We believe in moms. We’re big fans of moms who embrace titles like “soccer mom” and “yoga mom” and those who fit other categories you don’t hear as much about, like “mountain biking mom”, “’feels tired a lot’ mom” and “’if I have to read Skippy John Jones one more time I might lose my mind’ mom.” 

Taking time for yourself without feeling like you’re letting someone down is really, really hard with our full, busy lives. It’s not that you’d ever change anything about it, but let’s be honest: parenting sometimes requires patience, magic, luck, support from friends and family, more patience, a sense of humor and hard work. Some days, summoning all those resources is difficult.

We’re with you, mom. We see the hard work you do every day, taking family photos, waiting through tantrums, going to the bathroom “right now!” (again) and taking the kids out for ice cream cones. Taking the time to get dirty and climb trees and make dinner and hit the grocery store and get prepped for that big meeting, and trying to do it all with shining floors at home, shining hair on your head and a shining face at work.

So, we’re here with a slow clap, a pat on the back and a high-five for you. We’re also here with some great ideas for spoiling yourself and the terrific moms in your life. Here are a few ideas for celebrating YOU:

Getting Away from It All

Gather a few of your mom friends, or your own mama and your sister, and head to Va Piano Winery for a hosted wine tasting and some fun snacks while you sit in the sun on their patio overlooking the river. Wrap up your afternoon with happy hour at Level 2 and watch the sun sinking toward the mountains (which you are not in charge of organizing or dropping off).

Family Adventure Day

If you’ve never taken a picnic lunch by the river, might we invite you to do it for Mothers’ Day? After a picnic, you can take a walk on the River Trail along the Deschutes, looping back to Ben & Jerry’s for ice cream cones for the entire family. You can even do some geocaching along the way! Feeling hungry? Tacos at Hola! may be the right way to put a bow on this family day.

Mom Sports

How many soccer/lacrosse/baseball games have you attended in Bend’s questionable spring weather? How about ballet lessons and sports camps? Today’s the day for mom sports! After a peaceful coffee at Strictly Organic, take a solo run along the river. Meet the kids for a surrey bike adventure with Wheel Fun Rentals and, if the sun is shining, consider taking the stand-up paddle boards out on the river. Mix it up even more with a fly fishing lesson from Confluence Fly Shop. Refueling after burning that many calories is a must, and everyone loves Flatbread for their kid and grown-up friendly menu of treats. And, let’s be honest, their local gelato.

Serious Mom Pampering

Some Mothers’ Day gifts are a classic for good reason. If you’ve got a whole lot of outstanding mom points, you can point your honey to Saxon’s for fine jewelry. Treat yourself to a new outfit at Vanilla Urban Threads or, for a twist on the classic, pick up some new gear from REI to launch your summer right.

We love moms. We love how hard they work and how big their hearts are and we’re honored to give them the love they deserve.