Birmingham Events Calendar: September 8th – September 15th

Posted on Sunday, September 8, 2013 by Angie

The Calendar is packed with lots of family fun this week!

Oktoberfest, The International Street Fair and Fiesta de La Independencia just to name a few.

Check out the Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinic, the special LEGO event at Barnes and Noble or one of the special storytimes or events happening at your local Library.

Have a great week!

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

Sunday September 8th

Holy Inappropriateness! We couldn’t find any special events happening in the ‘Ham today. Make sure to check our list below for fun exhibits happening daily at our local attractions.

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Monday September 9th:

Tot Time with Ms Eve – Avondale Library
Storytime for 2-4-year-olds with a caregiver. Includes stories, songs, and craft. 24-hour advance registration required.
10:30am

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Tuesday September 10th:

Good Times Traveling Theater – Irondale Library
Famed storyteller, The Traveling Griot, will spin a web of tales about animals and trickster critters. We will have experienced storytellers, entertainers and more! This event will last throughout the school year.
6:00 pm.

Storytime for All Ages – Homewood Public Library
10:30am

Family Night with the Fable Family – Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest
A light supper will be served from 6:00-6:30, followed by a program of Aesop’s Fables, acted out by volunteers from the audience and the members of The Fable Factory, a traveling theater group. Shuttle service will be available if parking lot is full.
6pm

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Wednesday September 11th:

Storytime – Homewood Public Library
All Ages
10:30am

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

Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
“In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines lived 12 little girls in two straight lines.” Come hear the classic story of a little girl named Madeline.
11am

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Thursday September 12th:

SNAP, Popcorn and Movie – Emmet O’ Neal Library
Is the new visitor to Oz destined to be the long-expected wizard? Thursday, September 12, 3:30pm. 3rd-6th graders. No registration required.

Birmingham Oktoberfest – Das Haus German Club
Back by popular demand, Europa (in the outdoor Beer Garden) and Wolfgang Moritz (in the Dance Hall), will provide live musical entertainment Friday and Saturday 6:00 pm – Midnight.

We will be serving traditional German cuisine prepared by experienced German cooks. Come and sample our wide selection of draft and bottled European beers. Plenty of seating is available in our indoor beer hall and outdoor beer garden.

Alabama at Texas A&M kicks off at 2:30, and the game will be televised live on the big screen.

AUTHENTIC GERMAN CUISINE
Thursday thru Saturday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm

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Friday September 13th:

Special LEGO Event – Barnes and Noble Summit
If you love Lego, then this is the event for you! Adults, teens, older children, will have the opportunity to try out the new Lego Architecture Studio line of kits. Learn about scale, models, and other aspects of design — with Lego!
7pm

Alabama at Texas A&M kicks off at 2:30, and the game will be televised live on the big screen.

AUTHENTIC GERMAN CUISINE
Thursday thru Saturday 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
5 PM Keg Tap-Opening Ceremony
*6 PM-MN Europa (Outside in the Beer Garden)
Wolfgang Moritz (Inside in the Dance Hall)
*$10.00 Cover includes one draft or soda

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Saturday September 14th:

Alabama at Texas A&M kicks off at 2:30, and the game will be televised live on the big screen.

Be sure to wear your dancing shoes and join the crowd on either of our two dance floors for the Chicken Dance! Enjoy the family friendly atmosphere and German Gemütlichkeit! The FDSK team is looking forward to seeing you there.
3PM Beer Tasting
4PM Dachshund Parade
4PM-7PM Kinderfest
*6 PM-MN Europa (Outside in the Beer Garden)
Wolfgang Moritz (Inside in the Dance Hall)
*$10.00 Cover includes one drink ticket for a draft or soda

Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinic
Classic Fire Truck
10am

M Studio for Kids – Birmingham Museum of Art
Artists have been telling stories and recording history in books for thousands of years. Make your mark on this long history – design and make your own book. What will fill the pages of your book? That’s up to you!
$20 ($15 for Bart’s Kids Club Members)
Grades 3-5 10am
Grades 6-8 Noon

Flutter and Flight Festival – Ruffner Mountain Nature Center
Come experience the wonder of wings! Butterflies, dragonflies, moths and birds abound! In conjunction with Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve and with Birmingham Audubon Society.
9am – 2pm

Dixie Reptile Show – BJCC
Dixie Reptile Show was started in 1996 by Terry Heuring to fill the void in the mid-south reptile market. Terry’s life long passion for reptiles lead to a first in the herpoculture world. It is a little known act that he was the first to produce an albino Lampropeltis ruthveni and has since gone on to breeding many other successful projects. Come visit the show. You never know what you might see. No venomous or endangered reptiles allowed.

The show will be held in East Meeting Rooms A, B and C.
Adults – $4
Children under 12 – $1
9am – 3pm

Birmingham International Street Fair – Linn Park
It’s back! The 2nd Annual Birmingham International Street Fair celebrates the many cultures present in Birmingham through music, food, art and dance. From 10:00 am – 4:00 pm at 8th Ave N and Linn Park along side the City of Birmingham’s 50 Years Forward festivities!

These events are part of Empowerment Week: Day of Reconciliation
Dr. Bill Cosby and other national arts, culture and entertainment figures will host a day filled with conversations and a screening on the movement and its effects at the BJCC. A diversity fair, complete with career workshops, cooking demonstrations, a Kids’ Zone, art display and vendors and entertainment from various cultures, will also be held at the BJCC.

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! Button Blankets
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
“In an old house in Paris that was covered in vines lived 12 little girls in two straight lines.” Come hear the classic story of a little girl named Madeline.
11am

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Sunday September 15th:

Fiesta de La Independencia – Splash Adventure
Enjoy all of the rides, slides and attractions the park has to offer. Admission is only $50 per car load (up to 6 people). Purchase tickets at the park on the day of the event. This festival is a collaboration between Splash Adventure Waterpark & Hola Latino.
Admission is only $50 per car load (up to 6 people). Purchase tickets at the park on the day of the event.
11:30am – 6pm

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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: Flight of the Butterflies, Titians of the Ice Age

Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age – through December 31st, 2013
McWane Science Center is home to Alabama’s second largest natural history collection. Made up of over 500,000 specimens and objects pertaining to the natural history of the state, this important collection focuses on the preservation, education, and research of Alabama’s rich biodiversity and paleobiodiversity. One of the more significant subsets of the collection is Alabama’s largest collection of Late Pleistocene faunal remains – or Ice Age fossils.

Made up of nearly 10,000 cataloged specimens, the McWSC Pleistocene collection contains a unique diversity of fauna that not only includes those native to North America, but migrants to the state from both South America and the Old World. This collection includes mammals, both extant and extinct, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fishes, and botanical remains collected from both cave and stream localities in the state. Extinct mammals represented in the McWSC collection include mammoths, mastodons, giant beavers, saber-toothed cats, giant armadillos, tapirs, peccaries, and giant ground sloths.

This spring, visitors will have an opportunity to view some of the fossils in the collection with a new exhibit titled — “Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age.” This exhibit will not only highlight many of the Ice Age animals from the McWane Science Center Collection, but will highlight and dispel many of the common misconceptions surrounding the Ice Age in the state. The goal is for visitors to have a better understanding and appreciation for this time in Alabama. For example, guests might learn that Alabama was on average only five degrees colder than today, glaciers did not reach farther south than southern Illinois or that all the Ice Age animals did not go extinct at the end of the Ice Age. While the largest animals, such as mastodons, giant ground sloths, and saber-tooth cats died out, nearly all the animals that are living in Alabama today were also around in the Ice Age.

The Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age Alabama display is located in the City Gallery on Level 2 of the museum. It is included in the cost of admission to the museum and free to members.

Birmingham Zoo:

Lorikeet Aviary – Our Lorikeet Aviary has more birds than ever! Zoo guests can feed these exotic birds every day. You and your family will see these birds’ behavior as they eat nectar out of your hand.
Weekends 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

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.

Artwalk 2013

Posted on Thursday, September 5, 2013 by Angie

Artwalk is an arts festival that transforms Birmingham’s loft neighborhood into an arts district, featuring the work of more than 100 visual artists, live musicians, street performers, food and drink vendors, and children’s activities.

The event is free to the public and in the last three years has become a much anticipated fall event drawing visitors from all over to downtown Birmingham. For the past two years, more than 10,000 people walked the streets of downtown during the two-day event.

Through the good will of area businesses and the work of a dedicated staff of volunteers, Artwalk hosts established and emerging regional artists in the unique and architecturally rich setting of downtown Birmingham. Art lovers will see original work in all mediums priced from the affordable to the extravagant. Participating artists are predominantly from Birmingham and surrounding communities, showcasing the wealth of regional talent.

People of all ages can enjoy being downtown at a safe, family-friendly, community event. Friday night has been compared to a huge gallery opening with a street festival atmosphere, while Saturday afternoon caters more to the family crowd with special children’s activities.

Artwalk 2013 will take place Friday, September 6 from 5-10 pm and Saturday, September 7 from noon-6 p.m. in Birmingham’s historic loft district on Morris, 1st and 2nd Avenues North between 22nd and 25th Streets.

How to handle homework

Posted on Wednesday, September 4, 2013 by Angie

If your wee one started school a few weeks ago, you’re probably adjusting back to school life too. For many of us, that means homework. Here are a few tips from a teacher/mom for making homework a great (and rewarding) experience.

1. Have a routine. For us, homework is done in the same place at the same time each day.

2. You need the right setting. And it’s not in front of a tv. Try using your dining room- usually it is quiet and has few distractions, but is still close enough for you to guide and help.

3. You have a role in homework! I do not recommend sending them to their bedrooms to do homework. Homework should be an interactive experience between parent and child, usually until the child enters middle school. Just because you aren’t the teacher, that doesn’t mean you don’t need to know how their learning is coming along. Keep them close, watch them, and talk to them about what they’re doing and why it’s important.

4. Give them a small break. It is hard for small kids to be at school for 8 hours and then come home to sit and do more work. Allow them to go outside for a set time limit before they do their homework. If you know your child will have a hard time settling back down, do a snack time instead.

5. Don’t have a negative attitude about homework. Remember, you’re the example. The more your child hears you say that you hate homework, the more they learn that it isn’t important. Stress to them how crucial learning is for their future choices in life. Be a good example. Be positive. Don’t expect them to love doing the right thing if you don’t show a little love for it as well!

How does your family juggle the demands of homework with your regular afternoon/evening happenings?

Birmingham Events Calendar: September 3rd – September 8th

Posted on Tuesday, September 3, 2013 by Angie

How nice was it to have a long weekend? College Football officially kicked off and we couldn’t be happier!

As you get back into the swing of things this week, we have a few ideas to keep you busy around town. Artwalk is coming up an the Barons will be finishing up their season later this week.

Check out a family tour and Barts Art Cart at the Birmingham Museum of Art and as always, Storytiemes are everywhere!

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

Tuesday September 3rd:

No reservations required. Family Tours are also available by appointment for groups of 10 or more children aged 3 – 8. For more information or to schedule a tour, call 205.254.2964.
10:30am

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Wednesday September 4th:

Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Pinkalicious loves pink, especially pink cupcakes. Come find out what happens when she eats too many pink cupcakes.
11am

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Thursday September 5th:

Storytime with Ms Tamie- Adamsville Library
Join Ms. Tamie and pick on a few apples as she reads, sings and dances to stories on apple pickin.
10:30

Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
VS. TNS 7:05pm

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Friday September 6th:

Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
VS. TNS 7:05pm

Artwalk – Downtown Birmingham
Artwalk is an arts festival that transforms Birmingham’s loft neighborhood into an arts district, featuring the work of more than 100 visual artists, live musicians, street performers, food and drink vendors, and children’s activities. The event is free to the public and in the last three years has become a much anticipated fall event drawing visitors from all over to downtown Birmingham. For the past two years, more than 10,000 people walked the streets of downtown during the two-day event. Through the good will of area businesses and the work of a dedicated staff of volunteers, Artwalk hosts established and emerging regional artists in the unique and architecturally rich setting of downtown Birmingham. Art lovers will see original work in all mediums priced from the affordable to the extravagant. Participating artists are predominantly from Birmingham and surrounding communities, showcasing the wealth of regional talent. People of all ages can enjoy being downtown at a safe, family-friendly, community event. Friday night has been compared to a huge gallery opening with a street festival atmosphere, while Saturday afternoon caters more to the family crowd with special children’s activities. As patrons shop for art, they are also exploring the neighborhood and are exposed to the retail shops, restaurants and bars, as well as the historic and new architecture in the area. Please see our map for more information on venues and performances. 2013 BAA members participating in Art Walk are: Mary Ann Brechun, Joyce Brooks, Gerda Carmichael, Sharon Gates, Erin Hardin, Mary Elizabeth Ingram, Linda Crowe Jarvis, Libby Pantazis, Ann Phillips and Laurin Stennis.
5pm – 10pm

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Saturday September 7th:

Read and Romp – Railroad
Free for families with children ages 3-5! Children’s Books, storytimes and activities, and more!
9am – Noon

Family Tours with Art – Birmingham Museum of Art
Join us for an in-gallery family experience! Children aged 3 – 8 and their adult companions are invited to join Museum educators to explore our collection, discover activities that make looking at art fun and exciting, and create new family memories about art.No reservations required. Family Tours are also available by appointment for groups of 10 or more children aged 3 – 8. For more information or to schedule a tour, call 205.254.2964.
10:30am

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
Pinkalicious loves pink, especially pink cupcakes. Come find out what happens when she eats too many pink cupcakes.
11am

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Sunday September 8th:

Holy Inappropriateness! We couldn’t find any special events happening in the ‘Ham today. Make sure to check our list below for fun exhibits happening daily at our local attractions.

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Local Attractions Open Daily!

McWane Science Center:

The Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age Alabama display is located in the City Gallery on Level 2 of the museum. It is included in the cost of admission to the museum and free to members.

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.

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:

Railroad Park:

Southern Museum of Flight:

Pinspired Recipe: Sausage, Potatoes and Peppers

Posted on Tuesday, August 27, 2013 by Angie

We came across this recipe while perusing the almighty Pinterest. It was a HUGE hit with the family and made a ton, which is a big bonus now with school and sports going on. We love leftovers!

What You’ll Need:

1 Package of your favorite sausage links. (4 pack)
4-5 Potatoes
1 Small jar of banana peppers, sliced
3 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
3 tbsp of creole seasoning. If you’re kids don’t like spicy you may want to scale this back or leave out completely. It’s optional.

What You’ll Do:

1. Spray a large baking pan with non stick spray. Avoid using a flat pan if possible. One with a lip around the edges is best.

2. Slice Sausages into thin rounds.

3. Cut potatoes into 1/2″ chunks

4. Slice Onion and Peppers into strips

5. Place all ingredients onto baking sheet, drizzle with oil and use your hands to mix everything together and make sure it’s all coated. (I actually dumped everything into a bowl with the oil and, salt pepper and seasoning to mix before transferring over to the pan, either way works.)

6. Top with sliced banana peppers.

7. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 – 35 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

(This is not a BirminghamMommy original recipe. We found this on Pinterest along with the picture but could not get a link back to a website)

Better Sleep with a Consistent Sleeping Place

Posted on Monday, August 26, 2013 by Angie

Whether you have an infant who has just started smiling, a baby who has trouble falling asleep, or a toddler who still wakes up a few times a night, they will all benefit from napping or sleeping in a consistent sleeping place. So what exactly is a consistent sleeping place? It could be their crib or bed in their room, a bassinet in your room, or a playpen at naptime. Regardless of where they sleep, the key is to keep it consistent. Jenn Kelner, a Family Sleep Institute Certified Child Sleep Consultant and owner of BabyZzz, helps tired families with infants, babies and toddlers become well rested families through customized sleep solutions and support.

1. It becomes a positive sleep cue
If you use their crib or playpen as their consistent sleeping place, your child will begin to associate that location with sleep. As they get used to sleeping there all the time, falling asleep will become easier and require less assistance from you. If you’ve been used to rocking, swinging or driving your child around to help them fall asleep, using a consistent sleeping place like their crib will eliminate the need to provide those sleep props. Think about all the extra time you’ll have!

2. It will have consistent conditions
Having a consistent sleeping place means that you can control the sleeping environment. The more consistent your child’s sleeping environment is, the easier it will be for them to fall asleep and stay asleep longer. It’s best to keep the room as dark as possible, a cool temperature around 20 degrees, quiet, comfortable and of course safe to prevent SIDS. Ensuring all those conditions are present when your child falls asleep in the swing in the kitchen is very difficult! Your child is more likely to wake sooner than they should.

3. It will be easier for them to go back to sleep between sleep cycles
I had a client say to me, “After my daughter falls asleep in the living room in her bouncy chair, we gently carry her to her crib for the night. Could this be the reason she wakes up at night?” My response was “absolutely!”

Think about it — how often have you suddenly woken up while sleeping at a hotel or a friend’s house and wondered “where the heck am I?” You wake yourself up more just to figure out how you got there! The same is for children. When the child wakes briefly between sleep cycles (as we all do), they do a quick check to make sure everything is as it was when they fell asleep. If things have changed, like where they are sleeping, they will likely wake up fully and call for you. If they are in their consistent sleeping place, they will likely roll over and go back to sleep peacefully.

About Jenn Kelner:

Jenn Kelner is a Family Sleep Institute Certified Child Sleep Consultant and owner of BabyZzz. She helps tired families with infants, babies and toddlers become well rested families through customized sleep solutions and support.

About Family Sleep Institute

The Family Sleep Institute is the very first comprehensive yet affordable child sleep consultant certification program based on 15 years of experience by the leading Child Sleep Expert, Deborah Pedrick. The Family Sleep Institute lives up to its name as it is truly a “family” to all graduates who go through the program.

Birmingham Events Calendar: August 25th – September 1st

Posted on Sunday, August 25, 2013 by Angie

If you haven’t had a chance to check out the Dino Exhibit at the Birmingham Zoo, you better hurry! It’s only here through Labor Day, as is the “Race, are we so different” Exhibit at the McWane Science Center.

Sidewalk Film Festival wraps up today and the Birmingham Barons will be back home on Thursday, taking on the Montgomery Biscuits.

Lots of storytimes and of course, a long Labor Day Weekend!

Enjoy your week!

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

Sunday August 25th

Family Film Festival – McWane Science Center
A celebration of Independent films. It is a FREE festival for screening shorts and features appropriate for children as young as 5 years old.

The free family films will be screened in the McWane Science Center’s Rushton Theatre.
11:00 am: Kids Shorts 2
1:30 pm: The Peanut Butter Solution
4:00 pm: Made By Teens 2

You can see the full Schedule and film synopsis on the Sidewalk Family Film Festival Website.

Shake Rattle and Roll for a Cure – Avondale Library
The entire back area of Avondale Brewery has been reserved for us to Shake, Rattle & Roll for a Cure! This family friendly event will feature four of the top local bands; BnB, 2 Da Maxx, The Undergrounders & Bonus Round, activities for kids, food trucks, Steel City Pops and a silent auction. PLUS we will be raffling off a Harley Davidson Fat Boy!!! Raffle tickets are $20 each and available NOW on our website.
$15 a ticket
$40 VIP
Children 12 and under FREE

UniverSoul Circus – Legion Field Stadium
COME SEE THE MOST INTERACTIVE CIRCUS IN THE WORLD! Our show is a highly interactive combination of circus arts, theater, and music that spans genres including Pop, Classic R&B, Latin, Hip Hop, Jazz and Gospel. It embraces and celebrates the unique and familiar aspects of pop culture globally by bringing them center stage with a cast of international performers. UniverSoul Circus is rated as one of the top three circuses in America.

Our fresh approach to family friendly live entertainment has earned us a coveted spot as one of Ticketmaster’s top ten most requested family events. We hope you gather friends, family and relatives, and come out to our show. Purchase your tickets today!

www.universoulcircus.com/
$19.00 Ticket + $6.85 Fees = $25.85
$23.00 Ticket + $6.85 Fees = $29.85
$28.00 Ticket + $7.35 Fees = $35.35
1pm – 4pm and 7:00pm

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Monday August 26th:

Tot Time with Ms Eve – Avondale Library
Storytime for 2-4-year-olds with a caregiver. Includes stories, songs, and craft. 24-hour advance registration required.
10:30am

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Tuesday August 27th:

No reservations required. Family Tours are also available by appointment for groups of 10 or more children aged 3 – 8. For more information or to schedule a tour, call 205.254.2964.
10:30am

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Wednesday August 28th:

Stories and Crafts with Ms Karen – Clay Library
Join Ms. Karen for Stories and Crafts. After Ms. Karen reads a few monkey-themed stories, participants will make a related craft. These programs are geared toward toddlers through second graders, but all ages are welcome. Programs last approximately 30 minutes
10am

Around the World: England– Kids A Million (Colonial Brookwood Village)
Keep calm and read on! Come across the pond with us to explore all things British! Royal storytime and activities begin at 11am

Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Come find out what more important ABC or 123!
11am

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Thursday August 29th:

Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
VS. Montgomery Biscuits 7:05pm

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Friday August 30th:

See the Dinosaurs before they go extinct – Birmingham Zoo
Spend your holiday weekend at the Zoo! Don’t miss the last chance to wander the prehistoric trails of Dino Discovery before it goes extinct after September 2nd! Visit the Zoo animals, take a ride on the train and carousel, feed the giraffes at the Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter* and cool off in the Splash Pads at the Children’s Zoo. Make sure to stop by the butterflies in Granny’s Butterfly Garden before the exhibit closes for the season.
*Additional cost

Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
VS. Montgomery Biscuits 7:05pm

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Saturday August 31st:

Fantastic Medieval Adventure – Kids A Million (Colonial Brookwood Village)
Here ye! Hear ye! Let it be know throughout the land that we are calling all brave Knights and beautiful Princesses for a fantastical adventure.
11am

Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
VS. Montgomery Biscuits 6:30pm

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
Join Pete as he rides on the bus to school with his friends and hears all the different sounds a bus makes as it drives
11am

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Sunday September 1st:

Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
VS. Montgomery Biscuits 3:00pm

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Local Attractions Open Daily!

McWane Science Center:

The Unearthing Alabama’s Ice Age Alabama display is located in the City Gallery on Level 2 of the museum. It is included in the cost of admission to the museum and free to members.

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.

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:

Railroad Park:

Southern Museum of Flight:

15th Annual Sidewalk Film Festival

Posted on Thursday, August 22, 2013 by Angie

Another year, another chance for Birmingham to shine with it’s Sidewalk Film Festival! A weekend of fun and movies for the entire family!

With nine venues located within Birmingham’s historic Theatre District (featuring the newly restored Alabama Theatre, a 2,200 seat movie palace built by Paramount in 1927), spontaneity rules the schedule of Sidewalk attendees. Low-priced weekend passes provide easy access to Sidewalk venues, encouraging attendees to seek out new films and sample programming they may not otherwise see. The result is a crowd rich in diversity and united in a hunger for new film.

This year there will be a shuttle available to take you to your favorite restaurant between films! A perfect partnership with Birmingham Restaurant Week!

Pricing Breakdown:

Film+Party Pass: Access to all Festival Films and attend two of the Festival’s most talked-about parties: the Opening NIght After-Party at B&A Warehouse and the Saturday Night Bash!
Price: $90.00 | Conv. Fee: $2.00 | Total: $92.00
Sidewalk Weekend Pass: Catch the Opening Night Film & After-Party and All Saturday and Sunday Films!
Price: $65.00 | Conv. Fee: $2.00 | Total: $67.00
Opening Night Film + Party: Admission to the Opening Night Film and Opening Night After-Party.
Price: $25.00 | Conv. Fee: $2.00 | Total: $27.00
Day Pass: Admission to all films.
Price: $25.00 | Conv. Fee: $2.00 | Total: $27.00
Single Film Pass: Admission to one specific film
Price: $15.00
NOTE: Many Festival Events are FREE!

Included in the free events are the family films that will be screened in the McWane Science Center’s Rushton Theatre.

Saturday:

11:00 am: Civil Rights Shorts For Kids 1
1:00 pm: Kids Shorts 1
3:00 pm: Made By Teens 1
5:00 pm: Education Shorts

Sunday:

11:00 am: Kids Shorts 2
1:30 pm: The Peanut Butter Solution
4:00 pm: Made By Teens 2

You can see the full Schedule and film synopsis on the Sidewalk Family Film Festival Website.

Bacon Bourbon Blondies

Posted on Wednesday, August 21, 2013 by Angie

We love bacon. We love bourbon and we love blondies (or any form of brownie, really) So what happens when you combine all of these things? Delicious Goodness, that’s what!

What You’ll Need:

3 cups All Purpose Flour
3 cups Dark Brown Sugar
2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
4 Eggs
3 tsp Vanilla
3 sticks melted Butter
1 cup Chocolate Chips (optional)
1 cup pecans or walnuts (optional)

Topping
2 packages of Bacon
Course Sea Salt
1/2 cup good quality Bourbon (We like Bulleit)

What you’ll do:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13 x 9 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

3. Whisk the melted butter and brown sugar in a bowl or stand up mixer until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, or on slow speed, fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture~ just until combined. Don’t over mix.

Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts, if using and turn the batter into the prepared 13 by 9 pan, smoothing out the top with the spatula. Set aside.

4. Fry bacon until crispy and chop into bite sized pieces. Sprinkle the bacon on top of the batter and use the palm of your hand to gently press the bacon into the batter.

5. Sprinkle with course sea salt.

6. Bake until the top is cracked and the middle is no longer wet (35-40 minutes).

7. Using a pastry brush, immediately brush the top of the blondies with the bourbon, using the entire 1/2 cup. (You may think you’re over doing it with that 1/2 cup, but trust us, you aren’t. Feel free to use more if you want a stronger bourbon flavor.)

8. Cool completely on a wire rack. I like to then chill them but you could eat them without that step.

*When we tried this recipe the first time we made a couple of mistakes. 1. not using the full amount of bourbon because we thought it would be too strong. We also over mixed which made it very thick and almost break like. Watch for those 2 things and you’ll have a delicious pan of blondies on your first try!

Enjoy!

Original recipe can be found here.

Juicebox Jukebox – Back to School Tunes

Posted on Monday, August 19, 2013 by Angie

We’re revisiting our Juicebox Jukebox to get you movin’ this week. Here are a few fun tunes that will help make carpool time silly and maybe ease some of those back to school butterflies..These songs definitely lean more towards “kids music” but hopefully these songs and the versions of these songs will be something all of you parents will be able to tolerate, and who knows, maybe you’ll even find yourself doing a little toe tap of your own!

Good Morning Blues – Randy Kaplan – Whether you’re getting them up to catch the bus or getting them up and out the door as their personal chauffeur, there are bound to be some slow movers

The Disappointing Pancake – Lisa Loeb – This will be good for a few giggles, just try not to send your kiddos off with their own disappointing breakfast!

Sack Lunch – Recess Monkey – What’s cuter than your sack lunch telling the story of his (or her) day?

Raisins – The Barenaked Ladies – Speaking of lunch, who likes raisins?

The Crayon Song – Andre 3000 (Class of 3000) – It’s not like you can really listen to your Outkast album with the kids in the car so here’s a little something from Andre 3000 that you won’t have to edit!

Recess Time – Asheba – You know the ants in the pants will kick in sooner rather than later and luckily that is now the teachers problem, not yours! Here’s a little song that can help them get even more excited about hitting the playground. Maybe this Bob Marley-esque tune will even help you feel more Caribbean and less car pool line.

Jungle Gym – Jack Johnson – This is a personal favorite of mine from Jack Johnson, kind of goes right along with Recess Time.

1234 -Fiest – Why not practice a little counting? (just use the 5, 6, 9 and 10 part as an example of incorrect counting practices, you know, just to make sure they’re paying attention) *I apologize there is no link to this song, it just wouldn’t work… :o(

The Animal Cliche’ Song – Dano – Do birds of a feather really flock together? I can’t find this song on itunes but it’s cute cute cute. You may want to check out the whole cd, with songs about Ugly Toes and Groovy Spacemen, it’s kids music you might actually catch yourself singing to.

Alphabet of Nations – They Might Be Giants – Why not learn something more than just the ABC’s with this fun song that will take you around the world.