☰

52 New Things – Week 29

Posted on by Angie

Angie –

I’ve been wearing my hair “not straight.” I went in for a haircut and started talking to my stylist about how wavy/curly/kinky/not straight my hair is naturally and how tired I was of fighting it. She worked her magic and taught me the in’s and out’s of using my diffuser and the importance of “product.” I like it, Husband likes it and I have to say it really is easier than fighting it and always having to blow dry it.  Not sure I will keep it this way for long but it’s nice to have options and it’s nice to know how to encourage the curl in this yucky, hot, humid deep south summer.

Trish –

My new thing this week was window washing.  Try not to get too excited!  I have cleaned and cleaned our house, but when I look out the windows it’s still dirty looking.  So I bought the Windex cleaning pad and cleaning arm.  It was pretty easy, you just wet the window, wash it with the swiffer-like mop, then rinse.  It dries without a streak and actually looks pretty darn spectacular!

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!

The Single Mama Speaks

Posted on by Angie

by Amelia Killcreas

Y’ALL! It is hotter than the hammered-down hinges of Hades, is it not? Well, don’t worry, because I’ve got some ideas to help you keep cool. (Wait. You don’t know me, do you? Hi there, I’m Amelia. I’m a single mama, which is just like being a regular mama except I get the added drama of trying to figure out how I’m gonna get my legs shaved before dates. Assuming I can locate an unmarried male who wants to ask me on dates. Ahem.)

So. About the heat. I swear, I have lived in the South my whole entire life, and the summer heat never fails to whack me upside the head and make me scream uncle. But. I was raised in a house that had no central air conditioning.

I’m gonna give you a minute to take that in: NO CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING, Y’ALL. What I’m saying is that I have done more than my fair share of sweating.

Now that I’m an adult, I have central air. But I’m still out of luck, because I apparently gave birth to a lizard. She’d much rather be outside in the heat than inside in the niiiiice, cool house. So here are some tips from a semi-professional for how to stay cool…even when it’s so hot and humid you feel like you’re swimming to your car.

Move as little as possible.

This is a tough one if you have kids, but it is an essential strategy in the Battle Against Sweat. To make this one work, you’re going to have to come up with a way to keep your kids entertained, preferably with something that requires them to run around and around and around until they flop, exhausted, into the bathtub at night. Theoretically, Vacation Bible School will work for a week or so, but all too often, you’ll find yourself crouched in the church parking lot, spray-painting lima beans silver for the kids to use in the “ancient Egyptian” marketplace…and THEN what will you be doing? That’s right, you’ll be sweating. So I think you can see that VBS does not even count.

No, you’re really going to need to find something for your kids to do that is cheap and easy. (Feel free to insert a joke here about that hussy who stole your boyfriend in high school.) What I’m talking about, my people, is water. Sure, you could get some fancy pool, but in keeping with my personal motto of keeping my kid’s standards low, I feel that a water hose and a large plastic bucket is sufficient. Water squirters work well, too, and if you are the nonviolent type, you can even get them in shapes other than pistols. We have a hippo that shoots water out of its nose, a fact that I find endlessly entertaining, perhaps because I have the sense of humor of a 12-year-old boy.

Wear trashy clothing.

Look, I’m talking about wearing knit shorts around your house, not breaking out the tube top for your cousin’s wedding, OK? I am aware that we in the South have something of a Reputation for putting on Astonishing Displays of Flesh, and it’s well deserved. But it’s well deserved because it’s HOT, y’all, not because we have some secret fetish for short shorts. (Well, most of us don’t, anyway. I can’t speak for YOU.) A word of warning, though: make sure you live in a place you can get away with this, somewhere quiet and secluded. I personally live in the kind of neighborhood where men routinely stick their heads out their car windows to holler, “Heeeeyyyyyy, girrrrrrrrrrrl!” at me while I sit on the front porch. I can assure you they would do this even if I were wearing a turtleneck and an ankle-length denim jumper. Now, there’s nothing wrong with a friendly “Hello” to the neighbor, but these men are using that tone of voice that implies that they’re REALLY thinking if they say girrrrrrrrl long enough maybe I’ll hop right in the car with them and ask about their woofers and tweeters. And the truth is, y’all, I’M JUST NOT THAT GOOD LOOKING, which is how I know it’s my neighborhood and not me. If you, too, live in an area full of creepers, I will not be held responsible for who or what will come knocking on your door if you follow this tip.

Don’t be pregnant during summer.

I am aware that the math does not work out right on this one. Let’s be generous and say we have only 6 months of summer down here, May to October. That leaves you just 6 months to do your gestating. Good luck with that.

Being pregnant in December is hot enough. Being pregnant in Alabama in August is a fate worse than labor. You will realize this if you are currently heavy with child and drop a pen under your car this month. The moment you reach down to retrieve it and feel yourself sloooowly falling forward, very nearly causing third-degree burns as your belly hits the pavement, is the moment you realize that a summer pregnancy is something no Southern woman should have to endure. (It is also the moment you realize that no pen, including an Epi-Pen, is worth retrieving when you are pregnant. But I digress.)

If you are already pregnant, congratulations! But it IS summer already, and there’s not a lot I can do for you. Try the first two tips, but go easy on the trashy clothes, eh? (No offense, but that’s how you got into this situation, remember?) I’d say we could look to pharmaceutical research for answers, but it seems like they’re pretty tied up creating eyelash growth enhancers that will probably not make you dead or blind. So I guess you’re on your own. Let me know what you come up with.

Eat something cold.

Sure, you could be healthy and eat some cold tomatoes. And I think cold tomatoes are great…provided they are partnered with sufficient bread, mayo, and bacon. But in the dog days of summer, you need something REALLY cold. Something frozen, even. Something…like ice cream. (You knew that was coming, didn’t you? Show me a woman who omits “eat lots of ice cream” from a list of tips for staying cool, and I will show you a woman who hates life.) If you think I’m going to presume to tell you HOW to eat your ice cream, you have mistaken me for someone who knows nothing about Southern women. Y’all eat it any old way you like it, but GET TO IT.

That’s all for now. Keep cool, y’all!

You can read more about Ameilia on her Blog: The Single Mama Speaks

The Mother of All Consignment Sale Lists – Fall 2010

Posted on by Angie

It’s hard to believe that we are ready to start talking about wire hangers and consignment sales but they are just around the corner and registration is starting soon.

Here is a list of the sales we know about so far and they’re sooner than you might think.  We will be updating this list constantly, so check back often for the most up-to-date information.

All sale and receiving dates vary by sale, so please check the links on each location for specific times and details. If you know of a sale that you would like to have listed, please drop us a comment or email us at contact@birmighammommy.com We will be happy to add it to this post.

Gardendale:

Kingdom Kids Consignment
Gardendale Mt.Vernon United Methodist

Receiving: August 22nd & 23rd
Open to the public August 23 –  August 28
Sale Info

Helena:

New 2 You Consignment Sale
Church of Cahaba Bend –

Friday, September 18: 9am – 7pm
Saturday, September 19: 9am – 1pm
Sale Info

Homewood:

Lil Lambs Consignment
Trinity United Methodist –

Registration begins: August 16
Open to the Public: September 10 and 11
Sale Info

Kids Market and Mom
Old Academy Sports location at Wildwood Shopping Center

Early Receiving: Sept 7th-9th, by appointment only
Regular Receiving: Sept 11th and Sept 13th-15th
Public Sale: October 4th– October 16th (closed Sunday the 10th)
Site Info

Hoover:

The Market – Sale for Teens and Tweens
Brookhighland Plaza, Hwy 280. Former Kirklands

Consignor Drop Off: September 13th 10am – 1pm & 4pm – 7pm
Pre Sale Bash: September 16th
Public Sale: September 17th – 18th
Sale Info

Kids Wear Plus
Hoover Gallery Shopping Center

Receiving: Saturday September 11th, Monday September 13th, Tuesday September 14th
Contributor Sale: Saturday September 18th
Open to the Public: September 20th – March 25th
Sale Info

Bargains on the Bluff
Bluff Park United Methodist –

Receiving: September 13th – September 15th
Preview Sale: September 16th
Open to the Public: September 17th and 18th.

TNT Sale
Riverchase United Methodist –

Open to to the Public:

Friday, September 24th, 2010, 9:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m  and
Saturday, September 25th, 2010, 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Sale Info

Hueytown:

Twice Blessed Sale
Garywood Assembly of God –

Receiving: September 10th and 11th
Open to the Public: September 16th, 17th and 18th
Sale Info

Irondale:

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

Open to the public: August 27th and 28th
Sale Info

Liberty Park:

Ready Set Grow
Liberty Crossing United Methodist –

Receiving: August 22nd – 25th
Workers/Consignors/New Moms Sale: August 25th (times vary)
Open to the public: August 26th – 28th
Sale Info

Oak Mountain:

Giggles and Grace
Asbury United Methodist

Registration begins August 1st! Limit is 330 consignors.

Receiving: September 8th and 9th
Open to the public: September 10h and 11th
Sale Info

Pinson

Kids Consignment –
July 28th – 31st
Sale Info

Trussville

Growing Kids Consignment
Trussville United Methodist Church

Friday – September 17th – 8am – 6pm
Thursday – September 18th –  8am – 2pm

Vestavia

Market on the Mountain
Mountaintop Community Church –

Registration: August 8th
Receiving: September 15th and 16th
Preview Sale: September 16th
Open to the public: September 17th – 18h
Sale Info

Kids’ Korner
Mountain Chapel United Methodist –

September 16th and 17th
Sale Info

Whale of a Sale
Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church

Preview Sale for Volunteers and Sellers: September 16th
Public Sale: September 17th
Sale Info

Weekly Events Calendar July 26th – August 1st

Posted on by Angie

We don’t know about all of you but we will be looking for ways to stay cool this week. I’m thinking storytimes and indoor play places, how about you? Don’t forget to come out and see us this Thursday night at Gloss Denim Bar for Shopping and Champagne! The first 50 to arrive will receive swag that includes $50 off a regular priced pair of denim! There are still some summer movies going on, check out our Summer Flicks Guide to plan your movie outings this week. 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 July 26th

Summer Monday Movie – Homewood Library
Come and join us for a fun flick and a tasty treat.
3:00pm

Movie Matinee – North Shelby Library
Alvin and the Chipmunks – The Squeakuel
All Ages, Snacks Served
2:00pm

Juggling Program – Vestavia Hills Library
Brian Bruggeman w/Jugglewell
All Ages
6:00pm
——————————————————————————————————————-

Tuesday July 27th

Roger Day – Homewood Library
We are very excited to present Roger Day as our last event of Summer Reading. We hope you have had a wonderful summer with us. This event is just for Homewood Public Library’s registered summer readers.
6:30pm

McWane Starlab Constellations – North Shelby Library
Registration Required – Grades K- 3rd. Crawl into an inflatable planetarium and learn about the solar system and constellations
10:30

Barnes and Noble –  Summit – Terrific Tuesday Storytime
Please join us as we feature author Mo Willems with stories like I Am Going and I Will Surprise My Friend. See what happens to best friends Gerald the Elephant and Piggie the piglet. Fun activity will follow our readings.
11:00am

——————————————————————————————————————-

Wednesday July 28th

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

——————————————————————————————————————

Thursday July 29th

Shopping and Champagne – Gloss Denim Bar
No more Mom Jeans allowed! Come find out what fits your fabulous mommy body! Bring a friend!
**First 50 people in the door get a $50 credit towards one regular pair of denim AND a swag bag!**
Food provided by Chuy’s, YUMMY.
6:00pm – 8:00pm

Craft: Hodgepodge – North Shelby Library
All Ages, Registration Required
Drop in anytime between 2:00 – 3:30.

PJ Storytime – North Shelby Library
All ages, no registration required
7pm

——————————————————————————————————————

Friday July 30th

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

——————————————————————————————————————-

Saturday July 31st

Local in the ‘Ham: Local Vendor Day! – Whole Foods Market
It’s growing season and it’s time to bring out our local producers! We’ll have food demonstrations going on through the season featuring some of our favorite local and regional growers, producers and vendors. Buy fresh! Buy local!
10:00am – 3:00pm

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
Please join us as we read Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst. Our special story features Alexander who clearly is having a bad day and will it get better or will he have to move to Australia?
2:00pm

——————————————————————————————————————-

Sunday August 1st

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

Sound of Music – Virginia Samford Theater
One of the most beloved musicals of all time, The Sound of Music tells the story of a sweet young girl named Maria sent off to be the governess of Captain von Trapp’s seven troublesome children. Through their mutual love of music, the von Trapp family comes to admire Maria. But when the Nazis invade Austria, the whole family is forced to flee their homeland in hopes of finding freedom. With its unforgettable score that includes musical favorites like “My Favorite Things,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” and “The Lonely Goatherd,” The Sound of Music is the perfect family treat!
For tickets visit their website
2:00pm

——————————————————————————————————————-

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!

Giveaway Winner!

Posted on by Angie

Congratulations to Katie for winning our first Back to School Giveaway! We have sent you an email to confirm and get your shipping information! Thanks to everyone that entered, we will have another giveaway coming up soon so stay tuned for the details. In the meantime, if you just have to have an adorbale Zoo Lunchies of your own, you can find those along with the matching back packs at Swaddle in Homewood!

Meanwhile, at the Tower of "Babble"

Posted on by Angie

By: Country-Fried Mama

When my four-year-old was a baby, I talked to her non-stop.  I had a book that advised this, one of the many parenting tomes I have since left to gather dust on a shelf.  I find myself too busy with the overwhelming task of parenting lately to read many books about it.  But back then, when I had one sweet baby who could not yet crawl or talk, I had plenty of reading time.  The book said, “Your baby acquires language from you, so narrate your day.”  I did as I was told.

I talked to little Miss D. about every piece of laundry as I folded it.  I talked about the types of cars that drove past us when we were on the road.  I wondered aloud about what to make for dinner or whether or not to go for a walk.  I was hoarse at the end of the day, even though I passed most hours alone with my as-yet-non-verbal baby.

And then she started talking.  Early.  And she has barely taken a breath since.  Her daddy heard her babbling in her sleep the other night.

I have been wondering for a while now what would happen when Miss D.’s little sister found her words.  Would she be as chatty?  Would they talk to each other?  Or would they both direct their full vocal attention at me? And how would I manage to answer every question and respond to every observation all day long?

I find myself in the midst of figuring that out now that little sister, The Belle, is approaching her second birthday and proving to be quite a talker in her own right.  The Belle wants to know where every single person she knows is at any given time.  Where Daddy go?  Where Grandma go?  She wants to know Wha dat? and Why, Mommy? And like her sister, she gets quickly and seriously agitated if she is not answered immediately.

Sometimes — in the car, in particular – I notice that both girls have stopped talking to me and are simply talking.  Not to each other.  Just talking.  Miss D. is yelling at her imaginary pets.  Shally! Stop that! No, Buster. No. We don’t do that in this family.

And then The Belle picks one word her sister said and makes it into a little song.  No. No, no, no, no, noooooooo!

Or they both pretend to be on the phone.  Hands plastered to their ears, they are gabbing away as we drive along.  (I can’t imagine where they picked up this behavior.)

Miss D.: Well, we’re almost home.  Yes, Alabama.  Uh-huh.  Well, that’s just crazy.  I can’t believe it.  Are you serious? Shally and Buster think that’s crazy. Wait, let me switch hands.

The Belle: Mumble, mumble, crazy.  Yet, yet, crazy.  Okay.  Okay.  Buh-bye.

And then I start to feel kind of crazy.  Because while these two conduct their imaginary calls, I am turning up the radio louder and louder so I can hear some news story about the housing market or the Gulf Coast, and suddenly I realize that my world has gotten very, very loud.

I am trying to sell my girls on the idea of break time.  This is break time, I’ll say.  Everyone has to have quiet thoughts right now.

So far, they’re just responding to me with more babble.

Country-Fried Mama is a transplanted Yankee raising two girls in the land of college football, sweet tea and refined manners. Visit her blog at www.countryfriedmama.com and follow her on Twitter @countryfried.

Membership Alliance Day – July 24th

Posted on by Angie

Are you a member of  McWane Science Center, the Birmingham Zoo, Birmingham Museum of Art or any of the the other local organizations we have listed below? If you are, you will have the opportunity to explore what our city has to offer during Birmingham’s sixth-annual Membership Alliance Day, taking place on July 24th.

As a way of saying thanks for your membership, area organizations have planned a special members-only day of free admission and fun activities throughout the city.  Your valid membership card and photo ID admits those listed on your membership into these participating venues all day long, with special activities and events occurring throughout the day at every location.

There will be 19 wonderfully varied groups of performers, museums and historical landmarks participating in Member Day, it’s one of the best ways to experience the incredible talents and unforgettable experiences offered by our region’s arts and cultural organizations, all in one day!

Vulcan Park & Museum
“Birmingham Baseball Stories and Legends” Led by the Alabama Negro League Association
10 AM – 5 PM

Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark
10 AM – 5 PM

Birmingham Public Library
Birmingham Museum of Art Activity
10 AM – 12 PM

McWane Science Center
Red Mountain Theatre Company performs selections from The Sound Of Music
11 AM – 11:45 AM

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Alabama Ballet Performance
1 PM – 1:30 PM

Southern Museum of Flight
McWane Science Center’s Glider Design Challenge
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
Metropolitan Youth Orchestra Performance
2:00 PM – 2:30 PM

Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival‘s Children’s Short Film Festival
2:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Birmingham Museum of Art
Birmingham Children’s Theatre Performance
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM

Birmingham Public Library
Embellishments Handbell Ensemble Performance
3:30 PM – 4:15 PM

Birmingham Zoo
Umdabu Dance Company Performance
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM

Multiplicity – Transition

Posted on by Angie

This month we have another guest writer talking about making that transition from the working world to the world of being a Stay at Home Mom! Something so many of us can relate to, find out how she’s coping and let us now how the transition was for you! ~Angie

Recently I survived my first week of being a stay-at-home mom to my eighteen-month boy/girl twins, though survived isn’t really the right word. It’s been great. I wish I had done this so long ago. I never thought I would be a stay-at-home mom. I didn’t look down on SAHMs, I just didn’t think it was my style. Of course, I didn’t think that I’d have twins either. Even if I only had one, I didn’t realize how much you miss out on as a mom who works full time. From 6am to 5:30pm every week day I was either away from my kids or in the process of traveling to or from work and daycare. That’s almost 12 hours, and it left about an hour and a half for quality time with my kids, mostly made up of bath and dinner. It was crazy. No time to sit and think, to clean, or to plan for the next day.

Now it’s completely different. The guys sleep till 6:45 or so.  We don’t have to wake them up at 6 and dress them hurriedly for daycare. Then, we have a leisurely breakfast and I do some chores. But the biggest difference has been the weekends. They used to be filled with all of the chores and housework that could not get done during the week. There was no time for fun. By the time I was starting to feel caught up, it was Sunday night and the work week was about to begin again. This weekend, we went to the zoo. Don’t get me wrong, it was still a bit crazy. We planned to leave by 9am, but didn’t get out of the house till almost 10. We forgot the diaper wipes and the changing pad, and the kids refused to eat their lunch. Still, we made it. We learned things that will make a trip easier the next time around, and we were able to do something fun for a change.

Like it or not, there are certain things that we as women will always do, like being primary caregivers for our children (I say this as the wife of one of the most nurturing men I’ve ever seen), and other things that we’ll want to do, like maybe cook healthy foods for our family and/or keep the house in a somewhat attractive state. These things will need to be done regardless of whether or not we work outside the home. Trying to fit it all into a day is just plain hard, sometimes impossible. Life is still busy for me at home.  My kids constantly want my attention, and get upset when I try to get other things done.  Mostly, I enjoy spending time with them, but to be honest there are times when I wish I could have fifteen minutes to myself.  It’s worth it, though, when I think of all the fun things we get to do together. This week, my guys have learned several new words, made drawings in celebration of the colors blue and yellow, and my son has started to ask to watch the PBS show Super Why! throughout the day by saying sweetly,  “Why???  Why!!  No why?” Silly things maybe, but fun memories I was missing out on before.

I’m not saying you can’t work and be a good mom.  I still feel very strongly that we serve as better role models for our kids if we continue to pursue our own dreams and aspirations.  However, I think I completely underestimated how much work it is to be a mom (and how much fun), and I overestimated how important it is to have two paychecks and a high household income. In the fall, I will start a full-time graduate assistant-ship in English at UAB. It will be better than an 8-5 job and I’m staying home with my guys two mornings a week, but I’m concerned that I will miss this precious time with them. It’s kind of funny considering that a month ago I was worried that being home with them all day all summer would drive me crazy. I guess this is the life of a mom, constant give and take, and we never feel like it’s enough.

How do you find balance?  Do ever feel like you’re caught up?  Have you had to make major sacrifices for your children or your career? Or both?

Lissa Peterson is a native of Montgomery, but has lived in Birmingham since 2004.  As the mom of boy/girl twins, she stays very busy.  She spent 10 years in corporate marketing and finance before losing her mind, and subsequently deciding to pursue a Master’s degree in English.  She spends her time nurturing, cooking, cleaning, reading, writing, studying, and trying to be as involved in church as possible.  She has no free time.

Back to School Giveaway!

Posted on by Angie

School is just around the corner and we have a few items laying around that we thought would make a nice giveaway. First up will be this adorable ” Zoo Lunchie” from Skip Hop:

With friendly faces and matching zipper-pulls, ZOO LUNCHIES make lunchtime fun time! Sized just right for little kids, or a mom and baby on-the-go, these soft bags have a roomy main compartment that holds sandwiches, snacks, drinks and more. An insulated, wipe-clean interior keeps food and drinks cold, plus an inside mesh pocket holds lunch money, an ice pack or utensils.

ZOO LUNCHIES coordinate with the entire line of ZOO PACKS little kid backpacks. The clip-on handle attaches securely to any backpack.

Here’s how you enter:

1. Leave us a comment telling us why you’re sad summer is coming to an end.

2. Tweet this: “@birminghammommy is giving away a zoo lunchie http://ow.ly/2eemt ” 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 Tuesday July 20th at 6pm, until Saturday July 24th at 6pm. We will announce our winner on Sunday July 25th. The winner will be contacted via email and will be responsible for replying to us with an address for mailing the lunchbox.

Type A Mom: Vacation Survival

Posted on by Angie

by Alison

Tis the season for family summer vacations.  Whether you’re a beach-potato, an earthy/outdoorsy type, or a savvy international traveler, you’re a mom, and you deserve a vacation.  You plan, prepare, and have high hopes of getting some much-needed r&r.  Then it happens.  Reality strikes faster than flying applesauce from a baby-sized spoon, and you arrive home needing a vacation to recoup from your vacation.

Parenthood changes the meaning of summer vacation forever – or at least for the next few years.  It’s not just about upsizing the square inches of your bathing suit.  Instead of soaking up the sun, you’re sweating in the sand chasing your toddler as he runs full speed, uninterested in the giant bag of beach toys you so smartly brought along.  One day your cute little camper may love the tent, the next, not so much.  Of course moms cherish time with family, but sometimes being away from home can be anything but relaxing.  Although it will be a far cry from a honeymoon, your family vacation can be less stressful if you follow some rules of thumb.

  1. Over plan. Your vacation philosophy might be to go-with-the-flow, but that is easier said than done with bambinos. You never know when the unforeseen can put a kink in your plans, so know what kid-friendly activities are available at your destination and even long the way.  A long car ride can be much more pleasant with a fun stop or two.  Have back-up options in case you can’t do your first choices.  To collect ideas, go to tourism websites or travel message boards to find a hodge-podge of options.  Better yet, ask around, especially during your trip.  You might get some great suggestions from locals.
  2. Think safe (and sane).  Some items like sunscreen or kid-safe bug spray are obvious packing choices depending on the destination, but a few extra health and safety products can be useful.  A first-aid kit is great to have, but check to see if it leaves out any items you should have.  A teething infant may need teething relief more than bandages.  If your kiddo is in that ever-moving inquisitive young toddler stage, pack your own baby-proofing essentials.  Sure, it’s impractical to cover all electrical outlets and secure every cabinet, but a few of these items can help you to finish that first cup of morning coffee without saying variations of, “Be careful, oh no, no…I said no!” several dozen times.  You may want to keep a few small and simple baby proofing items, such as a sliding cabinet lock and a handful of outlet covers, in your suitcase for future trips too.  Each child is different, so decide what few items are important for keeping your little monkey safe.
  3. Don’t forget toys and entertainment. Remember the sentiments of “something old, something new, something borrowed … ?”  Well forget the wedding.  That tradition is more suited for traveling with kids.  Bring at least one favorite toy for something tried and true, but also invest in a new special something that might invoke squeals of delight.  You might even want to have it as a surprise and introduce it in a time of need (like when your child decides to throw a tantrum or continues asking, “Are we there yet?” in repeat mode).  If a friend or family member volunteers to loan you something that will make your trip easier, take them up on it!  Borrow the portable DVD player or awesome beach toy.   By doing so, it’s less likely that the “something blue” will be you or your kid’s mood.
  4. Enlist help, if available.  Vacationing with your extended family?  Take advantage and let them help!  Sure they could give your child too many sweets or keep them up too late, but if you’re ever going to relax the rules a bit, now is the time.  Those teen nieces and nephews might seem a bit too preoccupied to want to babysit, but offer some moola that they can spend at the nearest tourist trap and they may suddenly morph into the world’s best sitters. If family help is not an option, consider asking friends of family if they know of sitters in the area.  Even if you’re not comfortable leaving your little ones while on vacation, just some helping hands while you’re nearby can make a huge difference in your chill factor.
  5. Maintain perspective.  Remember that although family vacations can be exhausting, you’re creating memories.  Focus on the positive.  Instead of sulking over how you can’t sit still for five minutes while supervising your tiny explorer, just think of the calories you’re burning – especially helpful to remember while indulging in that post-bedtime cocktail or decadent dessert. Smile for the family picture, even if your tot is crying harder than that time with Santa.  It’ll make for a funny story later.  If you’re stuck in the room during naptime, know that your sweet angel will be more angelic with a bit of rest.  The goal is to try to enjoy your trip as much as possible, and a good attitude can make any sticky situation a bit easier to overcome.
  6. Regroup.  If you can, plan a day or two of downtime.  You’ll want some time to recoup, unpack, and get mentally reorganized before you resume your regularly scheduled life.  It’s also likely that the kids will need help getting back in a routine, especially in terms of sleep.  Having an extra day can help everyone get back on track.  If you want to be really type A, during your downtime, jot down a few ideas that will make your trip easier for the following year.  You’ll forget, so having something in writing will help. Tuck it somewhere where you’ll find it when it’s time to plan another vacation.

Hopefully, you will come back home feeling better than a Griswald and all the more prepared for future trips.  What additional travel tips do you have in your super-mom arsenal?  Inquiring “Type A” moms want to know.

Advertisements