Mother's Day Post - Part 1: How To Treat Your Mama

Happy Mother's Day weekend! And what a weekend it is! The weather man was actually right for once and the sun is shining down on our wee island leaving us with bucket loads of stuff to do with our Mums. Sometimes it's a little easy to just grab a bunch of flowers before a Sunday roast dinner (most likely made by her) but this year I've been trying to think of better ways to spend some quality time with the aul doll. My Mum lives about an hour away from me so I don't get to see her as often as I'd like and when I do see her it always feels too rushed. I try to squeeze so much in to my weekends sometimes that I forget how grateful she is when I take a minute to just have a cup of tea with her while we fill out the Irish Times crossword. My Mum is so undemanding of my time and yet she is so quick to be there for me when I need her so tomorrow is her day. What are you doing with your Mums this year? If you need a little help in thinking of ways to spoil her with your time then have a gander at the below ideas I have been thinking about. Whatever you do, be present in the moment with her. Leave your phone in your bag and start a conversation that you don't want to end. Let the memories and words fill your day together and allow yourself to remember just how lucky you are to have her. Wishing you all a lovely weekend! Happy Mother's Day!

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How To Spend Mother's Day Cook Together Big T (our adorable nickname for our Mum, Theresa) is the champion of the Sunday Roast, queen of the beef gravy and chief of the spud. We so rarely cook for her so I've been thinking how great it would be if we prepared a meal together. Spending time in the kitchen with our Mum is where we can see her at her best and it's a good way to pick up some tricks and tips too. Why not invite your Mum over this Sunday to cook a feast? Play music you used to listen to her cook to as a kid (The Lighthouse Family and M People were on repeat in our house) and shut the door so you get her all to yourself for an hour or too. Go Through Old Photos I love doing this with my Mum. We usually discover old albums when we're supposed to be doing something else! We sit cross-legged for hours pouring over photos from an age ago and wondering what the hell we were thinking - who ever thought crimped hair was a good idea?! It's a beautiful way to hear your Mum's version of events, how she felt on that day or hearing stories you had completely forgotten about. Have a tea party on the floor while your Mum tells you about the time you chucked a fit at the fun fair (or some nicer stories) and remind yourself of some pretty wonderful moments. Go on an Adventure One of my favourite memories of my Mum is the time we took a road trip down the east coast of Australia. She was over visiting me at the time and we drove south of Sydney not really knowing where we were headed. We laughed so much over those few days (I still laugh when I remember the time she saw a sign saying 'Horse Manure' and thought it read 'Horse Manicure' - she thought that horses were getting their hooves filed!) and we both felt free to do whatever we wanted. I saw her at her most relaxed and I was so happy to have been a part of that. Why not take a spin with your Mum this year and explore a bit of the country with her? Don't plan it too much - just allow yourselves to be free for the day together. Try Something New Together We all can get in a bit of a rut and our Mums especially can be reluctant to try anything new. Register the both of you in a class where you're both beginners - learning something new together will surely bring you closer and might even fill you both with a little more confidence. It's important to push ourselves no matter what age we are and your Mum might be a little bit chuffed regardless of how nervous she might be. Go on a Date Why not dress up and get a little fancy this Mother's Day? Take your Mum to her favourite restaurant, just her, and treat her to a little decadence. We're taking our Mum to Castle Leslie tomorrow and I can't wait to be a wee bit posh for the afternoon. After that we're taking her to the movies to see Beauty & The Beast - a childhood favourite in our household. I'm a little bit excited about it, mostly for the popcorn. Remake a Childhood Memory Did your family ever have a tradition or a place you would visit regularly as kids? Our Mum used to take us to Gosford Park in Armagh when we were tots and I have so many memories of climbing giant trees before getting too scared and wanting her to help me down. Pack up a picnic and take your Mum back to a special spot that will bring back lots of good memories and remind her that she was once a Mum to wee terrors!