Birmingham Barons Kickoff Event – Railroad Park

Posted on Wednesday, April 8, 2015 by Angie

The Birmingham Barons are Back!! To celebrate the first crack of the bat of 2015 at Regions Field, Railroad Park is hosting its inaugural Barons Bash Saturday, April 11 from 3pm-6pm. With inflatables, tunes, and good eats, Railroad Park’s community celebration will come to a close just before the Barons take to the field at 6:30 in a game against the Mobile BayBears.

Inflatables will be placed along Railroad Park’s West Green. Painted Personalities will be onsite doing elaborate face painting, and a good old-fashioned photo booth will be turning out the original “selfie.” Babe Ruff will be the Barons Bash guest of honor, interacting with the crowd and posing for photographs. From 5pm-6pm, attendees can “Dunk the Director” as Camille Spratling, Executive Director of the Railroad Park Foundation, takes to the dunking tank. Railroad Park’s Boxcar Cafe will be open, selling tasty meals and snacks. WQEN, 103.7 the Q will be the DJs, providing the music for the afternoon. Railroad Park’s Barons Bash is free and open to the public, with small charges for some activities.

Make plans to take the family out for all of these fun pregame festivities!

Cahaba River Walk, Mountain Brook

Posted on Wednesday, April 8, 2015 by Angie

The much-anticipated Cahaba River Walk, off Overton Road and River Run Road is set to open to the public this Friday, April 10th. Formerly, Cahaba River Park, the improvements to the area have been in the works for a couple of years.

The short walking trail runs right along the river with stone steps that allow you to walk right up to the waters edge. Plenty of shade and a paved path make this a great place for a stroll.

A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. this Friday, and is a family friendly event. Several city leaders are expected to address the public, and refreshments will be available.

Even if you can’t make it to the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, put this on your list of places to check out when you’re looking to get outdoors this spring and summer!

Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

Posted on Monday, April 6, 2015 by Angie

This recipe is AMAZING!! For serious, I can’t even begin to tell you how delicious this casserole is. I saw it floating around on Facebook a while back and finally decided to give it a try. After a few changes, I think I’ve probably made it 4 times in the past 2 weeks, it’s that good. I also may or may not have licked my plate when I was finished eating. Just Sayin’

What you’ll need:

Large head of cauliflower – broken into bite sized pieces.
8 slices of bacon cooked to extra crispy and crumbled
1/2 cup Mayo
1/2 cup Sour Cream
2-3 cups of Colby Jack Cheese (the more cheese the better, in my opinion)
1 cup of green onions – chopped

What You’ll Do:

Preheat oven to 425

In a large pot, boil water and cook cauliflower pieces until tender, 8-10 minutes. Drain and let cool

In a large bowl mix Mayo, Sour Cream, 1/2 of your bacon, 1/2 of your cheese and 1/2 of your green onions.

Add cauliflower

Mix until all coated and pour into a 9 x 12 baking dish. Top with remaining bacon, and cheese, then bake for 15-2o minutes.
Top with remaining green onions and serve!

Yum-O!!

Kids Eat Free in Birmingham

Posted on Sunday, April 5, 2015 by Angie

Eating out when you have kids can take a toll on the budget. Fortunately, there are many Birmingham Restaurants that take mercy on us parents and offer up some great Kids Eat Free (or cheap) options. Here’s a list of places you’ll want to add into your eating out rotation.

Asian Rim Sushi Company 1 kids meal w/ adult meal purchase Tuesdays.

Baumhower’s Wings Kids eat free per $10 adult entrée (2 children under 10 per $10) Wednesdays.

Beef O’Brady’s One free kids meal w/ purchase of an adult entree Thursdays.

Buffalo Wild Wings Kid’s Meals .99c Mondays.

Captain D’s 2 free kids meals w/ adult entrée purchase (dine-in) Thursday

Chik-Fil-A 1 free kids meal per adult combo purchase Tuesday. 5:30p – 7:30p. Varies by location. Check with your favorite store to verify. (Confirmed: Trussville and Parkway East do not participate.)

Denny’s 2 free kids meals w/ adult entrée purchase Everyday

Firehouse Subs Kids eat free w/ purchase of adult meal Monday and Wednesday

Golden Corral Children 3 and under eat free w/ adult buffet purchase Everyday. 5pm – 9pm

Golden Rule BBQ 1 kids meal per adult meal purchase Everyday. After 4pm

Golden Rule BBQ – Pelham 1 kids meal per adult meal purchase Tuesday. After 4pm

IHOP Kids 12 and under eat free w/ adult meal purchase Everyday. 4pm – 8pm **not confirmed

Johnny Ray’s BBQ 1 kids meal per adult meal purchase Everyday. After 5pm, Dine in only

La Catrina 1 free kids meal w/ eat adult meal purchase Monday

Lonestar Steakhouse Kids 12 and under eat free w/ adult meal purchase (limit 2) Tuesday

Max’s Delicatessen 1 free kids meal w/ adult meal purchase Tuesday

McAlister’s Deli 1 free kids meal w/ adult meal purchase Saturday and Sunday

Moe’s BBQ 1 kids meal per adult meal purchase Tuesday

O’Charley’s Kids 12 and under eat free Monday – Friday

Piccadilly Cafeteria Kid’s Meals $1.99 – 12 and under Thursdays and Sundays. 11am- 4PM

Quizno’s Kids eat free w/ adult meal purchase Everyday

Schlotzsky’s Deli 1 free kids meal per adult combo purchase Wednesday. After 4pm

Steak n Shake 1 free kids meal for every $8 spent Saturday and Sunday

Texas Roadhouse Kid’s Meals .99c Monday

*Disclaimer! Please note that this list could change without notice to BirminghamMommy.com and could vary by location. It’s always best to make a quick call if you are unsure. If you know of something we’ve missed or posted incorrectly, please help us out and drop us an email at contact@birminghammommy.com

(Last update: 3/27/15)

Birmingham Events Calendar: April 5th – April 12th

Posted on Saturday, April 4, 2015 by Angie

It’s Not Our Fault if Your Kids are Bored!

Spring Time is Busy Time in Birmingham! Lots of activities to choose from this week, especially this weekend! Our Birmingham Barons are Back!! Opening their season this week against the Mobile BayBears. If you’re looking for some festivals, there are plenty to choose from, as well as Farm Day at the Birmingham Zoo.

Have a great week, everyone!

Sunday April 5th:

HAPPY EASTER!

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Monday April 6th:

Time for Tales with Ms Eve – Avondale Library
We’ll be sharing lots of stories and songs about man’s best friend during today’s Tot Time – and that’s the long and short of it! Tot Time is designed for 2 to 4 year olds with a parent or caregiver. 24-hour advance registration is required.
9:30 and 11am

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Tuesday April 7th:

LEGO Mini Build – Riverchase Galleria
LEGO^® UFO: beginning at 5:00 pm until supplies last.

Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Sadie wants to send an elephant to her Great-Aunt Josephine, but it takes too many stamps! Join us to find out how she decides to send it another way that involves a plane, an alligator, and who knows what else!
11am

Wee Ones Storytime – Homewood Public Library
Join us on Tuesday mornings for a unique new Storytime specifically tailored to your one year old!
9:30a and 10:30a

Family Tours, Kids at Play– Birmingham Museum of Art
FREE // Meet in the Main Lobby
Join the Museum educators to explore the galleries in a fun, interactive experience! Discover Bart the Art Bat’s favorite artworks during these FREE, drop-in tours. After your tour, visit Bart’s ArtVenture to make an art project inspired by what you saw. What will you discover?

Kids At Play! See all the shenanigans kids get into, as displayed in works of art from our collection..
10:30am

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Wednesday April 8th:

Family Story Time with Mr Mac – North Shelby Library
Storyteller Extraordinaire – Come join Mr Mac and his musical storytime complete with puppets! All Ages, no registration required.
10:45am

Wiggleworm Wednesdays– Homewood Public Library
Storytime for all ages! Join us for music, puppets, dancing, and so much more in Storytime with Ms. Mandy. Look in the round auditorium every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. for your Storytime pals!
Large groups, we appreciate your call to 205-332-6619 to ensure adequate space.
10:30am

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Thursday April 9th:

Birmingham Barons – Regions Field
The Barons are looking to build on a record-setting two-year span at Regions Field that saw them welcome over 800,000 fans to downtown Birmingham while being named the 2013 Ballpark of the Year by Baseballparks.com.
vs. Mobile BayBears
7:05pm

PJ Storytime – Hoover Public Library
Cozy up with this extra-special storytime in your comfiest pajamas in the round auditorium for nighttime tales and a bedtime snack!
6:15pm

Mommy and Me Storytime – Homewood Public Library
We are now featuring two Mommy & Me Story Times with Miss Renee! Due to high demand (and high squish quotient), we are opening availability to create a flexible time schedule that includes all of our eager young patrons (comfortably). You can now choose between two back-to-back Story Times on Thursday mornings; the first begins at 9:30 a.m., the second at 10:30 a.m.

Come by the round auditorium for lots of music, dancing, and of course, the bean-bag song! Miss Rene uses drama, wit, and a hefty dose of fun things to shake to keep your young one entertained and educated.
9:30am and 10:30am

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Friday April 10th:

Thomas the Tank Engine – Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum
Peep! Peep! Thomas the Tank Engine™ is celebrating friendship at Day Out With Thomas®: The Celebration Tour 2015, and families across North America are invited aboard! Little engineers everywhere are invited to join Thomas when the #1 Engine pulls into Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum.

This fun-filled event offers little engineers and their families the opportunity to take a ride with Thomas the Tank Engine, star of the popular Thomas & Friends® series. In addition, children will meet Sir Topham Hatt™, Controller of the Railway and enjoy a day of Thomas-themed activities including arts & crafts, storytelling and more.

17th Annual Lebanese Food Festival – Saint Elias Maronite Catholic Church
Two day event featuring food and culture of Lebanon. Authentic food including kibbee, grape leaves, tabouleh, grilled chicken, homus, baklawa and more. Dancing by our children performed on stage throughout Friday evening and Saturday.

Professional Lebanese band from New York, Amin Sultan, performs each night in tent outside from 6:00 – 9:00 pm.
Daytime Church Tours Showcasing the beautiful Stain Glass Windows of St. Elias and our newly renovated interior.
Self-Guided tours 11:00 am – 8:00 pm both days, except during Saturday Vigil Liturgy from 5:00 – 6:00 pm.
Guided tours start on Front Steps of the Church at each top-of-the-hour beginning at 11:00 am and ending at 7:00 pm.
Traditional Lebanese Dancing by our youth on inside stage Friday evening beginning about 6:00 pm, and Saturday afternoon and evening beginning about 12:30 pm.
Silent Auctions both days.

10am – 9pm

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Saturday April 11th:

Mt Laurel Spring Festival – Mt Laurel
Mt Laurel’s Spring Festival is a family-friendly event that offers plenty of activities to entertain children, including inflatables, hayrides, face painting, and a petting zoo. Children can also enjoy the playground at Olmstead Park—available to families anytime during the year.

This year’s festivities also include food from Jim ‘N Nick’s, food trucks, crafts from local vendors, live music, and fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers. With jewelry, art, flowers, and handcrafted goods available from more than 150 vendors, the Mt Laurel Spring Festival truly celebrates the bounty of the season.
The festival will take place rain or shine, and admission is free.

Birmingham Barons Kickoff Party – Railroad Park
From 3-6pm prior to the 6:30 Barons game, Railroad Park will have some inflatables, face painting, a photo booth and a dunk tank. The event is free and open to the public, with small charges for some activities.

TEMPO – A Family Fun Festival – Crestwood Park
Childcare Resources’ mission, to make quality child care happen, is taking on a new twist with the 3rd Annual TEMPO – A Family Fun Festival.

The free public event, planned to offer families of all ages with unique entertainment, healthy food choices, bicycling activities, games and community resources, will engage the community in building awareness and promoting strong, healthy families.

Bring your bike and wear your helmet! Children’s bikes will also be available to borrow for child-friendly cycling activities. Children’s bike helmets will be given away to the first 500 children.

Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the Park.

Enjoy entertainment by The Fettucini Brothers.

Plan now to bring the entire family to enjoy a day outside and a variety of entertainment in beautiful Crestwood Park.
10am – 2pm

Farm Day – Birmingham Zoo
Bring the family and join us for Farm Day! Take a look at Alabama’s agricultural heritage with a fun and educational peek into daily farm life during this annual event in the Junior League of Birmingham – Hugh Kaul Children’s Zoo and Alabama Wilds. Watch horseshoe making demonstrations, create rural-themed arts and crafts, examine several antique tractors and farm equipment, watch a goat show and much more! Enjoy learning about affordable healthy meals and snacks at the Junior League of Birmingham Yummy Truck! Don’t miss the exciting event at the Zoo!

Schedule of Activities:
10am–12pm: Interact up-close with the Dwarf Nigerian Goats in the Corral
10am–2pm: Visit the booths featuring local farmers and agricultural groups located around the Kudzoo Café
10am–3:30pm: Enjoy seeing antique tractors located in the parking lot, near Kudzoo Café and near the Carousel
11am–12pm: Experience a Sheep Shearing in the Junior League of Birmingham – Hugh Kaul Children’s Zoo Barn
1pm–2pm: Play a Jeopardy style Trivia Game in the Corral to win prizes!
1pm–2pm: Enjoy a Children’s Zoo Livestock Keeper Chat in the Junior League of Birmingham – Hugh Kaul Children’s Zoo Barn
2pm–2:30pm: Enjoy a Goat show in the Corral
2pm–2:30pm: Experience a Farrier Demo with Napoleon the Pony in the Junior League of Birmingham – Hugh Kaul Children’s Zoo Barn
2:30pm–3pm: See a Hoof Trimming Demo in the Junior League of Birmingham – Hugh Kaul Children’s Zoo Barn
3pm-3:30pm: Enjoy a Goat show in the Corral

5th Annual Girls Inc. Cajun Cook Off – Railroad Park
Make plans to attend this casual, family-friendly event featuring a Cajun cooking competition as well as live music in downtown Birmingham’s beautiful Railroad Park. Enjoy taste-testing all your Cajun favorites including gumbo, etouffee, jambalaya, red beans and rice and more! Your vote will help determine the winner of the cook-off competition.

We’ll also have fun activities for kids including face painting and a balloon artist! Last year’s event was attended by more than 900 people, and we’re expecting an even bigger crowd this year.

All funds generated by the Cajun Cook-off will benefit Girls Inc. programs that inspire Central Alabama girls to be strong, smart and bold!

A rain date will not be rescheduled in the event of inclement weather.
Tickets for the Cajun Cook-off are $20 for adults and $5 for children 10 years old and younger. Children 3 years old and younger enter for free. Tickets include unlimited food samples from participating teams, entertainment from the Ray Reach Band, fun activities for kids, and nonalcoholic drinks. No outside food or drinks may be brought in.

Tickets may be purchased from Girls Inc. representatives, online or at the gate. The last day to purchase online tickets is April 9th.
11am – 2pm

Professional Lebanese band from New York, Amin Sultan, performs each night in tent outside from 6:00 – 9:00 pm.
Daytime Church Tours Showcasing the beautiful Stain Glass Windows of St. Elias and our newly renovated interior.
Self-Guided tours 11:00 am – 8:00 pm both days, except during Saturday Vigil Liturgy from 5:00 – 6:00 pm.
Guided tours start on Front Steps of the Church at each top-of-the-hour beginning at 11:00 am and ending at 7:00 pm.
Traditional Lebanese Dancing by our youth on inside stage Friday evening beginning about 6:00 pm, and Saturday afternoon and evening beginning about 12:30 pm.
Silent Auctions both days.

10am – 9pm

Bart’s Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
This drop-in art program for kids and families features a different theme from our galleries and art activity each month. Stop by to make art with Bart!

Matchbox Guitars: Make like the kids in our François Hubert Drouais painting and play the guitar. Create your own matchbox guitar to strum when you’re at home!
11am

Family Storytime – Emmet O’Neal Library
Bring the entire family and join Mr. Mac for stories and music each Saturday morning.
10:30 a.m.

Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit and Patton Creek
Join us for for Storytime and activities featuring Barnes & Noble’s Picture Book of the Month, I Wish You More. This sweet, uplifting book is perfect for wishers of every age.
11am

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Sunday April 12th:

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Local Attractions Open Daily!

McWane Science Center:

IMAX
McWane Science Center’s IMAX® Dome Theater puts you in the center of the action by projecting breathtaking quality images onto the 5-story-tall dome screen and delivering intense surround sound through almost 3 tons of speakers and subwoofers.
Now Showing: Tornado Alley, Great White Shark, To the Arctic, Island of Lemurs: Madagascar

Birmingham Zoo:

PELICAN FEEDING – A great way to see our pelicans in action is to witness them eating their favorite treats near the pelican boardwalk.

RHINO ENCOUNTER – Embark on an African adventure and experience one of the world’s most extraordinary animals, the Southern White Rhino. Watch from only feet away as our zookeepers engage in hands-on interaction with the animals inside their African-themed exhibit. Don’t miss this exciting encounter with one of the largest mammals on the planet!
Weekdays: 3pm – 3:30pm
Weekends: 11:30am – Noon & 3pm – 3:30 pm

GIRAFFE FEEDING – This up close and personal animal encounter is a memory you and your family will have for a lifetime.
Weekday: 11am – Noon
Weekends: 10am – 11am & 2pm – 3pm

Vulcan Park and Museum:

Vulcan is the world’s largest cast iron statue; made of 100,000 pounds of iron and 56 feet tall, he stands at the top of Red Mountain overlooking the city of Birmingham. But, Vulcan is more than a statue. Vulcan Park and Museum features spectacular views of Birmingham, an interactive history museum that examines Vulcan and Birmingham’s story, and a beautiful public park for visitors and locals to enjoy. With an official information center that is operated by the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau, Vulcan Park and Museum serves as the first stop for visitors to the Birmingham area!

Railroad Park:

Railroad Park is a 19 acre green space in downtown Birmingham that celebrates the industrial and artistic heritage of our great city. Situated along 1st Avenue South, between 14th and 18th Streets, the park is a joint effort between the City of Birmingham and the Railroad Park Foundation. Hailed as “Birmingham’s Living Room,” Railroad Park provides a historically rich venue for local recreation, family activities, concerts, and cultural events, while connecting Birmingham’s downtown area with Southside and UAB’s campus.

Southern Museum of Flight:

Earn Your Wings – Bring your little pilot and soar above the clouds in our little pilots room. Kids enjoy building aircrafts, flying kites, and more.
Museum Open Tuesday – Thursday
9:30am – 4:30pm

Do you have or know of an event you would like to have added to our weekly calendar? Please email us at contact@birminghammommy.com, subject line “Events Calendar” – We would love to hear from you!

** All information listed on our calendar is subject to change without notice to us or you… We do our best to keep the information accurate and will always update as soon as we learn that something has changed. It’s always best to double check with the event via their website or a quick call, especially when weather can impact the event.

Celebrate 60 with the Birmingham Zoo!

Posted on Thursday, April 2, 2015 by Angie

Help the Birmingham Zoo kickoff their 60th Anniversary during this weekend of celebration! Activities throughout the weekend include feeding the lorikeets in the new Schaeffer Eye Center Lorikeet Aviary*, riding the new Wild Slide*, gliding through Alabama Wilds on the Jane H. Brock Soaring Safari Zipline Adventure*, experiencing special animal enrichments, face painting, new Schaeffer Eye Center Wildlife Shows, giraffe feedings*, playing in the Splash Pads and more.

The first 60 guests to arrive on Saturday, April 4 will receive a FREE Birmingham Zoo 60th Anniversary tote bag (one per family). An interactive Get Rhythm® Drum Circle will take place at 11:30am on Saturday, April 4 in Trails of Africa for a community music-making experience. At 12pm on Saturday guests can enjoy FREE Bud’s Best Cookies while supplies last, special 60th Anniversary buttons and more. On Saturday and Sunday enjoy 60 cent ice cream sandwiches while supplies last in the Kudzoo and Safari Cafes!

On Sunday, April 5, guests born in or before 1955 get in FREE! You won’t want to miss this exciting weekend at the Zoo full of activities that the whole family is sure to enjoy!
*Additional cost

Friday, April 3
Daily: Enjoy the Foam Zone
Daily: Experience Camel Rides
9:30am-11:30am: Get up-close and Feed a Giraffe at Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter
10am-2pm: Enjoy Educational Activities in the Special Events Yard
11am: See a new Schaeffer Eye Center Wildlife Show
12pm: Enjoy the Bear Enrichment near the Predator Building
1pm-3pm: Get up-close and Feed a Giraffe at Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter
2pm: Enjoy the Komodo Dragon enrichment
3pm: Experience a Behind the Scenes with Educational Animals at the Schaeffer Eye Center Wildlife Stage

Saturday, April 4
Daily: Enjoy the Foam Zone
Daily: Experience Camel Rides
9:30am-11:30am: Get up-close and Feed a Giraffe at Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter
10am: Enjoy a Lion enrichment
10am-2pm: Enjoy Educational Activities in the Special Events Yard
11am: See a new Schaeffer Eye Center Wildlife Show
11am-1:30pm: Make Music at the Get Rhythm Drum Circle in Trails of Africa
11am: Play “Simon Says” with an elephant in the Boma Yard
12pm: Enjoy Free Bud’s Best Cookies while supplies last in the Special Events Yard
1pm-3pm: Get up-close and Feed a Giraffe at Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter
1pm-3pm: Enjoy Face painting and crafts at Trails of Africa
2pm: Enjoy a Komodo Dragon enrichment
2:30pm: Experience a Rhino encounter by the Rhino exhibit in Trails of Africa
3pm: Experience a Behind the Scenes with Educational Animals at the Schaeffer Eye Center Wildlife Stage

Sunday, April 5
Daily: Enjoy the Foam Zone
Daily: Experience Camel Rides
9:30am-11:30am: Get up-close and Feed a Giraffe at Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter
10am-2pm: Enjoy Educational Activities in the Special Events Yard
11am: See a new Schaeffer Eye Center Wildlife Show
1pm: Watch Kumar, the Malayan Tiger, during a training demo
1pm-3pm: Get up-close and Feed a Giraffe at Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter
1pm-3pm: Enjoy Face painting and crafts at Trails of Africa
2pm: Enjoy a Komodo Dragon enrichment
3pm: Experience a Behind the Scenes with Educational Animals at the Schaeffer Eye Center Wildlife Stage

Scrap Paper Easter Cards

Posted on Monday, March 30, 2015 by Angie

If you’re looking for a cute and easy Easter Project to do with the kiddos, give this a try. Being that I have a room full of supplies from past (and failed) crafting attempts, we actually had everything we needed on hand to make these. So raid your scrapbook materials and get started!

What You’ll Need:

Misc Scrapbook Paper, the more textures the better
Scrap Ribbon and string
Buttons or other notions you may have stashed
8 1/2 x 11 White Card Stock
Glue/Glue Stick
Scissors

What you’ll do:

Fold your card stock in half
Rip up the pieces of your scrap paper – size and shape does not matter
Cut your ribbon and string – Length does not matter

Glue all of your pieces on to the front of your card, when it’s dry, cut into the shape of an egg. Leaving the left side partially together so it opens like a card.

You can free hand your egg or google search a template and find a bunch to choose from.

Behaving Like a Kid Has Its Perks

Posted on Monday, March 30, 2015 by Angie

When was the last time you ran as fast as you could with a smile on your face and the breeze in your hair? When was the last time you twirled in the grass until the world around you spun in a dizzying array of green and blue?

The weight of the world is on your shoulders every single day, so why not take a little time out and let it all go? We’ve put together a few ways to get you back in touch with that inner, carefree child so you can live in the moment, savor the past and treasure the future. The best part, your children will love that you’re sharing their world with them!

1. BE (truly BE) where you are. In order to think like a child and follow through with the next few ideas, you need to put the dishes, the laundry, the work load and your social media addiction on hold. It will be there when you’re done, we promise. Children are great at living in the moment and that’s where you need to be.

2. It’s time to color. We’re willing to bet that most of you sit your children down daily with a box of crayons, markers or paint and encourage them to draw whatever they’d like, all in effort to stimulate their own creative juices. So, why not you? Take 10 minutes and sit down with your child, but with your own piece of paper. You can doodle, draw a picture, whatever you feel – just do it.

3. Dance Party. Kids love to dance, but so do adults. Most of the time, adults are dancing with other adults around. But this is all about your creativity, so let’s give it a go, shall we? Plug in your ipod, invite the kids into the room and start the booty shaking. You’ll all have a great time, let go of a little stress and burn off some energy too!

4. Swing, Baby. Hop on a swing set and let yourself go. You’ll be amazed at what flying through the air can do for the soul.

5. Cartwheels. Bet you can’t do one. Prove me wrong.

6. Get Dirty. Take a hike with your kids and help them search for the perfect walking stick, flip over a rock and see what lives underneath, hop in the sandbox and build a sandcastle, make mud pies. Don’t be afraid to explore and live life hands on.

7. Slow Down. Almost as important as number 1 on this list. SLOOOOOOW it down. We rush ourselves and our kids around so much to get from A. to B. everyday that we deserve to slow down and take our sweet time, whether it’s errands, or working out… try it when you have time to take in your surroundings, we bet your stress level decreases 10-fold.

Got a few ideas on how to let it all go and act like a kid again?

Tips for an "Egg-citing" Easter Egg Hunt

Posted on Sunday, March 29, 2015 by Angie

If you’re planning to host a Easter Egg hunt at your house for family or friends, why not mix things up a little and try some of these tips to keep your hunt “Egg-Citing..”

Color Coding.

This is very helpful when you have Big Kids hunting with the Small ones. Assign each child (or age group, depending on how many you have) a color and they are only allowed to find the color you’ve given them. That way everyone gets the same and you’ll hopefully have less tears over who gets the most.

Create a word Search.

Use alphabet stickers (or write letters) on your eggs. Assign each child a list of words and they can only collect the eggs that make up the letters to the list of words you’ve given them. Or Skip the list and let them come up with their own words with the eggs they collect. Child with the longest word wins a prize.

Night Hunt.

Hit up the dollar store for some glow in the dark bracelets to place inside your plastic eggs. Turn the lights off outside and let them hunt in the dark. This would also work well for an indoor hunt. *You could easily skip the light up eggs and let the kiddos loose with flashlights to do their hunting.

Scavenger Hunt.

Give them a little challenge by creating a Scavenger Hunt for their eggs. Pinterest has a lot of great ideas for this. Here’s one we liked and another.

Do you have any fun ideas for sprucing up an Easter Egg Hunt this year?

Surprising Beauty Uses for Tea

Posted on Friday, March 27, 2015 by Angie

By: Hannah Taylor

I’m not much of a tea drinker. My family though, buys them like there’s no tomorrow. I get them as gifts all year round so there’s never any shortage of tea in my household. I know some practical uses for tea – it reduces under-eye puffiness; you could make potpourri, air freshener and soap out of them; mixed with a little salt, they make a soothing mouthwash; and you can dye fabrics and paint with tea. Aside from these though, I learned that there are other amazing uses for tea! Better not throw away those tea bags just yet.

Hair Conditioner

After your regular shampoo, rinse with unsweetened tea. It adds shine and lustre to dry, damaged hair. Chamomile tea works wonders for blondes, rooibos for redheads, and black tea for brunettes.

Sunburn Remedy

The cooling effect of green or black tea (either as brewed or cooled teabags) can soothe not only sunburns but other minor burns as well.

Facial Toner and Body Mist

Brewed tea with lemon and honey would make for a refreshing antioxidant-rich spritzer.

Hair Dye

Black tea mixed with sage and rosemary and let stand overnight makes for an inexpensive and natural hair dye.

Broken Nail Mender

Cracked a nail? With the help of a basecoat, you can glue a small, nail-shaped piece of tea bag to cover the broken part.

Body Scrub

Brewed green tea with sugar and grated ginger can be a cheap and easy DIY exfoliator.

Razor Burn Remedy

A wet tea bag can soothe redness, irritations and razor burns.

Acne Cure

Green tea is said to be infused with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties so whether you drink it or use it topically, it can be an effective, natural cure for acne.

Foot Soak

Looking for an inexpensive and natural way to soften and soothe your dry, aching feet? Soak away the stress and dead skin cells with a cool, strong tea.

Hand Deodorizer

Deodorize stinky hands by washing with brewed tea.

Mosquito Repellent

Burnt tea leaves can help keep mosquitoes away.

Whether you’re after the perfect cup of tea or into a bit of fortune-telling, you can’t deny that tea has so many uses. And it’s not just for beauty and skin-care either, there are so many clever uses for it for your home and garden too!

About Hannah:

Hannah is a new mom, a healthy living enthusiast and a lipstick addict. She runs http://www.myclaimsource.com, a website dedicated to offering free health insurance resources.