Written by Kingsli Kraft | May 8, 2019
This Sunday is Mother’s Day. As I’ve gotten older, it has gotten more difficult to find gifts for the special women in my life who have helped to shape me into the person I am today. A day doesn’t really seem like enough to truly honor our mom’s the women who care for us the way they deserve to be celebrated. Being a mom and having a mom looks different for everyone, and sometimes it’s hard to figure out just how to show your appreciation for all the things that moms do. What do you give the woman who seems to have everything? What can you do when a new blouse, or a pair of shoes, or a piece of jewelry just don’t seem like enough? The answer is to spend some quality time with your mom, grandma, guardian, step-mom, aunt, sister, or whoever else fills the role of mom for you. Actually take the time out of your day to be completely present with the women you love. Put away your phone and set aside all your worries and be there. Here are eight ideas to get you started.
1. Take her out to lunch or brunch
Whether it’s a quick bite or a long leisurely sit down meal, what better way to show your mom how much she means to you than by taking her to lunch? Grab a hot dog at Bob’s Bullpen, a bowl of soup at the Fresh Palate, nachos and a margarita at Mangos, pizza at JJ’s, burgers and the Bloody Mary Bar at the Black Sheep, or the special boozy brunch put on by As You Wish and Thunder Bay Winery (this one is reservation only). Whatever your mom has a taste for, treat her to a nice lunch and some good company.
2. Grab some coffee and talk
Have a smaller budget and can’t do lunch? Opt for a coffee or tea date instead! Stop in to Cabin Creek, Biggby, or As You Wish for a latte or mocha and maybe a muffin to share. Grab a table and take your time, don’t rush or multitask, just enjoy your drink and really talk to your mom. Reminisce, ask her about her mom, ask her about her life, ask her about her childhood. Take the time to just listen.
3. See a movie together
Split a large popcorn and a soda, grab some Junior Mints, or pretzel bites and take your mom out to see a movie this weekend at the State Theater. This weekend you can see Avengers: Endgame, Uglydolls, and Pokemon Detective Pikachu.4.
4. Treat her to a spa day
Treat yourself and your mom to blow outs at Salon 125 or Roar. Get matching manicures or pedicures at Shear Envy. Relax at the Alpena Salt Spa in the Suite Salon Spa in Harborside Mall. Take some time to make sure your mom feels beautiful, pampered and cared for this weekend.
5. Take a fitness class together
At Bella Rosa, get up early for some 8:30am Power Yoga or 9:30am Barre with your mom on Saturday or check out Recovery Yoga after lunch at 3:00pm. Take a spin class at Bay Urban, Saturday morning at 7:00am (bonus: grab a green tea latte at Cabin Creek after). Have some fun and get active together!
6. Take a walk together
This one is totally free and so far the forecast is beautiful for the weekend so take a walk together, maybe get up early and watch the sunrise from the breakwall over coffee or stroll around the river, listening to the birds chirping and the leaves rustling. Take some photos together.
7. Explore the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center
Stop in to the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center and learn more about the shipwrecks and wildlife in Thunder Bay. Chat about and explore the history of our region and our waterways. Maybe you’ll learn something new.
8. Share a sweet treat
Is your sweet tooth genetic? Grab an ice cream cone at Downtown Scoops with mom and take a walk around downtown, or snag a couple of cupcakes from As You Wish and bask in the sun on a bench downtown.
Kingsli Kraft wrote this article for Blog Downtown Alpena. Kingsli is a graduate from University of Michigan. She now works at the Alpena Downtown Development Authority as Marketing and Outreach Coordinator. She enjoys reading, writing, yoga, hiking, caring for all of her plants and trying new recipes. You can follow her on Instagram here.
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