Mother's Day is Approaching - Here are Great Gift Ideas

Editor's note: This story was originally posted in April - but, um, Mother's Day is Sunday. So, it's being posted again (nudge, nudge).

News flash moms – your partner is not a mind reader! So if last year’s Mother’s Day gift really bombed, feel free to forward this article along with a hint that “yes, this would be a great gift to receive this year for Mother’s Day.” 

Nature Lover

For the mom who loves to garden, a gift card from  in Woodinville or the Gray Barn, a nursery just outside Sammamish, is always a hit. Gals who enjoy hiking and camping will appreciate a gift card to , with locations on the Eastside in Redmond at Redmond Town Center and Issaquah. Or surprise her with a weekend trip away to Skamania Resort in Stevenson, Wash., which offers great spa services and lots of nearby hiking trails or The Resort at The Mountain near Mount Hood which is hosting a special Mother’s Day Brunch this year. 

Or if she was inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama’s White House garden and wants to yank up some lawn and put in a garden this spring, Bill Bowlus, owner of Redmond's Living Earth Landscapes, can help set up or renovate a garden or create an inviting new “outdoor room.” Call 425-882-2930 for information.

Boater

Does she love to kayak? Make her a coupon for “a meal and a tour of Lake Union by kayak.” Agua Verde Cafe in the University District is a great spot for a delicious lunch or dinner. The cafe offers kayak rentals and tours including a romantic sunset tour of Lake Union by kayak. More information can be found on the cafe's website. 

Surprise her with a trip to Friday Harbor House on San Juan Island. Get someone else to wrangle the kids, tell her to pack a bag, hop on the ferry and head to the hotel located in downtown Friday Harbor. If you can go Sunday through Thursday night by May 19, you can take advantage of their “Island Tranquility” package special for $380 per night. It includes a one night stay, two 50-minute massages, a bottle of sparking wine and $50 Bluff Bucks to use at the Marina view Bluff Restaurant.

Stressed Out

I know – what mom is not stressed out? So do something about it! Buy her a class pass this month at  and she’ll get an extra class free. To purchase, call the studio at 425-861-1318 or email info@discoveryoga.com.

Stressed out moms love places where they can relax while the kids play. She might enjoy a membership to  where she can visit with friends or take a class while the kids play and or take their own class or get her a punch card to Woodinville’s where the kids play in a monitored play area while she gets to surf the net and enjoy a hot beverage.

Get her a gift card to the Salish Lodge’s Spa in Snoqualmie and she can enjoy a day of spa treatments and long soaks in the spa’s beautiful soaking pools. May is “Month for Moms” at the Spa and if you book a Month for Moms special package, she’ll be entered to win a spa package that includes a 50-minute massage, gorgeous luxurious robe and matching slippers. More information is on the spa’s website. 

Chatty

I love the iPhone in an OtterBox I got recently for my birthday. Multi-tasking moms love the millions of apps including Angry Birds that will keep the kids entertained when she is stuck in traffic. The tech-savvy employees of Verizon stores in Bellevue, Redmond and Issaquah will be happy to help her pick the phone and accessories that best meets her needs and transfer her current cell account and contacts to her new phone.  

Crafty

A gift card to Daniel Smith in Bellevue or  in Bellevue or Issaquah or  or Ben Franklin in Redmond is a great gift for an artistic mom. For super partner points, give her a gift card to sign up for the upcoming Journalfest in Port Townsend  Oct. 26 to 30 while you wrangle the kiddos for few days. 

World Class Cook

If she enjoys cooking, a gift card from Sur La Table is sure to please.  The store has three locations, Pike Place Market, at  and in . Want to really score some serious points? Toss your offspring to grandma on a Saturday, pack her a bag and tell her you are just taking her shopping at Sur La Table in Kirkland. When you are done with the shopping spree announce that all that looking at pots made you hungry and stroll over to the Heathman Hotel. Grab a glass of wine at Trellis, the hotel's acclaimed restaurant and then announce "I think we should spend the weekend here." Purchase the Spa and Stay package and you’ll both enjoy one hour massages, a complimentary Argosy Cruise and you can even take a bike ride together for up to four hours on Swobo Urban bikes – helmets provided. And if that doesn’t make you both feel more like playful partners and less pooped out parents, I don’t know what will.