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Weekly Events Calendar! August 16th – 22nd

Posted on by Angie

Things are still a little slow around town but he weekend will be loaded up with fun activities for you to do with the family, including the new Birmingham Arts and Music Festival that is sure to be a hit so make sure to get out there and support our community!

Farmers markets are still going strong and there are a few storytimes going on. Check out Barts Books at the Birmingham Museum of Art and the Back to School Bash going on at Homewood Park!

We update the calendar as we learn of new events so stop back by throughout the week to see what’s new!

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

Monday August 16th

Holy Inappropriateness!!  We couldn’t find any special events happening in the ham’ today. See below for what’s going on daily at the Birmingham Zoo or McWane Science Center.

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Tuesday August 17th

Barnes and Noble –  Summit – Terrific Tuesday Storytime
Who wouldn’t love to hear a fun rhyming read-aloud about llama drama? Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney will relate to any parent about the drama of the dreaded bedtime.
11:00am

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Wednesday August 18th

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 August 19th

Exclusive Back to School Shopping Event – Grandmother’s Joy, Mtn Brook
Grandmother’s Joy is offering some HUGE discounts for our shoppers— 70% off summer/spring items, and 20% off new fall arrivals. Jim ‘n’ Nick’s BBQ will be catering. Numbered shopping passes will be issued as you arrive beginning at 6:00pm, and you will be called in to shop in intervals.
First 30 lucky ladies (or gents?) to arrive will get one of our swag bags AND a $10 gift card to Grandmother’s Joy, to be used whenever!

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Friday August 20th

Birmingham Arts and Music Festival – Downtown Birmingham
BAAM Fest is an experience for all ages. It is a celebration of our community’s past, present and a nod to its bright future. With this in mind, B.A.A.M Fest will offer a “Virtual Festival” experience. Through a consortium with existing venues in Paris, Amsterdam and London, events in Birmingham will be streamed live over the internet to audiences overseas, creating a virtual relationship to citizens of different cultures and backgrounds. With the support of the city’s cultural arts organizations, artists, and the City of Birmingham–this event will surely entertain, engage and educate.
Visit their site for times and tickets.

Family Movie Night – Emmett O’ Neal Library Lawn
A kick of to the Dawg Daze parade and flea market – Enjoy a night out with the family. Don’t forget your blankets.
8pm – in the event of rain the movie will be moved inside the Library

Wild about Books Story Time – Birmingham Zoo
Come join us for story and craft time with Books-A-Million at the Birmingham Zoo! Every Friday through summer on Grandma’s Front Porch in the Children’s Zoo area
10:00am

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Saturday August 21st

Birmingham Arts and Music Festival – Downtown Birmingham
BAAM Fest is an experience for all ages. It is a celebration of our community’s past, present and a nod to its bright future. With this in mind, B.A.A.M Fest will offer a “Virtual Festival” experience. Through a consortium with existing venues in Paris, Amsterdam and London, events in Birmingham will be streamed live over the internet to audiences overseas, creating a virtual relationship to citizens of different cultures and backgrounds. With the support of the city’s cultural arts organizations, artists, and the City of Birmingham–this event will surely entertain, engage and educate.

Visit their site for times and tickets

Dawg Daze Parade and Flea Market – Mountain Brook
A parade of dogs and children’s activities in Crestline Village with a family movie preview on a giant outdoor screen with blanket seating on the lawn in Crestline the evening before. More than 100 “dawgs” parade down Church Street in costume with their owners. The  Canine Queen and King are crowned after the parade in front of City Hall. Merchants have special sales, also known as “flea markets”,  the entire day with tents on the streets.
8am – 4pm

Back to School Bash – Homewood Park
The back to school bash will be held at Homewood Central Park. The event will kick of the new school year with an array of rides, inflatables, cfood and entertainment throughout the night.
5:30p – 8:30p

Barts Books – Birmingham Museum of Art
Suki’s Kimono
A little girl reclaims her roots by wearing a traditional kimono.
Free Storytime – 11:00 am

Fresh Market on the Green – Ross Bridge
Fresh Alabama grown fruits & vegetables, locally harvested honey, goat, cheese, fresh baked goods, coffee café, live music,arts and crafts, kids activity and more!
8:00am – Noon

Helena Market Days/Farmers Market – Helena Amphitheater
8:00am – 12:00pm

Urban Cookhouse Farmers Market – Downtown Homewood
7am – Noon

Pepper Place Saturday Market
We spread out of the parking lot to include 29th Street as we accommodate local farmers, artisans, music, art and food!
7:00am – Noon

Valleydale Farmers Market –
Valleydale Farmers Market is dedicated to bringing fresh, local produce to communities around Alabama and the Southeast.
Music, cooking demos and storytimes along with fresh produce a great way to spend a day!

Saturday Storytime at Barnes and Noble Summit
Join us as we read about one sassy fish who has to have it all: good looks, charm, and a perfect smile. Swim! Swim! by Lerch tells a story about a lonely fish who finds love unexpectedly.
2:00pm

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Sunday August 22nd

Birmingham Arts and Music Festival – Downtown Birmingham
BAAM Fest is an experience for all ages. It is a celebration of our community’s past, present and a nod to its bright future. With this in mind, B.A.A.M Fest will offer a “Virtual Festival” experience. Through a consortium with existing venues in Paris, Amsterdam and London, events in Birmingham will be streamed live over the internet to audiences overseas, creating a virtual relationship to citizens of different cultures and backgrounds. With the support of the city’s cultural arts organizations, artists, and the City of Birmingham–this event will surely entertain, engage and educate.
Visit their site for times and tickets

Scholastic Chess Club at Books-A-Million Brookwood Village
In our upstairs Kids Nook.  Beginners are welcome, lessons
available, K-12, other mind sport activities are available such as
checkers and GO.  Free to attend!
2PM – 5PM

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Open Daily

McWane Science Center

Mr Potato Head Exhibit – Families won’t want to miss The Adventures of MR. POTATO HEAD, a new interactive traveling exhibit that features the much-loved MR. POTATO HEAD character will lead young visitors and parents on a number of fun and educational adventures. From trips to outer space to jungle safaris and archeological digs, each activity will provide children with engaging learning experiences. Through Sept. 26

Itty Bitty Magic City – NOTE: ITTY BITTY IS AN ITTY BIT SMALLER THIS SUMMER!
The Itty Bitty Magic City will be on display this summer in addition to The Adventures of Mr. Potato Head exhibit. The Itty Bitty City is a little bit smaller than usual, but favorite areas including the grocery store, Tot Spot area, crane, and factory are still in the city. The Itty Bitty Golf Course and a few other items were removed temporarily to make room for the new exhibit “The Adventures of Mr. Potato Head” that is also designed for an early childhood audience and they will return in the Fall.

NatureScope –  Explore the great outdoors from inside the museum. McWane Science Center and the Birmingham Audubon Society are partnering to create a new exhibit called NatureScope. Explore the science of the birds and the bugs in this new area! Get up close and personal with some resident creepy crawlies! Learn what role insects play in our ecosystem with the decomposition chamber. Meet large bugs including emperor scorpions, a tarantula, and even a giant African millipede!

Animalopolis at the IMAX – ANIMALOPOLIS will take you on a voyage into the magical world of animals. A bit fanciful, a bit “Seussian” perhaps, a place of good natured humor, beauty and just plain fun for kids and their parents.

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

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!

Does Living With Bad Air Affect Your Childs Life?

Posted on by Angie

According to the American Lung Association the greater Birmingham area has the worst air quality in the south, and some of the worst air quality in the country. Poor air quality is not healthy for anyone, but especially for children, since their lungs are still developing. If a child already has an existing respiratory condition such as asthma, bad air can become downright dangerous.

Alabama First is a new organization working to bring attention to the public health problems associated with poor air quality. If your child is suffering from a respiratory condition and you are interested in helping to make a difference to improve our air, they want to hear your story.

Please contact: info@AlabamaFirst.org

Birmingham Moms Rock 2010!

Posted on by Angie

 

 

This is from Moms Rock 2010. For current Moms Rock info, head here.

 

Do you know a Mom who manages to make “Mommy” look like a verb?

We are so excited to announce our next event coming up this September! Mark your calendars now for this exciting and fun night out with live music, prizes, swag, and of course some Rockin’ cocktails!  Not only will this be a great night of fun for you and your Mommy Friends but we are looking for nominations for Local Moms who Rock and we need your help!

Nomination Form is here.

Do you know a mom who manages to make “mommy” look like a verb?  We’re not looking for the “perfect” moms, we’re looking for the ones who love their families and make mommying fun.  We want the women who manage to keep their life balanced, all while putting their kiddos first.  Face it, the moms who rock are everywhere… they’re at the grocery store in stained sweats, they’re at work in a business suit, they are donating their time to local charities, driving carpool and rockin’ the PTA with baked goods, they’re all around you! Don’t forget the Mommy-to-be in your life – think she’s going to be a Rockin’ Mom? Let’s give everyone some love!

We want you to nominate your friends or loved ones who are a “Birmingham Mom who ROCKS!”  10 finalists will be chosen by panel for the chance to win a beach vacation and other fabulous prizes!  (Who doesn’t need a vacation?)  Nominate as many moms as you’d like by clicking HERE and giving us 500 words about “Why this Birmingham Mom rocks.”  The “Mom Who Rocks” and the “Expecting Mom Who Rocks” will be announced at b-metro and BirminghamMommy.com’s Birmingham Moms Rock! Event on September 16th at The Wine Loft.  Presented by Brookwood Medical Center.

Presented By:

Sponsored By:

How to Master SmartPhone Photography

Posted on by Angie

We recently ran an article giving you tips on how to take good pictures of your kids, even though you’re well, not a photographer. Turn off the flash, don’t force a smile and the best time of day to get that money shot. All of that is great advice when you’re working with an actual camera, but something that I was thinking about the other day, (when I could have really used my good camera) was that I rarely have it with me. I’m willing to bet that most moms find themselves in that position 90% of the time.

An impromptu trip to the ice cream shop on the way home leads to an adorable photo op of a kid with ice cream on her nose. You need to capture the moment so you can facebook the cuteness to all of your friends, only all you have with you is your iphone/smartphone. How in the world can you expect to capture the full impact of the moment with just a shotty camera phone? Have no fear, BirminghamMommy is here and we’re sharing what we’ve learned!

1. Hold steady – hold your phone with 2 hands. The less shake you have the better your picture will be. Granted taking a picture of your kids being still is a whole other issue. Sometimes turning your camera sideways can help you control your shot a little more.

2. On an Iphone Press the “Camera” icon and hold it down while framing your shot. The picture does not actually take until you release your finger from that icon. This makes a huge difference in getting a good shot of a child before they duck out of the frame.

3. Spend a little money on a good camera app. A couple that we like for the iphone are Camerabag (see pics below) ,  Hipstamatic and Format 126 (see above pic) The cost is about $2.00 each and will make a huge difference in creating something really cool with some of the pictures you are able to snap. I absolutely love the Helga and 1964 features in the Camera bag. You can also add Photoshop or Photogene (which works like photoshop) to your phone allowing you to crop or tweak the images and play with the contrast. Both apps will save your updated version without losing the original.

I was able to take this picture (the original on left) and do a couple of cool features with those apps.

Using the Helga Feature
(below)




Using the 1964 feature (left)

A couple of other apps that are pretty cool for taking pictures are:

Photostamp: PhotoStamp “stamps” any image stored on your iPhone with a copyright line, URL to your Web site, your name, or any custom line of text, and then saves a copy of that image in your Camera Roll. Options include a custom stored text line, a button to make it easy to include a copyright symbol, and black or white text. Great for Moms who blog!

Project 365 – Take a picture every day of the year, become a better photographer and never forget a day in your life. This application will allow you to easily create and update your own project 365 photo album. To add new photos use your iphone’s built in camera or choose from your photo album. You can share your photos using facebook, twitter or email.

Cameras on the Android keep getting better here are a few great apps for this smartphone:

Snap Photo Pro – This well-rounded photography app includes a timer, multi-shot bursts, stability mode, brightness and contrast adjustment, zoom features and photo filters. Some users with other devices say it beats built-in camera features by a mile. Cost 99 cents.

FX Camera – FxCamera lets users apply a bunch of fun, cool effects to photographs. Effects include ToyCam, Polandroid, Fisheye, SymmetriCam and Warhol. This app is equivalent to several popular iPhone camera apps like CameraBag, Picoli or PhotoBox and is a great (and free) cure for iPhone envy.

Have you mastered the art of SmartPhone photography? What tools/apps do you use to help you capture those precious moments?

Lunchbox Giveaway!

Posted on by Angie

CONTEST IS CLOSED!!

OUR WINNERS HAVE BEEN CONTACTED BY EMAIL  – THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!

School is starting and we have 2 more adorable lunch boxes to giveaway! We have a tiger and a bunny Munchler from Built NY..  These little guys are ideal for little hands, they are insulated and make a great reusable placemat!

“In their quest for a lunchbox that would captivate every kid, or kid-at-heart, Built® developed a concept that incorporates whimsical fun with practicality. They collaborated with the award-winning children’s book illustrator, Stephen Savage, to take on the project of creating zoo animals for the design of the lunchboxes. After all, what good is a lunchbox that doesn’t look good?”

Here’s how you enter:

1. Leave us a comment on this post telling us which one you like best the Tiger or the Bunny – we will divide the entries and choose one winner from the Tiger entries and one winner from the Bunny entries.

2. Tweet this: “@birminghammommy is giving away 2 Munchlers http://ow.ly/2o3jf ” then come back here and leave us a comment letting us know you tweeted.

3. If you aren’t already subscribed, subscribe to our newsletter. Come back here and let us know that you subscribed.

You can leave a comment and tweet once each day for extra entries. The newsletter sign up will only count as one. The contest will run from Wednesday August 11th at 8am until Friday August 13th at 6pm. We will announce our winner on Saturday August 15th. The winner will be contacted via email and will be responsible for replying to us with an address for mailing the lunchbox.

Working Mommy Madness: Accepting the Mess!

Posted on by Angie

By Harmony Hobbs

Neat-freak (neet-freek).
•    A person compulsively obsessed with cleanliness.

There are only a few things in this world that I really believe in. They include (but are not limited to) love, laughter, wine, Spanx, and Paula Deen. The last two items go hand in hand, obviously.

Something I really hold dear to my heart is having a clean and comfortable home. I’ve lived in many spaces of different sizes and comfort levels and no matter how small, dank, or stank it was … if it was clean and had throw pillows in it, it felt like home. My current home contains throw pillows. My husband does not understand them. Note that I did not say that my house is clean, because it’s not. Having a child changed things. Before the baby, I only had my husband to clean up after, and while I sometimes found it annoying, it was certainly manageable. Then my son arrived. And he enjoys making messes, just like his father. Boys and men are funny that way. How do they get handprints everywhere? I see them wash their hands, yet … the handprints continue.

I spent the first 6 months as a new mother frantically cleaning. Looking back, I’m pretty sure I acted like a lunatic. I was a tornado of postpartum rage, whipping through the house barking out orders and picking up dirty bottles. I realize that I should have been napping (sleeping when the baby sleeps is a CROCK, by the way), but there was literally a trail of items marking a path around the house.  My neat freak tendencies plus my husband’s crazy messy habits, combined with a new baby and all that entails, clashed in a big way.

Many arguments, some therapy sessions, and a few rounds of Lexapro later, I have accepted the mess and now I am working on trying to embrace it. I’m still in the awkward stage of my new relationship with messes …. I’m not attracted to them at all – they make me cringe, in fact– but I would like to like them. I would also like to hire someone to clean my house on a weekly basis, but unfortunately the daycare gets most of our expendable income these days.

Since I started working on trying to be okay with messes I have developed a few coping mechanisms that help me get through my day without having to reach for a cocktail:

•    Get up before everyone else. It’s worth it to rise at the crack of dawn if it means quiet time to yourself. See #2.

•    Make time for yourself! Time where you can just BE. No one is bothering you, the phone isn’t ringing and you aren’t rushing to get somewhere. It     can even be in the car. Don’t make phone calls, just drive in silence. It’s refreshing.

•    I do laundry every day. Just one load.

•    “Shallow Clean.” This is what I call the kind of cleaning I have time for. It’s otherwise known as “Half-Assing It.” I vacuum, straighten up a little and call it a day. Just enough to give the overall appearance of cleanliness.

•    I have stopped looking at my baseboards altogether. I recommend you do the same.

•    Teach your family how to clean up after themselves … and good luck to you.

Motherhood is messy. The first step is acceptance. Step Two is to believe a power greater than ourselves can restore us to sanity.

Harmony blew into Birmingham after Hurricane Katrina and is a self-proclaimed “never home maker” striving for a balance between her career and family life. Visit her blog at Working Mommy Madness


52 New Things – Week 31

Posted on by Angie

Angie –

Let me start by saying that we were at the beach last week and I put zero effort into anything that didn’t require soaking up the sun and lounging by the pool. I was going to mention the new gum that I tried while I was there but realized it was given to me by a freind and I had no idea of the details – so I have to go with some new fudge. It was called Caramel Nut Roll (I think) and it was divine, I made 2 separate trips to the candy store in Seaside to purchase these little morsels of heaven. *sigh*

Trish –

My new thing this week was letting loose a little. We were on vacation and it’s always a struggle for me to let go of routines and rules.  But, I’m proud to say that I let my kids fall asleep watching movies every night on vacation.  I was afraid when we got home they’d try to whine to get more movie time, but they didn’t.  I guess it just goes to show that if you’re going to do something like that, vacation is the time to do it!

For more New Things or if you’d like to participate in 52 new things along with BirminghamMommy and many others – please join in by posting your new thing to your blog, facebook or on twitter (use #52newthings) – Also, you can head over to www.willblogforshoes.com to link up every Thursday!

BigBham Deal – Super Suppers!

Posted on by Angie

Our next BirminghamMommy deal with BigBham is from Super Suppers! You cannot beat this bargain: $17 for a gourmet meal for four!

Need dinner tonight? Let Super Suppers do the work so you can enjoy your family time. We make dinner easy and affordable! Located in Vestavia City Center, Super Suppers offers already-prepared gourmet meals that you can purchase out of their Grab ‘n Go freezer. Pop ’em in the oven and they’re ready to serve in a matter of minutes. “Mom, what’s for dinner?” Now there is a healthful, delicious, easy and fun answer!

Purchase Here.  Don’t let this deal get away!

Weekly Events Calendar! August 9th – 15th

Posted on by Angie

So school is starting for many this week – how will you spend your days now with just the little ones in tow? Wipe those tears away and see what we have found to keep your mind off of your “baby” starting school.

It’s hot hot hot so take it easy and take advantage of anything indoors! Will this heat ever break?

We update the calendar as we learn of new events so stop back by throughout the week to see what’s new!

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

Monday August 9th

Belly Buster Monday – Birmingham Barons
VS. Mis
7:05pm

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Tuesday August 10th

Barnes and Noble –  Summit – Terrific Tuesday Storytime
For over 40 years, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin and Eric Carle has delighted parents and children. The singsong story of endearing animals is unforgettable.
11:00am

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Wednesday August 11th

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 August 12th

Cocktails in the Gardens – Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Cocktails in The Gardens, Birmingham’s favorite garden party, returns for its fourth season. In the Hill Garden. Hundreds of young professionals, garden enthusiasts and local music fans will enjoy food and drinks from Occasions by Wynfrey, live music from local bands, giveaways from Mia Moda and more. Tickets are $15 to each event, but members get in free–join today! Proceeds benefit The Gardens’ mission to promote public knowledge and appreciation of plants, gardens, and the environment.
5:30-8:30 p.m.

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Friday August 13th

Wild about Books Story Time – Birmingham Zoo
Come join us for story and craft time with Books-A-Million at the Birmingham Zoo! Every Friday through summer on Grandma’s Front Porch in the Children’s Zoo area
10:00am

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Saturday August 14th

Dora’s Birthday Adventure – Participating Wal Mart Stores
Free Party Favors and Cupcakes
Toy Dept at Fairfield, Homewood and Hoover
11am – 4pm

Kids Fest – Alabama Adventure
Appearances by SpongeBob Squarepants

Music and Fireworks – Morgan Creek Vineyard
Music & Fireworks in the Vineyards returns! Winery tours, tastings, live music and a spectacular fireworks show await. Music by Big Tasties. Pack your own picnic or buy some BBQ. Wine for sale by the glass and bottle. $10/person to enter.

Build and Grow Clinic – Lowe’s
Your child will love building the awesome beetle shaped bug box! Sign them up today!
10am

Helena Market Days/Farmers Market – Helena Amphitheater
8:00am – 12:00pm

Urban Cookhouse Farmers Market – Downtown Homewood
7am – Noon

Pepper Place Saturday Market
We spread out of the parking lot to include 29th Street as we accommodate local farmers, artisans, music, art and food!
7:00am – Noon

Valleydale Farmers Market –
Valleydale Farmers Market is dedicated to bringing fresh, local produce to communities around Alabama and the Southeast.
Music, cooking demos and storytimes along with fresh produce a great way to spend a day!

Saturday Storytime at Barnes and Noble Summit
Don Freeman’s classic character is even more popular today than he was when he first came on the scene over 30 years ago. Come and join us as we ready another generation of children to love Corduroy.
2:00pm

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Sunday August 15th

Kids Fest – Alabama Adventure
Appearances by SpongeBob Squarepants

Scholastic Chess Club at Books-A-Million Brookwood Village
In our upstairs Kids Nook.  Beginners are welcome, lessons
available, K-12, other mind sport activities are available such as
checkers and GO.  Free to attend!
2PM – 5PM

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Open Daily

McWane Science Center

Mr Potato Head Exhibit – Families won’t want to miss The Adventures of MR. POTATO HEAD, a new interactive traveling exhibit that features the much-loved MR. POTATO HEAD character will lead young visitors and parents on a number of fun and educational adventures. From trips to outer space to jungle safaris and archeological digs, each activity will provide children with engaging learning experiences. Through Sept. 26

Itty Bitty Magic City – NOTE: ITTY BITTY IS AN ITTY BIT SMALLER THIS SUMMER!
The Itty Bitty Magic City will be on display this summer in addition to The Adventures of Mr. Potato Head exhibit. The Itty Bitty City is a little bit smaller than usual, but favorite areas including the grocery store, Tot Spot area, crane, and factory are still in the city. The Itty Bitty Golf Course and a few other items were removed temporarily to make room for the new exhibit “The Adventures of Mr. Potato Head” that is also designed for an early childhood audience and they will return in the Fall.

NatureScope –  Explore the great outdoors from inside the museum. McWane Science Center and the Birmingham Audubon Society are partnering to create a new exhibit called NatureScope. Explore the science of the birds and the bugs in this new area! Get up close and personal with some resident creepy crawlies! Learn what role insects play in our ecosystem with the decomposition chamber. Meet large bugs including emperor scorpions, a tarantula, and even a giant African millipede!

Animalopolis at the IMAX – ANIMALOPOLIS will take you on a voyage into the magical world of animals. A bit fanciful, a bit “Seussian” perhaps, a place of good natured humor, beauty and just plain fun for kids and their parents.

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

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!

Apps 101: The Good, The Free, The crApp

Posted on by Angie

If you don’t have an iPhone, I know you’re tired of hearing everyone yap about how awesome they are, and tired of watching them use their finger to glide across the screen… I feel your pain. Well, I did until I got one and now I’m all about it! My iPhone’s main purposes are to call people, check email, facebook/twitter, and babysit my kids. What?!?! Yes, I said babysit. Case and point– while waiting in the sick kid room at the pediatrician’s office, you can either let Junior:
a. play with the disease infested toys
b. roll on the floor and pick up every germ possible
c. play a game or watch a show on your iPhone

(Cue the silence as everyone runs to the Apple store)

Apps for occupying kids:
Smack Talk (Mommy Britt’s pick)- a few cute little woodland creatures will repeat whatever you say to them in sqeaky chipmunk voices. Kids love this, and I especially give it kudos for getting reluctant talkers to practice talking in a fun way. Cost: $.99

DoodleBuddy- Free! Basically a magnadoodle on your phone. And free!! Did I mention that?

crApp to avoid: Music Pop, no thanks! It shows an animal using bubbles to bounce from building to building. But when the animal falls, it shows it getting electrocuted and dying. Huh?!?! This is where my 4 year old asked “Did he die? Did I kill him?”

Happy App’ing! What apps are your favorite? And remember, mommy likes FREE ones… 🙂

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