What We Want More than Flowers and Chocolates

Happy Mother's Day.  Listen up Hubbies and Kiddos.  Most of these ideas don't cost a penny.

1.  Vacuum and dust the house.

2.  Write us a letter telling us why you love us.

3.  Cook dinner, set the table, and clean up.

4.  Weed the yard and sweep the walks.

5.  Write down 10 things you are grateful for that we do.

6.  Clean the oven and microwave.  Leave a love note telling us you did it.

7.  Scrub the shower and tub.  Thank us for all of the soap scum free showers you've enjoyed.

8.  Watch the kids so we can take a bath, shave our legs, and paint our toenails.  

9.  Rent a movie we like and watch it with us.

10. Get the kids ready for bed, read them books, and tuck them in.

11. Get a babysitter and take us on a picnic and out for hot chocolate.

12. Give us $20 and tell us to go buy ourselves a new shirt (or several if you are an excellent bargain shopper like me).

13. Let us sleep in.  Take the kids out so the house is quiet.

14. Bring us breakfast in bed.

15. Walk around for the whole day and pick up toys, put away dishes, change diapers, and sweep up crumbs so we don't have to.

If you would like to purchase a gift, please consider the following:

1.  One flower says the same thing as two dozen.  Flowers you can plant are also great better than cut flowers in my opinion.  Get a perennial so it comes up year after year.

2.  Go light on the desserts.  Most women I know are trying to lose weight, or maintain the weight they have.  I love getting one truffle much more than I love getting a whole box.

3.  Purchasing a gift in lieu of expressing gratitude, kindness, and helpfulness on Mother's Day is not that great.

4.  Write a card or letter to accompany any gift.

5.  If you are in doubt of what to purchase, ask one of her girlfriends or daughters.  They will rarely steer you wrong.

The best gift I was ever given was right before I delivered Logan.  I was out for the day attending a baby shower.  When I came home, Topher had scoured the entire house.  He cleaned out the fridge, polished every fixture, vacuumed, dusted, cleaned toilets, washed all of the floors and mirrors, and even cleaned the oven (he didn't know our oven was self-cleaning and he did the whole thing by hand).  Dinner was ready, and so was the pasta salad we were in charge of making for a family dinner the next day.  I have never felt more loved.