25 Days of Christmas with ABC Family

Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2016 by Angie

Get that popcorn popping and that hot cocoa heating, ABC Family 25 Days of Christmas will kick off on December 1st. Here’s the complete list of movies so you can make sure to catch (or record) your favorites!

*Please Note: ABC Family is now FREEFORM. All times listed are CST.

Thursday, December 1st

Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, 2:30 pm
The Year Without A Santa Claus, 5:00 pm
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 6:05 pm
The Santa Claus, 8:15 pm
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, 10:20 pm
Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, 11:55pm

Thursday, December 2nd

Jack Frost, 1979 version, 9am
Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory, 11:00 am
The Year Without a Santa Claus, 1:30pm
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, 2:35 pm
Disney’s A Christmas Carol, 2009, 4:10pm
The Santa Claus, 6:15pm
The Polar Express, 2004, 8:20pm
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 10:25 pm

Saturday, December 3rd

Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas, 6:00am
Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas, 7:30am
Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish, 9am
Disney’s A Christmas Carol, 2009, 11am
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 1:05 pm
The Polar Express, 2004, 3:4opm
Arthur Christmas, 2011, 5:45pm
Elf, 7:50pm
The Holiday, 9:55 pm

Sunday, December 4th

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, 6am
Nestor, the Long-Earned Christmas Donkey, 6:30am
Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish, 7am
Rudolph & Frosty’s Christmas In July, 9:05am
I’ll Be Home for Christmas, 1998, 11:10am
Arthur Christmas, 2011, 1:20pm
Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town, 3:30 pm
The Year Without a Santa Claus, 4:35 pm
Elf , 5:40pm
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 7:45pm
Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town, 9:55 pm

Monday, December 5th

The Year Without A Santa Claus, 3pm
Jimgle All The Way, 4pm
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 6pm
Scrooged, 1998, 8pm
Snowglobe, 11pm

Tuesday, December 6th

Scrooged, 1998, 4pm
The Polar Express, 2004, 6pm
The Santa Claus, 8pm

Wednesday, December 7th

The Polar Express, 2004, 4pm
The Santa Claus, 6pm
Elf, 8pm
12 Dates of Christmas, 11pm

Thursday, December 8th

Holiday Joy, 2pm
Deck The Halls, 4pm
Elf, 6pm
Disney’s A Christmas Carol, 2009, 8pm
Holiday in Handcuffs, 11pm

Friday, December 9th

Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, 1oam
Holiday Joy, 10:30 am
Home Alone 3, 12:30pm
Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws, 2:35 pm
The Search For Santa Paws, 4:40 pm
Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups, 6:45pm
Snow Buddies, 8:50pm
Rudolph & Frosty’s Christmas in July, 10:55pm

Saturday, December 10th

Mickey’s Christmas Carol, 6am
Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws, 6:30 am
The Search For Santa Paws, 8:30am
Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups, 10:35am
Snow Buddies, 12:40 pm
Disney Pixar’s Toy Story, 2:45pm
Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 2, 4:45pm
Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 3, 6:50pm
Disney Pixar’s Toy Story That Time Forgot, 9:20pm
Arthur Christmas, 2011, 9:50pm
The Year Without A Santa Claus, 11:55pm

Sunday, December 11th

The Little Drummer Boy, 1968, 6am
Home Alone: The Holiday Heist, 6:30am
A Dennis The Menace Christmas, 8:35am
The Year Without A Santa Claus, 10:40am
Arthur Christmas, 2011, 11:45am
Disney Pixar’s Toy Story, 1:50pm
Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 2, 3:50pm
Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 3, 5:55pm
Disney Pixar’s Toy Story That Time Forgot, 8:25pm
The Polar Express, 2004, 8:55pm

Monday, December 12th

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, 4:30pm
The Polar Express, 2004, 6pm
Elf, 8pm
Christmas Cupid, 11pm

Tuesday, December 13th

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, 2pm
Willy Wonky & the Chocolate Factory, 3:30pm
Elf, 6pm
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 8pm
Three Days, 2001, 11pm

Wednesday, December 14th

Home Alone 3, 2pm
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 4pm
Arthur Christmas, 2011, 6pm
The Santa Claus, 8pm
Santa Baby, 11pm

Thursday, December 15th

Holiday Joy, 6:30am
Snow Buddies, 10am
Home Alone 3, 12 pm
A Dennis the Menace Christmas, 2pm
Arthur Christmas, 2011, 4pm
The Santa Claus, 6pm
The Search for Santa Paws, 8pm
Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe, 11pm

Friday, December 16th

A Dennis the Menace Christmas, 6m
Jack Frost, 1998, 8:10am
The Search for Santa Paws, 10:15am
Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups, 12:20pm
Home Alone: The Holiday Heist, 2:25pm
Jingle All the Way, 4:30pm
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 6:35pm
The Polar Express, 2004, 8:45pm
Disney’s A Christmas Carol, 2009, 1o:55pm

Saturday, December 17th

Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, 6am
Nestor, the Long-Earned Christmas Donkey, 7am
Jingle All the Way, 7:30am
Happy Feet, 9:30am
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, 12pm
The Polar Express, 2004, 1:35pm
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 3:40pm
The Santa Claus, 5:50pm
Disney Frozen, 8pm
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 10:30pm

Sunday, December 18th

Happy Feet, 6am
Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish, 8:30am
Mickey’s Christmas Carol, 10:30am
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, 11:00 am
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 2:35pm
Disney’s Prep & Landing, 3:10pm
Disney’s Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice, 3:40pm
The Santa Claus, 4:10pm
Disney Frozen, 6:20pm
Elf, 8:50pm

Monday, December 19th

Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas, 6am
A Dennis the Menace Christmas, 7:30am
Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish, 9:30am
Home Alone 3, 11:35am
The Search for Santa Paws, 1:40am
Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups, 3:45pm
Elf, 5:50pm
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 7:55 pm
Just Friends, 11pm

Tuesday, December 20th

The Search for Santa Paws, 6am
Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups, 8:10am
Home Alone 3, 10:15am
The Holiday, 12:25pm
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, 3:30pm
The Year Without A Santa Claus, 4:35pm
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 5:40pm
The Santa Claus, 7:50pm
Holidaze, 11pm

Wednesday, December 21st

Snow Buddies, 6am
Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws, 8am
Happy Feet Two, 10:05am
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, 12:10pm
The Year Without a Santa Claus, 1:10pm
The Polar Express, 2004, 2:15pm
Disney’s Prep & Landing, 4:20pm
Disney’s Prep & Landing: Naughty vs. Nice, 4:50pm
Disney Pixar’s Toy Story That Time Forgot, 5:20pm
The Santa Claus, 5:50pm
Elf, 7:55pm
The Mistle-Tones, 11pm

Thursday, December 22nd

Happy Feet, 6am
Happy Feet Two, 8:30am
The Little Drummer Boy, 1968 (10:30am
The Polar Express, 2004, 11am
Jack Frost, 1998, 1:05pm
Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, 3:10pm
Disney Pixar’s Toy Story That Time Forgot, 3:40pm
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, 4:10pm
Elf, 5:45pm
Jingle All the Way, 7:55pm
Disney’s A Christmas Carol, 2009, 11pm

Friday, December 23rd

Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, 6am
Jack Frost, 1998, 6:30am
Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish, 10am
Jingle All The Way, 12pm
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, 2pm
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, 3:35pm
The Year Without a Santa Claus, 4:40pm
Disney’s A Christmas Carol, 2009, 5:45pm
The Santa Claus, 7:50pm
Home Alone: The Holiday Heist, 11pm

Saturday, December 24th

Jack Frost, 1979, 6am
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas, 7:05am
Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas, 8:40am
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, 10:15am
The Year Without a Santa Claus, 11:20am
Arthur Christmas, 2011, 12:25pm
The Polar Express, 2004, 2:30pm
The Santa Claus, 4:35pm
Elf, 6:40pm
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, 8:45pm
Scrooged, 1998, 10:55 pm

Sunday, December 25th

The Search for Santa Paws, 6am
Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws, 8:10am
Arthur Christmas, 2011, 10:20am
The Polar Express, 2004, 12:25pm
Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, 2:30pm
The Year Without a Santa Claus, 3:35 pm
Elf, 4:40pm
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation , 6:45pm
Scrooged, 1998, 8:55pm

Craft: DIY Doorstep Pumpkins

Posted on Sunday, November 20, 2016 by Brittany Green

Is your doorstep ready for family to arrive?? Nothing says “welcome for Thanksgiving Dinner!!” like a Southern Living worthy front porch. Cute rugs and cute wreaths are everyone’s first thought, but what about something you can do yourself on the cheap? Here are some adorable doorstep pumpkins you can make during nap time or for a girls night craft!! You don’t need a ton of supplies, and it doesn’t take too long to make. This is a great November craft as a pumpkin, but you can also make a December version out of snowmen or little Christmas trees!

Here’s what you need:

3 pieces of wood (or one long piece, they can cut it for you at Lowe’s or Home Depot, or call on the hubs)
orange and white paint
a branch or stick from outside
twine
hot glue gun

Directions:

Cut your wood into three different heights (if it isn’t already cut for you)
Paint your wood pumpkins however you want too (refer my picture for an example)
Break your branch or stick into three little stems and hot glue them on the tops of the pumpkins
Tie some twine like a shoe string around the stem
Place pumpkins on doorstep and prepare for compliments!!

Check out our Thanksgiving Board on Pinterest for more fun ideas!

Recipe: Scrambled Egg Muffin Cups

Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2016 by Angie

Can’t say enough how much I love this recipe. It’s so easy, and so versatile. You can pretty much customize to every taste bud in your household all in the same pan. Making everyone happy is a win/win!

What you’ll need:

12 Eggs (makes 12 muffins)
Can Substitute Egg Beaters

*the next ingredients are ideas and completely optional for mixing and matching. We did Bacon and Cheese for the kids, and added spinach and tomato for mine.. Here’s a few ideas:

Bacon, cooked and crumbled
Ham, chopped
Sausage, Cooked
Cheese
Spinach
Tomato
Onions (* sauteed optional)
Bell Peppers (* sauteed optional)
Salt
Black Pepper
Garlic Powder
*salsa for a topping
The list of ingredients really could go on and on. You could Mix and Match or do southwest style..

What you’ll do:

Spray your muffin tins with a generous amount of Pam
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees
Beat eggs with a fork, then add your veggies, meats and cheese. Mix and pour into your muffin tins, filling 3/4 full.
Bake for appox. 20 minutes. “Muffins” are done when top is firm and a knife or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let sit for a minute, then run your knife around the edge to loosen.. Serve and enjoy

What combination will you try first?

Parenting with a PhD: Dear American Parents

Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 by Kristen Berthiaume

Dear American Parents,

You’ve got to talk to your kids about this election. I don’t mean about who won and who lost, the electoral college, or hand size. I don’t care who you voted for or didn’t vote for or, really, whether you voted or not. But all around the country, reports are coming in of students being harassed at school since the election. Latino students told to “go back to Mexico,” shouts of “White power!”, and female students being groped in hallways. Some of these reports are unsubstantiated but many are pretty well documented. And, unfortunately, they’re reflective of what’s happening in the adult world so we’re not setting the best example. You can dismiss some of this as “kids being kids” and feeling excited that their “team” won; however, a good many of the accounts constitute harassment, bullying, or outright violence and should be deeply disturbing to every one of us, no matter how we voted. These kinds of behaviors weren’t acceptable on November 8th and they aren’t acceptable on November 9 th either. Neither will they be O.K. after the official transfer of power from Barak Obama to Donald Trump. You don’t need a clinical psychologist to tell you: we ALL know this conduct isn’t acceptable under any circumstance.

Do I think these kids are evil? Of course not. I think they’re kids. Do I think they are terribly misguided about what this recent election means and doesn’t mean? Without a doubt. Surely, they’ve seen snippets of candidate speeches and debates. They’ve heard family members, teachers, and strangers discussing policies and worries, threats and promises. As with every election, there has been a ton of information shared – some of it true, some of it false, and some of it “truthy.” Here’s what it boils down to: the new administration will likely make changes. Some people will love those changes and some people will hate them. However, we have a system of checks and balances in this country that prevents any one person from having total power to change laws in whatever way he or she sees fit. This system helps to preserve our democracy and prevent a dictatorship. If you need it, here’s a quick primer on the system of checks and balances for adults.

Because of this checks and balances system, campaign promises are just that – promises. Until ideas have been run by literally everyone and his grandma, no new laws are made. Usually, once every body weighs in on a given bill, it’s nowhere near as clear cut as the original promise was. I’d strongly encourage you to present (or re-present if they’ve already learned it in civics) this system to your kids to help them understand what it actually takes to make a law so they can adjust worries or expectations about the next administration accordingly. Here are a few kid-friendly explanations:

http://www.congressforkids.net/Constitution_checksandbalances.htm

https://bensguide.gpo.gov/j-check- balance

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0777009.html

Given how much negotiation is required for the government machine to work, we can’t predict what changes the Trump Administration will successfully make. Here’s one thing I’m positive of: harassment and abusive behavior will never be acceptable. Regardless of which candidate we supported, most of us know this in our hearts. Unfortunately, it’s clear from many stories I’ve heard that some of our kids are a little unclear on this fact. It’s our job as parents to educate them about the worth that each and every one of their fellow students has, regardless of any demographic characteristic they can list. Whether we agree with others or not, we don’t get to intimidate or injure them.

Please sit down with your child tonight and have a talk. Remind him that you love him. Also, remind him that someone loves every one of his classmates and all of the people he encounters on a daily basis. Ask your child what she thinks about the violence and harassment going on in schools and in our community, supposedly in the name of politics. If there’s any indication she thinks it’s O.K., ask her why. Try to determine what she thinks changed on Election Day that would suddenly make these kinds of behaviors acceptable. Describe your expectations for her: to treat others kindly (or, if she can’t, to be indifferent to them); to walk away when a discussion gets too heated; and, if possible, to stand up for someone who is being bullied, whether she likes and agrees with that person or not. Explain that we have rules and laws in place to protect our people – not to make others do what we want them to do. School rules that state we can’t harass classmates aren’t going to change, regardless of whose president.

Laws that punish people for being violent or intimidating are generally going to stay the same. Teach your kids that we can disagree with someone’s beliefs or opinions – even vehemently – but still treat that person with respect. We can even be respectful towards people when we find fault with their lifestyle or behavior. In fact, we don’t have to like one single thing about another person in order to treat him or her respectfully. Treating someone with respect can just mean that we don’t infringe on his or her rights – it’s actually really simple. If we choose, we can totally steer clear of people we don’t get along with. We just can’t yell in their faces.

Maybe you think people are being “too whiny” about this election. You’re entitled to that opinion. But, it’s important that parents recognize how very intensely felt emotions are on both sides. If we adults are having some trouble using our best judgment when we disagree, surely the kids are, too. Remember that, just as you must do at your jobs and in your communities, our children have to be able to get along with a variety of peers, teachers, administrators, and other adults in order to be successful in their daily lives. You don’t have to condone anyone else’s behavior in order to maintain expectations for your child that he treat that person respectfully, regardless of who occupies the Oval Office.

About Kristen:

Kristen Berthiaume, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist with Grayson and Associates. She obtained her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Kentucky. She completed a predoctoral internship in clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a post- doctoral fellowship in the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) Program at Duke University Medical Center. She specializes in providing assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and families dealing with the following issues: ADHD, learning disorders, social skill deficits, organizational problems, behavioral difficulties, anxiety, and depression. She generally focuses on behavioral and cognitive- behavioral techniques, but maintains a flexible approach to therapy. Her other day job is as mom to her daughters, ages seven and one, and four-year-old son.

Winter Wonderland and Magic of Model Trains, McWane Science Center

Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 by Angie

It’s the most wonderful time of the year at McWane Science Center! The Magic of Model Trains and Winter Wonderland is back to delight families throughout the holiday season. Coast down the Ice Slide and take a whirl across the room on the extended zip line. Climb aboard the McWane Train and go for a ride before checking out the Magic of Model Trains exhibit.

Back for its 9th year in a row, the Magic of Model Trains has returned to spread some holiday cheer and amaze guests. Discover trains of every shape and size inside this popular exhibit of train displays. Every set in the exhibit is designed to scale with the size of the trains. The meticulous detail of the scenery includes covered bridges, downtown storefronts and, of course, several train stations that will keep your family entertained for hours!

Join us for numerous special events this season including the Jingle Bell Breakfast, Polar Express PJ Parties, the Wrecking Crew Workshop and our Member Holiday Party.

Included in the cost of Admission. Opens November 19th and runs through December 31st

How to Host Thanksgiving

Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 by Brittany Green

I can’t think of anything scarier than hosting Thanksgiving. We have Moms and Mother-in-Laws for a reason, right?? I think people view hosting a Thanksgiving dinner as a right of passage- and you’re a real fine woman if you have successfully put one together. I guess I can’t call myself a woman- until this year. My mom moved to Texas and my in-laws are going to travel for Thanksgiving so I guess I am on my own. In my state of freaking out I’ve been looking up favorite Thanksgiving foods and how to make them. I feel like its kind of a sin to do anything BUT make everything from scratch on Thanksgiving- and after my research I see that I have my work cut out for me.

I decided to start planning my meal now- to help me not feel so overwhelmed when the day comes! Here are some ideas I found for main dishes, sides, sauces, etc for the big day- I am going to choose 1 meat, 3 sides, 2 sauces, and 1 bread so I am not too overwhelmed. Feel free to pick and choose as many or as few as you feel comfortable enough to take on!!

Meats: Turkey. Duh. My family always had turkey and ham. Maybe we are just weird, but it was nice for the people who didn’t like turkey so much. It also gives meat lovers (like me) another meat to eat. I am only going to make turkey, since my family will be so small this year. But with a big party its fun to have the variety.
Sides: Green Bean Casserole, Macaroni and Cheese, Yams, Rosemary & Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Cinnamon Sugar Glazed Carrots, Corn Casserole, and Butternut Squash are some all around favorites, but the list goes on and on. You have an endless list of side options on the internet!
Sauces: I think the two main sauces everyone needs are turkey gravy and cranberry sauce!
Breads: regular old dinner rolls, cornbread, or you can count stuffing as your bread if you have a mean recipe for that!!

Now, the only thing scarier than the menu is the kids that will be attending your dinner. Make sure you have a kids table set up so there can be some separation, but not too much. Also remember that kids are really picky. My son told me that he would NOT eat a roll last Thanksgiving because it had a blade of grass on it…..the rolls were beautiful, delicious, and it was an herb. Not grass. Kids will NOT appreciate your culinary art, so make sure at least one of your sides is kid friendly and simple. I am doing the macaroni and cheese for the kids table and the adult table- everyone loves mac n cheese.

But don’t worry too much about your menu or your actual dinner. The most important part of Thanksgiving is gathering with the people we love most and reminding ourselves about the people and things in our lives that really matter. Make the dinner with your older kids, and turn the pre, during, and post Thanksgiving experience a family event. Even younger kids can help you put baby carrots in a pot!!

DIY Fairy Lanterns

Posted on Sunday, November 13, 2016 by Brittany Green

This. This was the funnest craft I have ever done. I would have killed for this lantern when I was a little girl!! Who am I kidding?? Mine is going straight in my room, TONIGHT! Just imagine- this adorable little fairy could be flickering in your childs window. This craft is also great because its almost impossible to mess up- so you and your kids can do it together!! I should mention- if your child isn’t into fairies, you can use any sticker on the inside of your jar- I am planning on making one for my son with a shark or dinosaur inside because that it what he is into right now…. You can also use any color glitter- as long as it is a light color!! You need to be able to see your sticker through it.

**Important tip** I got everything in this picture EXCEPT the sticker at the dollar store. Cha-ching.

What you need:

Mason Jar (size doesn’t matter)
Mod Podge
paint brush
glitter (LIGHT color of your choice)
Sticker (of your choice- I knew before starting this I wanted to do a fairy lantern and I was lucky enough to find an actual Tinkerbell sticker at Michael’s)
battery powered tea light (emphasis on battery powered)
fake flowers
glue gun

Directions:

Place your sticker on the inside of your mason jar. (make sure you remove the lid and keep it off- set it aside for later)
Pour glitter onto a paper plate (so you can roll your jar in it). Don’t worry about wasting it, you can always pour the leftovers back in the container and save for another craft.
Paint the entire outside of your mason jar with Mod Podge.
Roll your podged jar in your glitter!
Set aside to try.
Pick up your mason jar lid and hot glue your fake flowers on top however you like, and set that aside to dry too.
When you jar is all dry and you flower’s glue has dried too, drop your tea light in that sucker and admire your beautiful creation!!!

Zoolight Safari

Posted on Sunday, November 13, 2016 by Angie

Watch as the Zoo comes alive for 17 nights of holiday-centric fun at ZooLight Safari presented by Wells Fargo! Be amazed by over one million lights, listen to holiday music and delight in festive snowfalls every night! Enjoy a ride on the Candy Cane Train*, go for a spin on the Jingle Bell Carousel*, experience the thrill of the over 100 foot Yuletide Slide*, ride the Santa Rollers* and so much more. Take in the beauty of a decorated tree reaching nearly 30 feet tall in Trails of Africa as you dance and boogie to special entertainment each night! Be sure not to miss a special appearance and photos with Santa through December 23. *Requires ride ticket or wristband.

New this Year: Adult beverages will be available for purchase. Enjoy a glass of beer or wine, or a specialty cocktail for a fun date-night at the Zoo!

Dates and Times:

5pm-9pm: December 9-11, 16-23, 26-31

Pricing:

Members: FREE Admission
Non-members: $10 Admission
Unlimited attraction wristband: $10 (does not include admission)
Ride tickets: $3.50

PURCHASE TICKETS

*The Zoo will close at 4pm each night of ZooLight Safari presented by Wells Fargo. Animals will not be on exhibit during ZooLight Safari presented by Wells Fargo. ZooLight Safari is weather permitting.

The BIG McWane Discount

Posted on Sunday, November 13, 2016 by Angie

It’s THE biggest discount you will see this year for the McWane Science Center and it’s only available through BirminghamMommy.com!

We’ve partnered up with McWane to bring you a discount of $20 off ANY membership level!

20$ off is HUGE savings and you can purchase from a BirminghamMommy representative, in person at the McWane Center OR you can purchase online using CODE: BHAMMOMMY16 (all caps!) If you’re currently a McWane member, you can renew for next year at this rate!

You can purchase as many of these memberships as you want as gifts! Tip: Call the grandparents, aunts and uncles and let them know this is what your kids want for Christmas. They can mark you off of their shopping list, and it takes up no space in your house! A win/win for everyone.

This discount will be valid for 1 week only… November 13th – November 19th. Here’s where you can find us, or the forms around town:

Forms will be available anytime during regular business hours at:

Do It Yourself Crafts in Homewood
Instant Sign Center in Trussville

BirminghamMommy will be at:

Starbucks in Hoover on Hwy 31 – Tuesday, November 15th 10am – 12pm
Scoops Ice Cream Shop in Homewood – Tuesday, November 15th 3:30 – 5pm
Scoops Ice Cream Shop in Homewood – Saturday, November 19th 1pm – 3pm

BONUS!! We’re going to “sweeten” the deal… Come see us at Scoops on Tuesday or Saturday and we’ll buy you 1 scoop of ice cream per membership purchased!!

If you prefer to sign up in person at McWane, you can print this coupon to take with you.

Don’t miss this amazing opportunity that they offer only 1 week each year with BirminghamMommy!

Coach Mommy: Sportsmanship on and off the Field

Posted on Friday, November 11, 2016 by Angie

Participating in team events is all a part of growing up. Unfortunately, not everyone gets to be on a winning team and not every winner is a gracious one, which is why it is important for parents to teach their kids good sportsmanship. Gregg Murset, the CEO of BusyKid, an app that teaches kids about work ethic and managing money, has a few tips for parents that incorporate chores with learning the lesson of how to support a team and how to deal with wins and losses, all important skills that contribute to good sportsmanship in all aspects of life.

Below are a few tips for parents to get their children involved at home like they are in activities such as baseball, dance, or soccer.

Don’t Let Kids Quit: If your child comes to you after his/her first ever soccer practice and says he or she wants to quit, do not let your child follow through on quitting. Instead, teach your child that team sports are a commitment and the season should be played in full. If your child isn’t a fan of playing after the season, then they don’t have to play again.

Reward Hours Spent at Practice: Acknowledge your child’s dedication to a sport or activity. This shows your support for your child and what it is he or she likes to do.

Put Kids in Charge: It is not just Mom and Dad’s job to make sure the uniform is clean, water bottles are filled, and gear is packed. Teach children that it is their responsibility to be prepared for their interests/commitments. Reward getting ready for sports like you would any other job assigned to your child.

Prepare snacks: Give the players the responsibility of supplying a team snack during practices and games, instead of the responsibility falling on the parents. Or have teammates pair up and make goody bags for each other, filled with fruit, veggies, energy drinks and motivational messages.

About BusyKid:

Formerly known as My Job Chart, BusyKid.com is the first mobile-website that helps parents teach children about work ethic, responsibility, accountability and managing real money. Even though the website lets kids learn real life lessons surrounding earning and spending money, it also encourages strong character traits, good behavior and supporting charitable organizations.

For more information visit: http://www.busykid.com.