Patience: Be a Grown-Up

Posted on Monday, April 30, 2012 by Angie

Our Patience Tip for this Week: Be the Grown Up….

One thing I’ve heard from other moms that I really took to heart was this: “You’re the grown-up, act like it.”

I refuse to get into a yelling match, or a tit-for-tat situation with my kids. If they throw a fit, I used to try to fix it. I’ve learned now to walk away, and let it be. I have to always be the most mature, sensible, caring person in the room because my child is watching. Resorting to their level will never be effective, it will actually sabotage any efforts you’re making.

It’s hard sometimes to refrain from stomping your feet and screaming like a 3 year old, how do manage to keep yourself in check and remain the grown up when dealing with your kiddos?

Birmingham Events Calendar April 29th – May 6th

Posted on Sunday, April 29, 2012 by Angie

Earth Day in the Gardens, Magnolia Festival, Embrace Space Day, and FREE Comic Books are just a few things you will find on this week’s very packed calendar!

The new Giraffe Exhibit has opened at the Birmingham Zoo. One of the largest giraffe habitats in the Southeast, the Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter allows guests to enjoy an up-close and personal interaction with the Zoo’s five giraffes.

The Schaffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil is back and has a great music line up- whether you take the kids or make it a date, it’s always a fun event!

Have a great week everyone!

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

Sunday April 29th:

Magic City Art Connection – Linn Park
This award winning contemporary art festival and Top 20 Southeast Event celebrating its 29th anniversary, transforms downtown Birmingham’s Linn Park each year with its blast of fresh artistic talent, sights, sounds and aromas, drawing from a pool of artists who have been recognized locally, regionally and nationally in visual and performance art, food & wine, dance and music.

Over 200 artists from around the Country, Food from Birmingham’s finest restaurants, wines from around the world, live music and Interactive Art Workshops And Activities For Kids. See your child’s imagination take flight creating a one-of-a-kind work of art at the Imagination Festival. Imagination Festival hosts 2000 elementary students during its Friday art workshop school program. It will close at 3pm on Friday. Please check at the Info Center for the list of available Imagination Festival workshops that are open to the general public on Friday.

Tickets: Admission to the art show is FREE. Tickets for Corks & Chefs Food and Wine Tasting are $25 advance/$30 at the door.

Info Phone: 205-595-6306
10am – 6pm

Bart’s Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
April showers bring May flowers! Craft a “glass” flower inspired by BMA artist Dale Chihuly.

Visit Bart’s Art Cart in the main lobby to explore great art and create some art of your own with the help of our Teen Volunteers. Each month highlights a different gallery and features a new art activity. Learn how to look at art with your child. Stop by and make art with Bart!
1:00pm

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Monday April 30th:

Toddler Tales – Emmet O’ Neal Library
Stories, songs, crafts, and a snack with Miss Kat for ages 24-36 months with a caregiver. Every Monday at 9:30 and 10:30. Call 879-0497 to register, or register online at www.eolib.org.

Tot Time with Mrs Eve – Avondale Library
Storytime fun awaits you and your little one when you attend Avondale Library’s Tot Time. Join Mrs. Eve as she presents stories, songs, and crafts geared for 2 to 4 year olds with a caregiver. 24-hour advance registration required.

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Tuesday May 1st:

Babes in the Zoo– Birmingham Zoo
This fun class introduces children to the experience and wonder of animals in a safe environment.

Children must be 6 months to 2 years old and accompany with an adult. Classes are 30 minutes long.
Members -$6 Non-Members -$12
9am

Storytime – Homewood Public Library
Join us for the fun of it! All ages welcome.
10:30am

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Wednesday May 2nd:

Babes in the Zoo– Birmingham Zoo
This fun class introduces children to the experience and wonder of animals in a safe environment.

Children must be 6 months to 2 years old and accompany with an adult. Classes are 30 minutes long.
Members -$6 Non-Members -$12
9am

Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Join us for Storytime as we read The Duckling Gets a Cookie. See what happens when the duckling gets a cookie and how the pigeon feels about it. We will make something fun and have a treat from the Cafe.
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

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Thursday May 3rd:

Storytime with Ms Terri- Adamsville Public Library
We’ll be reading about and presenting May flowers and spring time fun!
10am

Storytime Adventures – Vestavia Library in the Forest
Join Mr. Brian as he goes on exciting adventures through stories and songs. Ages 3 years – 5 years
10:30am

Time for Tales with Ms Katie – Avondale Library
Join Ms. Katie for a preschool storytime with lots of stories, songs, and fun for everyone! Group registration appreciated.
9:30am

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Friday May 4th:

Gardendale Magnolia Festival – Gardendale Civic Center
Celebrate spring at the award-winning Gardendale Magnolia Festival with over 150 arts/crafts/business vendors including home and garden special section, large midway carnival, classic car show, 3 stages of live entertainment, pooch parade, Little Miss GMF pageant, bungy jump, fishing tank, silent auction, free art classes for kids, and cookie eating contest. You’ll find restaurant quality food as well as festival favorites at our food court including Greek gyros, fried catfish, fried oreos, boiled peanuts, BBQ ribs/smoked sausage, teriyaki chicken on a stick, roasted corn, kettle corn, Italian ice, etc.

Don’t miss this total family experience! Free admission, free parking!
5pm – 9pm

Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil – Outside at the BJCC
The Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil is a Birmingham tradition that like a child, started small then kept growing and growing.The 2011 event included Stone Temple Pilots, Weezer, Cee Lo Green, Nelly, Sublime with Rome Buckcherry, Cage the Elephant, Drivin n Cryin, Cold, Ko Pek, DJ Logic, Wick-It the Instigator and Kidsmeal.

The Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil will be outside at The BJCC (Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. between 22nd and 24th St).

Artists scheduled to play:
Childish Gambino (Donald Glover)
Brantly Gilbert
The Cult
Jane’s Addiction

Friday Single Day – $30.00
Saturday Single Day – $30.00
Friday VIP Single Day – $75.00
Saturday VIP Single Day – $75.00
GA Weekend Pass – $49.50
VIP Weekend Pass – $140.00
There is no age limit; children 12 and under are admitted free when accompanied by a ticketed adult.

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Saturday May 5th:

We Love Homewood Day – Homewood Central Park
Rides, Games and Inflatables: Located at Homewood Central Park the fun begins at 10:00am and lasts until 5:00pm. A “We Love Homewood Day” favorite will offer a variety of inflatables, rides and activities for all ages to enjoy.

Arts and Crafts / Vendor Expo: This year vendors will be located back in Homewood Central Park amongst the rides and attractions! 10:00am – 4:00pm. Numerous crafters, businesses and civic groups will display, sell items and provide information to those in attendance. The Vendor Expo is full at this time.

Day Time Entertainment @ Central Park: Entertainment will be provided throughout the day on the Main Stage at Central Park. Below is the current line-up:

10:00am – Shirts & Skirts Square Dance Club’s exhibition

11:00am – The Hearts

12:00pm – The Perishables

1:00pm – Homewood High School Band Pep Rally

Art in Avondale Park – Bham Park and Recreation Board
Come out and join us for a day of art in the newly-refurbished Avondale Park! The event features artists’ booths and food vendors, plus free art activities for children, live music and dance, face-painting and more. The mission of Art in Avondale Park Alliance, Inc. is to inspire children to discover their talents through a wide variety of artmaking lessons provided by local art teachers, artists and community volunteers.
10am

Don’t miss this total family experience! Free admission, free parking!
10am – 5pm

Earth Day at the Gardens – Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Earth Day at The Gardens will have over 40 earth friendly exhibitors at booths displaying family friendly activities and information.

Free Comic Book Day – Kingdom Comics Vestavia
There will be many special guests, including plenty of Super Heroes from across the galaxy. Other fun activities will include a trivia game and photo opportunities with the famous Super Heroes.

Doors open at 10 AM and Super Heroes will be there until 2 PM. Be sure to bring your cameras so you can get some photos with them before they head off to continue saving the world! This is a great family friendly event so bring all the kids. Comic books are free while supplies last!

Air Quality Expo – Pepper Place
Alabama Partners for Clean Air, and initiative of the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, is hosting the 2nd annual Air Quality Expo. from 7 a.m. until 12 noon at Pepper Place Saturday Market. Come out for a free emissions test, view an alternative fuel vehicle, and get free asthma and health screening vouchers. Most importantly, you can learn how to improve Birmingham’s air quality!

The Schaeffer Eye Center Crawfish Boil will be outside at The BJCC (Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. between 22nd and 24th St).

Artists scheduled to play:
Moontaxi
Futurebirds
The Head & the Heart
Lupe Fiasco
Megadeth
Snoop Dogg
Wiz Khalifa

Storytime on the Mountain – Ruffner Mountain
Join Ms. Jerri in the Activity Hall of the Treehouse to read “Butterfly Butterfly” by Petr Horá?ek. This beautifully colored book will have children excited to search for butterflies in their own backyard! We will make butterfly masks following the story. Each family receives a free copy of the book to take home thanks to our sponsor, Target. Stick around after the story and craft and see some real butterflies up-close!
10am

To Be a Park Ranger – Oak Mountain
Come learn what it is to be a Park Ranger at Oak Mountain State Park. Let’s see if we can get them to turn the lights on! Meet at the Campground Pavilion (B-side) at 10a.m. Free after admission to Oak Mountain State Park.
10am

Embrace Space Day – Mcwane Science Center
Join us for Planetarium presentations, space crafts, solar observations, learn how telescopes work, and learn how to become an amateur astronomer.
Cost included in admission – 10am – 2pm

Saturday Market – Pepper Place
Re-open again for the season! Pepper Place Saturday Market brings the best local growers, food producers and artisans to you each Saturday morning. Rain or shine!
7am – Noon

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 for Storytime as we read Are You Ready to Play Outside? Find out what happens when Gerald and Piggie want to play outside but it starts to rain. We will make a craft and have something delicious from the Cafe.
11am

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Sunday May 6th:

Bart’s Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
Design a teacup just in time for Mother’s Day!

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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: Born to Be Wild, & Flying Monsters.

The Tornadoes of April 27th – Looking Back — Moving Forward, a new exhibit at McWane Science Center, reflects on the experiences of the April 27th, 2011 storms. The exhibit shares personal stories from those who experienced the devastation of the storms firsthand, while emphasizing the importance of tornado preparedness and explaining the science behind tornadoes.

Photos and stories from The Birmingham News help tell the story of the storms and the affect they had on survivors, volunteers, and the community as a whole. Students from Daniel Payne Middle School also help tell the story of their school and community through photos and artifacts from the storm for the exhibit. UAB students worked with the children from Daniel Payne Middle School to create short documentaries that can be seen in the exhibit as well.

In addition to sharing the personal stories from that day, the goal of this exhibit is to inform the community about how to prepare for extreme weather conditions, explaining the science of tornadoes and stressing awareness.

With vivid displays, the exhibit allows visitors the opportunity to learn about the scientific side of tornadoes. Graphics within the exhibit illustrate tornado formation and anatomy, educating visitors on how such extreme weather conditions develop. Additionally, the exhibit displays statistics and disputes common myths concerning the destructive storms.

Guests can watch live video from the storms that rolled across our state on April 27th, 2011, including the
weather forecasts from that day and actual images of the tornado as it made its way through our area provided by FOX6 WBRC. The exhibit is located in the City Gallery on Level 2 of the museum this summer.

Be Ready Alabama Exhibit Presented by:
The Governor’s Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
www.readyalabama.org

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.

Small Space Gardening

Posted on Friday, April 27, 2012 by Angie

For the past 2 years I’ve been wanting to start a garden. Nothing big and elaborate, just some squash, cucumbers, peppers… something super easy for a beginner.

For the past 2 years I’ve talked myself out of it for a few reasons. It’s been equal parts, intimidation, laziness and the overwhelmed feeling I would get just walking outside and thinking about where my garden would go. Then, as if they had a fly on my wall, and could read my thoughts from afar, the publishers of the very well known book series “The Complete Idiot’s Guide To..” emailed to let me know about their guide for small space gardening. They wanted me to review the book along with a book about seed saving and starting. It was kind of perfect timing, as if it was meant to be.

So with my books in hand I decided to give it a-go. But one of the biggest obstacles for where I live is squirrels. They dig up EVERYTHING, they destroy stuff and chew through things (including phone and internet cables.) I had been hearing a lot from my friends about container gardening and lucky for me there is an entire chapter on just that. Again, meant to be.

I went this week and picked out a few containers that I will be using that fit perfectly along the sill on my covered deck. Since I didn’t have the funds or know-how to really build fencing or netting over a garden out in my yard to keep the squirrels out, I decided I would use what I already have – a screened in porch that gets full sun in the afternoon.

The book gives great examples of the types of pots you can purchase. I just went to the gardening department of a local big box store and picked something I thought would fit my space and is actually cute. They also recommend several re-usable container possibilities such as, old watering cans, buckets, canoes, small wooden boats, old dressers and painted tin cans. Use a little creativity and you can make a garden that produces yummy fruits and veggies, and is also pretty cool looking.

If you’re not good at remembering to water, the guide suggests looking into the Earthbox. It’s a self watering container that features a watering tube that fills a reservoir in the bottom to keep the soil evenly moist. It doesn’t get much easier than that.

So, I have my containers, and my space. I know what I want to plant, and this weekend I’ll be officially starting my garden!

Now, to the good part. The fine folks that sent me a copy of their books have offered up a set for us to give away to one lucky reader.

Here’s how to enter and we’re making it easy:

Leave a comment on this post letting us know what you are growing in your garden (or how inspired you are now, knowing that if I can do it, ANYONE can!)

One entry, per person, per day. Giveaway will end at Midnight on Monday April 30th. Winner will be drawn and announced on Facebook Tuesday May 1st.

Happy Gardening Everyone!

Birmingham Area Summer Movies, Free and Discounted – 2012

Posted on Wednesday, April 25, 2012 by Angie

Birmingham has a great list of Summer movies for Moms looking to keep the kiddos busy and out of the summer heat. Here’s your run down on the Free and Discounted movies happening in and around town!

Rave Motion Pictures – Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Free Admission, first come first served. Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10am.

Amstar Cinemas – Alabaster – Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s. Admission is $3 per person, price includes Movie, Drink and Popcorn. All movies will start at 10am, box office opens at 9:30. Seating is limited, first come first served.

Carmike Cinemas – Summit – Thursdays this summer. This year’s series will be a complete package. $2.00 for each attendee for each feature gets admission, a small 16oz drink and a small popcorn. All movies will start at 10am. Seating is limited, first come first served. Additional concession items will be available for purchase at regular price.

The Edge 12 – Free Family Film Festival. G and PG Movies at 10am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Seating is limited, first come first served.

Premiere Cinemas, Tannehill – Wacky Wednesdays. $1 Movie at 10am

Homewood Park – Free Friday Flicks. Bring your blankets and chairs out for family movies throughout the summer. Concessions available for purchase.

Sundown Cinemas, Helena Amphitheater – Free Admission, Showtime starts at 8pm. No outside food or Drink allowed. *Movies have not been set at time of post

Alabama Theatre – Sunday Matinee. 2pm. Check site for pricing information

Regal Cinemas – Trussville – Tuesdays and Wednesdays 10am $1 and A portion of proceeds from the Summer Movie Express will be donated to the Will Rogers Institute.

Avondale Park – Select Tuesdays in June. Beginning at 6:30 pm before each movie, Avondale Library will be holding their weekly free Family Fun Night (call 226-4003 to register). Afterwards, participants are encouraged to walk over to the park’s amphitheater to enjoy the movie.

Summer Movie Schedule:

Tuesday May 29th –

The Edge – The Little Engine that Could (G) and Yours, Mine and Ours (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Shrek Forever After

Wednesday May 30th –

The Edge – The Little Engine that Could (G) and Yours, Mine and Ours (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Shrek Forever After

Friday June 1st –

Free Friday Flicks, Homewood Park – Cars 2
Sundown Cinema, Helena Amphitheater – Movie TBA

Tuesday June 5th

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Cats & Dogs 2
The Edge – Horton Hears a Who (G) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Kung Fu Panda 2
Regal Trussville – Journey 2 and Kit Kiteredge: American Girl

Wednesday June 6th

Thursday, June 7th

Carmike Summit – Puss in Boots

Friday June 8th

Homewood Park – The Muppets
Sundown Cinema, Helena Amphitheater – Movie TBA

Tuesday June 12th

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Legend of the Guardians
The Edge – An American Tail (G) and Cats and Dogs (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Smurfs
Regal Trussville – Dolphin Tale and Happy Feet Two
Avondale Park – Cars

Wednesday June 13th

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Legend of the Guardians
The Edge – An American Tail (G) and Cats and Dogs (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Smurfs
Premiere Tannehill – Puss in Boots
Regal Trussville – Dolphin Tale and Happy Feet Two

Thursday June 14th

Carmike Summit – Chicken Run

Friday June 15th

Homewood Park – Alice in Wonderland
Sundown Cinema, Helena Amphitheater – Movie TBA

Tuesday June 19th

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Yogi Bear
The Edge – Aliens in the Attic (G) and Harry and the Hendersons (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Rio
Regal Trussville – Legend of the Guardians and Yogi Bear
Avondale Park – Finding Nemo

Wednesday June 20th

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch- Yogi Bear
The Edge – Aliens in the Attic (G) and Harry and the Hendersons (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Rio
Premiere Tannehill – Alvin and the Chipmunks, Chipwrecked
Regal Trussville – Legend of the Guardians and Yogi Bear

Thursday June 21st

Carmike Summit – Over the Hedge

Friday June 22nd

Homewood Park – Hugo
Sundown Cinema, Helena Amphitheater – Movie TBA

Tuesday June 26th

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Happy Feet 2
Edge 12 – Anastasia (G) and Journey to the Center of the Earth (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Mr. Popper’s Penguins
Regal Trussville – Cats and Dogs: Revenge and Hugo
Avondale Park – Shrek

Wednesday June 27th

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Happy Feet 2
Edge 12 – Anastasia (G) and Journey to the Center of the Earth (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Mr. Popper’s Penguins
Premiere Tannehill – Despicable Me
Regal Trussville – Cats and Dogs: Revenge and Hugo

Thursday June 28th

Carmike Summit – Kung Fu Panda

Friday June 29th

Homewood Park – Alvin and The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
Sundown Cinema, Helena Amphitheater – Movie TBA

Tuesday July 3rd

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Journey 2
Edge 12 – Robots (G) and Bee Movie (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Horton Hears a Who
Regal Trussville – Adventures in Tin Tin and Puss in Boots

Wednesday July 4th

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Journey 2
Edge 12 – Robots (G) and Bee Movie (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Horton Hears a Who
Regal Trussville – Adventures in Tin Tin and Puss in Boots

Thursday July 5th

Carmike Summit – Shark Tale

Friday July 6th

Homewood Park – Kung Fu Panda 2

Tuesday July 10th

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Dolphin Tale
The Edge – Everyone’s Hero (G) and Ernest Goes to Camp (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
Regal Trussville – Kung Fu Panda 2 and Rango

Wednesday July 11th

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Dolphin Tale
Edge 12 – Everyone’s Hero (G) and Ernest Goes to Camp (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
Premiere Tannehill – Kung Fu Panda 2
Regal Trussville – Kung Fu Panda 2 and Rango

Thursday July 12th

Carmike Summit – How to Train your Dragon

Friday July 13th

Homewood Park – Puss in Boots

Tuesday July 17th

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Shorts
Edge 12 – Land Before Time: Time of Great Living (G) and Dennis the Menace (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Hop
Regal Trussville – Rio and Spy Kids: All the time

Wednesday July 18th

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Shorts
Edge 12 – Land Before Time: Time of Great Living (G) and Dennis the Menace (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Hop
Premiere Tannehill – Rio
Regal Trussville – Rio and Spy Kids: All the time

Thursday July 19th

Carmike Summit – Madagascar 2

Friday July 20th

Homewood Park – Toy Story 3

Sunday July 22nd

Alabama Theatre – Wizard of Oz

Tuesday July 24th

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Inkheart
Edge 12 – Ferngully (G) and Open Season (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Puss in Boots
Regal Trussville – Chimpanzee and Hoodwinked Too

Wednesday July 25th

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Inkheart
Edge 12 – Ferngully (G) and Open Season (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Puss in Boots
Premiere Tannehill – Horton Hears a Who
Regal Trussville – Chimpanzee and Hoodwinked Too

Thursday July 26th

Carmike Summit – Bee Movie

Friday July 27th

Homewood Park – Rain Date (only used in the event that a previous date is rained out)

Tuesday July 31st

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch- Happy Feet
Edge 12 – Thumbelina (G) and Speed Racer (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Madagascar 2
Regal Trussville – Arthur Christmas and Smurfs

Wednesday August 1st

Rave Patton Creek & Lee Branch – Happy Feet
Edge 12 – Thumbelina (G) and Speed Racer (PG)
Amstar Alabaster – Madagascar 2
Premiere Tannehill – Shrek The Final Chapter
Regal Trussville – Arthur Christmas and Smurfs

Thursday August 2nd

Carmike Summit – Monsters V. Aliens

Sunday August 5th

Alabama Theater – Sound of Music

Tuesday August 2nd

Edge 12 – All Dogs go to Heaven (G) and Garfield: Tail of Two Kitties (PG)

Wednesday August 8th

Edge 12 – All Dogs go to Heaven (G) and Garfield: Tail of Two Kitties (PG)
Premiere Tannehill – Ramona and Beezus

Thursday August 9th

Carmike Summit – Megamind

Pinterest Inspired Dinner: Philly Sliders and Crack Potatoes

Posted on Tuesday, April 24, 2012 by Angie

I’m happily married, but if I could take a sister wife, it would Pinterest. Pinterest gives me recipes, ideas, and so much more. I’m happy to share some pins I’ve come to know and love!

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

1 pound ground beef
1 softball-sized onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons steak sauce
1 cup beef stock
Salt and ground black pepper
4 dinner rolls *You MUST try the water rolls from the bakery at Publix. Divine!
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 cup provolone, shredded

In large skillet over medium-high heat add the oil and then brown the ground beef, about 5-6 minutes. Add the onion and green pepper and cook another 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables start to get tender. Stir in the steak sauce and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, bring up to a bubble and cook about 2 minutes.

Split open rolls and remove most of the soft insides, leaving a bed to hold the meat mixture. Toast the rolls and set aside.

While the meat is cooking, melt the butter in a medium-size pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the flour and cook about 1 minute. Whisk in milk, bring up to a bubble and let thicken, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in the cheese.

To serve, place a scoopful of the meat mixture onto the bottom of the rolls, then top with the cheese sauce and replace the top of the roll.

Crack Potatoes

A great side dish for burgers, chicken, or anything really.
1 (16oz) container sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (3oz) bags real bacon bits
1 packages Ranch Dip mix *I only used ½ the packet so it would be a milder flavor.
½ large (28 – 30oz) bag frozen hash brown potatoes – shredded kind

Combine first 4 ingredients, mix in hash browns. Spread into a 9×13 pan. Bake at 400 for 45-60 minutes.

If you’re on Pinterest, Follow us! We’ll be sharing more of our favorite finds!

Parenting with a PhD: You're (Not) So Special!

Posted on Monday, April 23, 2012 by Angie

By Kristen Berthiaume:

All right. So the title is a little harsh – I admit it. Of course, your child is very special. To you. And your family and your close friends. You love your child and think that everything he does is wonderful (except when the things he does drive you insane but that’s another article). In the grand scheme of things, your child is a child like millions of others: amazing in his own ways but imperfect and in fairly regular need of guidance.

So, why the reality check? Maybe in an ideal world over which you had full control, your daughter would never meet anyone who didn’t believe in her 100%. She’d encounter no “mean girl,” no college rejection letter, no pink slip. But, the world is far from ideal and there will be disappointments and set-backs. We parents want to shield our sweet babies from as much heartbreak as possible, which sometimes leads us to pretend the world is always kind and fair. This is roughly equivalent to sticking our fingers in their ears and singing “LA-LA-LA-LA-LA!” to drown out the truth. When we tell our children that everything will work out as they hope, we’re missing a major opportunity to teach resilience, or the ability to persist in the face of obstacles. It is when they are knocked down that we have the best chance of showing our children how to come up swinging. You can’t teach her to recover from falling short if you’re always telling her that she’s THE BEST!!! at EVERYTHING!!!

You’ve probably heard a lot about the importance of self-esteem and how it needs to be bolstered. But, here’s the thing, high self-esteem based solely on trite praise like, “You’re so special!” and “You’re the best!” can actually be destructive to your child’s well-being. Children with inflated self-esteem are more likely to engage in risky behavior because they believe they’re immune from danger. They also tend to give up more easily, are less likely to try tasks they’re not already good at, and feel entitled to rather than grateful for things. When these kids grow up, they may have trouble maintaining relationships and be more prone to mental health issues like depression and anxiety. The problem is that self-esteem is a global, all-inclusive judgment and it’s not realistic that we find everything about ourselves to be wonderful. There is always room for change and growth – especially for kids who are, in fact, still growing! We want our children to generally like themselves – of course. BUT, your kid doesn’t need to believe that he’s perfect in order to feel happy with himself. What’s worse, when you praise everything your son does, he may start to wonder if your happiness depends on him being perfect.

By no means am I suggesting you criticize your child to “toughen” him up – he’ll get plenty of that in life. Instead, I’m advocating that you focus your encouragement on your child’s efforts rather than the simple fact of his existence. It’s important to separate love from pride. You love your child, which leads to all kinds of positive feelings. And that love will be there regardless of what grades he brings home or how many muddy footprints he tracks in. But, pride is a different feeling all together. Pride should come when you see your child making good choices like helping a neighbor or eating only one piece of candy. You can let your child know you’re proud by pointing out exactly what you liked about his behavior: “It was a great choice to take a break from that video game when you got frustrated with it.” It’s less helpful to make general statements about your child’s awesomeness like: “You’re great at everything!” or, even worse, “You’re smarter than all the kids in your class!” The first statement doesn’t specifically label the behavior you liked so it’s harder for your child to reproduce. The second sets your child up to feel superior and to say things to peers that will come across as bragging. Use your praise strategically to highlight the areas – be they social, academic, musical, sports-related, etc. – where your child is putting forth good effort and not to make him feel like he’s already fantastic across the board. If you praise your child for everything, you send the message that he doesn’t have to do anything to make you proud – just exist. You love him for who he is, you’re proud of him for what he does.

Praising effort is a great way to help your child develop something that will serve her much better than self-esteem: Self-Efficacy. Self-efficacy is a feeling of competency that’s specific to a particular task or situation. You can have self-efficacy for all kinds of things: math, baseball, getting along with others. Self-efficacy is based on a history of trying, failing, trying again, and, finally, improving. When the trying and improving are praised by an attentive, caring adult, this can increase the child’s drive to stick with it. Children with high self-efficacy in a given task are more likely to be interested, motivated, and successful in that area. Even better, when your child develops self-efficacy for a task, it increases his overall happiness and well-being. The difference between self-efficacy and self-esteem is that, in the former case, your child feels pride in herself but she also has the goods to back it up.

At times, you will have to let your child experience failures, hard as that will be. It may help to remember that through failing, we often learn. If your daughter doesn’t make the orchestra despite practicing (for five minutes) (the night before) (in between video games), a gentle conversation about why she thinks she wasn’t chosen may increase her motivation to put forth more before the next try-out. (Praise this!) If a playmate doesn’t want to come over because your son won’t share, he may be open to a problem-solving discussion with you about how to be a better friend. Talk about what he wants to do differently before the next playdate and then encourage the efforts he makes towards those goals. Avoid blaming the problem on the other child so that your son doesn’t have to feel bad – that bad feeling is an internal warning bell that his behavior needs to change!

No matter how much you love your child, you can’t possibly protect him from all that life will throw his way. Instead, prepare him to make the best choice possible and be a soft place to land when things don’t go well. Children with an understanding that they’ll have both successes and failures are much more likely to develop resiliency and resilient kids tend to be happier, healthier, more motivated, and better liked by others. By focusing encouragement on your child’s efforts and improvement, rather than praising everything he does, and by allowing your child to experience some negative consequences for himself and using them as learning opportunities, you can help him become more resilient. And, resilient trumps “perfect” any day of the week.

About this column: Send your parenting- and kid-related questions my way and I’ll tell you what I can: parentingwithaphd@gmail.com Please be aware that email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information so it’s best to keep your questions general. If your question is featured, your name and email will not be published. Submitting a question does not constitute a professional relationship in any way and this column is not meant to substitute for face-to-face therapy. If you feel you’re doing the best you can and still need help, it may be time to bring in a professional. Start by talking with your child’s pediatrician to get a referral.

About Kristen:

Kristen Berthiaume, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist with Grayson and Associates (www.graysonmentalhealth.com). She obtained her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Kentucky. She completed a predoctoral internship in clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a post- doctoral fellowship in the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) Program at Duke University Medical Center. She specializes in providing assessment and treatment of children, adolescents, and families dealing with the following issues: ADHD, learning disorders, social skill deficits, organizational problems, behavioral difficulties, anxiety, and depression. She generally focuses on behavioral and cognitive- behavioral techniques, but maintains a flexible approach to therapy. Her other day job is as mom to her five-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son.

Birmingham Events Calendar: April 22nd – April 29th

Posted on Sunday, April 22, 2012 by Angie

Happy Earth Day! So many things happening on Sunday to celebrate, including Picnic for the Planet at Railroad Park! Help them set a Guinness record for most picnicking in a 24 hour period, pack that basket and get down there!

Get your fresh fruits and veggies at Pepper Place, enjoy a Fiesta at Cantina, or pick a storytime!

So much to do, so little time! Have a great week!

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

Sunday April 22nd:

Picnic for the Planet – Railroad Park
Get outside and celebrate Earth Day with good food and great company. Be a part of The Nature Conservancy’s Picnic for the Planet. Rock out to cool, live music; view picnic table art; plus join us and other Conservancy chapters worldwide in attempting to set the Guinness world record for the most people picnicking in a 24-hour period! Food and beverages also available for purchase on site. Fun for all ages! Community picnic is open to everyone, rain or shine.
11am – 3pm

Earth Day Celebration – McWance Science Center
Join the party for the planet with cool programs like “Newspaper Masterpieces” where you can use recycled materials to create works of art!
COST: Included in cost of admission to the museum, FREE for members
10AM – 4PM

Earthbounds Earthfest – George Ward Park
The band Earthbound will play their free annual concert. There will be events for people of all ages. Bring a picnic and enjoy the music. Any proceeds will be donated to The Friends of George Ward Park a 501(c)3 non-profit.
Free for all ages
2pm – 6pm

Tannehill Trade Days
Shoppers and swappers come from far and near to Tannehill Trade Days in search of tools, clothing, jewelry, knives, furniture and other treasures.
Park admission
$3.00 Adults (12 years and older)
$2.00 Seniors (Ages 62 and older)
$1.00 Children (Ages 6-11) ages 5 and under free
8am – 4pm

Bart’s Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
April showers bring May flowers! Craft a “glass” flower inspired by BMA artist Dale Chihuly.

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Monday April 23rd:

Monday Movie – Homewood Library
Come join us for Monday Movie! A movie for all ages! Popcorn and juice for kids who come to watch.
3:30pm

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Tuesday April 24th:

Babes in the Zoo– Birmingham Zoo
This fun class introduces children to the experience and wonder of animals in a safe environment.

Children must be 6 months to 2 years old and accompany with an adult. Classes are 30 minutes long.
Members -$6 Non-Members -$12
9am

Storytime – Homewood Public Library
Join us for the fun of it! All ages welcome.
10:30am

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Wednesday April 25th:

Fiesta – Cantina, Pepper Place
The largest celebration of Hispanic Arts and Culture, with special guest, Mayor William Bell.
5:30 – 8:30pm
RSVP to: info@kcprojects.net

Babes in the Zoo– Birmingham Zoo
This fun class introduces children to the experience and wonder of animals in a safe environment.

Children must be 6 months to 2 years old and accompany with an adult. Classes are 30 minutes long.
Members -$6 Non-Members -$12
9am

Storytime – Barnes and Noble Summit
Join us as we read The Jellybeans and the Big Art Adventure and find out how four friends share their different talents. We will make a craft and have a treat from the Cafe.
11am

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Thursday April 26th:

Storytime Adventures – Vestavia Library in the Forest
Join Mr. Brian as he goes on exciting adventures through stories and songs. Ages 3 years – 5 years
10:30am

Time for Tales with Ms Katie – Avondale Library
Join Ms. Katie for a preschool storytime with lots of stories, songs, and fun for everyone! Group registration appreciated.
9:30am

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Friday April 27th:

Tickets: Admission to the art show is FREE. Tickets for Corks & Chefs Food and Wine Tasting are $25 advance/$30 at the door.

Info Phone: 205-595-6306
10am – 6pm

Story Day with NeNe – Whole Foods
Stories, songs, and snacks as Mrs. Renee Schmidt leads the fun.
10am

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Saturday April 28th:

Tickets: Admission to the art show is FREE. Tickets for Corks & Chefs Food and Wine Tasting are $25 advance/$30 at the door.

Info Phone: 205-595-6306
10am – 6pm

Calera Strawberry Festival – Calera Farmers Market, Oliver Park
The 2nd annual festival will include vendors, nonprofit groups, musical performances, fresh produce and more.

Bluegrass band Stanley and Company will play for the duration of the festival and the Calera High School choir will perform. LifeSouth will hold a blood drive, and receptacles will be available for a food drive for Shelby Emergency Assistance. The mobile dairy classroom will show kids where milk comes from as the instructor milks a jersey cow stating at 10:30 a.m. Kids will also enjoy a free kids zone and face painting.
10am – 2pm

Bart’s Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
April showers bring May flowers! Craft a “glass” flower inspired by BMA artist Dale Chihuly.

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 for Storytime as we read Dinosaur Train and find out what happens when a boy’s drawing comes to life. We will also make a craft and have something delicious from the Cafe.
11am

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Sunday April 29th:

Tickets: Admission to the art show is FREE. Tickets for Corks & Chefs Food and Wine Tasting are $25 advance/$30 at the door.

Info Phone: 205-595-6306
10am – 6pm

Bart’s Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
April showers bring May flowers! Craft a “glass” flower inspired by BMA artist Dale Chihuly.

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Local Attractions Open Daily!

McWane Science Center:

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:

Prom Night Safety Tips for Parents

Posted on Friday, April 20, 2012 by Angie

While prom night is stressful for parents and teens for many reasons, parents should never overlook safety. However, many parents aren’t aware of simple –yet effective tips for making sure their teens stay safe on such a high-pressure night.

Here are some things to keep in mind before sending your child off to prom

Get the phone numbers of your child’s prom date and at least 5 friends so you can reach someone. Inform your child, you expect them to answer their cell phones and texts should you call them.

Give Your Kids a Curfew – There is nothing your kids can do after 2am, that they can’t do before 2am. Its not a trust issue, it’s a safety issue. Do you really want your kids roaming around after 2am?

Remind your child that everyone has a camera. With cameras hidden everywhere, it is so important your child realizes not to behave in public in a way that might cause them shame if it ended up on youtube.

Colleges can take away what they have offered. A college acceptance can be revoked for illegal behavior and for getting expelled from high school. Prom night is not Vegas. What happens on Prom night could jeopardize their future.

By: Erika Katz. Parenting Expert and Huffington Post Contributor.
Erika is the author of, Bonding Over Beauty, A Mother-Daughter Guide to Self-Esteem, Confidence and Trust. Bonding over Beauty focuses on encouraging and strengthening the mother-daughter relationship through simple, fun and intimate activities. On her blog, Katz helps mothers navigate sensitive topics that often arise with tween girls, from dealing with self esteem issues, to unwanted body hair, to menstruation and everything in between. Erika has been featured in Good Housekeeping Magazine, Shape.com, About.com, Girl’s Life Magazine and has made appearances on the Today Show, Fox News Live, The Doctors and PIX 11 Morning News.

Naptime Confessions: Packing

Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2012 by Angie

I have to admit I’m a little OCD when I’m headed out of town and leaving my husband in charge of the kids.. I shutter to think of the outfits he will pick out for them while I’m gone. He can feed them as many cookies and candybars as he wants, I just want them in clothes that match if they leave the house! Is that so crazy?

So even though they aren’t coming with me, I still have to pack for them. That’s what I’m doing during naptime today, what are you up to?

Mommy Madness: I'm a Mess

Posted on Tuesday, April 17, 2012 by Angie

By Harmony Hobbs:

I fear I am becoming a mess.

Let me back up … clearly, I am already what you could classify as a “mess.” But before now, most of my messiness was hidden. It was either in my brain or in the kitchen drawers. You kind of had to get to know me before you found out the full extent of it. And now … it’s OUT THERE. Now, I get nods of sympathy in the grocery store. I do things like throw away an $80 gift card. Why? I don’t know. It just happened.

I ruined my husband’s fancy shirts, not once, but twice. I lose everything. I run over a curb at the gym almost every damn day, and recently I almost hit a PERSON because my three-year-old was chattering at me and the baby was yelling at me and I was trying to back out of a parking spot and … well … luckily I saw the woman in time.

In month seven of this stay-at-home-mom gig, I have become a scatterbrained, bad-driving, messy, always-rumpled, children-crawling-all-over-me-in-the-post-office, mess. On the rare occasions that I do get away from my kids and go somewhere by myself, I try to make a point to dress nicely and pull it all together. That way I can pretend for just an hour or two that I’m normal again. But then, something happens like I forget my wallet or drive off with the gas pump stuck in the tank, and the jig is up – I am forced to face the fact that I no longer have it remotely together.

I am, in sum, a typical mom.

The thing is, my kids don’t care if I’m a disaster. They don’t even understand what a disaster looks like yet. Maybe by the time they are old enough to decipher this, I’ll have a better grip on things. Or maybe I won’t. All I know is, I LOVE THEM. I fight against dirt and snot and hunger every day and somehow I manage to put two clean and fed children to bed every night without hurting anyone. It’s a miracle, really.

And my husband … I know he notices that I’m not quite myself these days. But he knows better than to say anything. I would make him regret it. One thing I’ve got going for me is that when all he sees me in are workout clothes, pajamas, and leopard-print slippers, it sets the bar extremely low. So when I do manage to put on a normal outfit and do my hair and makeup, his eyes light up like it’s Christmas come early.

So, instead of adding“avoid becoming a mess” to my to-do list, I think I’ll just embrace it. It’s kind of liberating to be okay with being a walking disaster. Now I understand why so many people do it. Welcome me into your fold, O Tribe of Moms. I think I get it now.

About Harmony:

Harmony blew into Birmingham after Hurricane Katrina and recently quit her job to stay at home with her two boys. Her sanity is in question. Visit her blog at Modern Mommy Madness.