I surveyed a few close moms and asked them what they really wanted for Mother’s Day and the results were somewhat surprising. Here are some of the best gifts for mom.

Right now the burst for blog content is Mother’s Day. Just look at all of the pins on Pinterest and you’ll certainly see all of the DIY Mother’s day gifts. And we actually have some here on our blog (see our DIY Marbled Pottery Pot and our 2 Ingredient DIY Lip Balm). It is nice to receive those homemade gifts, but I don’t foresee my husband, sitting down with my two kids (ages 3 & 6) to make either of those projects. Because that might require planning. And he likes to visit the store the day before Mother’s Day to find a picked-over card and grab candy (which I don’t need, but will eat every. single. piece.) I will give him credit, he has planned ahead in the past, but as our lives get busier, we both are guilty of leaving gifts for each other to the last minute.

All of this made me me wonder, what would be some of the best gifts for mom for Mother’s Day? I asked a handful of my closest college friends and here is what they said:

Susan, mid 30s, working mom of two beautiful children under the age of 4: 

• 5# weights
• a beautiful planter for the front porch
• fabulous coffee

Her list seems so simple that I might have to mention to her husband what she wants. I’m not sure if he’d be grateful or annoyed.

Nancy, mid 30s, hard working mom of 3, ages 13, 11, and 7

• Go out to eat
• Go on an outdoor adventure with my family

Again, this seems like it would be so easy for any dad to handle! Of course with Nancy, she has some older children, so they might have some gift ideas for their mom as well.

Tamra, mid 30s, working mom of 2 under the age of 6

• Peaceful quiet morning coffee on the deck

Dad should take both of the kids out for a doughnut early in the morning so mom can have some quiet time with her hot coffee on her sunny back deck.

Tanya, late 30s, working mom of 2, ages3 and 9

• A day off from mommyville
• No fighting
• No cleaning
• Maybe a nice car ride somewhere

I think Tanya could get 3 of these 4 items on her wish list, but I’m pretty sure the fighting with two kids being in your company is inevitable.

Me, 36, mother of 2, ages 3 and 6

• I really want to be alone. For an entire 24 hours. Maybe 36. I don’t want to worry about showering or getting dressed or having to wipe someone’s butt after they used the bathroom. I don’t want to cook any meals unless I want to, and if I’m alone, no one will complain about what I make. I want to binge on R rated Netflix movies (my favorite) and read celebrity gossip on the internet. I want to nap and work on a few craft projects that I want to work on. No laundry. No interruption. No snotty noses. No glasses of milk to fill.
• Or, the idea of being OUT and alone appeals to me. Maybe an entire day shopping by myself. Browsing in the windows of a neighboring town’s downtown boutiques, hitting Target all by myself (and getting a popcorn and diet coke), not having to unbuckle kids out of their car seats. Not having to listen to kids fight when they both want to be in the same spot of the cart. Not having to repeatedly say, “no, no, NO!” when my kids ask if we can buy something. Have lunch at a little deli by myself, one that serves different and delicious sandwiches and does not have macaroni & cheese on the kids menu, or even a kids menu at all.
• Yet Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner cooked for me sounds amazing. One entire day of NOT having to cook food. Not having to clean up. Just consume and enjoy.
• A working day doing what I want to do is another option. Now this can be challenging because it’s basically a Honey-Do-List day. I tell my husband all of the things I want him to help me with – and the list keeps growing as I think about it. It ranges from getting mulch and cleaning out our landscaping beds, to painting the swing set, to detailing the inside of my car to fixing that outlet in the kitchen. It’s everything I want to do with his help. It’s usually little things we need to get done, but never seem to find a nice block of time or energy.

Of course I know that not everyone gets to have a Mother’s Day. Whether struggling with infertility, or having a loved one in heaven, so what I need to focus on this Mother’s Day is to simply be grateful for the gifts I do have. Grateful for my family, my husband, a roof over my head, food on my table, two cars in the garage, my health and two business partners who are amazing women and so much fun to work with.

But is fun to dream. Just a little bit.

Please share what your favorite gifts for mom are in the comments below!