Giving meaning to Mothers Day!

The wheel of the year is passing so quickly this year!  Easter has gone and Mothers Day is upon us soon (May 8th if you didn't realize)!  This year it appears that both of my boys will be out of town for Mothers Day and I know that will give me cause for lament.

It is also the time of year for Alaskans to take the studded (winter) tires off the cars.  This is appropo to Mothers Day in that as my car was getting worked on today I walked over to one of my favorite stores in the Universe - The Boardwalk Shop.  Inside the Boardwalk is a Co-op of shops that have such wonderful things for mothers, children babies and even men!  There is even a coffee shop - that espresso helps when you are tired and have to wait a long time!  And they have a mothers appreciation wall set up in the cafe (The Coffee Corner - where I was waiting),

I am loving this idea!  What a great thing to have each person post on a real wall, (not a facebook) a photo of their mother and what they appreciate about their mother!  The photo below shows one of the posts - the lady in the picture just happens to be my marvelous Aunt Linda - Cranberry Cottage in the Boardwalk Shop happens to be owned by my cousins - her daughters!

Below shows the Coffee Corner where the wall is located - there are a few posts there already and the store is having  special event the day before Mothers Day to help celebrate.  It makes you really think about your own mother and why you appreciate her!  I also thought about my appreciation for mothers everywhere.  It is the hardest job on the planet and they do not give an instruction manual as all of us mothers know!  Holy crap!  I have such great memories of Aunt Linda though as a mother figure - she had 6 kids and one summer my parents went to hike the Chilkoot Trail which is a 33 mile stretch that the Klondike gold miners traversed.  Of course, after the folks left us with Auntie Linda we got chicken pox and impetigo!  We were sick the whole time, but Aunt Linda took great care of us!  Uncle Neil did his part too - he kept us entertained by playing his guitar and singing as well as yodeling for us - I have tried to repeat his yodel to no avail.  It was a horrible wonderful time! 

The Boardwalk Shop also includes the Alaska Chicks store - Alaskan clothing for women of all ages!  Some really cool stuff - one of my favorites are the boot cuffs - a bit of lace to wear at the top of your boots so they dont look so much like man wear!  They also have these great little camisoles that have lace at the bottom to wear under your hoodie sweatshirt and the lace pokes out the bottom and is so stinking cute!  Makes mom feel pampered and pretty!

Another favorite item in the store is the Gladheart Acres shop - they are soap outlaws like me and make wonderful soap products!  Cinnamon Apple Tea goat milk soap is what I am currently using (top 5 soap choice for me) but they have bins and bins of different soaps and lotions and lots of wonderfulness!   More of what will make mom feel pampered and special!

There is a book store - what co-op/mom rest/oasis/waiting zone would be complete with out one- it is complete with notebooks, pens, Vera Bradley items (I have the wallet but her notebooks are my favorite and the pencils), and clothing as well as some vintage items like quilts, lamps and tables!

The Co-op of shops is in the middle of a "town square" style mall area with a very busy parking lot/street out front, but it really feels like an oasis inside - no pressure to buy but always someone ready to help if you need it.  There are chocolates at the ready and a hot cup of tea anytime you need it!  I hope you have a Boardwalk Shop oasis near you or at least close enough that you can go there and feel appreciated and pampered at least for Mothers Day!  Father's Day too!