Archives for May 2021

Mother’s Day Gift Suggestions!

Looking for Mother’s Day gift ideas? Here are a few of my favorites!

Baked salmon garnished with parsley. Photo courtesy of Oshen Salmon.

 Give a Gift of Wellness Straight from the Ocean, everyone’s Mother Earth! This one is sure to be a hit! How about making Mom salmon for dinner? Oshēn is a vibrant, fresh, and sustainably raised Atlantic salmon that has a perfect combination of healthy omega-3s (DHA & EPA). No hormones or microplastics are included and it is Kosher.  It tastes really good and it’s even good for the environment! Its mission is to continue to provide Ocean Raised, Ocean Loved salmon that is responsibly sourced and thoughtfully packaged with the environment in mind.

If you’re looking for a refreshing & guilt-free alternative dish to serve, on behalf of BluGlacier and Oshen Salmon here are a few exclusive recipes below that we know your Mom will just love! Oshen also arrives in super-chic and cheeky packaging, so if you don’t feel like cooking, it’s a great gift to give her to prepare at a later time as the fish is available fresh or frozen and good to store for up to a year in your freezer.

I personally loved the Fresh Mango Salsa Salmon Kebabs! Oshen Salmon has also created an exclusive discount code for our readers! Simply use  SOCIAL15 that offers 15% off your first order along with free shipping. Now, how cool is that?

Watercolor & Ink Abstract Floral Painting

Want to make something for Mom or with Mom this Mother’s Day? This next idea is for you! Mother’s Day ART BOXES from Art Classes for Kids is sure to be a hit!

With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, Art Classes for Kids introduces the Mother’s Day ART BOX, offering fun and educational experiences for artists of any age and their moms. Created by instructor Kim Bavington, each ART BOX includes all the supplies needed to create three cool art projects, along with upbeat video tutorials containing all instruction needed.

“From the memories created while working on these fun art projects to the final works of art moms will cherish for a lifetime, the Mother’s Day ART BOX offers a sweet, enjoyable and bond-building experience for mother and child,” said Bavington, founder, Art Classes for Kids.

The special edition Mother’s Day ART BOX is ideal for beginning and advanced artists to do with their mother, grandmother, aunt or any amazing woman in their life. The ART BOX includes a Watercolor & Ink Abstract Floral Painting, Baked Clay Roses Bracelets and Acrylic on Canvas Garden Painting featuring Mommy + Me in a floral garden.

“Every ART BOX includes educational tutorials designed to introduce kids to well-known painting, drawing and sculpting techniques,” explains Bavington. “The artistic lessons combined with hands-on activities is what makes our projects so fun and educational.”

Baked Clay Roses Bracelets

Priced at $120, the Mother’s Day ART BOX may be shipped anywhere in the United States. Each box contains all the art supplies needed, including watercolor paints, ink, a clay set, various sizes of paintbrushes and canvas for two people. To receive $25 off, use code “MOM25” at checkout. The Mother’s Day ART BOX may be purchased at  www.artclassesforkids.com.

Acrylic on Canvas Garden Painting

ABOUT ART CLASSES FOR KIDS
For nearly 30 years, Las Vegan Kim Bavington, artist, art teacher and founder of the popular Art Classes for Kids, has inspired literally generations of young artists to mine their creativity, refine their fine art skills and grow their excitement for visual art in her private lessons, group classes, birthday parties and school-break camps, as well as on her YouTube channel. Kids and families can enjoy Bavington’s extraordinary art instruction at home via her Art Classes for Kids YouTube channel, her virtual summer art camp, ART CAMP IN A BOX, Monthly ART BOX subscriptions and holiday ART BOXES. For more information, visit www.artclassesforkids.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram.

Photos courtesy of Art Classes for Kids.

Here is the perfect Mother’s Day Gift for Book Lovers! Corie Adjmi, award-winning author and women’s empowerment activist, harnesses the power and relatability of storytelling to help empower women in all areas of life in her award-winning book, Life and Other Shortcomings. This book illustrates the stories of 12 women, all on a different path in life, with one common overarching theme: the beauty, honesty, and compelling nature of the female experience and what it means to be a woman. Through each character’s intimate journey, specific truths are revealed about what it means to be a woman—in a relationship with another person, in a particular culture and era—and how these conditions ultimately affect her relationship with herself. The stories as a whole depict patriarchy, showing what still might be, but certainly what was, for some women in this country before the #MeToo movement. I truly enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to all women! You can find it on Amazon.com.

Looking for something for Mom other than chocolate? This one will be a hit and it comes packaged in a hear shaped box!

 Welch’s Fruit Snacks Heart Shaped Gift Box.

The perfect gift for mom that deserves a little something sweet, the Welch’s Fruit Snacks Heart Shaped Gift Box features a blank canvas for special personalized notes along with 3 Welch’s Fruit Snacks Mixed Fruit pouches – made with REAL fruit and bursting with a delicious combination of fruitful flavors.

This completely customizable Welch’s Fruit Snacks Heart Shaped Gift Box can be delivered right to doorsteps, with availability on Amazon for $13.95.

Self Disclosure: I received samples to post. Images were also provided.

How to Decide Between Full Time Care and Respite Care

When you’re caring for a loved one it can be tough to know whether they will get better overall care in a full time care home, or at home tended to by family members and respite carers.

There is no one right answer, as what works for one family won’t work for another, but there are some factors that you can consider which may help you with the decision making process.

Benefits of full time care

The reason that a lot of families opt for care homes as the way to take care of their loved one is that they get peace of mind from the knowledge that their loved one is surrounded by qualified care professionals who are well placed to keep them safe and healthy.

A good care home will have been designed with the needs of its residents in mind, with everyday life designed in such a way that it promotes health and wellbeing.

For family members, care homes are a great benefit because it means that their loved one is cared for without anyone needing to give up work, which is often an impossible thing to do because people need their work in order to pay for their lives – there are some financial assistance programs available for carers, but they usually won’t compare to a full time wage.

Care homes are beneficial to the health and wellbeing of their residents through the sense of community and opportunities for socialization that they provide. When people are cared for in their own homes, it can be difficult for them to stay connected with the community around them because of issues with transport or mobility.

Care homes are usually designed to facilitate as much social connection as possible for residents, which has enormous mental health benefits for residents and helps them to feel as though they have a sense of purpose and meaning. This in turn benefits physical health.

Benefits of respite care

Respite care is the term used when a carer works temporarily to provide some relief to the primary caregiver who is providing care at home. Respite carers might come and take over caring responsibilities in the home for an agreed amount of time, or respite care can take place in care homes.

The main benefit of respite care is that the person being cared for can remain in their home for the majority of the time, which can be comforting to them.

There is also a lot of flexibility available through respite care because the primary care provider will organize exactly when and where the respite care occurs and will have a say in who provides it.

This type of care also means that the person being cared for is the sole focus of the care provider, rather than having their attention divided between multiple people. This does heighten the risk of burnout for the person providing care, however, because this way of working is quite intensive.

Celebrate Mother’s Day at Dana Point Harbor


Dana Point Harbor
, recently named the First Whale Heritage Site in North America, offers an array of special experiences throughout the Harbor to celebrate the hardworking mom in your life!  I’m sure Mom would love brunch! Waterman’s Harbor Mother’s Day Brunch sounds quite delicious!

Date: Sunday, May 9, 10AM-3PMLocation: 34661 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, CA 92629Details: Join Waterman’s Harbor for a special Mother’s Day brunch featuring mouthwatering seafood specials and brunch items only on Mother’s Day. Each mom dining with the restaurant will receive flowers in honor of their special day. Seating is first come first served and a full Mother’s Day menu is available on the Waterman’s website. 

I’m sure Mom would love a Mother Day Cruise! Mother’s Day Cruises – Dana Wharf 

Date: Sunday, May 9, 9AM

Location: Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whale Watching 

Details: Set sail with Dana Wharf’s special two hour Coastal Cruise aboard the Ocean Adventures Catamaran this Mother’s Day. This trip will depart Dana Point Harbor and cruise up the coastline to Laguna Beach. All guests will receive a “MOMosa” or Champagne, and breakfast boxes filled with muffins and fruit. In addition all whale watching cruises on Mother’s Day will serve moms a complimentary glass of champagne. To book a reservation, visit the Dana Wharf website.

Dana Point Fine Art Association Mother’s Day Art Show sounds fun!

Date: Saturday, May 8 & Sunday, May 9, 9:30AM – 5PM

Location: Dana Point Harbor

Details: Dana Point Harbor Fine Art Association will be hosting a special Mother’s Day art sale at the Harbor for all visitors. Find the perfect handcrafted art piece for mom to celebrate her special day.

Capt. Dave’s Special Mother’s Day Dolphin & Whale Watching Safari is definitely something I would love!

Date: Sunday, May 9

Location: Capt. Dave’s 

Details: This Mother’s Day, help mom relax and replenish her vitamin SEA with a remarkable dolphin and whale watching experience. All moms aboard who booked using the promo code “momgift21” will receive a complimentary goodie bag filled with Mrs. Capt. Dave’s famous Triple Fudge Brownies and more. To book any one of the public Dolphin & Whale Super-Safe Safari or private charter for this special offer, visit Capt. Dave’s website.

And, last but not least…..

Mother’s Day Live Music at the Harbor

Date: Sunday, May 9, 11AM-2PM

Location: Dana Point Harbor’s Love Wall

Details: Enjoy live music at the Harbor featuring singer / songwriter Lauren Black!

Happy Mother’s Day!

Credit: Dana Point Harbor. Images were also provided.

Mother’s Day Promotion at The Gourmandise School

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, The Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories at Santa Monica Place is excited to offer a special Mother’s Day promotion from April 23 – May 3. Guests who spend $50 in the Gourmandise shop will receive a voucher for a FREE virtual cooking class of your choice! The Gourmandise School offers a range of live interactive online cooking classes led by a renowned Gourmandise chef who will walk you through a specialized dish in the comfort of your own kitchen. Attached please find the promotional flyer for your use.
In addition, The Gourmandise School is also offering a Parent & Child: Mother’s Day Brunch class on Saturday, May 8 at 10 a.m. This class gives moms a chance to spend some quality time with their child in the kitchen, whipping up a delicious meal via Zoom. In this session, guests will learn how to make fresh herbed egg scramble and scrumptious strawberry shortcake from the comfort of their own home. Registration for this online class is available on the School’s online calendar.
The Gourmandise School also offers gift certificates that make a great Mother’s Day gift for moms who love to cook. Gift certificates can be used for any online class or in-person private session with no expiration date and can be purchased online on the School’s website.

Credit: The Gourmandise School. Images were also provided by The Gourmandise School.