This past weekend we celebrated my mum turning 65, and while it wasn’t filled with extravagant plans or over-the-top celebrations, it turned out to be one of those weekends that reminded me how special simple moments can be.
With Mother’s Day following the next weekend, we decided to keep things fairly low-key this year—but still make the most of it because, as I always say, you only live once.
A little pre-birthday pampering
Glow nail spa
The day before her birthday, my daughter was at daycare, which meant mum and I had the rare opportunity to enjoy a little quiet time together.
We headed to Glow Spa for pedicures, and if you’ve read my blog for a while, you’ll know I love finding little ways to treat myself when I can.
Mum had the deluxe shellac pedicure, which looked incredibly luxurious. Her treatment included lavender sachets, flower petals and slices of orange, which made it feel extra special for her birthday weekend.
deluxe pedicure items
pedicure petals
pedicure massage
I opted for a regular shellac pedicure and chose a cream, almost white colour, while mum went for a shimmery white shade.
She had visited the spa before and recently got me hooked, and I can honestly say the service there is always fantastic. The staff are lovely, and the atmosphere is incredibly relaxing. As much as I adore my daughter, this definitely wasn’t the place for a toddler—and I fully intend to bring her along when she’s older.
Lunch at Richard’s Coffeehouse
After our spa trip, we popped into the grocery store to grab a few bits before heading to Richard’s Coffeehouse for lunch.
Mum used to visit there years ago with my dad but hadn’t been back in a long time. I had recently gone myself and really enjoyed it, so it felt like the perfect stop.
I ordered a falafel wrap, while mum chose a toasted cheese sandwich.
Nothing overly fancy—but the calm atmosphere made it such a lovely way to spend the afternoon before the birthday celebrations officially began.
A cosy birthday at home
Her actual birthday landed on May 2nd, and unfortunately the weather had other plans.
It was cold, rainy and very much a stay-inside kind of day.
Honestly though? It worked out perfectly.
My daughter spent most of the day happily watching The Rescuers, which she has become slightly obsessed with recently.
Meanwhile, I popped out to pick up dinner from Nakhon Thai Restaurant.
Ordering turned into a bit of a challenge because their website was down, and I had to rely on old photos online to figure out what we wanted—but thankfully it was worth the effort.
We ordered:
- Pad Thai
- Spring rolls
- Chicken satay skewers
- Crispy lemongrass chicken
- Rice
The crispy lemongrass chicken was definitely mum’s favourite.
To finish things off, I made a very last-minute stop at Metro and found the most delicious brownie chocolate cake with dulce de leche.
My daughter absolutely loved the cake too.
I also gave mum her gifts, which I kept simple and thoughtful this year—a gardening-themed gift that included a little frog statue and a root starter glass display for her greenhouse.
A trip to Tanger Outlets Ottawa
Tanger outlets
Tanger exterior stores
By Sunday, the weather had improved quite a bit.
It was still a little cool, but in the sunshine it felt lovely.
We decided to head to Tanger Outlets Ottawa for the day.
We’ve visited before (which I mentioned in a previous blog post), and it made for a nice little family outing.
Before shopping, we grabbed lunch and enjoyed some delicious shawarma while my daughter happily devoured a slice of pizza.
One of her favourite parts of the day was riding the small train that goes around the outdoor shopping area.
She absolutely loved it.
We browsed several shops including:
- Marshalls
- Ralph Lauren
- Old Navy
- La Vie en Rose
- Bath & Body Works
Marshals toy
I did spot a gorgeous pair of white trousers at Ralph Lauren that I absolutely loved.
However, with money being a little tighter right now, I had to be sensible and leave them behind—which was probably for the best.
Before heading home, we treated ourselves to a sweet snack and coffee from Van Houtte Coffee Services.
We also bought my daughter a little Bluey toy car that she hasn’t stopped playing with since we brought it home.
Tanger small train
Sometimes simple celebrations are the best ones
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realised birthdays don’t always need huge parties or extravagant plans to feel meaningful.
Sometimes they simply look like pedicures with your mum, takeaway food at home, cake on a rainy day, shopping trips, and watching your child enjoy the smallest things.
And honestly?
That sounds pretty perfect to me.
Here’s to celebrating the people we love—whether it’s in big ways or small ones.
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