Hey dads, I realize that it can be hard to keep coming up with ideas for things like Mother's Day. That is why I decided to create this guide to take all the heavy lifting out of the day for you.

These ideas are really easy to mix and match. I would encourage you to think about your specific lady and consider what she might need this year.

Is she a mom with a newborn? She might want to take a nap while you and the kids pull some weeds outside!

Is she a busy working mom? A walk in the woods with a little picnic lunch might be just the thing.

Does she stay home ALL DAY with the kiddos? An hour to shop in her favorite store all by herself would be AMAZING.

If you only have a little bit of time to spend, no problem! Pick up a few of the desserts mentioned and have the kids make homemade cards. Use these ideas as a springboard and have fun with it!

Services

You do so much to take care of us every day, but today we get to take care of you!

Here is a nice_____(movie/book/date by herself out)_________ to enjoy while we ________(clean the yard)_______.

We love you, Happy Mother's Day!

Clean something. What is the eyesore around your house?

• Clean her car, inside and out. Go the extra mile by adding a crisp air freshener or downloading new music.
• Tackle the bathroom, floor to ceiling. Get the kids to help!

Do something. Take care of a chore that mom would normally oversee.

• Do some yardwork. Pull those weeds! Plant some flowers. (Don't forget to put everything away afterward!)
• Tidy up the toyroom. Or really any kid space that she usually has to do. Take away donations so she doesn't have to.

The key to a good service is to completely finish the job.

>>>>Don't make mom clean up after the clean up crew<<<<

gifts

The best gift you give to me every day is __________________________. I hope you enjoy your ___________________!

We love you, Happy Mother's Day!

Prussian Street Arcade. If she's never been there, she'll be surprised and delighted. It is an old brick building in Manheim, PA full of local artisans and vendors selling a variety of handmade, vintage items for the home, beauty products, jewelry, and much more. Let's just say that Joanna Gaines would approve.

A bouquet from Grow Wild, LLC. They have an assortment of Mother's Day bouquets OR if you want to splurge, you could get her a monthly flower subscription box.

A birthflower necklace custom made by Torianic Jewelry on Etsy. These necklaces are both beautiful and meaningful, and you can choose to engrave a short message on the back.

experiences

Mom, you make life ____________________________________. I love you!

In my completely biased opinion, you cannot gift your mom a better experience than booking a Motherhood Session with Naomi Boyer Photography. I will make it fun and memorable, and those images will forever be enshrined so that next year when she looks back she'll have that, "I can't believe they were that little" moment. These sessions for moms and their children are only 15 minutes long on May 2nd, with the photos being delivered ON Mother's Day... so it'll be just like getting a little present and special moment all wrapped up into one. You can check my availability and reserve your spot here and I'll be in touch with the rest of the booking details.

Hershey Gardens allows moms to enter their park for free on Mother's Day. Get some of her friends together and send mom off on a relaxing walk through the gardens!

You'll have to hop on this quickly, but Baked Sweet Coffeehouse in Frystown is offering a Mother's Day themed cookie decorating class this coming Saturday. Roseanne is a master of the art, so if mom has any interest, I would jump on that!

Food

People love food almost as much as they love each other, so together they bring happiness and joy to all.

-Julia Belle

Lunch/Brunch Ideas

I happen to have a really amazing recipe for Chicken Schwarma here on my blog. It isn't that hard to make and all the ingredients could easily be picked up at the store. If you're in the mood for cooking, I highly recommend it!

Here is a recipe a friend recently shared with me for Chicken Soba Noodle Salad with Edamame, Cilantro, and Peanut Dressing. Uh, it's delicious. Bonus: Could easily be made ahead of time and paired with a glass of wine and fresh bread.

If you're looking to pick something up or dine out, I would recommend the following places nearby:

• The Gin Mill (Lebanon, PA)
• Hershey Pantry (Hershey, PA)
• The Millworks (Harrisburg, PA)
• Ancestor Coffeehouse and Creperie (Lebanon, PA)
• The Mill (Hershey, PA)

Please note: These restaurants are all open on Sunday, but please do check the specific hours before you arrive.

Dessert time

You really can't go wrong with these flavor bombs by Sweet Velvet Macarons in Palmyra, Pennsylvania. Perfect to bring on a picnic!

The Whirling Dervish in Annville, PA consistently has some of the best baked goods around.

If mom loves a good cheesecake, I would recommend The Cheesecake Lady, whose products can frequently be seen at ARE and Be Café here in Lebanon.

Kid Presents / Crafts

One year, my daughter gave me a gift that I still have to this day. She had someone take a photo of her blowing a kiss, then she cut it out, glued it onto a piece of paper, and put little colored hearts around it. It sits in a little frame on my nightstand. Though it would take a little preparation, it would be super easy to make. You can see an example of it here.

There are some really cute (and hilarious) activity sheets out there for kids to fill out about their mom. Here is one from Etsy that is sure to get some awws and lols.

Most moms I know love a good handprint keepsake. Here is one that is super easy to do and could be framed or kept in a scrapbook.