What Women Actually Want For Mother's Day (Send This To Your Husband) 💛
Female Foodie Friday Vol. 29
I’ve needed a week like this for a LONG time: a wide open schedule with not too many things going on.
A week where I could work on my puzzle, read more books with my kids, go out to eat tacos for Cinco de Mayo just because, and clean out that corner in my bedroom (you know the one!) that’s been neglected for months.
Mother’s Day is on Sunday.
Moms: How do you feel about Mother’s Day? Do you love it? Do you dread it? Are you somewhere in between?
I polled our Instagram readers yesterday with this question:
What do you actually want for Mother’s Day?
In just 14 hours, over 26.9K people saw this question, and hundreds (all women) answered.
Similar to my Valentine’s Day newsletter, the responses were truly eye-opening.
Many responses were sentimental.
“Letters from my kids. It’s what I always ask for.”
“Honestly, just my family together. Nothing more.”
“Time with family.”
“Love. And a good meal.”
“Family photo session.”
“I just want to be with family.”
“Just a nice family meal out and absolutely zero chores.”
“To spend time with my (adult) kids.”
“Something handmade by my kids.”
“For my family to be ok with doing family pictures.”
A lot of moms are hoping to get outside.
“A walk outside with my husband and kids.”
“Time with my family. Maybe a bike ride!”
“To have a day outside with my daughter and husband.”
“A hike in the mountains with everyone.”
More moms than I could count want to garden.
“My garden prepped and ready for me to plant.”
“Lilac bushes.”
“A cute top. And veggies/flowers to plant in my garden.”
“A dogwood tree.”
“A pergola in my garden.”
“Yard work done!”
“Flowers to plant in my yard!”
“Gift cards for the garden center so I can stroll, dream, and treat myself.”
“Dig in the dirt for a while.”
“A new tree for our yard! We gave one to my dad growing up and I loved seeing it grow big.”
“Garden flowers and my family.”
Can everyone just get along?
“No fighting kids.”
“A drama free day with a family walk and games.”
“No whining, fighting or complaining. And a simple acknowledgement that they love and appreciate me.”
“My kids to be kinder to each other… and me. :)”
“My kids to not fight for one day.”
“Every year, the same request- everyone to get along and be kind, not flowers or breakfast.”
“My kids to be nice to each other.”
“My kids to listen to me.”
Many moms simply want time to themselves.
“A day to myself.”
“A weekend alone!”
“A day alone to do whatever I want!”
“Weekend alone in a hotel with shopping and eating!”
“A weekend getaway BY MYSELF without kids. My hubby is delivering!! So excited.”
“Time to myself, watching a movie that I want to watch.”
“A full night of restful sleep alone in my big bed.”
“Peace & quiet AKA be left alone to let my brain rot for one day.”
“A day completely alone to do what I want when I want.”
“A night stay at a hotel, BY MYSELF.”
“Uninterrupted time to sew.”
“An evening alone at home with takeout.”
And do nothing.
“To do nothing!”
“To sleep, stay in bed, relax.”
“To sleep in.”
“A break.”
“To not make any decisions! Decision fatigue is alive and well.”
“Sleep.”
“A nap.”
“Quiet time.
“A whole day of making no decisions…and a nap.”
“An uninterrupted nap.”
“For everything to be magically done without anyone having to do it!”
“To make zero decisions!”
“Silence, sweet, sweet silence!”
“No mental load.”
“Quiet.”
“Time.”
“For my to-do list to be done by someone else.”
“A day when someone else makes all the decisions.”
“Freedom.”
“A nap without feeling guilty.”
A few major truth bombs were dropped here and there.
“To not have to do the normal mom jobs and to not have to find a gift for the mom-in-law!”
“To not be asked what I want for Mother’s Day.”
“To not have to do anything for my mother-in-law for Mother’s Day.”
Several had a specific gift in mind . . .
“I want a cool cup. I don’t own a Stanley.”
“Some stainless steel water bottles. I am a thirsty girlie and never drink enough.”
“Our Place Wonder Oven.”
“Dodger tickets.”
“Adidas Sambas! (that I pick out)”
“A small car vacuum.”
“A mommy makeover!”
“A pretty, dainty staple necklace.”
“A hydrojug & no extra church meetings.”
“Car detail.”
“Flowers, good ones.”
“A ninja creamy.”
“A MacBook so I can do my work without borrowing a computer.”
“A walking pad.”
“A dress for church.”
“Lip filler and Botox.”
And sooo many moms want good food.
“To go out for brunch.”
“Cheese! A big variety box of cheese.”
“Delicious food in the comfort of my own home without the work or the cleanup!”
“Brunch & a lovely hike.”
“I rarely eat fried food…but I really want some fried clams and hush puppies!!!”
“Charcuterie.”
“A really good dinner.”
“Apple pie caramel apple.”
“Sleep and maybe some pie.”
“To eat at an all you can eat seafood buffet.”
“A facial. And steak.”
“Sourdough kit!”
But that doesn’t necessarily mean they want to cook.
“To not cook or do dishes all day.”
“Great dinner cooked by my husband and Saturday w/my daughter.”
“Time with family and not to clean or cook all day.”
“No cooking or clean up!”
“Chill day with the family and men grilling.”
“Dinners planned and prepped for the week.”
A spa-themed gift was requested in droves.
“Massage.”
“A spa day-a massage. A night alone in a hotel room to watch tv and eat in bed.”
“A foot massage.”
“A date at the spa, or alone on the beach, and then come home to dinner with all my kids.”
“Silence & soaking in a hot tub.”
“An overnight bougie hotel and spa night!”
“A pedicure.”
“A mani and pedi with all the extras.”
“Silence and soaking in a hot tub.”
“A spa day…like alllll day lol.”
“Tea at a fancy hotel and a spa day.”
Some wanted dedicated time with their mom or husband.
“To be with my mom and spoil her with flowers and eat a good dinner with my family.”
“When kids were home: to have a day ALONE. Now they’ve moved out: a day WITH THEM!”
“Time with my mom and relax as a mom myself.”
“Free babysitting for date night. That’s literally it.”
“Honestly just a date night with hubby-been incredibly stressful last few weeks.”
All mom’s want a clean house.
“A clean house.”
“A clean house for more than 1 hour.”
“My car interior cleaned by those who made it a mess.”
“A clean house!”
“Time with my son and a maid lol.”
“A clean house & a big nap.”
“A clean house without asking.”
“I actually got the best gift. My daughter came and organized my closet for Mother’s Day!”
“House cleaners.”
“I’m getting what I want. A house cleaner is coming Monday morning. Her name is not Mom.”
“I want my garage cleaned out and me not to have to do it.”
“I want to cook in peace and have someone else clean up the mess.”
Some of them would like a getaway . . .
“Trip to Rome!”
“A day at the beach.”
“Another trip with my family.”
“Pool service at a five star hotel in Italy.”
And several mothers’ responses made my heart swell and break all at the same time.
“To be seen/heard/understood.”
“My kids to know me, see me as the mom that loves them, but as a person too.”
“My husband to be cancer-free and my adult kids to be happy!”
“To see my grown-up girls filled with joy.”
“To have my family whole again.”
“For heaven to offer a 30-minute FaceTime option so I could visit with my mom.”
“For my husband to remember it.”
“To be recognized as a mother, as I am a stepmom and miscarried my tiny baby fetus.”
“To experience thoughtfulness.”
“For my husband and kids to just be nice to me. And actually listen to me.”
“A genuine hug and for my kids to tell me they love me.”
“Another day from 30 years ago when I had 4 little girls.”
“My mom back, she passed 7 months ago.”
“I would love to mend my strained relationship with my adult daughter.”
“To be a mom.”
A few of my key takeaways (this section’s for you, Husbands & Dads)
Make an effort. Only one or two of our readers responded with “nothing”—whether they meant it or not is another story. Don’t be caught up in analysis paralysis or trying to make it the perfect day. Simply take action and make an effort. I can guarantee it will not go unnoticed.
Don’t be afraid to ask. Chances are, if you’ve been married to your significant other for any amount of time, you have an inkling as to what she’d like, but if you truly have no clue or need new ideas, simply ask her. Better yet, put on your detective hat and have the kids or friends find out and report back.
Clean the house. And don’t make Mom do it. :)
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10 Things That Made This Week Great
Peonies!! At Trader Joe’s! The best time of the year is officially here. PS, does anyone know the name of the peonies that change color from pink to almost cream? Those are my favorite of all time (and I *think* that’s what the ones on the left are!)
Casually reading Tyler Malek’s brand new cookbook: America’s Most Iconic Ice Creams, and I am dying over every recipe. Can’t wait to make the wild-foraged berry slab pie, salted malted chocolate chip dough, and pistachio gelato, and if you haven’t listened to my recent interview with Tyler, head straight here for the full episode.
I got the sweatshirt!!! (Have been debating since this newsletter IYKYK) It resurfaced on FB Marketplace after I hadn’t seen it for weeks and took it as my sign to buy it before it disappeared again!
Cinco de Mayo is the best excuse to take the whole fam out for Mexican food! We went to our local haunt and loaded up on tacos, chips & salsa, and all of their specials (the chicken flautas were soo good!).
Was featured on the Millionaire University podcast and took a deep dive into the story of how FF started (and in particular, our tours). Thank you Kirsten for having me!
Date night with my stallion at our fav pizzeria in Portland. I cannot imagine a better thing to be eating across the table with the LOML.
I almost always get the Nonna with salami. AMAZING. Successfully developed a new Texas Sheet cake recipe with a twist that I just know you’re going to love! Coming in JUNE.
Had to laugh when my husband was cleaning my daughter off post cake, and she made this disgruntled little face. If anyone has raised an exceptionally spirited & passionate child, please drop a line and let me know everything will be okay.
One-on-one time with my kids (especially my older two) is the best. Loved taking a mini road trip up north to visit my grandma with Freddie. We took turns being DJ (“I pick 100 songs, then you pick 100 songs, Mom!”), eating French fries, and looking at Apple Maps.
Me & my little twin. Seeing my sweet 89-year-old grandma was a sweet experience for me. I loved holding her hand and telling her how much I love her. My heart is filled to the brim thinking about all the things she has done over the years for me, my siblings, and my parents. I’m so grateful for days when I can jump in my car and go spend a little time with her.
My grandma and Freddie in 2025, and me and my grandma in 1991.
Happy Mother’s Day on Sunday to all of the mothers, grandmothers, aunties, step-moms, foster-moms, adoptive moms, and those wishing to be a mom. The world goes round because of you.
“There is no greater good in all the world than motherhood.” —James E. Faust
Brookie. I loved this so much
Love,
Mom
love that you were able to visit with your grandma...made me tear up actually. just so sweet. i am hoping my grandkids will take more of an interest in our relationship as they grow up too. And just maybe they will be grateful i cooked for them!!! as always your are adorable and fun to follow. oh i and it seems all my granddaughters are very highly spirited with minds of their own. which i absolutely love! but i don't have to live with them either!!! i do think that girls are coming that way from heaven for a reason. WE need strong women who really know who they are and what is important in life. we need strong women to stand up for what is right in these troubling times and so be grateful she has spunk and spirit and spice!!! and just love her to pieces. also good luck cause i know it is very challenging. tantrums are really fun right???
sending all my love