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Birmingham Events Calendar: August 18th – August 25th

Posted on by Angie

Just because school is back in does not mean things are slowing down around Birmingham! The Barons are back, UniverSoul Circus arrives in town this week and Sidewalk Film Festival kicks off on Friday night with some great kid/family programming happening Saturday and Sunday at the McWane Science Center!

Story times at Kids a Million and Barnes and Noble will keep the little ones busy while the older siblings are at school.

Have a great week!!

 

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

Sunday August 18th

$5 Fun Days at the Birmingham Zoo
Enjoy $5 Admission and $1 Hotdogs. Face Painting, watch the Red Diamond Sea Lion Splash Show, check out Predator Zone and the Wildlife Shows and enjoy a Get Rhythm!® Drum Circle. Watch African Wild Dogs use their hunting instincts to tear into piñatas and see spider monkeys search for hidden food during the Zoo’s exciting animal enrichment activities. Additional attractions include a chance to get up-close and personal with the animals at the daily Boma and Rhino Encounters or partake in animal-themed bingo games. Don’t miss all the Zoo has to offer during $5 Fun Days!
*Admission only. Daily fees still apply for rides, feedings and other seasonal exhibits.
For more Info on the Fun Days Schedule – visit out post here.

Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
VS. Tennessee Smokies. 4pm

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Monday August 19th:

Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
VS. Tennessee Smokies. 7:05pm

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 20th:

Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
VS. Tennessee Smokies. 7:05pm

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

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Wednesday August 21st:

Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
VS. Tennessee Smokies. 7:05pm

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
7:30pm

Attack of the Robots! – Kids A Million (Colonial Brookwood Village)
Attention all fun loving humans!Get geared up as we go nuts about Robots! Storytime and Activities!
11am

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
Llama Llama is sad when he has to go to preschool without his mama. Will mama come back? Of course she will. But before she does, join Llama to find out how much fun school can be!
11am

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Thursday August 22nd:

Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
VS. Tennessee Smokies. 7:05pm

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
7:30

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Friday August 23rd:

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
10:30 and 7:30pm

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Saturday August 24th:

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

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

Back to School Bash – Homewood Park
The event will kick off the new school year with an array of rides, inflatables, live DJ and entertainment throughout the night. Proceeds from this year’s Back to School Bash will benefit the Homewood High School Band as they prepare to represent our city and state at the 2014 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California.
3pm – 7pm

Fultondale Founders Days – Black Creek Park
Celebrate Founder’s Day in Fultondale with children’s activities, music and vendors.
10am – 9pm

The Bell Center Tailgate Challenge – Summit Shopping Center
A fun way for football fans to celebrate and anticipate the upcoming football season while supporting The Bell Center for Early Intervention Programs.  Event goers will enjoy tastes of tailgating food at various team tents during an afternoon of music, kid friendly events and team rivalry.  Celebrity judges will be on hand to judge each of the teams on most team spirit, best tasting food, and best all around.

Tickets: $15
Children 4-10: $5
Children 3 and younger: free
11am – 3pm

The Wild West! – Kids A Million (Colonial Brookwood Village)
We’re rounding everyone up for a galloping good time!
11am

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! Bountiful Boxes // Inspired by summer’s natural beauty? Make your own miniature garden with Bart!
11am

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
Noon, 4pm and 7:30pm

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
A Hands-On Learning Summer Reading event for children ages 3 to 7. Explore the new LeapFrog LeapReader. Reading, writing and dinosaurs!
11am

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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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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.

Back to School doesn't have to mean Back to Broke

Posted on by Angie

“Back to School” displays are up everywhere. But if back to school means back to budget woes, one University of Alabama at Birmingham(UAB) personal finance expert has tips to help stretch a dollar.

Adding up all the costs – supplies, clothes, shoes and electronics – highlights how expensive it can be to go to school. According to the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) 2013 Back-to-School Survey, families with school-age children will spend an average $634.78. Total spending on back-to-school is expected to reach $26.7 billion.

While the NRF said that spending is slightly down from last year, UAB School of Business Instructor Elizabeth Turnbull, M.B.A., explained that planning and preparation can help further reduce money spent.

“When the list of required supplies comes in from teachers, try calling a parent whose child recently graduated that grade,” Turnbull suggested. “Often they will be able to share if their child used all items from day one of the school year, or if some can be purchased later on.”

Other ways to not strain the budget include getting the kids involved with the shopping and savings.

“Set your budget amount and have kids who are old enough gather weekly sales fliers or go online and see if they can find all items under budget,” Turnbull said. “If they can, let them keep the difference or receive a treat – this gives them incentive to find it cheap and it teaches them budgeting.”

Another frugal game can include reusing items that may not need replaced each year, like a backpack or lunch bag.

“Offer kids an incentive to reuse old items to get more use out of pricier items,” Turnbull said.

Other tips include:

  • Use promotional products like pens and stationary that are already lying around the house
  • Buy in bulk with other families and split the cost; if you have multiple kids, keep a school supply basket or closet to save bulk items
  • Instead of buying new art supplies, go through crayons and markers the kids already use at home
  • Do not forget stores where everything costs a dollar; they often will have school supplies
  • Purchase supplies that do not have famous cartoon characters; plain is often cheaper

“The website Pinterest can help offer tips on jazzing up plain items purchased,” Turnbull added. “It can be fun to get together with other parents and their kids to personalize supplies.”

Turnbull said the more the kids are involved with purchasing, the better off they are for the future.

“The earlier you can figure out how to get them to budget, the better they’ll be in the long run when it comes to their own personal finances,” she said.

About UAB

Known for its innovative and interdisciplinary approach to education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is an internationally renowned research university and academic medical center and the state of Alabama’s largest employer with some 23,000 employees and an economic impact exceeding $5 billion annually on the state. The five pillars of UAB’s mission deliver knowledge that will change your world: the education of students, who are exposed to multidisciplinary learning and a new world of diversity; research, the creation of new knowledge; patient care, the outcome of ‘bench-to-bedside’ translational knowledge; service to the community at home and around the globe, from free clinics in local neighborhoods to the transformational experience of the arts; and the economic development of Birmingham and Alabama. Learn more at www.uab.edu.

Birmingham Events Calendar: August 11th – August 18th

Posted on by Angie

Last Week Of Summer!! Whether you’re super excited, kind of sad or a little bit of both, make sure to make the most with your kiddos this week!

Check out a free yoga class at Villager Yoga, Bart’s Books at the Birmingham Museum of Art, or Kids In Nature at Ruffner Mountain Nature Center.

If you still have a few things left on your summer fun list, now’s the time to get busy! Bake those cookies, hit up the park, or take the kids on a surprise road trip!

Moms, if you’re a Downton Abbey Fan check out the after hours party on the plaza at the Hoover Public Library.

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

Sunday August 11th

The Great Water Balloon Jollification – Crestwood Park
Fun with water balloons to beat the summer heat.  We will have some pre-filled balloons ready to go, but make sure to bring some of your own as well.
2pm – 6pm

$5 Fun Days at the Birmingham Zoo
Enjoy $5 Admission and $1 Hotdogs. Face Painting, watch the Red Diamond Sea Lion Splash Show, check out Predator Zone and the Wildlife Shows and enjoy a Get Rhythm!® Drum Circle. Watch African Wild Dogs use their hunting instincts to tear into piñatas and see spider monkeys search for hidden food during the Zoo’s exciting animal enrichment activities. Additional attractions include a chance to get up-close and personal with the animals at the daily Boma and Rhino Encounters or partake in animal-themed bingo games. Don’t miss all the Zoo has to offer during $5 Fun Days!
*Admission only. Daily fees still apply for rides, feedings and other seasonal exhibits.
For more Info on the Fun Days Schedule – visit out post here.

Lowes Build and Grow Clinic
Bring your kids to Lowe’s for some high flying fun this weekend! Your child will love building Dusty from Disney’s Planes-In Theaters in 3D August 9th. Register Here
2pm

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Monday August 12th:

Free Yoga Classes – Villager Yoga
Come check out our kids classes as we prepare to start our Fall Kids 8-Week Series. Free class for kids ages 3-5
1:30 – 2:15

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 13th:

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

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Wednesday August 14th:

Free Yoga Classes – Villager Yoga
Come check out our kids classes as we prepare to start our Fall Kids 8-Week Series. Free class for kids ages 5-8
4:00-4:45

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
Join us as Rocket masters the alphabet, sounds out words, and finally learns to read all on his own.
11am

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Thursday August 15th:

Free Yoga Classes – Villager Yoga
Come check out our kids classes as we prepare to start our Fall Kids 8-Week Series. Free class for kids ages 5-8 and 9-12
3:30 – 4:15: ages 5-8
4:30 – 5:15: ages 9-12

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Friday August 16th:

Downton Abbey Party – Hoover Public Library
After Hours on the Plaza: Can’t get enough of Downton Abbey? Then join us for an evening of Downton Abbey inspired food and fun. 2013 Southern Voices author Wendy Wax will lead a trivia game and sign her new book, While We Were Watching Downton Abbey. Dress in your best Downton-era attire and enter our costume contest! Bring your own libations to the party.
7pm – 9pm

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Saturday August 17th:

Kids In Nature – Ruffner Mountain Nature Center
Let’s go outside and explore! KIN Club focuses on a different topic each month and includes a naturalist-led hike and a craft. KIN Club is suited for 3rd – 5th graders and their family.
1pm

$5 Fun Days at the Birmingham Zoo
Enjoy $5 Admission and $1 Hotdogs. Face Painting, watch the Red Diamond Sea Lion Splash Show, check out Predator Zone and the Wildlife Shows and enjoy a Get Rhythm!® Drum Circle. Watch African Wild Dogs use their hunting instincts to tear into piñatas and see spider monkeys search for hidden food during the Zoo’s exciting animal enrichment activities. Additional attractions include a chance to get up-close and personal with the animals at the daily Boma and Rhino Encounters or partake in animal-themed bingo games. Don’t miss all the Zoo has to offer during $5 Fun Days!
*Admission only. Daily fees still apply for rides, feedings and other seasonal exhibits.
For more Info on the Fun Days Schedule – visit out post here.

Bart’s Book – Birmingham Museum of Art
American Gallery: Bart’s Books is a storytelling program for children ages 4-7. Bart selects a new book and related work of art each month that he thinks kids will enjoy. This month, Bart has chosen In the Garden with Dr. Carver, by Susan Grigsby.
11am

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! Bountiful Boxes // Inspired by summer’s natural beauty? Make your own miniature garden with Bart!
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
Llama Llama is sad when he has to go to preschool without his mama. Will mama come back? Of course she will. But before she does, join Llama to find out how much fun school can be!
11am

—————————————————————————————

Sunday August 18th:

$5 Fun Days at the Birmingham Zoo
Enjoy $5 Admission and $1 Hotdogs. Face Painting, watch the Red Diamond Sea Lion Splash Show, check out Predator Zone and the Wildlife Shows and enjoy a Get Rhythm!® Drum Circle. Watch African Wild Dogs use their hunting instincts to tear into piñatas and see spider monkeys search for hidden food during the Zoo’s exciting animal enrichment activities. Additional attractions include a chance to get up-close and personal with the animals at the daily Boma and Rhino Encounters or partake in animal-themed bingo games. Don’t miss all the Zoo has to offer during $5 Fun Days!
*Admission only. Daily fees still apply for rides, feedings and other seasonal exhibits.
For more Info on the Fun Days Schedule – visit out post here.

Birmingham Barons – Regions Park
VS. Tennessee Smokies. 3pm

—————————————————————————————

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.

5 Things Meals on Wheels taught my kids

Posted on by Angie

We, like everyone else, love the summer fun list. This year we added to ours- instead of just being a list of things they want to indulge in, we told them to make a list of things they want to do AND ways to do good in the world. My kids are getting older (6 & 8 yrs) so I wanted to incorporate responsibility and compassion into every day. So often, it takes a tragedy to make people chip in and help. I don’t want my kids to think that we only help people after a disaster. I want them to understand the everyday struggles that people face, and to learn how to help. The other positive outcome is that my kids felt like they deserved the fun things on our summer list because they were working hard and doing good things.

A friend had told me that she and her daughter did Meals on Wheels together and loved it, so we started this summer. We’ve delivered around 200 meals to elderly people in Birmingham so far this summer. Usually it’s women who live alone and have mobility issues. Here’s what my kids have taken from it, in mostly their own words:

1. We’re not lazy and we’re not selfish. Hearing my kids say this made me really proud. There are times when they moan in the morning when I say we’re delivering, but it’s quickly followed by them realizing that staying home to play video games, swimming, shopping, etc are all things that don’t help anyone. We’ve had some amazing conversations about what kind of people we want to be, and how our actions (not intentions) determine that for us.

2. It doesn’t take much to make a difference. It takes us one hour to deliver the day’s meals, but we see around 12 people who smile and appreciate us.

3. It’s not about the food, it’s about the people. The elderly appreciate the food, but they LOVE seeing children. One of the most poignant conversations I’ve ever had with my son was because of a man on one of our routes. He wistfully looked at the kids and said, “To go back… to be that young… the things I would change…” It struck me. After we got back in the car, I discovered that my son understood what he meant and it had affected him as well. We had an amazing talk about regrets and how you only get one chance. We talked about making decisions, being thoughtful of choices, and so much more. I have no doubt: That day changed myson’s life, just a little bit, or maybe a huge amount.

Best delivery crew ever!

4. Self-esteem!! Want to help kids build self-esteem? Let them be proud of making a difference. Mine carry food to the door- it isn’t hard. But at the end of each day, they count all of the people they helped. And I encourage them by telling them how proud I am that they are doing something.

5. Family is forever. One of our favorite stops is an elderly lady who always has the kids a piece of candy ready. We usually visit her last so we can stay for a few minutes and talk. Her stories are amazing and funny, and she is a delight to be around. The kids love her and she loves them. She keeps us updated on her many grandchildren and great grandchildren- how they are, what they’ve been doing, etc. My kids once told me that she is their favorite because she loves her family so much. Seeing her love for her family, her kindness… these are things we won’t find in a movie theater.

I can’t recommend it enough. Kids love it. It takes very little time and it is safe. It is so easy and flexible. You pick the days you want to help. You can do 1 hour per month or just pick up shifts here and there. For more information, click here.

 

Road Trip! World of Coca Cola

Posted on by Angie

Summer is winding down and we know you’re looking for a few more things to do to make summer go out with a bang. Back in the Spring we visited the World of Coca Cola in Atlanta and can’t recommend it enough. I knew that my husband and I would enjoy it but we were pleasantly surprised at how much our children, ages 7 and 5 actually enjoyed it too.

First up was a trip down memory in the Coca Cola Loft. You’ll learn lots of tidbits and be surrounded by artifacts that span the life of the product, just before heading into the Happiness Factor theater where you’ll see a short movie. After that, you’re free to explore the rest of the exhibits at your own pace.

We of course had to see the Polar Bear and probably could have stood there and watched him all day. He’s so personable and animated that he makes for some great entertainment.

The 4D movie experience is something that the kids will enjoy as well as the tasting room where you have the chance to test Coke products from around the Globe, including the infamous “Beverly.”

Other exhibits include the Vault of the Secret Formula, Milestones of Refreshment where you have the chance to explore the history of the Coca Cola Company and Bottleworks, a behind the scenes look at the bottling process.

Inside the hub is bright and colorful and a great place to take a few pictures. On your way out of the museum you’ll each be handed a bottle of Coke straight off the bottling line and corralled through the gift shop where we can say with absolute certainty that your children will ask for a stuffed Polar Bear.

Make sure to stop by and check out the picture you had made with the bear. They’re a bit on the pricey side but make a good souvenir.

Ticket Prices range from $12 – $16 per person with children 0-2 free with adult ticket purchase.

Special VIP guided tour, which includes expedited entry into the World of Coke, personalized tour led by a dedicated guide, small groups experience, keepsake and more. For more information on the VIP tours visit their site.

If you have a chance to make it over to the World of Coke, make sure to come back and let us know how you enjoyed your visit!

 

 

Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week

Posted on by Angie

Becoming a Mom is full of joy and of course lots of decisions. Breastfeeding your child is one of the biggest decisions you will make for your little bundle of joy. While we understand it’s a personal decision and what works for one Mom may not work for another, we thought that in honor of World Breastfeeding Week, we would share with you a list put together by St. Vincent’s Health System. They have compiled their top 10 reasons moms should consider (and/or continue) breastfeeding:

1.      Breast milk is uniquely created for babies. It adapts to a baby’s individual needs.

2.      Exclusive breastfeeding for 3-4 months reduces the incidence of childhood allergies.

3.      Breastfeeding lowers the risk of both childhood and adult obesity.

4.      Breastfeeding costs much less than choosing to formula feed.

5.      Breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

6.      Breastfeeding reduces the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer and ovarian cancer.

7.      Breastfed babies have a lower incidence of infections such as respiratory infections and ear infections.

8.      Exclusively breastfed infants are less apt to develop Type 1 Diabetes.

9.      Mothers who exclusively breastfeed have an earlier return to their pre-pregnancy weight.

10.  Infants who are exclusively breastfed for 3-4 months tend to have higher intelligence scores.

What tips do you have to share for new Moms thinking about or struggling with nursing their child?

 

Mother of All Consignment Sale Lists for Birmingham – Fall 2013

Posted on by Angie

Consignment Season is upon us, BirminghamMommy’s! Are you ready? Many sales are registering now or soon, so make sure to follow the links to the Consignment Sale Website or Facebook Page for all of the information you need for that particular sale.

Make sure to check back often as we will update with any sales we learn about in the coming weeks. If you know of a sale in Birmingham that you would like to have listed, please contact us and we’ll get it added!

Happy Consigning!

Alabaster:

Renewed Threads
10903 Highway 119, Restore Building, FUMC of Alabaster

Public Sale Dates:
September 13th – 8am – 6pm
September 14th – 8am -2pm
* Half off marked items on Saturday

Site Info

Gardendale:

Kingdom Kids Consignment
Gardendale Mt.Vernon United Methodist

September 15th – September 21st
Open to the Public 18th– 21st
Sale Info

Homewood:

Lil Lambs Consignment
Trinity United Methodist –

Open to the Public:  September 6th and 7th
Friday – 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM
Saturday – 9:00 AM – 12 Noon
Sale Info

Hoover:

Kids Wear Plus
Hoover Gallery Shopping Center

Receiving:
September 7th, 7am – 4pm
September 9th, 9am – 6pm
September 10th – 9am – 11am

Open to the Public:
Monday, Sept 16 (Only umbrella strollers allowed)  7am – 6pm
Tuesday &Wednesday, Sept 17 & 18th 9am – 6pm
Thursday (25% off day) Sept 19th 9am – 6pm
Friday (50% off day) Sept 20th   (Only umbrella strollers allowed) 7am – 6pm
Saturday (50% off day) Sept 21st (Only umbrella strollers allowed) 8am – 3pm

Sale Info

Bargains on the Bluff
Bluff Park United Methodist –

Open to the Public:
Friday, September 13th, 9am – 6pm
Saturday, September 14th, 9am – 2pm Discount Day

Sale Info

Kids Corner Children’s Consignment
Mountain Chapel UMC

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Wednesday, September 11th 9am – 3pm
Wednesday, September 11th 5pm – 8pm Half Price of Select Items
Sale Info

TNT Sale
Riverchase United Methodist –

Open to to the Public:

Friday, September 20th –  9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
Saturday, September 21st –  8:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Hueytown:

Twice Blessed Sale
Garywood Assembly of God –

Public Sale:
Thursday, September 12th – 6:00pm – 8:30 pm
Friday, September 13th – 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Saturday, (1/2 off day) September 14th – 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Sale Info

Irondale:

Kids Market and Mom
Located in the former Food World location in Irondale Plaza Shopping Center.
2800 Block of Crestwood Blvd (Hwy 78),
Irondale, AL 35210.

Receiving (by Appt)
Tue, Sept 17th,   9am – 7pm
Wed, Sept 18th,   9am – 7pm

Regular Receiving:

Sat, Sept 21st   7a – 6p
Mon, Sept 23rd,   9a – 6p
Tues, Sept 24th,   9a – 6p
Wed, Sept 25th,   9a – 3p
(Clothing items only on the 25th, no shoes!)

Public Sale:

Tue, Oct 15th,   9a – 8p
Wed-Fri. Oct 16 – Oct 18th,   9a – 6p
Sat. Oct 19th,   9a – 4p

CLOSED Sun. Oct 20th

Mon-Wed. Oct. 21st – 23rd –   9a-3p
Thu. Oct. 24th, 9a – 6p
Fri. Oct. 15th, 9a – 6p
Sat. Oct. 26th, 9a – 4p

Site Info

Twice as Nice Sale
BAMOM – Birmingham Area Mothers of Multiples –

Private/Invitation Only Sale:
Friday August 23rd
5pm – 9pm
$2 Cover Charge

Open to the public:

Saturday, August 24th
8:00am – 12:00pm
10:00am – 1/2 price sale begins
Sale Info

Mountain Brook:

Sweet Repeats Children’s Consignment
Mountain Brook Community Church

Friday, September 13th, 9am – 6pm
Saturday, September 14th, 9am – Noon

Sale Info

Oak Mountain:

Giggles and Grace
Asbury United Methodist

Receiving: September 4th and 5th

Open to the public:
September 6th 8am – 6pm
September 7th – 8am – 1pm
Sale Info

Odenville:

Valley Kids Consignment
900 Woodland Circle, Odenville, AL 35120

Friday, September 13th 9am-7pm
Saturday, September 14th 8am-1pm (50% off day)
Sale Info

Trussville

Growing Kids
Trussville Methodist Church –

Friday, October 4th,  8:00am – 6:00pm
Saturday, October 5th,  8:00am – 2:00pm
(Saturday is 50% off many items in sale)

Sale Info

Vestavia

Whale of a Sale
Vestavia Hills Untied Methodist Church
Thursday, September 19th, 6pm – 9pm
Friday, September 20th 9am – 6pm
Most items 1/2 off 4pm – 6pm
Sale Info

Market on the Mountain
Family Life Center, Mountaintop Community Church –

Friday, September 13th
Saturday, September 14th
Sale Info

** Please remember that all dates and times are subject to change without notice to BirminghamMommy. Please make sure to double check the sales website for the most current and up to date information. If you have a sale you would like to see on our list, email us at contact@birminghammommy.com

Birmingham Events Calendar: August 4th – August 11th

Posted on by Angie

Summer might be winding down for Birmingham Students but there are still plenty of things to do to keep you busy these last couple of weeks!

Homewood Public Library is hosting “Arts Week” with special programming each day this week. Some events require registration. Make sure to double check before you head out.

$5 Fun Days continue at the Birmingham Zoo for the next 2 weekends. There are a couple of Summer Reading Finales/Back to School Celebrations happening and the Barons kick off the week at home.

Just about 2 weeks left of summer, how will you spend it?

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

Sunday August 4th

Birmingham Barons – Regions Field
vs Blue Wahoos
3pm

The Goonies – Alabama Theatre
A group of kids embark on a wild adventure after finding a pirate treasure map.
The movie will begin at 2 pm, with doors opening one hour before showtime. The Mighty Wurlitzer Organ will perform before each movie. Tickets are $8 and will be available at the door and through Ticketmaster.

$5 Fun Days at the Birmingham Zoo
Enjoy $5 Admission and $1 Hotdogs. Face Painting, watch the Red Diamond Sea Lion Splash Show, check out Predator Zone and the Wildlife Shows and enjoy a Get Rhythm!® Drum Circle. Watch African Wild Dogs use their hunting instincts to tear into piñatas and see spider monkeys search for hidden food during the Zoo’s exciting animal enrichment activities. Additional attractions include a chance to get up-close and personal with the animals at the daily Boma and Rhino Encounters or partake in animal-themed bingo games. Don’t miss all the Zoo has to offer during $5 Fun Days!
*Admission only. Daily fees still apply for rides, feedings and other seasonal exhibits.
For more Info on the Fun Days Schedule – visit out post here.

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Monday August 5th:

Arts Week – Homewood Public Library
Outdoor fun and a cool treat for all ages.
10:30am – Noon

Birmingham Barons – Regions Field
vs Blue Wahoos
7:05pm

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 6th:

Birmingham Barons – Regions Field
vs Blue Wahoos
7:05pm

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

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Wednesday August 7th:

Wacky Wednesday – Premiere Cinemas Tannehill
Premiere Cinemas presents its annual Wacky Wednesday summer program with FREE (G & PG) movies sponsored by Town and Country Ford. Admission will be free for everyone with families and groups are welcomed. Check out our website (www.pccmovies.com) for more details and a listing of movies and showtimes.

Back to School Bash – Adamsville Library
We will have games, prizes, and light refreshments. Win school supplies and more. Hope to see you there!
2pm

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
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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Thursday August 8th:

Arts Week – Homewood Library
The Art of Movement – Get the whole family rocking and rolling with movement and dance.
Family fun for all ages.
6:15pm

Summer Reading Finale – Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest
Drummer Mark Seymour will entertain at 11:00 am and then we will break for a hot dog picnic on our patios! After that, children’s (Emmy award Winner) recording artist Farmer Jason will perform at 1:00 pm. All ages welcome for a fun afternoon!

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Friday August 9th:

Arts Week – Homewood Public Library
Create 3D works of art with a Lego Sculpture Free Build.
Space is limited and registration is required. The program is limited to ages 5-12.
You must register by phone by giving us a call at 205-332-6619.
10:30am

Rolling Back to School Event – Homewood Public Library
Help us roll out summer and welcome the beginning of the school year.
Featuring Carter Yahoo Band and several of your favorite food trucks!
You are invited to bring a blanket or chairs, purchase dinner, and sit back to enjoy some great music with family and friends with one last summer celebration!
6:30pm – 8:30pm

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!
Call or come by the store to sign up! Space is limited
7pm

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Saturday August 10th:

$5 Fun Days at the Birmingham Zoo
Enjoy $5 Admission and $1 Hotdogs. Face Painting, watch the Red Diamond Sea Lion Splash Show, check out Predator Zone and the Wildlife Shows and enjoy a Get Rhythm!® Drum Circle. Watch African Wild Dogs use their hunting instincts to tear into piñatas and see spider monkeys search for hidden food during the Zoo’s exciting animal enrichment activities. Additional attractions include a chance to get up-close and personal with the animals at the daily Boma and Rhino Encounters or partake in animal-themed bingo games. Don’t miss all the Zoo has to offer during $5 Fun Days!
*Admission only. Daily fees still apply for rides, feedings and other seasonal exhibits.
For more Info on the Fun Days Schedule – visit out post here.

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! Bountiful Boxes // Inspired by summer’s natural beauty? Make your own miniature garden with Bart!
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
Join us as Rocket masters the alphabet, sounds out words, and finally learns to read all on his own.
11am

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Sunday August 11th:

The Great Water Balloon Jollification – Crestwood Park
Fun with water balloons to beat the summer heat.  We will have some pre-filled balloons ready to go, but make sure to bring some of your own as well.
2pm – 6pm

$5 Fun Days at the Birmingham Zoo
Enjoy $5 Admission and $1 Hotdogs. Face Painting, watch the Red Diamond Sea Lion Splash Show, check out Predator Zone and the Wildlife Shows and enjoy a Get Rhythm!® Drum Circle. Watch African Wild Dogs use their hunting instincts to tear into piñatas and see spider monkeys search for hidden food during the Zoo’s exciting animal enrichment activities. Additional attractions include a chance to get up-close and personal with the animals at the daily Boma and Rhino Encounters or partake in animal-themed bingo games. Don’t miss all the Zoo has to offer during $5 Fun Days!
*Admission only. Daily fees still apply for rides, feedings and other seasonal exhibits.
For more Info on the Fun Days Schedule – visit out post here.

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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.

$5 Fun Days at the Birmingham Zoo

Posted on by Angie

For the first 3 weekends in August you can celebrate $5 Fun Days at the Birmingham Zoo!

Enjoy $5 Admission and $1 Hotdogs August 3-4, 10-11 & 17-18.

Get your face painted, watch the Red Diamond Sea Lion Splash Show, check out Predator Zone and the Wildlife Shows and enjoy a Get Rhythm!® Drum Circle. Watch African Wild Dogs use their hunting instincts to tear into piñatas and see spider monkeys search for hidden food during the Zoo’s exciting animal enrichment activities. Additional attractions include a chance to get up-close and personal with the animals at the daily Boma and Rhino Encounters or partake in animal-themed bingo games. Don’t miss all the Zoo has to offer during $5 Fun Days!
*Admission only. Daily fees still apply for rides, feedings and other seasonal exhibits.

Saturday, August 3rd
10am to 2pm – Trails of Africa Face Painting
10am – Trails of Africa Animal Bingo
11am – Boma Encounter
11am – Predator Piñatas with African Wild Dogs
12pm – Pachyderm Popsicles
1:30 to 2pm – Rhino Encounter

Sunday, August 4th
10am to 2pm – Trails of Africa Face Painting
9:30am – Lemur Training
10am – Trails of Africa Animal Bingo
11am – Boma Encounter
1:30 to 2pm – Rhino Encounter
2:30pm – Preying with the Malayan Tiger
2:30pm – Ice Treats for Gorillas

Saturday, August 10th
10am to 2pm – Trails of Africa Face Painting
9:30am – Predator Piñatas with African Lions
10am – Trails of Africa Animal Bingo
11am – Boma Encounter
11am to 12pm – Get Rhythm!® Drum Circle
12pm – Watermelon Toss for Elephants
1:30 to 2pm – Rhino Encounter
Sunday, August 11th
9:30am – Squirrel Monkey Food Search
10am to 2pm – Trails of Africa Face Painting
10am – Trails of Africa Animal Bingo
11am – Boma Encounter
11am – Sea Lion Fun
1:30 to 2pm – Rhino Encounter
2pm – Pachyderm Picnic to Celebrate Ajani’s Birthday

Saturday, August 17th
10am to 2pm – Trails of Africa Face Painting
10am – Trails of Africa Animal Bingo
11am – Boma Encounter
11am – Surprise Boxes with African Painted Dogs
12pm – Watermelon Toss for Elephants
1:30 to 2pm – Rhino Encounter
2:30pm – Ice Treats for Gorillas

Sunday, August 18th
10am to 2pm – Trails of Africa Face Painting
9:30am – Preying with the Malayan Tiger
10am – Trails of Africa Animal Bingo
11am – Boma Encounter
1:30 to 2pm – Rhino Encounter
2pm – Food Trunk Challenge at Boma

Parenting with a PhD: Let's Talk about Sex, Baby!

Posted on by Angie

I cringe at the very idea of writing this article. I realize we’re both adults and you know the ins and outs of this sex stuff (Sorry – poor choice of words…) but, still, this is a touchy subject and I don’t think many parents relish the idea of covering it with their kids. I have to confess right off the bat that my husband and I haven’t fully had THE TALK with our kids yet. What follows are some tips I’ve gleaned through research that I hope will be helpful but I’m not speaking from experience on this one. I may write a totally different article a few months from now – I know THE TALK is coming soon.

The biggest question many parents have is when is the “right time” to talk about sex. Kids are naturally curious, as you may have noticed from the hundreds (or is it thousands?) of questions your child asks daily. At some point, you’re going to get quizzed about where babies come from and it might happen earlier than you expect. Instead of stalling until you think your child is old enough for THE TALK (age 25?), consider starting the conversation from the beginning. Teach your kids the correct names for body parts. Having them use cutesy nicknames (e.g., “wee-wee”) can send the message that there’s something shameful or embarrassing about these parts or their bodies. Instead, teach that these parts are special. Use bath time as an opportunity to talk about keeping these parts private. Explain that you will have to help your child wash these parts and that his doctor may need to look at them but that they are not for other people to see or touch. Tell your child that you want to know if someone else asks to see or touch them so you can keep him safe. If your preschooler asks where babies come from, you can explain that babies are made from a very small part of the mommy’s body and a very small part of the daddy’s body, and that the baby gets bigger and bigger inside the mommy’s tummy. (I realize that surrogacy is an exception to this process but you may want to wait to explain more complicated issues like that). By the time you’ve gotten all that out, your preschooler has probably moved on to something else (and it’s probably snack-related).

For elementary-aged children, there are several great books that might be helpful when you start the sex conversations. Some to look into are Where Did I Come From? by Peter Mayle and Let’s Talk About Sex by Robie Harris for younger kids, and Let’s Talk About S-E-X: A Guide for Kids 9 to 12 and Their Parents by Sam Gitchel and Lorri Foster for older kids. Also, we probably all had a copy of What’s Happening to My Body? growing up (although the title is slightly ominous…). There’s also a cool NOVA series called “The Miracle of Life,” and a film called “From Conception to Birth” that show fetal development from inside the mother’s womb. (P.S. Neither are nine months long – don’t worry). If you run an internet search, you’ll find more options, too – just check them out first. The key is that you look at these resources together and use them as a jumping off point, not as the entirety of your child’s sex education. You may find that you handle a little of the information at a time and go weeks or even months in between conversations. Your six-year-old might be ready to know about the sperm and the egg, but she shouldn’t be hearing about gonorrhea and oral sex just yet. You may have to set reminders in your phone to revisit these topics in the future (and I don’t mean when she graduates from high school) because the first talk is not the last talk and it’s easy to forget that more work is needed.

Encourage your child to ask you questions about sex as they come up and do your best not to visibly squirm (squirm all you want on the inside). You don’t have to know all the answers – a carefully worded and closely supervised internet search can be your best friend in these situations. If you’re uncomfortable bringing this stuff up with your child or think you may react badly to questions, role play the conversation with your spouse or a friend first. At the very least, that should be entertaining. Just know that explaining sex to your kids, even telling them that sex is fun and pleasurable, is not going to encourage them to try it. In fact, research shows very clearly that kids are more likely to delay sex until they’re older when they felt welcome to bring up sex-related topics with their parents. You do want to tell them the reasons they should wait to be sexually active and how factors like emotional maturity, safety, and the quality of the romantic relationship should come into play. If you expect your child to wait for sex until marriage, tell him that. Just avoid making threats about will happen if he doesn’t meet this expectation so you can keep communication open. Be sure to cover non-intercourse sexual activities so they aren’t blindsided when it comes up in a romantic situation (which it will!!).

The idea of one of your kids walking in to see how she got started in the first place is, well, kind of terrifying. If this hasn’t happened to you, go ahead and invest in a bedroom door lock now. If it has already occurred, just know that this is a pretty common occurrence and we’re not in the “scarred for life” territory. If your child is five or under and she seems unfazed, you may want to play it cool.

Do listen for questions or comments indicating that she’s confused or upset by what she saw but don’t feel like you have to give a detailed explanation if her biggest question was why you were awake with the lights off. If your child is six or older, you might want to use this opportunity to start explaining sex. If you don’t think she’s ready to handle the full story, give her a brief explanation: “That’s a way mommy and daddy show love to each other” and move on. Don’t lie but don’t over-explain.

The most important thing for parents to keep in mind is that THE TALK is actually a lot of little talks. Yes, the initial explanation is pretty crucial but you can’t stop there. As your child gets older, he’ll be exposed to more and more sex-related information and will need your help processing it all. Some will be factual and easy to confirm or deny (“Can girls get pregnant by using the boys’ bathroom?”) but some will make you uncomfortable (and possibly a bit horrified by what your kid is hearing and wondering about). The good news is, if your kid is getting help understanding from you, then all his information about sex isn’t coming from the 14-year-old who lives next door. Rejoice that your child trusts you enough to ask weird, awkward questions about sex – this is most certainly a parenting success.

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