Aren’t you glad May was designated as the month in which to celebrate Mother’s Day? Yellow and pink flowers are blooming everywhere, the sun is shining, and the birdies are chirping. I don’t know about you, but all of those things put together sure do make me want to go on a Mother’s Day picnic.

Mother’s Day Traditions

What traditions does your family have on this Sunday in May when it’s all about Mom?

When I was growing up in Amarillo, Mother’s Day was a big deal for lots of reasons, but what was number one? Mom didn’t have to cook.

My stepdad always treated my mom, my grandmother and his mixed up brood of five honyocks to a sophisticated after-church soiree at Furrs Cafeteria.

Dressed in our Sunday best, we acted right, put our napkins in our laps and enjoyed our way through little white porcelain bowls of carrot salad and lime jello squares.

Later, when I had my own family, we invited my parents over to our house every Sunday for my very best home cooking, and if it wasn’t too windy, we loved to eat on the patio.

I’ve made Wanda Mason’s prize-winning pound cake for Sunday dessert too many times to count.

Mmmmm. Fresh strawberries and whipped cream atop a slab of that cake? It’s nothing short of Mother’s Day heaven. (Wanda was one of the most revered moms at my church, and everyone loved her pound cake.)

Now That We Live in Austin

Four years into our new life in Austin have brought lots of changes, including how we spend holidays and how we celebrate special days.

There’s nothing set in stone, and one year may be completely different than the next. I’ve learned to adjust and enjoy the adventure, to go with the flow, and whoever I get to see is whoever I get to see on Mother’s Day! *Update: We moved from Austin to Dallas, so getting to Amarillo to visit my mom is now a little easier.*

We’re Pretty Flexible

This year, I’ll get to see my mom while I’m in Canyon, helping our oldest get settled into her first house. My hubby will be in Dallas helping our youngest move out of his apartment for a summer in D.C.

And the middle child? She’ll be celebrating with her mother-in-law in Houston.

See what I mean? We are one flexible family when it comes to Mother’s Day.

Thinking Outside the Box

Of everyone in the family, the middle is the one who is best at working celebrations into our mixed up calendars. She never lets an occasion go by without some fanfare, even if it requires thinking outside the box to get it done.

Since we won’t all be together in one place on Mother’s Day, Aly and her hubby planned an amazing picnic for me the weekend before, in La Grange.

LaGrange is a quaint Texas town, known for its German settlement in the late 1800’s.

It’s also the home of Monument Hill and Kreische Brewery State Historic Sites, where Texas soldiers who died in Mexican conflicts are buried.

The whole spot is very scenic, with lots of grass, a few trails, and an amazing overlook of the Colorado River.

An Elaborate Picnic

This girl knows how much her momma loves all things State-parkish and that I would love what she had planned.

Who wouldn’t?

It was an elaborate picnic in the late afternoon, when cheese and crackers taste so divine and when the lighting is absolutely perfect for pictures.

With lots of goodies from Trader Joe’s and our SIL’s homemade hummus, this cheese board was not your average picnic fare.

How about those turquoise plates from the Dollar Store?

Everything looked so beautiful atop the yellow and white fringed throw they used for a table covering.

One thing I’m just not good at is getting pictures into frames.

After two whole years of these two being married, I still didn’t have a wedding photo on display. So, I asked them to get me one for Mother’s Day.

Aly went a step further and framed a couple of square Instagram-style photos for me as well.

The flowers add just the right touch to this sentimental display.

Even the labels on the Pellegrino sparkling water bottles matched the tablescape decor.

For dessert, we had cool lemon mousse, served in individual Dollar Store glasses with a slice of candied lemon on top.

It was refreshing and fantastic!

After we indulged around the cheese board, we walked down the trail for some hilltop scenic views of these bridges in the distance.

The Colorado River flows just down the way from here.

This is the Monument Hill, where the remains of those who died from the black bean lottery were exhumed and buried.

History says that Sam Houston stood right here with over 1000 people who attended a ceremony in September of 1848 to commemorate the burial.

Did you know about the black bean lottery? I didn’t!

There is so much to our Texas history, y’all.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I must have said it 20 times.

These two know how to make someone feel special.

Here’s another look at the cheese board of the century.

How else do you celebrate Mother’s Day but with plenty of pictures?

If your family will allow you to snap selfies, all the better! (Here’s a link to purchase the one I have … for yourself or some other mom who really needs it!)

Whether it’s traditional or packed with surprises, I hope your Mother’s Day is filled with joy.

Encouraging a life filled with everyday intentional adventure and lovely outside-the-box experiences,

Other Mother’s Day posts you might enjoy:

5 Things to Do for Your Mom When You Can’t Be There on Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day Gifts for Minimalist Moms

How I Got Through Mother’s Day Without the Kids