We recently had the opportunity to stop by and check out the new indoor play area, A Play Place. Located in Trussville off of Hwy 11, it’s the perfect place to go when you are looking for a little indoor playtime. Birmingham Moms are always looking for alternatives when it comes to beating the summer heat or trying to get out of the house for some rainy day activities.
What we like about A Play Place is it’s clean, like really really spotless clean. How many places can say that? The owner, Dana, a Mom of 2, takes great care and pride in keeping her facility as germ free as possible. She also does things a bit differently when it comes to outside food or drink….. She allows it! She actually allows you to bring in your own food and snacks for the kiddos, so pack a lunch head out there and let the kiddos play. They can explore the 2 level play set, the rock wall and the tube slides. When it’s time for lunch or snack, they can take a little break and you can breathe easy knowing you aren’t going to have to shell out huge bucks for food.
If you are looking for a party, give them a call, or you can check out their Facebook page for more information and details on parties.
Open play times are MWF, 11:30 – 1:30.
If you would like to purchase a pass for 10 plays – you can do so for $65.00 BUT, here’s the best part. If you mention BirminghamMommy.com when you go in you can save $5.00 off of that $65.00 package or $10.00 off of a Birthday Party!
It may not quite be summer but the temps are already warming up, we’ve given you the answer for keeping the kids active and cool… Have Fun!
By rights, I should love the Birmingham Airport. After many years of dealing with Boston’s Logan Airport – the insane traffic into the city, the usurious cost of parking and the labyrinthine security lines that stretch all over the terminal and move forward approximately two inches per hour – Birmingham’s airport is a transportation dream come true. It takes me 15 minutes from my driveway to a sweet parking space in the garage, for which I then pay only $1 – ONE DOLLAR! – per hour to occupy.
And yet, I can’t muster strong affection for our local airport. Because that is where, every few months, I drop my mom off at the curb so she can go home to Massachusetts.
Generally, on our way there, I tell her all the things she would enjoy about life in Alabama:
Your granddaughters.
The weather.
The cost of living.
Your granddaughters.
The food.
And oh, did I mention? Your granddaughters.
She always has some lame excuse for not agreeing to relocate immediately. Something about her job – blah, blah, blah – or her home – blah, blah, blah.
So she’s not moving South right now. She did come visit recently, though, to keep me company while my husband was in Japan.
I think I kept most of my dirty, little parenting secrets in check while she was here, but I can’t help wondering what my mother thinks of my mothering. If she saw me with my kids more frequently but for shorter periods of time, would she have a different impression of my mothering?
If, say, she never heard the frustrated way I talk to my toddler when we rise before the sun, would my mother be more impressed with my parenting skills?
If she saw me for an hour over lunch instead of in the final hour of a seemingly endless day, would she think more highly of my levels of tolerance and patience?
Would she think, “Well, she wasn’t the easiest kid, but she’s a good mother?”
I have a vivid and shameful memory of myself at about 12, throwing a dramatic tantrum sparked by my mother’s reaction to my request for a denim jacket — a really ugly, oversized denim jacket with rhinestones all over it that I wanted IMMEDIATELY. I’m not sure she had even said “no.” It might be that she had said, “later.” Regardless, I was enraged.
I had no fashion sense, but I had a strong will.
Does my mother think of that moment when my children lay down at my feet and scream and pound their little fists against the floor? Does she swallow a smile of satisfaction to see me struggle?
What goes around, comes around, little girl.
If so, she never lets on.
She doesn’t say, “You were awful! It will only get worse.”
She doesn’t criticize. She doesn’t tsk, tsk.
She does make it clear she thinks I’m a bit stingy with TV time and juice boxes, and while I might struggle to teach my kids to hear “no” or “later” with more acceptance than I once did, my mother is now quick to grant most requests.
Which, I suppose, is as it should be, and is only one reason why my girls also have some mixed feelings about our trips to and from the airport.
What does your mother think of your mothering? Do you try to tune into that or tune out?
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
Jen Cowsar Photography specializes in custom photography sessions in the Shelby and Jefferson County area. We offer natural light photography with outdoor sessions on location at Aldridge Botanical Gardens, Downtown Birmingham, your local park or even your own backyard. We can also set up in your home using natural window light, your furniture and your home as a backdrop. For small babies, we travel to your home and will photograph your little one in the comfort of his or her own home.
Catering to newborns and small children up to pre-teens, teenagers and
high school seniors, Jen Cowsar loves to capture the whole family as well. Jen also maintains that precious pictures should be available to EVERY family, so she strives to keep her prices affordable.
Up for grabs is a $150 gift certificate to Jen Cowsar Photography. Gift certificate may be applied toward sitting fee, portraits or photo CD. Expires August 31, 2010. Gift certificates are transferrable so you can make this a gift for someone else.
How to enter:
1. Comment here, once per day.
2. Tweet “Win a $150 gc to Jen Cowsar Photography from @Birminghammommy http://ow.ly/1Ib0h!” once per day, then come back here and comment that you tweeted.
3. Refer a friend! If you tell someone about the giveaway, tell them to comment “(your name) told me about the giveaway!” and we’ll give you and them an entry. This is a one time extra entry for each of you.
Giveaway will run from Friday May 7 through Thursday May 13, 2010 at 11:59pm. Winner will be announced on the following day. Good luck!
You’re a mom, but you’re a hip one. You’re not like the other moms. You don’t wear mom jeans, you drive your minivan a few miles over the speed limit… you live on the edge. And you know everything you need to know about being a mom in Birmingham, thanks to this list of best kept secrets. Put them in your arsenal. Use them wisely, and share them with your friends. Spread the love, they’ll thank you. And if you know of a secret that the Magic City needs to know about, add a comment. Your fellow mommies will appreciate it! Imagination Library: FREE book every month until age 5 years, thanks to Junior League of Birmingham for administering this for Jefferson County! (And make sure to check back frequently, new counties are being added)
Painted by U tile: FREE baby feet tile under 1 year old, Great keepsake gift for grandma!
List of places where kids eat free: Need we say more? (Thanks BAMOM for sharing the info!)
Best discount sites for kid stuff: 6pm.com, albeebaby.com, zulilly, btrendie – flash sale sites can score some great deals. We all know that we do nothing all day but shop and eat bon bons, right?
Discount code sites: retailmenot.com Always check first before making an online purchase.
Upromise: Rack up some college savings while you buy the things you were going to buy anyway!
Lowe’s free Build and Grow clinics: Build, grow, make stuff… that’s what Saturdays are for.
InfantSee: free eye checkups for babies under 6 months old, checks for major problems early on.
Free iPhone apps: Vocal Zoo, BubbleWrap, Dots and Boxes, Doodle Buddy—- I won’t lie, it’s like a babysitter in a phone.
Bud’s Best cookie tours: Ride a train, get free, fresh cookies along the way. I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say YES!
Red Robin Tours- The friendly folks at Red Robin will let your group come in before they open, tour the kitchen, and make milkshakes! Yum to the yum! After that you can stay for some great lunch in a kid-friendly environment. Call ahead to arrange it.
Got secrets? Tips? Pssst… Pass them on! Comment, share, create good vibes!
Jen Cowsar Photography specializes in custom photography sessions in the Shelby and Jefferson County area. We offer natural light photography with outdoor sessions on location at Aldridge Botanical Gardens, Downtown Birmingham, your local park or even your own backyard. We can also set up in your home using natural window light, your furniture and your home as a backdrop. For small babies, we travel to your home and will photograph your little one in the comfort of his or her own home.
Catering to newborns and small children up to pre-teens, teenagers and
high school seniors, Jen Cowsar loves to capture the whole family as well.
Jen will be offering a great package up for grabs beginning this Friday! Stay tuned!
We asked our Birmingham moms to tell us about things they’d love this Mother’s Day! Here’s a sampling of what they had to say:
Reader and contributor L.K. Whitney would love:
Dinner and a movie (really! It’s been that long!), a day alone with yoga or a hand-written love letter thanking me for childbirth.
When I asked L.K. about any luxury items she’d love to recieve, she had some lovely ideas on that too!
Birthstone jewelry in honor of my son, a spa day, shopping spree at anthropologie, dinner at highlands, 3 months of cleaning service or a portrait
Reader and contributor Amanda had this to say:
Shoes. (L.K. added that “Yes! The gift of Tory, Jimmy, Manolo!”) Also, a “bubble bath” kit – super easy: bubble bath, a candle, fav magazine, and some new slippers! And – a bath WITHOUT SPECTATORS
Reader Kelly T. is also thinking shoes:
My perfect Mother’s Day gift would be the Chanel black quilted flats I tried on in LA.
Reader Lee F. had this to say:
A trip somewhere and someone else pack and get everyone ready. Or for my husband to take the girls to a pottery studio and let them paint something for me. It has to be my husband to do it though =).
Reader Kona R. agreed with Lee
I love the pottery idea, someone tell my husband!! I always tell my husband that whatever he and the boys get it should have something to do with being a mom. This year I requested no more jewlery.
Reader Jen Cowsar had this to add:
a solid 24 hours without any of my kids arguing. 🙂 I would settle for lots of hugs from my kiddos!
Reader Holly B. had this to add:
I have a lot of clients who love to get a photo session with their kids
Honestly I would love to go to a nice hotel and spend a night by myself. I would get a massage, order room service and just sleep,sleep,sleep.
From reader Gwen Y.:
Spa or Honda Pilot!!!! Oh maybe a beach trip!
From reader Kerry A.:
I have been dying for the silver fingerprint charm! I Want my husband to take my 2 girls to get it done. And maybe a pretty frame for our family pics from The Blink Lady this year
Reader Brandy B. had this to add:
Trip to the Beach!
Reader Laura J. had some great ideas too!:
I would love to have a Wildflower Wax candle made by hubby and little one, some great pictures of my daughter, and/or at least 4 hours to relax by myself and read a book, take a long bath, or just BE LAZY!
Laziness is not a privilege moms get to enjoy too often – I miss afternoons with nothing to do!
Reader Julie S. had this to offer:
To have my family around me.
If you could dream up anything – big, small; material or not – what would it be?
I planted broccoli! I’ve never had broccoli in my garden – well this is in my daughter’s garden. They’re actually doing quite well for a first-time try! Yay Broccoli!
Trish –
My new thing this week was to start online bill paying. I live in the dark ages when it comes to paying bills. No more!
Angie –
I’m beginning to realize that a lot of the new things I try are because I’m forced to do so… For this week, I was forced into a new hair stylist. I called to make an appointment and my girl (of more than 3 years) was gone. The new girl did fine, but I want my old girl back. I’m on the verge of stalking every salon in the area until I find her.
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!
We decided to have even more fun this month putting together the Juicebox Jukebox and called on our friends and fellow BirminghamMommy’s Brooke Smith and Wendy Garner, hosts of NBC’s Daytime Alabama to help us out and let us know what they listen to with their kiddos. Here’s what they gave us!
Wendy Garner, Mom of 2 boys ages 6 and 8 says her boys love anything by tobyMac! Here’s what gets them movin’
Brooke Smith, Mommy to a sweet little 6 month old girl was all about this project, she started sending us songs the first time we ever met her. She has a lot that remind her of her little girl and the times they share now and before she was born!
What a fun mix of songs! A big thank you to Brooke and Wendy for playing along with us on this months Juicebox Jukebox, make sure to catch these lovely ladies on NBC 13 Daytime Alabama, Monday – Friday at 11:30am.
If you would like to download one or all of these songs, we’ve created a imix that you can find on itunes by going here
Congratulations Brandy Bates!! You are the winner of the adorable Greenzy’s book! Contact us though our email so we can make arrangements to have your book shipped. Thanks to everyone who entered this and all of our giveaways this month! Thanks for helping make our month so “Green”
In college at UA, we had an awesome Rec Center. I have never been the “workout” type of gal, but after my first year (as a Sophomore), I came around. My then boyfriend (now husband) was in Birmingham and I had to find something to do.
So, off I went. Frankly mah dears, I was looking forward to the steam room more than anything… it’s awsomesauce for allergies and your pores… but my conscience kept telling me I needed to actually WORK OUT at the gym…
Stupid conscience….
I hit the treadmill first. I am of the “hate to run outside because there are bugs and hills and rocks and the potential to fall over cracks” variety, so the treadmill made sense.
I remember being very standoff-ish at first. There before me sat row after row of roaring running machines… FULL of Sorority Girls.
I should mention at this point that I wanted, more than anything at that time, to be one of those girls. Michael got me an “in” (and I made a friend or 3 in the process), but I couldn’t pay for it. It wasn’t until we were married that Michael told me he thought our relationship would have suffered, but he helped me get my recs and invites because he saw how badly I wanted it. Isn’t that adorables??
Anyhooters.
I had a hard time making friends at ‘Bama that first year because so many of the girls my age were tied to their sorority. I knew virtually no one.
And there I was…. with 50 of them sweating their butts off with their fancy music playing thingies (that I didn’t have), Greek letters (that I didn’t have) on their shirts about this party or that social, and name brand water (that I didn’t have/want).
I jumped on a machine in between two girls already running close to a box fan – I knew I was going to need some help.
I started walking, slowly, then sped up. As soon as I got to a good jog, I realized I was going to be ok at this. I started getting lost in my thoughts, only periodically being reminded by my shorts to pull them out of my crack…
And it was sometime mid-hard run that I realized something: these girls that were there already running when I got there? They were STILL there. I started paying more attention to their speeds and how hard they were pushing themselves.
I upped my speed to a solid run to maintain my heart rate – the girls on both sides “beeped”.
Had they just upped their speeds because I did???
Surely not.
Then, the girl on my left upped hers again, and I heard a barrage of beeping across the row and from behind me.
That’s it… this is a competition.
I could resist – “beep, beep, beeeeeeeeeeeep”
I was running with The Best of Them… heart pounding, slamming water back from my re-used bottle with no label.
“Beep” from one girl…
then 15 beeps from the rest.
This was getting insane.
And FINALLY, after what seemed like an eternity of heart-pounding, aneurysm-ensuing, non-stopmarathoning – one stopped… and 3 girls followed her.
I slowed down my pace to a jog to cool off, and I heard the “beep” again… about 3 more girls were slowing down as well.
Over the next 10 minutes of cooling off and praying I wouldn’t just pass out, the treadmills practically cleared out. I looked down at my meter and was shocked – 3 and 1/2 miles.
I kept up the routine of running on the treadmill with the competition for 2 semesters, and honestly I always thought it was something very “Bama”.
Until, yesterday.
Michael and I joined the local Y, and we have been using a satellite branch close to our neighborhood. Ever since those college days of treadmill running, I’ve longed to get back on just to see if 4 years off the horse, making and birthing and raising babies, had done anything to my ability to run a mile or two.
But this time, Mike ran with me for 10 minutes. Soon, I was joined by 2 girls in Auburn shirts and soffie shorts. Most likely, they were my age and even more likely to be minus aforementioned babies.
It was SO on.
I was already at a jog when they got on, so I decided to test my theory after they warmed up.
I “beeped” 3 times. Guess what? So did they.
I ran like that for a few minutes and upped my speed again – SO DID THEY.
There we were – pounding the treadmill practically in sync. They would beep, and I would beep. No one was giving up.
Finally, the girl on the far end slowed down to a hard jog, and because I’d been running longer, I did as well. Her friend took all of 3 seconds to follow – I’m guessing she thought she’d won.
I looked down – 2.37 miles under 20 minutes “Not bad….” I thought.
Mike helped me do my shoulders in the Place Girls Rarely Go, better known as the Weight Area.
The girls did some of the same things… staying together and talking when they weren’t listening to their MP3 players (me and my iPhone… teehee)
Then, we go to leave and I walk to the Child Care room and pick up my 18-month-old and my 4 year old. As a family, we made small talk and I passed the girls on the way out the door.
I glanced their way and we caught eyes – they were a little shocked, to say the least.
I had totally won.
About Amanda:
My name is Amanda and my last name is hardly pronounceable. I’m currently 25 and the mother of 2 half-breed monkey/gorilla hybrids wonderfully rowdy boys (under 5), blogging LIVE! from a city somewhere in Alabama… I have the personality of a 6′6″ man trapped in a 4′10.5″ body. I’m loud, sometimes bitchy, occasionally moody, disorganized yet incredibly passionate and a total goofball. My friends just think I’m odd and that’s fine by me.
You can read more from Amanda over at hush, amanda and you can follow her on twitter @hushamanda
We recently had the opportunity to stop by and check out the new indoor play area, A Play Place. Located in Trussville off of Hwy 11, it’s the perfect place to go when you are looking for a little indoor playtime. Birmingham Moms are always looking for alternatives when it comes to beating the summer heat or trying to get out of the house for some rainy day activities.
If you would like to purchase a pass for 10 plays – you can do so for $65.00 BUT, here’s the best part. If you mention BirminghamMommy.com when you go in you can save $5.00 off of that $65.00 package or $10.00 off of a Birthday Party!
