We're flying out to NC (Mint Hill) by Charlotte to see our grand baby Holden.
As you all remember he was born last year on Mother's Day!!! We'll be celebrating his first birthday and Mother's Day together with our DD and SIL.
It should be fun. We also have other friends that moved there last summer soooo will be visiting them too. It's a short trip so won't be able to see any FC friends. Sorry Teresa...maybe next time.

Linda

I realized when my DD was 10 that I needed to celebrate her on Mother's Day because she was such a marvelous child that she made me look like a good mother. So, we are having a picnic for her and I have bought her a tomato knife (which I will ask her to pay a penny) and some pots.

Happy Mothers Day to all who qualify!

I'm going to be at Amanda's for a BBQ, we'll have ribs on the grill, hot dogs for the kids. Probably baked beans, macaroni salad or mac and cheese, some kind of a vegetable, and brownies for dessert. I'll probably make a raspberry dessert of some kind too, Mom loves raspberries.

My mother and Ashley will be there, so it'll be all four generations of women in my family again. It happens a lot, LOL.

Annie

Oh Eileen I love surprises, I hope yours is a nice one!
Linda, I wish you were coming just a few hours east, we could have an NC visit!
Mustangs what a beautiful tribute!
Annie, the BBQ sounds like fun, youhave such a beautiful family, I hope you take pictures for us!
My Mother's Day will be low key, my DH is graduating from ECU Saturday with his Master's Degree with a 4.0 no less! I couldn't be prouder! Our son is coming home for the graduation, but has to be back in Raleigh Sunday for work at his restaurant. Our oldest is on a barge in Mississippi laying pipeline for oil companies! So I'll be happy that our kids are doing well and are happy! I'm hoping to visit my mom in PA. next weekend! I miss her terribly!
Happy Mother's Day to All! Gina

My sister and her partner are real gourmet cooks. I consider myself a pretty good cook and they make me look pathetic! Anyway, the entire family, all the siblings, their spouses and kids and mom, go to my sister's every Mother's Day for dinner. She's the only female that's childless, so she does dinner for all us "mothers".

I don't know what they're making this year, but it's always something fabulous! They usually do a "theme" dinner based on a region. Last year it was Tuscany. They've done Thai, other regions of Italy, and something that I think is either French or Swiss or maybe a combo of both, called riclet (sp?).

Lisa

Lisa, could that have been "raclette", did it involve melted or grilled/baked/roasted cheese?

Annie

I'm goin' to my momma's!

Ok, so I'm a smart A$$!!
But I really am going to see my mom, and my daughter on Saturday. Only 3 generations unless I can count the new dog I posted about on my Dog Treats thread... :+)

Looking forward to seeing DD and SIL's new apartment, visiting with mom (she's feeding us), hopefully my brother can make it!

Then getting a bid on fencing on Sunday. woo.hoo....not.

Deanna

Why is Mothers Day a day set aside for candy and flowers and card manufacturers!? We are just now dealing with my husband's mother and aunt's funeral arrangements. If Mothers' day and remembrance doesn't happen throughout the year, what's the big deal on a designated day!? I'm for doing away with it. It hurts those that have no relationship and those that have lost their loved ones. Those that are well and good in their relationships don't need a designated day of remembrance.
Who cares what you eat on that day!

Dear Annie,
I am so sorry for your loss. I know I felt sad when I lost my own Mother and had no Mother to buy for on Mother's Day. I am fortunate to have an older sister and so I sent her a gift that first year. Now I do enjoy celebrating Mother's day and I hope that some day you are able to enjoy it again. Losing my Mom was just awful but I like to think she is watching over me and enjoying Mother's day too in heaven.

Dear Annie1971, I too am sorry for your loss. I lost my mother 3 years ago this month and my sister 1 year ago. Please allow yourself the time to heal and you will once again start to feel like beginning new traditions without your loved ones being present.

I just purchased pinwheels for my Mom and Sisters head stones. It made me smile.

We will be heading to Houston this weekend but will be back on Sunday. Two of my children are out of the state but I'll recieve phone calls from them:-). My oldest DD and SIL will come for a visit and bring GD Maggie. I may grill something.

annie1992 - yes! I wasn't sure how it was spelled. They and my brother had taken a trip to Italy and France and they briefly were in Switzerland for a bit and I knew they had come across this dish somewhere in that trip so I didn't know whether it was French or Swiss! But they did have a special gizmo with little heating plates that sits in the center of the table and they made all these special dishes. Everyone has a little pie wedge shaped plate, and you heap on whatever you want from the assortment of meats and veggies and then top it with the special cheese - where the name comes from, pop it in the machine and it melts the cheese and heats everything up - it was like fondue but with little plates that grill instead of spearing foods and dipping.

It was a lot of fun, but it looked like it was also a ton of work getting all the individual foods ready!!

But they always do something fun and unique like that for Mother's Day. We're a crowd that loves to cook and loves to eat and loves to travel, so these events are usually used as an opportunity to try a new ethnic cuisine or recreate something someone had in their travels.

And I love it because I get to enjoy everything and not lift a finger for a change!

Lisa

No plans here (at least that I know about). All four of my sons are out of state, but I know that I'll get a call from each of them and that'll be nice. One or two usually send a funny card too and that's always good for a chuckle.

Annie'71, I lost my mother last year in April and then we lost my MIL 6 weeks later so this will be my second year with no mom and first for my husband. It's hard, but I'll spend a few minutes thinking of all she did for me and wishing that I had the chance to give her a hug and ask a few more questions about her life before she became a mom. I do that a lot anyway, but nothing wrong with a little formal recognition. I agree, it can be a hypocritical when people who don't keep up with family make a show of flowers or candy on Mother's Day, but let's face it..... the holiday is here and we may as well embrace it!!

Grace

Annie1971,
I too am sorry for your loss. I lost my mother in 2000 and my father in 1983, so I can relate. There's no question that it is hard and not a day goes by (still) that I don't think of them. But time does help.

My two boys are away at college so neither will be home for M's day. However, they both will be home for my birthday in a couple of weeks, which is great because there were several years when they weren't (youth group convention was ALWAYS the week of my bday right after school let out).

I always told my kids not to bother with gifts or cards (unless they were homemade) for me. I don't need them to spend $3 - $5 on a card, or buy me flowers, etc. For me, it's more about spending time with them in a happy family gathering.

Back to M's day, we do usually go out with my MIL but this year I'm going to lay low and unless she asks, I'm not going to make any plans. I have my reasons, but I have no need to do anything special for her.

If I get my way, I'll just hang out, watch some movies on dvd, and maybe have DH grill burgers for dinner.

Annie1971 (The Other Annie), I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. My mother is still alive, but my Grandmother raised me and I lost her several years ago. Dad and stepdad died within a month of each other last year and so Father's Day will be a bit different too.

I have always told my girls not to buy gifts or cards for Mother's Day, we just spend the day together eating and playing with the Grandkids, one of my favorite activities. Ashley tells me she bought tickets to take me to see an Elvis impersonator, I'm not quite sure why she thought that was a good idea, LOL.

I'm not much into Hallmark Holidays and no one in my family exchanges cards or gifts or flowers for any of them. We just use them all as an excuse to eat and be together!

Annie

Same here. We mostly just enjoy each other's company for several hours, which means there is a meal involved.
It's definitely not a once-a-year thing. We gather as often as we can.

Annie1971, I am sorry you are dealing with such difficulties right now. It's always hard and everyone else "celebrating" just seems like a rub.
I know the first Father's Day after I lost my dad I spent just bawling. Regretting the fact that we didn't spend more time together as adults. I sure didn't feel like celebrating. Today, I can thank God I had a father that loved me! I can feel grateful for the time we DID have and not take life for granted. It's a process that isn't easy.

Know that we are thinking of you at this time.

Deanna

My kids are taking me out for brunch. My favorite brunch is always made with reservations. An assortment of my kids and their spouses come over every weekend for dinner, so it will be nice to have a meal prepared for me.

Hopefully, it will be a sunny, nice day - it's been dreary, rainy and cool forever here in Baltimore, we are starting to mildew. We need sun.

Well so far i know Im going to TELLER's Chophouse (see the website) for Sat Night...just me and hubby Ohhhh Im EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Truffle butter here i come!!!!!!!! Yumm many many Cabarnets LOL!!!

We had our fun and celebration last Sunday night. Out to dinner and then to the FleetwoodMac concert. Mom and all of the group had a great time. Great concert for sure! I still thank her for sharing so many types of music to us while growing up. I'll be sending her Yellow Roses, her favorite, this weekend.

David