7 Ways to Make Your Mom Feel Like a Queen on Mother's Day Without Spending Any Money

Ask any mother she will tell you, Mother’s Day is not about how much money was spent on gifts and there are much more creative (and often times more special) ways to tell you mother how much you love and appreciate her besides emptying out your wallet. This year, Mother’s Day falls on May 10th-giving you plenty of time to plan something special. So we’ve put together a list of gift ideas that are both special and creative but absolutely free, picked out by moms themselves. 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

1. Make a scrap book or photo album of recent pictures

As we get older we tend to take less family photos, but this doesn’t mean they don’t get less important, so snap some nice pictures of you and your siblings for your mother to enjoy.

2. Give her a framed list of all the reasons why you love and appreciate you mom.

We all loved our mothers and appreciate all the things they have done for us, but don’t always tell them. Seeing a written out list of all these reasons will mean a lot to her. And actually seeing them on paper will serve as a nice reminder of why you love your mom too- and after all that is what Mother’s Day is about. 

3. Bring her a cooked breakfast, preferably in bed

 Nothing makes a person feel special like having a delicious cooked breakfast brought to them while they are in bed.

4. Give her a clean house

Most moms love a clean house, but usually to achieve this they are the ones who have to do the majority of the cleaning. Give your mom a much deserved day of relaxation by doing the cleaning for her. 

5. Burn a CD of all her favorite songs

Music has a way of being able to instantly bring you back to some great memories. When I hear certain songs, they immediately remind me of my childhood because my mother would play them all the time. Making her a mixtape of these songs will serve as a nice flashback for both of you.

6. Cook her favorite meal for dinner 

 For any mom, an ideal Mother’s Day would involve lots of delicious food, none of which was prepared by her. Continue the pampering after breakfast by preparing her a nice dinner made up of her favorite foods. And don’t let her do the dishes afterwards!

7. Volunteer to do one of the chores she hates for a week

No one loves chores, but many parents have that one chore in particular that they just hate- for my mom its ironing. Do her a huge, amazing favor by offering to do this particular chore for an entire week. Hopefully her least favorite chore and your least favorite isn’t the same!

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Even In Death, Man's Gesture to His Wife Shows Us True Meaning of Valentine's Day

It becomes very difficult to feel negatively about Valentine’s Day after hearing this beautiful story. Even in death, a Wyoming man shows the world the true spirit and meaning of the holiday. 

Shelly Golay of Casper, Wyoming was shocked to received a large bouquet of flowers two days before Valentine’s Day this year. She assumed they were from her children, seeing as her husband, Jim Golay, passed away this past July. But then when she saw the note attached to the flowers she became very emotional and contacted the flower shop to tell them there had been a mistake. 

Shelly was stunned when the manager of the flower shop informed her that no mistake had been made, but before his death Jim had arranged for a bouquet of flowers to be delivered to Shelly every year for Valentine’s Day for the rest of her life.

Jim was diagnosed with a brain tumor last winter and tragically passed away in July. His heartwarming and moving gesture demonstrates love in its truest form and what Valentine’s Day is all about.

The note read: “Stay strong! Yours forever, Love Jim”

Click below to hear the full story and watch the emotional clip:

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Why Valentine’s Day Is Not Just a Holiday For Couples

Ever since February rolled around, every social media platform I am on (especially Facebook) has been filled with negativity and complaints about the upcoming holiday- Valentine’s Day. My newsfeed has been flooded with statuses about how much February 14th sucks and how the holiday just serves to remind people of how single they are. 

So first things first, no holiday should be given the power to make you feel “alone forever”! Your identity and worth is not measured by your relationship status. Secondly, I think it is important that we take a step back from all the cheese that can come with this “day of romance” and focus on what the holiday is actually all about- love. And need I remind you, there are forms of love other than the romantic love that comes with a relationship. Love is something you share with your parents, siblings, extended family, and close friends! Valentine's Day is a day for ALL of your relationships, not just any romantic ones.The purpose of Valentine’s Day is to show the important people in your life just how much they mean to you, and that is something that everyone can be a part of. 

In recent years, Valentine’s Day has been swallowed up by all the of the media and commercialization- advertising all the gifts you should buy, places you should go, and money you should spend on this day to make it special- adding pressure to couples to not disappoint and expectations they feel they need to meet. This reality has made it so even many people in a relationship have come to hate the holiday too. But despite what the Jewelry store commercial on TV is telling you, there are a lot of ways you can make this day fun and special without emptying your wallet OR disappointing your significant other. Save cramming a reservation in at a fancy restaurant and make a nice dinner for two at home, for example. To avoid any disappointments, just communicate with your significant other about how much celebrating you’re wanting or expecting. If you’re a couple who likes to go all out and indulge in the cheesier aspects of the holiday- go for it! If you prefer a simple acknowledgement and maybe a card, that’s fine too. Just make sure you’re vocal about it, remember your partner isn’t a mind reader!

And for our singles out there, stop being so pessimistic! Being a complainer on Valentine’s Day is almost as bad as being a flaunter. If you are between relationships or just looking for the right person, your time will come. Valentine’s Day happens every year, so if you aren’t getting roses this year, there is always next year, or the year after that. Not being in a committed relationship of some sort on this one particular day shouldn’t make you feel torturously alone in the world. Contrary to popular belief, Valentine’s Day wasn’t made to hate on the singles! Historically, it has actually been FOR singles, to participate in various traditions to increase their chances of finding love in the near future. So get a bottle of wine, order a pizza, rent some cool movies and call up all your friends. Personally, those are some of the best Valentine’s Days I’ve had. 

By Aidan Metzger

 ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

10 Gifts Your Significant Other Actually Wants This Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is a day dedicated to showing the people you love how much they mean to you, but after a few years getting creative can get tough. Bouquets of flowers and boxes of chocolate are nice and all but sometimes mixing it up is the best way to say “I love you” to that special someone. So after asking around and doing a little research, ONCEKids has come up with a list of 10 gift ideas that people ACTUALLY want this Valentine’s Day. So if you are struggling to come up with some last minute ideas other than the go to chocolate and flowers, look no further! 

1. A homemade dinner

Skip the reservations and long waits this year and keep dinner close to home. A candle lit dinner is romantic no matter how many Valentine’s days you and your significant other have celebrated together, but add the effort and comfort of a home cooked meal and it will be sure to be a memorable night.

2. A Handmade Card

Hallmark has some fantastic cards, don’t get me wrong, and what card you pick out does say a lot- but to some what might say more is a card made exclusively by you with a handpicked poem and message in your words, not someone else’s. Even if you aren’t good with your words, in this case it is definitely the thought that counts.

3. Wine

One of the best ways to wine someone’s heart (or keep it) is with a bottle of their favorite wine. Cause who doesn’t love wine? Especially for our mothers out there. 

4. A Mixtape or CD

Yes, it is 2015, a time of iTunes and Pandora, but there is still something romantic about the old school mixtape or CD filled with their favorite tunes or songs that remind you of them. 

5. A Spa Day

If your loved one has been super stressed out lately, giving them a gift certificate to a day at the spa or a professional massage will make their week (maybe even their month). 

6. A Day of Outdoor Fun

Depending on the weather in your area, this can mean a day hitting the slopes or a hiking adventure. There is nothing to get the romance going like a day among nature, free from technology and distractions.

 7. A Movie Night

If you or your significant other are not huge fans of the outdoors, or its just too darn cold, spend this Valentine’s Day indoors by a fire with popcorn, pajamas, and your favorite movies. 

8. A collection of books in their favorite genre

One of life’s greatest pleasures is to curl up with a great novel, it is also a great way to relax, so this gift is definitely one for the books (pun intended).

9. A Super Comfy Pajama set

One of the great things about the winter season is being able to stay warm with some super comfy pajamas, so give the special person in your life the ultimate winter treat with a nice, flannel pajama set to keep them warm during the cold winter nights.

10. Movie tickets

With all of the amazing movies coming out lately, there has to be at least one you and your partner have been dying to see. So cross one off your list this Valentine’s day by surprising them with a movie night out to the movie they can’t stop talking about.

Do something a little different this year to make the one you love feel special without breaking the bank!

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

These Old Photos Show What Parts of Motherhood Haven’t Changed In 50 Years

Ken Heyman recently uncovered a box of amazing photographs that had remained untouched for 50 years. The 83-year-old photographer had requested his belongings be removed from a closing storage facility and upon clearing the unit out, a box titled, “Mothers”, was discovered. The dusty, old box contained half-a-century old photos of mothers with their children. 

The beautiful images were part of a project for a book called Family, which Heyman co-wrote with anthropologist Margaret Mead. But the pictures represented so much more than just an exciting blast-from-the-past- they showed how, despite the pictures being published so many years ago, they looked strikingly similar to images of mothers with their children today. 

So although certain elements of parenting have seen some changes, these photos revel that the core foundations of motherhood do not change over time, even through decades. 

The chaos, the love, the joy, the kissing of boo boos, the multitasking, all mirrors what we see in mothers with their children today. Seeing this fact through in the eyes and smiles of these mothers in the pictures is not just fascinating, but quite touching and powerful as well.  

Even as we have witnessed a shift in culture, music, clothes, technology, some parenting styles, education, and more- the love a mother feels for her child remains the same. 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

What Dad Really Wants on Father's Day

This Father’s Day get your dad something he’ll really love. The cute cards and funny ties worked for a few years but now I think it’s time to consider changing things up. When we asked real fathers what they want for Father’s Day, they were not shy about sharing their true feelings. Of course they always liked the ties and cards because they were made with love by his children, but there are plenty of more creative ideas out there to honor and acknowledge your dad. So use their advice to ensure he gets the gift that he really wants this year. 

1. Instead of more family time, maybe a day with some family FREE time.

2. A quick breakfast in bed followed by an invitation to spend the day on the golf course solo or with friends (with no strings attached!).

3. A trip to the mall where the only shops gone into are the ones of his choice.

Learn more about the award-winning Fujimini Adventure series.  Purchase the books here

4. A day on the boat with a fishing pole and a 6-pack.

5. An uninterrupted couch session with the game or his favorite show.

6. A delicious dinner that he doesn’t have to do any work for (whether it is homemade or dinner out)

7. Surprise him by washing his car and/or doing some of the yard work he’s been putting off.

8. A gift card to his favorite “toy store” aka books, tools, fishing gear, electronics, and so on. This way he can have the freedom to pick out exactly what he wants or needs.

9. Is Dad a movie lover? How about a subscription to Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Instant Play where he can sit down, relax, and order that movie he’s been wanting to see but hasn’t had time for. 

10. A course or trip. Is there an activity that he’s always wanted to try? Sign him up for a fly fishing class or scuba diving course. Maybe he wants to go kayaking or even bungee jumping (don’t get too crazy!). Maybe you can even sign yourself up and you can do it together.

11. A Beer Gift Basket. There is nothing that says relaxing after a long day at work like an ice cold beer. Find out exactly what he likes and put together a gift basket made up of all his favorites.

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

The Best Gift Ideas for this Mother's Day: Brought to You by Real Moms

Mother’s Day is right around the corner, coming up on May 11th, and now is the time to start searching for that perfect gift. There are always the traditional gift ideas like breakfast in bed, a massage gift certificate, flowers, and so on but this year if you are really trying to do something different- look no further! After asking real moms what they would choose if they were giving their own Mother’s Day gift, we have generated a list of unique ways to say “I love you and appreciate all you do for me” through thoughtful and creative gifts. For many people the perfect gift has nothing to do with the price tag, and for mothers this is especially true. It is about how much time and thought went into it…so don’t wait for the night before, get started now! 

Learn more about the award-winning Fujimini Adventure series.  Purchase the books here.

Gift Ideas For Mom Brought to You By Moms:

1. A scrapbook or photo album of current pictures of you and your siblings 

-As we get older we tend to take less family photos, but this doesn’t mean they don’t get less important, so snap some nice pictures of you and your siblings for your mother to enjoy.

2. A framed list of all the reasons why you love and appreciate you mom

-We all loved our mothers and appreciate all the things they have done for us, but don’t always tell them. Seeing a written out list of all these reasons will mean a lot to her. And actually seeing them on paper will serve as a nice reminder of why you love your mom too- and after all that is what Mother’s Day is about. 

3. Clean her house for her

-Most moms love a nice clean house but usually that means they are the ones who have to keep it that way. Taking this off her hands for a day will give her time to relax and do something a little more fun. 

4. Surprise her with a Netflix subscription

-If she doesn’t already have one, a subscription to Netflix is a perfect gift for any movie or TV lover. 

5. A collection of her favorite songs that she played throughout your childhood

-When I hear certain songs, they immediately remind me of my childhood because my mother would play them all the time. Making her a mixtape of these songs will serve as a nice flashback for both of you.

Learn more about Mompreneur Eileen Wacker and her acclaimed book series here

6. Take her car to the carwash, have the interior vacuumed, and fill the tank

-Car maintenance is one of the biggest (and most expensive) hassles. It will make her week to have this taken off her hands and have a shiny, brand new looking car to drive around. 

7. A floppy hat and sundress to match

-If your mom loves the beach and the sun as much as mine does, a trendy floppy hat and dress will be an awesome gift to make her the most stylish one on the beach this summer.

8. A smartphone wallet

-I am pretty disorganized, and I’m sure I’m not the only one out there. A stylish smartphone wallet is a cute and convenient way for her to keep all her things together. 

9. A “Learn to Knit Kit”

-If your mom has any interest in sewing, knitting, or wants to take up a hobby, a knit kit might be the gift for her!

10. A Custom Picnic Basket (made up by you not by the store)

-Find a nice, good sized picnic basket then fill it with her favorite things. Her favorite bottle of wine, cheeses, chocolate, tea, spices, breads, and so on. Get as creative or fancy as you like! 

ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books

Now, you’ve done the preparation and Mother’s Day has arrived. First, let her sleep in as long as she likes. It probably won’t be very late (it seems after a while mothers just naturally wake up early) but it is knowing that she doesn’t have to get up for anything or anyone that counts. Then when she is ready, bring her in a cup of coffee or tea followed by a tray with her favorite homemade breakfast decorated with a small flower in a vase. When she is done with her breakfast, clean the kitchen and put everything away. Then pick a family activity that you know she enjoys that you can all do together- or if she would prefer to relax and read her book all day in the sun let her do that, after all it is her day! 

The Most Heartwarming True Love Stories You'll Ever Hear (Part Two)

Although Valentine’s Day is just one day of the year, we like to think love and marriage is something that should be celebrated every day. The number of inspiring and touching love stories that are out there are endless, and thanks to social media it has become easier for people’s stories to be told. So next time you’re feeling down about relationships, instead of turning on the latest romantic comedy, inspire yourself even more by surfing the internet for romance stories that actually happened. Because these stories are so much better than anything that could be made up. 

Take Lady Van Aefferden and Colonel JWC van Gorkum for example. During a time where a form of segregation referred to as “pillarisation” divided Catholics and Protestants and forced them to live in separate societies, the couple went against what was considered acceptable in society and didn’t let their religious beliefs come between their feelings for one another. Van Gorkum was Protestant and van Aeffereden was Catholic, so their marriage was very controversial. But this didn’t stop them from a wonderful and happy 42 years of marriage. Upon van Gorkum’s death he was to be buried in the cemetery for Protestants, somewhere van Aefferden would never be allowed to be reunited with him. But even in death, van Aeffereden made it clear that she would not be separated from her late husband. So instead of being buried in her family tomb, she opted to be buried in a different section of the cemetery, which allowed for the only separation between her and her husband’s grave to be a brick wall. She then added stone hands holding one another across the brick wall from one tomb to the other tomb, ensuring that they would “embrace for eternity”. Today the famous tombstones are referred to as het graf met de handjies, which translates to “grave with little hands”. 

Liu Guojiang showed his love for his wife by carving 6,000 steps by hand into the mountainside near their small hut, since he was worried that she would get injured on the steep trail. He dedicated 57 years to building and maintaining the steps down the side of the Chongqing mountain.

But that was far from the first time he had done something amazing for his wife, Xu Chaoqing. It started from the first time they met, when Guojiang rescued Chaoqing and her daughter from a rushing river they had tumbled into while washing clothes. The attraction was instant and it wasn’t long after he rescued her that they began dating. The village they lived in did not approve of their Today, they are both buried together in the same mountain side where Guojiang dedicated years of time and energy building those steps for his beloved wife.

ten year age difference, so they retreated to the hut in the mountain where they could live out their marriage in peace.

A Valentine's Day Collection of the Most Heart Warming True Love Stories You'll Ever Hear (Part One)

Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, it seems appropriate to celebrate the powerful stories of love and successful marriages that flood our social networks. That is what Valentine’s Day is all about right? So for anyone who has ever said “that stuff only happens in movies”- well these amazing couples would have to disagree!

The first is of Martyn Compton and Michelle Clifford. In 2006 Lance-Corporal Martyn met Michelle, who was a teacher. Their attraction was instant and it did not take them long after meeting to begin dating. Unfortunately, that next summer Martyn was sent to Afghanistan with his military unit. As difficult as it was, Michelle stayed faithful to him while he was gone. 

Only two months after his deployment, Martyn was caught in a surprise attack during a trip through what was thought to be an abandoned village. After a grenade was thrown at their car, he jumped from the vehicle and managed to put out the flames by rolling in the sand. Despite this miraculous escape, Martyn was not left without life-threatening wounds. He had been shot and severely burned, losing his ears, nose and hair. Survival did not look good and he fell into a coma. He remained unconscious for 3 months, and during all this time Michelle did not leave his side.

Even when doctors told her it was not likely he would wake up, or if he did he would never walk again. But she did not lose hope, singing to him, playing his favorite songs, and telling him stories nearly ever single day. Not only did he wake up, but a year later, after Michelle had stood by him through his extremely challenging recovery, he was able to walk again. They were then married and she became pregnant with twins soon after. Overjoyed, it seemed their luck was taking a turn for the better. Tragedy struck again when the twins were born prematurely and neither survived. Through support and unconditional love, the couple was able to survive yet another tragedy and went on to give birth to another child, a healthy baby boy. 

The second inspiring love story also survived through wartime. Joey Guerrero and Delora Denise Leon were both stationed in Iraq when they fell for one another. At first, Delora was not interested, but Joey stayed persistent, claiming he knew someday she would change her mind. What began as a beautiful friendship turned into so much more over the course of the months they spent overseas. But  asked her to marry him. They are now happily married with two children. 

during a sandstorm when Joey was helping her with her bags, they caught indirect fire and Joey protected her. It was during this moment Delora said she knew that she couldn’t let him go. No long later, Joey dropped to his knees in the sand, held out a ring he had specially ordered, and

For more heart warming and inspiring true love stories, keep a look out for our next set of stories in our part two! 

Why No One, Even Singles, Should Hate Valentine’s Day

Everyone knows that each year Valentine’s Day can have the tendency to bring out the cynic in some of us. Even those who aren’t single may roll their eyes at the holiday, looking at is as yet another commercialized, overemphasized way to raise your expectations and lower your cash. But this year lets try to get passed all the cheese and focus on the core meaning of Valentine’s Day- which is not a day for making you feel bad about yourself but about appreciating the people around you that you love and care about. For you single people, this appreciation isn’t reserved for a romantic partner, but for your friends and family too. I can remember Valentine’s Days that were spent watching chick flicks and drinking (okay chugging) wine with my closest friends, and those might have been some of the best Valentine’s Days I’ve ever had! It’s all about choosing your perspective and mindset.

For singles this holiday:

If you are one of those people who looks at Valentine’s Day as a reminder of how “alone” you are (we’ve all been there at least once) then I have one thing to say to you- stop being so pessimistic! Not being in a committed relationship of some sort on this one particular day shouldn’t make you feel torturously alone in the world. Contrary to popular belief, Valentine’s Day wasn’t made to hate on the singles! Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate all kinds of love, it doesn’t have to be limited to romance. So if you’re single this year, call up your other single friends, plan a dinner date with some movies and a whole lot of wine and carbs and have a good night for yourself. Absolutely no sulking! 

For those in a relationship:

Dislike for this holiday isn’t limited to those who aren’t in a relationship, I’ve heard many couples say that they aren’t fans of the celebrations either. Various reasons include feeling like it puts too much pressure on people, the money spending aspect, and the reluctant but sometimes inevitable raising of expectations or hope that can lead to disappointment. Again, we have all been there before. But this year, try being more open minded. You don’t have to spend tons of money- most people would agree the best presents aren’t the most expensive ones but the ones that a lot of thought was put into. Save cramming a reservation in at a fancy restaurant and make a nice dinner for two at home. And to avoid any disappointments, just communicate with your significant other about how much celebrating you’re wanting or expecting. If you’re a couple who likes to go all out and indulge in the cheesier aspects of the holiday- go for it! If you prefer a simple acknowledgement and maybe a card, that’s fine too! Just make sure you’re vocal about it, remember your partner isn’t a mind reader!

Valentine’s Day is just a fun little holiday, there is no need for it to bring you down! So whether you are single or in a relationship, use this Valentine’s Day to tell the people in your life (parents, siblings, friends, and so on) that you love them and appreciate them. And then tell them every single day after that too!