The winner of the Whole Family Cookbooks is Kirsten. We hope your day of pampering was fun and that the kitchen being off limits to you went well!
Last year it was Sharon who wrote our Mother’s Day post. It was so beautifully written it made Mom cry (and I got misty-eyed). I can’t live up to that. I’m not even going to try, because Sharon is probably the best writer in our family. But it’s my turn this year to give thanks for this wonderful mother we have.
The mom who loves afternoon tea. Makes the best Gin and Tonic on the face of the planet. Taught us how to roast a chicken when we were eight and ten. Who painted our nails during long car trips. Took us Easter dress shopping. Planned elaborate birthday parties. Gave up her high-flying career to work from home and be with us. Made us afternoon snacks. Put dinner on the table every night. Catered my entire wedding. Ran NINE marathons and helped Sharon run her first. Who convinced us not to have Troll doll and 101 Dalmatian-themed bedrooms (can’t thank you enough for that, Mom). Taught us to always buy good makeup and always tip too generously.
For the big, the small and for all the things we have forgotten – we are so grateful, Mom. We love you! Happy Mother’s Day!
In the spirit of Mother’s Day, we’re giving away a copy of Michelle Stern’s The Whole Family Cookbook. One of the greatest gifts Mom ever gave to Sharon and me was instilling a respect for food in us from a young age. She did that by involving us in meal preparation. What’s lucky is that we ended up loving cooking and being in the kitchen as much as she did (hence this blog). But in order to teach kids to love food, you have to cook with them. And that’s exactly what Michelle’s book does – it provides delicious, kid-friendly recipes that help parents to get their kids cookin’ in the kitchen.
I’ve made quite a few recipes from Michelle’s book, but I’m posting the Kale Chips because Mom loves anything that’s salty, crunchy and comes in bag. But these are healthier and we can all eat them, guilt free! I’ll be making these for Mom when she comes over this weekend. And because there are no little ones in our family (yet), we’ll be enjoying them with a beer.
I’m teary-eyed again this year too. You both make this mama proud.
Can’t wait to cook and eat with you this weekend–on your turf!
Love, Mom
Soccer games and painting my bedroom. Finally!
We’ll be doing yard work on Saturday, then brunch with Mom on Sunday! Happy Mother’s Day!
Going to church, then having fun with the whole family!
This year I’m taking the kids to my Mom’s house and we are going to harvest our first crop in the family garden. It’ll be nice to just relax and have family time.
Hope to be relaxing…and to have a lovely grilled dinner prepared by the hubby!
This year I’m having breakfast with my mom (the first Mother’s day since I moved back to my hometown, Portland, Maine) and a steak dinner with my husband and son! With some gardening and a bike ride in between, if the weather cooperates.
Son and son-in-law cooking for the three women in their lives!
Saturday I’m spending the day with my daughter and 2 of my granddaughters. BIG treat. And I’ve heard whisperings of something surprise-y going on Sunday, but I don’t KNOW anything about it.
Such a lovely post. I’ll be having a quiet weekend with my husband and two little ones, hitting the opening day of our farmer’s market and (hopefully) sleeping in at least one morning.
This weekend’s plans include – cleaning, cooking, and hoping that Seattle will stop raining long enough to get some outdoor activities in! Unfortunately, Mom lives just to darn far away to visit 🙁
On Saturday, the whole family will be participating in a charity bike ride. Church and family time on Sunday.
Mother , Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma . There are no greater words in the English language. For those of us lucky to still have Moms with us, we should embrace them and speak with them daily. For those whose parents are gone, we need to remember and cherish the selfless love of a Mother. I know Sunday is Mother’s day- but isn’t everyday “Mother’s Day”? I am calling my mother right now.. BTW- I will ask her what she is cooking today.
I’m hoping for some nice weather to play in the dirt.
I’m doing exactly whatever I want this weekend. Probably buying fresh produce from roadside stands, hitting up some yardsales, and going jogging with my puppy! I’ll have to call my Momma to wish her a happy day.
Dinner and a movie with girlfriends… my mom is hundreds of miles away, so I’ll have to settle for a phone call.
I am getting my guest room ready for my daughter and 2 1/2 year old granddaughter to come and spend the week with me <3
My mom gave me the same respect… at a very early age. We never ate “kid’s foods”… we all ate the same meal. And I’m so thankful that we were taught how to eat well as children.
This was a lovely ode.
Oh my – she sounds like a wonderfully fun woman. A great role model. Lucky ladies!
Not quite sure what I’m doing, but something with the “hub”. To tell you one thing, it’s to treasure your mothers! I still miss mine after all these years of her passing(23 yrs)!
We are hosting Lunch with 19 people for the Mother’s in our life. Mother, Grandmother, Sister, (3) Aunts and a Great Aunt. Everyone gets cards and appreciation. I especially love my Mother!
Great Post!
What a lovely post. I have two young sons who I hope will marry girls as thoughtful and kind as you two. Sunday I will be served the worlds best omelet, made by my lovely husband, and I’m sure some homemade cards from my boys. I know that you girls think you are lucky, but we Mother’s know the truth…We’ve got the greatest job on earth, with payment in hugs and kisses. Certainly we are lucky to be Mothers!
I’m going to NYC with my mom and sister!
Happy Mother’s Day to all! I enjoy your blog and can only hope I am able to instill in my son the same love of cooking by sharing our kitchen! The only plans so far for the weekend include a pancake breakfast with the extended family, including both my and my husband’s mothers!
We’ll be doing yard work and working on the vegetable garden.
Potlucking with friends on Friday and spending the rest of the weekend hanging out with my husband and sweet baby boy!
Saturday we’ll be with my husband’s 90 year old grandmother celebrating her and Sunday my husband and his brothers are throwing a celebration in honor of their mom. It’s sure to be a lovely time!
I’m going to spend time with my mom and daughter together. We’ll have a great time together and what better present could ask for than that? 🙂
We will install the pump and filter in the fish pond my son has built for me. He will cook a late lunch, early dinner on the grill.
We will also be planting pink lilly of the valley in memory of my recently deceased sister who was like a second mother to me.
Looking forward to spending a casual Sunday evening together, after church and soccer games.
Getting the yard ready for spring. Our trees still haven’t started to bud yet.
My mom is out of the country, so I guess I’ll just snuggle my dog and run errands. 🙂
My husband’s birthday is Saturday, so we’re watching the Kentucky Derby and eating his favorite foods for dinner. On Sunday, my daughter turns seven, so we’re celebrating Mother’s Day and her birthday at the children’s discovery center. It’s going to be a fun weekend!
Staying outside and enjoying a hopefully beautiful weekend.
enjoying time with my mother and my children
I’ll be ankle deep in dirt, helping my mom set up her garden.
Every year I ask to go strawberry picking with my girls and husband. So that’s what we’ll be doing on Sunday. Saturday is soccer game and a birthday party and maybe making pretzels.
We celebrated Mother’s Day last month, so my husband could spend the weekend with his terminally ill mother. I’ll be taking one daughter to a birthday party on Saturday, all of us to church on Sunday, and two of my three children to see a play in the afternoon. They’ll take turns sleeping in my bed as a special treat, too!
My mom wants to cook out at the beach for Mother’s Day. I’m looking forward to her continuing to give wok cooking lessons to my six year old. Wishing everyone good food, togetherness and lots of laughter.
I am cooking for my family (hubby and 2 little boys) who love to eat. Instead of them cooking for me (which means more cleaning and mess than I can manage), I get to cook for them and see their big smiles and hear “yummy” from my 2 little boys as a mother’s day gift. What a great life!
This weekend is my first Mother’s Day as a mother myself. I’m having brunch with my mother and mother-in-law. And my daughter, of course. And I’m giving diaper-duty to my husband.
i’ll be celebrating my first full-on mother’s day with my 10 month old and my husband. i have no idea what the hubby has planned, but we’ll be visiting some old friends, so we’ll see what goes down.
We will have just begun the first week-long family trip in ages! My parents are treating my sister and me, and both of our husbands, to a safari adventure! Not knowing exactly what the circumstances will be for us to celebrate, we’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves but will have to make do with what the safari camp has to offer 🙂
Celebrating my husband’s graduation from grad school!
I’m running my first 5-K on Saturday and hoping I’m still around to celebrate Mother’s Day with my husband, two kids and my mom on Sunday!
We’ll be having my mom over for lunch or a late breakfast, whichever she prefers, and on Saturday, my husband and I will be celebrating our 42nd wedding anniversary with a nice lunch at a restaurant. A weekend of good eating awaits me!!
Plant buying, plant planting, planning places to put more plants…
No plans, got back from my “family” honeymoon (we have 2 kids) a 2 weeks ago and a fishing trip last weekend. So I’m looking forward to being treated to a nice meal on Sunday and doing nothing for a bit 🙂
My plans include a day of Soap Box Derby with my eight-year-old on Saturday followed by a day of pampering (I hope!) on Sunday. I am told the kitchen is off limits to me Sunday. Should be interesting.
my boyfriend’s mom is coming into town for the weekend and we are taking her to brunch. she is lovely and i’m looking forward to celebrating the day with her.