to get away to a spa this Mother’s Day, I’ve got a special package just for you. The ladies at Moody Sisters, who I have worked with before creating delicious healthy recipes, have given me a special Spring package just for you, a blessed winner.  The set you will receive if you win includes: this scrub, this lotion, and this powder.  I’ve been using this for the last month and love it.  My face always feels super soft after the scrub.  My skin feels refreshed in the morning when I wake up (even my hands, because of course that’s how I put on the scrub).  The floral smell reminds me of spring in the South so I definitely love that.  Moody Sisters makes all of their skin care line with natural ingredients.  I love how they interact with their customers and want to make you feel special, especially as a Mom this Mother’s Day.  And you don’t have to leave your house to be pampered.  After your kids go to bed, turn on a shot bath or shower, play some music, use these Moody Sister’s products, and you’ll be all set!

So, here’s how you get entered to win.

  1.  Leave a comment on the blog telling me what your favorite Mother’s Day gift would be.
  2. For another entry: go over to Moody Sisters and tell me what you would like to use next.

And to all you mamas out there – you are loved.  You are delighted in.  You are seen and known.

You’ll also get some lovely goodies from me.  This post is sponsored by Moody Sisters and all thoughts are my own.

Mother’s Day: Past, Present, and Future

posted in: mothering, parenting, Uncategorized | 2

Mothers Day 2015

I remember all those Mother’s Days where I just sat there…in the pews…seeing men pass out roses to their beautiful wives who were the mother of the their children.  Listening to countless sermons telling me that being a mother was the best thing you could do in this life and nothing would ever come close to matching it.  Telling me if I was a woman that I was created to be a mother.  Being a mother is priceless.  And God did create some women the ability to birth babies.

Past:  I didn’t become a wife until I was 34 and was barely pregnant (hince a mother) that same year.  I got to see my baby’s face when I was 35.  That is a good 12 years after I should have been married and started having babies.  That is 12 mother’s days sermons that I had to endure.  Yes, endure.  There were a few that I wouldn’t attend.  I don’t normally like to cry during sermons.  And I wasn’t married, didn’t have a baby, yet I was failing at the one thing that God had created me for.

Mothers Day 2015

Move on to today: Motherhood is a joy with lots of hugs and giggles and storytimes, but it is also hard.  I have two amazing toddlers that I would never wish to have life without.  I don’t want to miss a second of their growing and learning and running and playing.  But, being a mother is a gut-wrenching job.  It is a great task that can only be handled by the grace of God.  And I’ve cried more since being a mom.  I can’t watch shows with the same eyes as I do now that I have two little boys.  I see Scripture and the Gospel in a whole new light – and know I need it now more than ever before.  I cry for friends who have lost children, or who haven’t had the joy of being pregnant, or have had adoptions fail, or have lost foster children they have come to love as their own.  Sin wreaks havoc on this world.  The Gospel is our need.  Every mother needs the Gospel. But every woman needs the gospel too. We are not counted more worthy because we are mothers, the blood of Christ already has made us righteous!

Future: My boys are (Lord willing) going to continue to grow, learn how not to throw food on the floor, learn how to tie their own shoes, take out the trash (my husband will be happy), and hopefully one day trust in Jesus.  And when that day comes (I’m praying it will), I will still need the Gospel.  When I’ve been a mom for two decades and they are both in college or living out another dream they have for their lives…I will need the gospel.  When my littles are joined at the altar by their adoring brides…I will need the gospel.

I need to fill my mind daily and hourly and even minute by minute with the hope that I will never be a perfect mom – but I have a perfect Jesus who helps me in my times of weakness!

So thankful.  And to Elijah and Sebastian – I love you both.  Your eyes and kisses and hugs and vocabulary are a delight to me. Run to Jesus, babies!