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Love Hunger Games?

Posted on by Angie

If you can’t seem to get enough of Katniss Everdeen, try some of these series that are supposed to satisfy the pickiest HG fan!

1.  Gone, by Michael Grant (Most agree this is the best fit)

Except for the young. Teens. Middle schoolers. Toddlers. But not one single adult. No teachers, no cops, no doctors, no parents. Just as suddenly, there are no phones, no internet, no television. No way to get help. And no way to figure out what’s happened.

Hunger threatens. Bullies rule. A sinister creature lurks. Animals are mutating. And the teens themselves are changing, developing new talents—unimaginable, dangerous, deadly powers—that grow stronger by the day.

It’s a terrifying new world. Sides are being chosen, a fight is shaping up. Townies against rich kids. Bullies against the weak. Powerful against powerless. And time is running out: On your birthday, you disappear just like everyone else…

2. The Maze Runner, by James Dashner

When Thomas wakes up in the lift, the only thing he can remember is his first name. His memory is blank. But he’s not alone. When the lift’s doors open, Thomas finds himself surrounded by kids who welcome him to the Glade—a large, open expanse surrounded by stone walls.

Just like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they got to the Glade. All they know is that every morning the stone doors to the maze that surrounds them have opened. Every night they’ve closed tight. And every 30 days a new boy has been delivered in the lift.

Thomas was expected. But the next day, a girl is sent up—the first girl to ever arrive in the Glade. And more surprising yet is the message she delivers.

Thomas might be more important than he could ever guess. If only he could unlock the dark secrets buried within his mind.

3. Battle Royale, by Koushun Takami (This one has Japanese characters and is supposed to be similar but much harsher than HG.)

In an alternative future Japan, junior high students are forced to fight to the death! L to R (Western Style). Koushun Takami’s notorious high-octane thriller is based on an irresistible premise: a class of junior high school students is taken to a deserted island where, as part of a ruthless authoritarian program, they are provided arms and forced to kill one another until only one survivor is left standing. Criticized as violent exploitation when first published in Japan–where it then proceeded to become a runaway bestseller–Battle Royale is a Lord of the Flies for the 21st century, a potent allegory of what it means to be young and (barely) alive in a dog-eat-dog world. Made into a controversial hit movie of the same name, Battle Royale is already a contemporary Japanese pulp classic, now available for the first time in the English language.

4. Life as We Knew It, by Susan Beth Pfeffer (Meteor knocks the moon closer to Earth, holding onto hope…)

I guess I always felt even if the world came to an end, McDonald’s still would be open.

High school sophomore Miranda’s disbelief turns to fear in a split second when an asteroid knocks the moon closer to Earth, the way “one marble hits another.” The result is catastrophic. How can her family prepare for the future when worldwide tsunamis are wiping out the coasts, earthquakes are rocking the continents, and volcanic ash is blocking out the sun? As August turns dark and wintry in northeastern Pennsylvania, Miranda, her two brothers, and their mother retreat to the unexpected safe haven of their sunroom, where they subsist on stockpiled food and limited water in the warmth of a wood-burning stove.
Told in a year’s worth of journal entries, this heart-pounding story chronicles Miranda’s struggle to hold on to the most important resource of all—hope—in an increasingly desperate and unfamiliar world.

5. Unwind, by Neil Shusterman (Dystopia novel)

In America after the Second Civil War, the Pro-Choice and Pro-Life armies came to an agreement: The Bill of Life states that human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. Between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, however, a parent may choose to retroactively get rid of a child through a process called “unwinding.” Unwinding ensures that the child’s life doesn’t “technically” end by transplanting all the organs in the child’s body to various recipients. Now a common and accepted practice in society, troublesome or unwanted teens are able to easily be unwound.

With breath-taking suspense, this book follows three teens who all become runaway Unwinds: Connor, a rebel whose parents have ordered his unwinding; Risa, a ward of the state who is to be unwound due to cost-cutting; and Lev, his parents’ tenth child whose unwinding has been planned since birth as a religious tithing. As their paths intersect and lives hang in the balance, Shusterman examines serious moral issues in a way that will keep readers turning the pages to see if Connor, Risa, and Lev avoid meeting their untimely ends.

What are your thoughts on the next big series, have anything good to share?

Is Your Child Ready for Kindergarten?

Posted on by Angie

Kindergarten is coming. Registration for this fall has already started for many schools and there just isn’t anything you can do but put on a brave face, and make sure you get your child as ready as possible.

You know your munchkin better than anyone. You probably have an idea of whether or not they’re ready for school. If you’re curious about what skills they need to accomplish, and maybe if you want to start working on a few things before August rolls around, take a look at this checklist:

1. Listen to stories, no interruptions
2. Rhyme words, recognize words that rhyme.
3. Basic shapes- names and trace them.
4. Understand that actions have causes and effects.
5. Beginning to share.
6. Use scissors to cut, hand grip correct.

And these are my personal favorites… every kindergarten teacher I know says these are the most crucial!

7. Potty self-sufficiently. Make your kids learn to undo their pants and fasten them back together. Work on buttoning, tying shoes, and zippers.
8. Name- don’t stress if they can’t read the New York Times. Teachers want them to know their full name and to begin writing it. In most cases, NOT all capital letters.
9. Follow directions- work on 2 step directions with them. Example: Take the book to your room and put it on the desk.
10. Stand in line- be able to wait your turn, understand you can’t always be the line leader.

Work on these skills over the summer and your child will be ready to master his or her first day in their new “Big Kid” School!

Birmingham Events Calendar: April 8th – April 15th

Posted on by Angie

We hope you all are having a wonderful Easter Weekend filled with fun and family time!

You can always tell when Spring arrives in the Magic City, there’s never a shortage of things to do, especially on the weekends! Festivals are heating up starting with Mt Laurel Spring Festival, and Pepper Place Saturday Market will re-open for the season this Saturday, Yay for fresh fruits and veggies!

Paint the Town Red is back, as well as the Girls Inc. Cajun Cookoff.  Babes in the Zoo, a Lowe’s Build and Grow and Story time on the Mountain round out some of the many things you will find to do this week… What will you choose?

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

Sunday April 8th:

Happy Easter!

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Monday April 9th:

Family Night – Springville Library
Moms, Dads, sisters, brothers / Grown ups, kids, and even toddlers / Join Mr. Justin for some fun / With stories great for everyone!
6:30pm

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Tuesday April 10th:

Mommy and Me Tea – Tea Party Castle
Looking for something special to do with your little princess? She will be able to dress up in a princess gown, receive a hair and makeup session and a formal announcement into the tea room. Then, everyone will be served a traditional tea menu all on fine china. A princess hostess will be serving, singing, and entertaining. She will even give a fun etiquette lesson! Your daughter can bring her favorite doll to sit next to her in a highchair! This will make for an unforgettable mother-daughter/grandma experience!
For Pricing and Registration call – 205-529-0081

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 accompnay 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 11th:

Does Butter Come from Butterflies? – North Avondale Library
Come by and find out about the life cycle of the butterfly with a fun story, music and dance.
1:00pm

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 accompnay 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 I Can Read With My Eyes Shut and find out why it can be fun to read. We will make a craft and have a treat from our 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 April 12th:

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 13th:

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

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Saturday April 14th:

Story time on the Mountain – Ruffner Mountain Nature Center
This is the perfect day for the whole family to come out to Ruffner Mountain!  Drop the kids off at Story Time with Ms. Jerri in the Activity Hall at the Treehouse and then head down to the Native Plant Sale.  While you peruse native plants, the kids will be reading “My Friend Rabbit” by Eric Rohmann and making a bunny ears craft.  Thanks to Target, each family will receive a copy of this month’s book to take home for free!  FREE
10am

Paint the Town Red – 2nd Ave. Loft District
Paint the Town Red is a digital arts festival and block party combining graphic art and digitally altered photography with live music street entertainment and more.
$10 advance, $15 at gate
7pm – Midnight

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

Mt Laurel Spring Festival
Farmer’s Market and Craft Fair, Inflatables, Hayrides, Music, Face Painting and More!
10am – 3pm

Tracks, Scats and Signs – Oak Mountain
Do we always get to see the animals that we know are out in nature? No, we don’t but they leave us many things that we can use to figure out what was there, what they ate, and maybe where they came from & where they are going. Come learn about tracks, scat, & signs of common animals in the area. Meet at the Campground Pavilion (B-side) at 10a.m.
Free after admission to Oak Mountain State Park.

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!
11:00am

Elephant and Piggie Party – Hoover Public Library
Listen to stories and make crafts with your favorite Mo Willems characters, Elephant and Piggie. Kids of all ages. Registration going on now.
10:30am

Girls Inc. Cajun Cookoff – Linn Park
Make plans to attend this casual, family-friendly event featuring a Cajun cooking competition as well as live music from the Swamp Poppas.

Enjoy taste-testing all your Cajun favorites including gumbo, etouffee, jambalaya, red beans and rice and more! Your vote will help determine the winner of the cook-off competition.

We’ll also have fun activities for kids including face painting, a balloon artist and henna tattoos!

Tickets include food samples from participating teams, entertainment from the Swamp Poppas, fun activities for kids, and water and iced tea. Soft drinks, beer and wine will be available for purchase inside the event.
$20 – adults in advance, $25 – day of the event; $5 – children 10 years old and younger. Children 3 & under are free.
http://bhamcajuncookoff.com/

Lowe’s Build and Grow Clinic
Your child will love building this kit as much as playing this classic game show game! Bring your child to Lowe’s and they can build their own Game Show Chip Drop!
10am

Cartoons and Cereal – Homewood Library
Fall in love with some of your favorite classic cartoons all over again.
Cereal will be provided for children who attend.
9:30am – 11:30

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 Quiet Bunny. Find out if the bunny will be able to find his sound. We will also make a craft and have a treat from the Cafe.
11am

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Sunday April 15th:

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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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.

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.

Gluten Free Kids

Posted on by Angie

We’ve all heard about being gluten-free. It can be a way of living for people suffering from Celiac Disease, and it’s even become a hyped up diet in Hollywood. What is gluten? It’s a sticky protein found in grass-related grains like wheat, rye, and barley. If you’re gassy, bloated, or grumpy… read on!

According to the Center for Celiac Disease at the University of Maryland, 1 in 7 people have gluten intolerance. You may think “normal” for you is feeling bloated, gassy, and lethargic after you eat. Your body may be telling you something. If you experience diarrhea, depression, irritability, or rashes, you really need to consider the source of the problem.

Here’s a kid-friendly recipe for chicken nuggets. Try it out, see if your kids even notice! It uses Chex mix for the crunchy coating, that’s something kids will love!

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c. gluten-free all purpose flour mix (prepackaged at store)
salt and pepper
1 tsp herb seasoning blend or garlic powder
1 large egg and 1 Tbsp oil whisked together
1 c. crushed Rice Chex cereal, it’s g-free! Mixed with 1/2 c. grated Paremsan cheese

Cut breasts into 2 inch strips or nuggets.
Combine flour mix, salt, pepper, seasoning.
Dip each strip in the flour mixture, then the egg mixture, then the Chex mixture.
Place on baking sheet, bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.
You can also fry the nuggets in olive/canola oil for 4 minutes per side.

For me, I ate whatever I wanted, but never a lot of it. Lately, I’ve been focusing on eating healthy. I noticed that when I ate healthy foods, I felt different- better. So if you wanted to try being gluten-free for a few weeks, you could discover how it makes you feel. This can be true for kids as well. Our kids are exposed to far too much processed food.

Naptime Confessions: Toynado

Posted on by Angie

A mothers work is never done. And it’s so true what they say, when the kids are quiet, you better go check on them, they’re up to no good!

 

 

Patience: Pretend you're being watched

Posted on by Angie

This tip kind of creeps me out, but it works. When you’re about to lose it, pretend that someone is watching you. When we have an audience, we tend not to overreact.

Another thing I’ve been doing is telling myself, “I treat other kids better than my own, and that’s not fair.” I would NEVER outwardly show frustration with a friend’s child, I’m trying to give my child the same treatment.

What tricks do you use to keep your patience in check?

Puffins: A Lazy Moms Pancake.

Posted on by Angie
Image from Bakerella

We love pancakes in this family. But what I don’t love is serving them hot off the griddle for a hungry group waiting at the table, and missing out on sitting down with them while I cook up a big stack. So, I went in search of a solution and I came up with, The Puffin.

It’s a pancake muffin! Perfect. In addition to loving pancakes, we love muffins. They’re quick, portable and do great when making them ahead, which saves us a ton of time on busy mornings.

I took to the “interwebs” and came across some of these yummy recipes for “Puffins.” They are delish.

Easy Pancake Muffins:

2 cups pancake mix
1 egg, beaten
1 cup of water
3 Tbsp maple syrup

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Whisk together pancake mix, water and egg until no lumps remain. Stir in maple syrup.
Line muffin tins with paper liners.
Fill each muffin cup about halfway up with mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees about 20-25 minutes or until done.
Makes 12 muffins.

Lazy Baker Pancake Muffins

2 cups package pancake mix
1 tsp cinnamon
3 TB vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup water
2 tsp lemon zest
1 1/2 cups of blueberries – fresh or frozen

Mix together pancake mix through water, until smooth
Fold in zest and berries – try other fruits if desired
Portion into a muffin tin that has been sprayed with non-stick spray
If desired pat a pinch of old fashioned oats and a few chopped nuts on top of each muffin before baking.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes, until tops have begun to brown and cake is fully cooked.
Turn out muffins on to a rack to cool or serve warm.
Will keep in an air tight container for a couple of days.  Include a sheet of paper towel to wick away any excess moisture from the fruit.
Makes approximately 1 dozen muffins

Pancake Muffins

1 Cup of Milk
1 Cup of Flour
6 Eggs
1/4 Cup Melted Butter
Dash of Salt Preheat

Oven to 400, and spray muffin tin with non-stick spray. Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse until fully mixed. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full and bake for 15 minutes.

Makes 1 dozen Puffins

There are so many possibilities with these. If you want to add a little something-something, think chocolate chips, nuts, fruit maybe even some cooked bacon or sausage.

Which one will you try?


 

Birmingham Events Calendar: April 1st – April 8th

Posted on by Angie

Lots of chances to get in on the Easter fun coming up this week, hunts and breakfasts galore!

Kids Market and Mom will kick off on Monday wrapping up the spring/summer consignment season.

We’ve got a LEGO minibuild, Peeps cuisine and lots of storytimes! For a full list of Easter Egg hunts in our area see our post, here.

Have a great week and a Happy Easter!

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

Sunday April 1st:

Barts Art Cart – Birmingham Museum of Art
 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!

April Activity:
April showers bring may flowers! Craft a “glass” flower inspired by artist Dale Chihuly.
1pm

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Monday April 2nd:

Kids Market and Mom – Wildwood Center
Wrapping up Consignment Season, General Public shopping begins 8am-8pm. Absolutely NO strollers, diaper bags or big purses allowed while shopping on Monday. Fanny packs and laundry baskets are always allowed.

Tuesday-Friday – 9am-8pm
Saturday 9am-6pm

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Tuesday April 3rd:

LEGO Mini Build – Riverchase Galleria
LEGO Duck:
Models are not for sale and cannot be purchased. One free per child. Event is open to children ages 6 to 14 only. See store for more details. Begins at 5:00 pm until supplies last.

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 accompnay 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 4th:

Peeps Cuisine – Homewood Library
If you are in grades 6-12 th come join us after school to make Peeps Pops, Peeps S’Mores, & other marshmallow treats.
4pm

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 accompnay 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 It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown and find out how Snoopy and his friends get ready for Easter. We will make a craft and enjoy 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 April 5th:

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 6th:

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

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Saturday April 7th:

Frogs and Families – Ruffner Mountain Nature Center
Let’s go to the wetlands and hear a fantascic frog symphony!   In early April, hopefully hearing the rattling snore of Leopard Frogs, Spring Peepers, the call of Gray Treefrogs, and maybe Chorus frogs.  And looking at some of these creatures up-close to learn more about them, their importance, and how to identify them. Frogs and Families will be led by herpetologist Nick Bieser.  We will meet at the Ruffner Road gate entrance to the wetlands.  $7/ $5 (member).  Reservations required.  Reserve your spot at shop.ruffnermountain.org.
6:30 – 8:30pm

The Great Egg Drop – McWane Science Center
Join us for an eggciting, eggstreme, hands-on fun eggstravaganza. Scramble over to the Science Center before Noon the Saturday before Easter. Take your egg to the flight prep area where Science Center staffers have lots of items and eggspertise to help you construct a vehicle that may or may not allow your egg to survive a two story fall!
Building from 10 AM – 11:45 AM, Egg drop at Noon
COST: Included in cost of admission to the museum, FREE for members

Breakfast with the Easter Bunny – McWane Science Center
Make your reservations now for this popular event! Breakfast with the Easter Bunny takes place in Kudzoo Café and features a delicious breakfast followed by a visit from the Easter Bunny. All children will receive a special treat.
For more information on pricing, times and to make your reservation call: 205-879-0409

Breakfast with the Easter Bunny – Birmingham Zoo
Make your reservations now for this popular event! Breakfast with the Easter Bunny takes place in Kudzoo Café and features a delicious breakfast followed by a visit from the Easter Bunny. All children will also receive a special treat. Call 879.0409 and reserve your spot today!
9:15am and 10:30am

Cottontail Express – Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum
Welcome spring with a train ride to Peter Cottontail’s meadow. Join in the fun as we hunt for Easter eggs – you might win a prize! Bring your camera to take photos with the Easter Bunny! This fun-filled family excursion lasts approximately ninety minutes.
Children age 2 -11: $10
Adults: $15
Train departures at 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 3:00 pm

Cartoons and Cereal – Homewood Library
Fall in love with some of your favorite classic cartoons all over again.
Cereal will be provided for children who attend.
9:30am – 11:30

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
Please join us for Storytime as we read Otto the Book Bear. See what happens when Otto comes to life. We will make a craft and have something delicious from the Cafe.
11am

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Sunday April 8th:

Happy Easter!

—————————————————————————————

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.

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.

Mmmmmilk and Granola Bars

Posted on by Angie

I don’t know about you, but mornings in our house our hectic a lot of times, as are afternoons when shuffling kids to extracurricular activities or appointments.. Combine that with picky eaters and you’re super grateful for granola bars.

We’ve gone through some serious picky eating phases and I can honestly say that if it weren’t for granola bars, there are days my kids would not have eaten. But I felt good knowing that getting a granola bar and glass of milk in them was better than most, so we have always kept a huge supply of bars on hand, they’re portable, easy and the kids can get them themselves.

Kraft just rolled out a new line called Milkbite milk and granola bars and my kids absolutely love them. I love that they combine the convenience of something they like with a healthy dose of calcium (the same as an 8oz glass of milk.) We tried the Chocolate and strawberry versions and being that they are my children, they love the chocolate best, but still inhaled the strawberry.

Only drawback is they have to be kept refrigerated, so if you aren’t planning on eating them pretty quickly you’ll need to throw in an ice pack.. Kind of killing the convenience aspect.

They’re definitely worth a try, a little on the pricey side for just 5 small bars, but watch for coupons. Publix just ran a BOGO.

Have you tried these, what did your think?

Mamarazzi: The Bump Round-Up

Posted on by Angie

By: Harmony Hobbs

Quite a few celebrities are pregnant right now, and none of them are particularly exciting by themselves so I thought I would combine them all into a group. A rich-enough-to-afford-full-time-help-and-personal-trainers-nutritionists-and plastic surgery group. It’s okay to hate them. I totally do.

Tori Spelling just announced that she is pregnant with her fourth child. Please note that she just gave birth 5 months ago. I don’t have feelings either way on this, except that I kind of feel sorry for her uterus. She and Dean look really tired in this picture, almost like real parents.

Drew Barrymore is also rumored to be pregnant, which I think is great. I know Drew has her problems, but she seems so genuinely sweet that I feel like she is going to be a great mother. Weird, yes. But still, a great mother.

They say that Vanessa Lachey is starting to show a bump, but I don’t see one. That bitch looks as skinny as ever. Does anyone actually care about her and Nick? Someone please explain to me why they are still getting their pictures taken. I mean, aside from the fact that they are beautiful people.

I guess I’ve just answered my own question.

Until next time!

 

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 www.modernmommymadness.com.

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