Giving back

~ Southeast Missouri moms offer their favorite Mother's Day gift ideas.

With everything moms do, finding the perfect Mothers' Day gift to say "thank you" with can be a challenge. Here's a little inspiration from local moms:

The perfect Mother's Day gift would be a day spent with my husband and our children floating down Current River or at a Cardinals baseball game ... just as long as we are together, that's all that counts. As far as a purchased gift, a message would be wonderful or a new cookbook would be No. 1 on the list.

-- Susan McClanahan, Cape Girardeau

What means the most to me is my children's time -- I always tell them I want them to spend time with me and as a family. They all know I really mean that and that buying gifts for me should not be a priority. It works so far.

-- Rita Fisher, Jackson

My top three ultimate Mother's Day gifts: 1.) Spending all day in a bubble bath, lit with candles. OK, maybe not all day, an hour would do! 2.) A $5,000 shopping spree and I had to spend every penny! 3.) An Alaskan cruise.

-- Dena Petzoldt, Jackson

When my son was a little boy -- he is now 29 -- he used to make me little coupons for chores such as free dusting or vacuuming. I would also get a card or a picture he made, and I still have some of them. He was also creative. One suggestion I remember was to go to the park and he could push me in a swing. (I think there was another motive here.) Now with our busy schedules, I enjoy just spending time with him. He always gives me something that reminds us of the special times we have had, but spending an afternoon or morning just talking is the best present I could receive. Time is so short.

-- Rhonda Dunham, Cape Girardeau

My favorite presents have been the homemade ones that my kids have either made at school, or Scouts, or on their own. I've received paper flowers, placemats, painted flower pots, and coupon books, just to name a few. I still have a poem and handprint poster hanging in my office that my youngest daughter made in 2001. Another favorite gift is a necklace with a heart pendant that says "Mom" on it with a small diamond. My two oldest daughters put their money together and bought it for me last year. I was very surprised to get it, and every time I wear it I think about how thoughtful this gift was. Being a mom is really the greatest gift of all!

-- Sydney Herbst, Cape Girardeau

My favorite Mother's Day gifts are not ones they can buy. I cherish a homemade card from my girls and a day of just fun with them. The best Mother's Day gift was a day together at the family cabin, playing in the creek, etc., and my husband doing all the cooking and cleaning up. A perfect Mother's Day!

-- Beth Emmendorfer, Jackson

For me, a gift certificate to a local nursery for annual and perennial flowers or spending time together with my three children disassembling the albums of all the photographs taken over the years since their birth and then helping them create new individual albums for them to take with them as they leave home. Bittersweet but what a memorable experience reliving all those special moments together.

-- Gail Lowrance, Cape Girardeau

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Shopping for mom

Still at a loss? These websites offer ideas and solutions for finding the perfect gift:

* www.findgift.com -- This site allows you to shop by holiday (such as Mothers' Day) or event (like birthday or wedding), then connects you to online stores where the gift is sold.

* www.presentpicker.com -- Narrow down your search for the perfect gift with categories that range from specific events (like Mothers' Day or a wedding, birthday, etc.) to price to popularity of an item.

* www.gourmetgiftbaskets.com -- Creates themed-baskets for specific occasions, including Mothers' Day. Everything from gardening-themed baskets to tea-and-cookie baskets to Italian-dinner baskets to golf-themed baskets.

* www.kidsdomain.com -- Ideas for homemade Mothers' Day crafts children can make.