Mother's Day dinner

I don't think I liked this year's table as much as last year's but I'm still happy w/ it. I just finished reading the new Southern Lady magazine & in one of their tables, they angled the placemat so I copied that look, to add a bit of interest. I used clear glass chargers from the dollar store (I had originally thought that I would decoupage the backs but I've used the clear chargers in so many tables that I should have bought some more to decoupage...wonder if they still have any?), layered pansy, dianthus & hydrangea blossoms & mint leaves w/ a black & white photo of each guest (served as placecards also) on the chargers & topped that w/ a clear glass plate from Hobby Lobby. I used vintage etched water goblets (neevr have been able to determine the maker) & Arcoroc's Pink Swirl wine goblets (for our Strawberry Shortcake Parfait desserts) . It's hard to get a good pic of such a long tablescape but here goes....


For my centerpiece, I used a vase of hydrangea blooms, a wire fan w/ a sweet mother's poem called "Somebody Said", Happy Mother's Day banner & a vintage image, printed off my computer. It still needed something so I added a couple of vintage rose shoe clips that I just got while thrifting (I got 6 bags...each bag had 4 sets of 2 rose clips & they were only 75 cents a bag!). I'll never wear them on my shoes but i think they are soo cool. They almost feel like wax.

Here's the poem...I just love it's sentiment!


Somebody Said

Somebody said that a child is carried in its mother's womb for nine months.
Somebody does not know that a child is carried in its mother's heart forever.

Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby. Somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother, normal is history.

Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct.
Somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.

Somebody said being a mother is boring.
Somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.

Somebody said if you're a "good" mother, your child will "turn out good."
Somebody thinks a child comes with directions and a guarantee.

Somebody said "good" mothers never raise their voices.
Somebody never came out the back door just in time to see her child hit a golf ball through the neighbor's kitchen window.

Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother.
Somebody never helped a fourth grader with his math.

Somebody said you can't love the fifth child as much as you love the first.
Somebody doesn't have five children.

Somebody said a mother can find all the answers to her child-rearing questions in the books. Somebody never had a child stuff beans up his nose.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery.
Somebody never watched her "baby" get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten.

Somebody said a mother can do her job with her eyes closed and one hand tied behind her back. Somebody never organized seven giggling Brownies to sell cookies.

Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married.
Somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a mother's heartstrings.

Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home.
Somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her.
Somebody isn't a mother.


I went w/ the theory "presentation before preparation" since it was Mother's Day & bought a miniature cake, mini-cupcakes, powdered sugar brownie bites & chocolate-covered strawberries from the bakery & set those on top of pastry stands, I made out of candlesticks & vintage dessert plates.

Individual placesetting ...this one was Miss Caralyn's. My son was so cute...he liked his & Stacie's pics so well that he took them home. He also took home their ornament placecards & holders at Christmas to use w/ their stockings! He makes his mama proud!

With 4 grandchildren running about, family dinners are pretty hectic here so I don't try to take pics of my food. We had a delicious but simple dinner of grilled boneless pork chops (brined first) w/ plum salsa, a roasted veggie assortment, fruit salad medley (using more of the plum simple syrup that we loved at Easter) & also from the Southern Lady mag, Strawberry Shortcake Parfaits. The magazine is worth the cover price for teh recipe alone but it's got some great tables in it also.

To make the parfaits you layer poundcake, diced strawberries & Strawberries & Cream in a parfait glass...layer it again if you want. Top w/ white chocolate shavings, a strawberry slice & a sprig of mint.

Strawberries & Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
2 tbp white chocolate liqueur
1 cup diced strawberries
1 cup chopped meringue cookies
1/4 finely chopped white chocolate

In med. bowl, beat whipped cream @ high speed until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar & liqueur & beat until stiff. Fold in strawberries, meringues, & white chocolate.


I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day!