making childhood memories Archives - Mother 2 Mother Blog

10 Ideas To Create Mother Daughter Memories

May 29, 2016 by Rhonda Gales 14 Comments

Today, we’re sharing parenting tips on creating mother daughter memories. It seems like only yesterday that we gave birth, sent them off to kindergarten, and read them bed time stories. Before we know it, they’re asking for the car keys and eventually heading out the door to live life on their own. So, we need to capture memories while we can.

When I was raising my daughter I decided to create mother daughter memories for us. You know those special days when it’s just the two of you talking about boys, finding the perfect dress, eating ice cream or doing each other’s nails. My daughter and I did lots of family activities together. These are those special moments that I’m talking about now. The days when I left the office early and headed to the school to pick her up for a day of fun. Those Saturdays when I left the laundry and the cleaning just to spend time with her. Those days when it’s just the two of us bonding and being friends. These are a perfect ways to create memories of those Mother Daughter days.

I created Mother Daughter Memories when my daughter was a teen. That’s when it dawned on me that she was growing up fast, and would soon be heading to college. She would be meeting new people and doing different things. I had to make the few years that we had left together count. I’m so thankful that I did, we still talk about those days. I’m encouraging you to do the same.

Let me place emphasis on the two of you. This wasn’t difficult for me because I only had one child, but if you have more than one, spend that quality time with each daughter. It’s important that they get that individual attention. You want to make them feel special, as if they’re the only person besides you in the world. It’s an opportunity to share things that happened when you were growing up or maybe they will share an embarrassing time in their life or a secret. It’s unlikely they will do this with others around. There will be times when you will find yourself looking at each other and giggling, because only the two of you know about what was shared. It’s such a great feeling. Everything is not for everybody, so you will need to create memories that fit into your lifestyle. meaningful to you.

How to Create Mother Daughter Memories:

Shop for Special Occasion Dresses – We would spend the day visiting boutiques to select party dresses, dresses for her junior high school dances, and later her homecoming and prom dresses. We looked forward to this day every year from junior high to her senior year of high school.
Spa Treatments – Nothing like being seated next to each other at the spa getting our nails done and saying nothing. Just enjoying each other’s company.
Trips To Dairy Queen – My daughter loved strawberry sundaes and I loved their chocolate cones. We had some much fun laughing and enjoying our treats.
Looking At The Christmas lights – This speaks for itself. We would spend hours just driving through neighborhoods being in awe. To this day, Christmas is a special time for us and lights are included.
Going Out To Lunch or Dinner – Apple Bee’s was my daughter’s favorite place to eat growing up. She loved their lemonade. We would sit for hours and talk about everything and everybody. It’s funny she won’t enter the place now. Ruth Chris is one of her favorite eating places. So glad she has a husband to pay the bill for that one.
Watching Movies – We would spend the day watching movies on Saturdays. One of our favorites movies to watch was Gone With The Wind and of course Girl Flicks. When one of our favorites is on now, she calls to let me know.
Sharing A Beach Week-end – Every year I would take my daughter and 3 of her friends to the beach for a week-end. Ocean City, MD was the go to at that point in our life. The interesting thing about this trip is that I have a bridge phobia, and I had to drive the girls across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The bridge is about 4.5 miles long. I can drive across bridges, but I’m holding my breath, praying, counting and anything else I can think of. I drive slow and look straight ahead. It doesn’t matter if the bridge is long or short. The effect is the same for me. To this day, my daughter doesn’t know what bridges do to me.
Spending the Day At a Book Fair – We would spend the day at the book fair browsing through isles and isles of books. We would take our selections home and plan when we would spend the day reading them.
Read Your Favorite Books – We would curl up on the sofa and read our favorite book at the time.
See A Show – One of our favorite bonding moments was when we went to see a ballet or Alvin Ailey. We still look for shows that we can see together.

I hope my bonding moments have inspired you to create Mother Daughter Memories. You don’t have to spend a fortune, find activities within your budget and they will love you regardless of what’s in your purse. If you haven’t already, be sure to subscribe to Mother 2 Mother before you leave. You may also like Making Memories.

Filed Under: Family Time Tagged With: making childhood memories, raising teens, teen girls

A Tour of My Hometown

February 17, 2014 by Rhonda Gales

I used to play in this little house when I was a child. It had a living room, kitchen and a bedroom upstairs. Rather than dolls, it had bears to play with. It seems so small now, but I was able to stand up in it as a child. I grow up in a small town in WV where everyone knew everyone and we ran around the town carefree. I wanted to share some of my fondest childhood memories with you. So I thought we would take a tour of my hometown.

I loved this little house. It was open to the public on certain each week. On the days that it wasn’t open, we looked at the bears through the window. My fondest memory of the bears was them having a tea party.

This stream ran behind the Little House. We would take our shoes off and stand in the water. It seemed so much deeper as a child.

Oh the memories of Betty’s Restaurant. We hung out here as teens. Betty was the owner and cook. She made the best cheeseburgers, fries and chocolate shakes. The restaurant is still in business. Occasionally, I will stop by for breakfast. They still have the same booths and bar stools, lol. I’m squeezing in the booths now rather than sliding in, but the hometown atmosphere is still the same.

This is where a our town newspaper was printed. Mr. Charlie was the printer. He was always covered in black ink as he rolled the newspaper off the printer. We would look through the window as he was working. Mr. Charlie never allowed us to distract him from his work. He just smiled and kept the printer rolling. It is now a 5 star restaurant called The Press Room.

This is the Rumsey Monument. We spent hours here climbing the steps to watch trains cross the bridge behind it and cars cross the bridge on the other side of it. This monument is dedicated to James Rumsey, who launched the first steam boat on the Potomac River in Shepherdstown, WV. According to the history books, Robert Fulton was given credit for the first launch, but residents of Shepherdstown, WV know better.

This is a view from the Rumsey Monument. Absolutely beautiful and more so in the fall. The local Girl Scout and Brownie troops walked across the bridge shown so we could hike along the C & O Canal Towpath. My sister was a Girl Scout and I was a Brownie. I have to admit I crossed it, but I was scared to death. My troop leader would allow me to walk in the road until a car came and than I had to get back on the sidewalk. Her kindness sure helped ease my fears. Because of it, I was able to take the hike along with the other girls.

I spent many days at this little library reading or going to story hour. I remember my mother scrubbing me until I was as shiny as a new penny and sending me off to story hour each week. Books were big in my home. We had library cards, so my friends and I would head to the library until closing during the summer. I also remember not returning books on time, and having to use my allowance to pay the fine. I learned early to pay my bills on time.

This is The Wall and my sister posing. We spent hours sitting on this wall people watching and playing games. Residents have been banned from sitting on The Wall on now, what a shame. It was a great gathering place for chatting, eating an ice cream cone or just passing time away.

We would leave the house early morning most days and just walk around town heading nowhere in particular. Our parents never worried, they just wanted us back in time for dinner. If we missed lunch, someone in the community would feed us and they in turn would do the same for the kids who where out of their neighboring area. What a great era to be a kid. We didn’t have children being kidnapped or harmed in any way, it was the least of anyone’s worries.

We gathered pop bottles to cash in at the local store for money. We had a red wagon that we pulled to the store to cash in our goods. Back in those days, candy was a penny. We would have candy for days with a quarter. My best friend’s Uncle owned the candy store, he would always give us extra when we visited. My favorite was the chocolate covered peanuts. Yes, I was a chocolate addict at an early age.

I loved my childhood. We weren’t rich, but we had a great community. Everyone knew what community meant, and looked out for each other. Lend a handing hand, wasn’t a saying when I was growing up. It actually took place. We were raised by the community. We trick or treated with brown paper grocery bags until midnight. Our parents purchased sleds, Lighting Guiders, every Christmas. Daddy gave us sand paper to sharpen the blades, and sharpen we did. We stayed out until we damn near froze sled riding, and nobody called us in. What are some of your favorite childhood memories?

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Life-Thoughts, making childhood memories, Parenting blogs

Making Memories

November 20, 2010 by Rhonda Gales

Have you visited the Hunt Club in Virginia Beach, VA? It’s a wonder place to visit if you’re looking for opportunities to make great memories with your children. They offer so many activities throughout the year from Easter Bunny and egg hunts to pumpkin patches, carnival rides and photo opportunities with Santa Claus. I’ve taken my grandson there for the past several years to visit the pumpkin patch and the Winter Wonderland. This is a picture of Xavier’s first pony ride. His mother was truly bringing up the rear on his journey, lol. That pony couldn’t take a step without her taking one too. Neverless, we had a wonder time. Xavier enjoyed the ride although he said it was “bumpy”.
I enjoy creating memories with my grandson. I’m always looking for an opportunity to expose him to all that the world has to offer. The Hunt Club provides an opportunity to enjoy a family day in a beautiful and safe setting. I will be taking him to the Winter Wonderland next week-end to visit Santa. Last year, he wasn’t interested in sitting on Santa’s lap. He wasn’t having anything to do with him. In case he decides he doesn’t want anything to do with him this year either, we can still visit the beautiful display of animated characters, a petting zoo with lights and a bonfire for roasting marshmallows. I don’t know who has the most fun on our journeys, Xavier or me. If you’re in the area, it is truly worth a visit. Beware, your children will want to visit again and again.