Forget transient flowers and stale chocolates. Chicago moms have other things in mind when they open up their presents this Mother’s Day. We have curated a Mothers Day Gift Guide for the Chicagoan with the most wanted list of gift ideas from our experience store. No matter what your mommy’s style is, we have got you covered, from sub-$100 experiences to an extravagant dinner at top ranked Alinea, but all sure to make mom smile. So, this May 9th, show Mom you didn’t forget about her and give her something she’ll never forget…or simply brag about during her next bridge game.
The hungry food critic mama – your mom a big foodie? Did she raise you with the best organic meals and do you need to thank her for saving you from fast food health problems? Browse unique gourmet experiences in Chicago, from French cooking classes to a dining treat at Alinea.
For the glamorous mama – mom’s want to be glamorous. They were probably a lot more glamorous until they had you. Find spa experiences perfect for skin restoration or facial rejuvenation. Restore that youthful vibrance that mom once had and treat her to our special organic facial or makeup lesson.
The stressed out mom – if mom is still burning the midnight oil and working hard, give her a spa day to eject the stress. From the Blueberry Moon to the Peninsula Spa, we’ve got you covered and know that she’ll come out on cloud nine.
The P90X workout crazy mom – is your mom more fit than you? Does she wake up before the crack of dawn to run down the lakeshore and end the day with yoga? Our active experiences have only the best instructors in Chicago to take your mom’s physical stamina and strength to the next level. Who knows, mom might start her own yoga school and outrun you in this year’s Chicago marathon.
For the don’t break the bank experience – there’s no need to splurge to shower mom with a gift she won’t forget. We have dozens of memorable experiences that mom can check out from tennis lessons to a lazy escape down the Chicago river that will leave you with enough dough to buy dad his perfect father’s day gift too!
Supermom Sara Surrounded by Family and Technology
Sara Fisher, the creative talent behind the Self-Made Mom, demonstrates to Funsherpa how mothers juggle their personal and professional lives to provide their families with the best of everything. A self-professed ‘former corporate hack’, Sara gives us a glimpse into her transition from the professional scene to motherhood.
F: What do you enjoy the most about Mommy blogging? What does your husband think about your blog?
S: I like creative/ humor writing and I think my blog is the best way for me to get out my creative energy. I wouldn’t say that what I do is “mommy blogging” but rather trying to provide a funny lens for people to see my life with two kids through. My husband is a fan of my writing, but not when it gets too personal. Let’s just say we have creative differences on that front!
F: You mentioned that you’ve transformed from a ‘corporate hack’ to a professional butt wiper. Do you find yourself using any of your corporate skills as a Mom? Any good examples?
S: I think I wrote a post about that a ways back. Yes, I feel that there are many times I’m using my organizational skills, my energy, my “get it done” attitude with my kids. Both for good and bad. For instance, I always would write emails or notes to contacts I met through business, and now, I make sure my older son and I write thank you notes for birthday presents. On the negative side, I probably am a little too demanding of my four-year-old. He’s not a 23 year-old account exec.
F: Can you talk about your experience when you first became a mom?
S: Lack of sleep and doing what you want, when you want were really hard for me to adjust to. I like to do things on my own terms, and now I have the little men who tell me what to do on their terms!
F: How do you manage living in a home full of boys/men?
S: Lots of wine. No, just kidding. I love my house of boys. I’m the queen and I don’t have to worry about how anyone is dressed or hair is brushed. Boys can get away with a little less personal hygiene I think.
F: Upon reading your blog, you seem to be quite a net savvy Mom, using Peapod, Ebay Classifieds, Craigslist, etc. Any other web services you’d like to share that are effective in managing home issues?
S: I use Google all the time, but so does everyone. Twitter is key for me to follow news, local happenings and keeping up with friends.
F: How is social media affecting the way parents raise their kids? Is there anything in the way that social media works that you’d like to change?
S: I think Twitter and Facebook have radically changed how we get and use information. For instance, sometimes if I have a medical or baby question, I’ll post it online before I call the doctor (not in an emergency, of course). On the flip side, I think there are some people that way over-share what they put online about their families and kids, and I’m totally not into that. Those babies are going to grow up to be teenagers and I don’t think they’ll be all that pleased to see a photo of their dirty diaper online.
F: Do you have any ‘Mommy’ role models (real or fictional)? If so, who are they and why do you look up to them?
S: Other than my mom who was a much more patient mother than I am, I think I’d have to say it’s other contemporaries of mine who’ve seemed to make it work having a career and being hands-on with their kids. I have not perfected that yet. Not even close.
F: What have some of your best experiences on Mother’s Day? What would make your perfect Mother’s Day holiday?
S: As I wrote last year, the perfect Mother’s Day for me is being alone! I would like to sleep in, have a leisurely breakfast, read the Sunday New York Times and shower for an hour. I love my kids, but I think having one day a year by myself is good for all of us.
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