This week, I tried a recipe my friend Emi sent me because I claim to be cookie-baking-inept. Until last night, I could only bake one kind of cookie succesffully. Seriously folks, I can even ruin the slice and bake type. Anyway, you mix up one box of cake mix, one stick of butter and one egg. Spoon the mixture onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. I’m happy to report that I’ve had them for breakfast and now lunch and they turned out just fine!
Trish –
My new thing this week was having a yard sale. I’ve seen it done before, but never actually done one. I cleaned out a boat load of stuff, mostly baby items, and hauled it to the sale. I can’t say I’m a fan of getting up at 6am on a Saturday, but my $250 made it much easier to accept!
Angie –
In the spirit of “Green Month” I have switched the Twinlets over to Seventh Generation chlorine free diapers. I love them! I’ve tried another brand before that didn’t work out too well, but I have fallen in love with these and plan to keep on using them. They don’t even leak overnight!! They are a little more expensive but now that we don’t go through quite so many diapers in a day, I can stomach the cost and know that I’m doing a little something to help the environment.
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!
Ladies, this will get you in good with the husbands. Win it, call it an early Father’s Day gift, and bask in the glory of finding the perfect (and free!) gift!
Our friends at Brookwood Medical Center know how important it is to relax and have some fun. So they gave us some tickets to give to some of our lucky readers to do just that- have fun!
Talladega, 2 tickets, $240 value
Fed Cup, 2 tickets, $300 value
This will be a one day HUGE giveaway. Wednesday April 21st is the big day. You’ll be able to enter online by commenting on our site (but please wait until the giveaway goes live Wednesday.)
You’ll also have a chance to meet us at Homewood Park and get 3 entries for coming out! We’re really nice, we shouldn’t HAVE to give out extra entries for spending time with us, but we will… 😉
Brookwood will even have a special goody for the people who meet us at the park! (And we’ll provide a yummy treat!)
So mark it down! WEDNESDAY, 4/21.
9:30-11:30am Homewood Park, then look for details about entering online from noon-11:59pm at birminghammommy.com.
When you volunteer your time in service of others – the time you spend is its own reward. From the simplest gesture to long, hard hours, volunteers bring a warm heart and happy smile to situations of need.
What a better way to teach the gift of volunteering than involving our kids? While the opportunities aren’t everywhere, we’ve tried to do a little creative thinking to maybe get you out there a little!
Nursing homes. Contact a local nursing home and see if you and your child can come visit a patient or make a card.
Run an Alex’s Lemonade Stand. This is a wonderful opportunity to involve your children in giving back. This also makes a fun summer activity!
We recently went sorted a herd of stuffed animals that live in my house – do these things multiply? What to do with them? Well, we were tipped off by this post from Rookie Moms. So, what a better thing to do than to send them out to children who could really use a bright day, my kids were on board – except that rabbit, and that elephant, oh and that teddy bear…not to worry, we will still have PLENTY to send after the dibs are called.
Call your local library and find out if they have any volunteer opportunities for you to do with your child
Got a favorite park? Head over with a small trash bag and help clean it up – you’ll teach your child a great lesson about taking care of the earth and sharing spaces with others!
**This Giveaway is Now Closed** Winner will be announced Thursday, April 22! Thanks for entering!
We all know that reusable totes are now the thing to carry to the store, market or just around town. We’ve found this gem of a company who does it in style and we’re in love.
“The adventure started in 2007 when Sandrine Cassidy Schmitt set out on a mission to create a line of reusable bags that would give stores and shoppers incentives to reduce and ultimately replace paper and plastic shopping bags.
After sporting her own jute shopping bags in public and getting spontaneous reactions to them, Sandrine realized that people were attracted to her bags for their natural materials, their practicality and style. With this premise and the commitment June 15, Inc. has to the environment, we succeeded in creating an original line of products that reflects both the values we honor, and a sense of design that excites us…” In addition,
• Each bag sold and used contributes to overall waste reduction and benefits dedicated environmental organizations through our donation policy
• Our stock in the US is packed by Americans with disabilities
We’re very excited to introduce June 15 to Birmingham and to give away THIS adorable bag – just perfect for you mommies out there!
To enter this giveaway, please comment below (one entry per day allowed)
For extra entries, please do any of the following in separate comments:
Visit June 15 and tell us about another product you love! (one per day allowed per person)
Subscribe to our newsletter (or tell us you already do – one allowed throughout entire contest)
Follow us on twitter and tweet “@Birminghammommy is giving away a super-cute bag from June 15! http://tinyurl.com/y2nepsz!” (one allowed per day, per person)
Giveaway ends April 21st at noon. No late entries will be counted. Please submit all entries in separate comments or they will not be counted. Good luck!
Always a fun event in Birmingham! Help Auntie Litter Celebrate her 20th Year at Auntie Litter’s Earth Day Parade and Celebration! Enjoy live entertainment, science shows, costume contests, educational exhibits, and refreshments.
The highlight of this event every year is the nation’s largest Earth Day parade for Children starting at noon, Auntie Litter told us she is expecting about 22oo participants this year! How exciting!!
So, if you are looking for a fun way to celebrate Earth Day, head down to Kelly Ingram park, on the corner of 17th St. N and 5th Ave. N. April 22nd (Earth Day, of course!) 9:00am to 2:00pm
Ladies, grab your biggest and best hat. Gentlemen, grab your best Derby attire. Let’s all get together for a little Derby-themed fun to benefit research for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
Join the Muscular Dystrophy Association on Saturday, May1, 2010 at the Matt Jones Gallery in Birmingham for it’s 2nd annual Derby for Duchenne event. The event and silent auction will help generate funds directly benefiting research for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
Derby for Duchenne features a wide selection of heavy hours d’oeuvres and drinks, including authentic mint juleps provided by Dram Whiskey Bar, live entertainment provided by Allen Barlow and Jon Campbell from The Negotiators, and a silent auction.
Dress is traditional “derby” attire; men can sport their seersucker or a sports coat and women are welcome to wear their large derby hats. The Derby for Duchenne official afterparty is hosted by Dram Whiskey Bar in Mountain Brook Village.
MDA combats neuromuscular diseases through programs of worldwide research, comprehensive medical and community services, and far-reaching professional and public health education. MDA has an office in the heart of Birmingham where it sponsors clinics atChildren’s Hospital and The Kirklin Clinic at UAB.
We can’t think of a better time to be had while supporting a great cause. So
Ticket prices for Derby for Duchenne are $45 per person and $85 per couple, and may be purchased in advance by calling MDA at 205.823.8191, online at www.derbyforduchenne.com, or may be purchased at the door the night of the event.
Also, All My Scoop “Scoopette” cardholders receive a $10 discount on Derby for Duchenne tickets! Check out the “Ticket Information” page for more details!
We can’t think of a better way to celebrate Earth Day than at our favorite spot for respite among the urban sprawl of Birmingham – The Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
On Sunday, April 25th from 1-5 pm, head out to the 13th annual “Earth Day at the Gardens” celebration. “Earth Day at The Gardens is a celebration of the diversity of Alabama’s biological life—Alabama ranks fifth in the nation in biodiversity—as well as the diversity of cultures of the people from across the globe who now call Birmingham home. More than one billion people across the globe are expected to honor the 40th anniversary of Earth Day this April.”
With many activities to take part in, the event will be a wonderful way to celebrate nature’s bounty – even a chance to recycle some used electronics! “Earth Day at The Gardens offers an afternoon of hands-on learning activities to help educate the public about modern environmental issues. Dozens of local environmental organizations will set up interactive activities designed for people of all ages, including children, adults and families. The Roaming Dome, a traveling planetarium from Huntsville’s Sci-Quest Hands-on Science Center, will be open all afternoon. The inflatable mini-auditorium features digital presentations and movies, such as Earth’s Wild Ride, Secret of the Cardboard Rocket, Molecularium: Riding Snowflakes, Force 5, The Night Sky and Saturn and the Ring World.
Other highlights include presentations from Zulu Dancers of the Umdabu Dance Company, a Children’s Drum Circle from Rhythm Synergy in Atlanta, an Australian Didgeridoo performed by Neal Ross. Technical Knock Out (TKO) will be collecting used and unwanted electronics (except TVs) in the parking lot at The Gardens; more information is available at www.technicalko.net.”
For more information, please visit the Birmingham Botanical Gardens website.
My new thing this week was actually last week 😀 I celebrated Easter for the first time in my life without my extended family. Usually, Easter is a busy, busy day filled with church service, Easter Lunch at one grandmother’s house, dessert at another and Easter Egg hunts at both. Because we moved so far from home and couldn’t travel back to Alabama to celebrate, we had to wing it on our own for the first time ever. We made the best of it with a huge brunch, homemade cake (see last week’s new thing) and our own Easter Egg hunt. We finished the day with a family nap! So, as hard as it was to be away on what is usually a very family-oriented day, we made the most of it with our own family.
Trish ~
My new thing this week was to do one kind and completely random thing each day. I forgot 2 days, but the other 5 were a mixture of kind words and helping out. It was fun to have a little secret mission each day. I think next week I’m going to do something similar!
Angie ~
For this week, my new thing was that I purchased and wore an animal print dress. This may not seem like a big deal to most, but I don’t do animal prints. Shirts, shoes, pants, dresses, even purses, I have always steered clear of them, thinking they actually look better on the animal rather than a bag or clothes. It just hasn’t been my style. I was out shopping and saw this really cute dress, and it was an animal print. I loved the style and it fit, so I bought it. I’m happy with it, I just don’t foresee making a habit of turning my closet into a wearable zoo, but I guess one dress does not a zoo make. Rawr!
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 all know that reusable totes are now the thing to carry to the store, market or just around town. We’ve found this gem of a company who does it in style and we’re in love.
“The adventure started in 2007 when Sandrine Cassidy Schmitt set out on a mission to create a line of reusable bags that would give stores and shoppers incentives to reduce and ultimately replace paper and plastic shopping bags.
After sporting her own jute shopping bags in public and getting spontaneous reactions to them, Sandrine realized that people were attracted to her bags for their natural materials, their practicality and style. With this premise and the commitment June 15, Inc. has to the environment, we succeeded in creating an original line of products that reflects both the values we honor, and a sense of design that excites us…” In addition,
• Each bag sold and used contributes to overall waste reduction and benefits dedicated environmental organizations through our donation policy
• Our stock in the US is packed by Americans with disabilities
We’re very excited to introduce June 15 to Birmingham and to give away THIS adorable bag – just perfect for you mommies out there! Giveaway begins April 16, 2010.
Have you ever realized how your life as a Mom could easily read as an ad in the Personals?
SAHM seeks other local Moms with children ages 2-4. Must enjoy parks, zoo, gossip and afternoon playdates. (wine optional) If interested call: 555-1234.
If you’re new to Birmingham, are a new mom, or new to having more than one child, maybe looking for a local Moms Group would be a great way to branch out and meet other Moms in the area.
Here are a few things to consider when looking for a group for you and the wee-ones.
1. Location, Location, Location. Make sure to pick a group that is convenient to where you live. While most groups in and around the Birmingham area will have meetups at our city hot spots, like McWane or the zoo, if they have members predominately from one area of town then those are the ladies who will be hosting in-home playdates. If you live in Trussville, it may not make geographical sense for you to pick a group centered around Alabaster. If you have older kids in school for a 1/2 day, or new babies that are on tight feeding schedules, you will end up spending a lot of time in the car and not a lot of time hanging with other Moms.
2. Size doesn’t always matter. Looking for a group with a certain number of ladies is not a great way to narrow down your choice. While a group may boast a membership of 75 Moms, ask the organizer how many of those are truly active members. Usually you will have a small core group of Moms that participate in most every event, it could realistically be about half of the groups overall member number. Some people think bigger is better, bigger pond, more chance of finding someone that you click with. If a group is on the large size, ask how playdates and events are broken down. The last thing you want in a group is a massive playdate where 6 year olds are mingling with or mauling the infants.
3. Group Requirements. Find out in advance what is expected of you as a member. Are you required to attend a certain number of events in a month, or a quarter? Are you required to host a certain number of playgroups at your house? Some requirements may not be suitable for your schedule or lifestyle.
Other things to consider are group fees. Most groups charge them but they are usually minimal. Look for a group with a Message Board, they are a great way to find support and advice from other Moms going through the same thing or from Moms that have been there, done that. Ask about the days they usually have their events, many groups focus mostly on weekdays, with very limited events scheduled on the weekends. Calendars that are updated in advance are a good sign of an organized Organizer, and it helps when you’re planning you’re personal appointments to know what’s going on in advance so you don’t miss out on something you really wanted to experience with your group.
Don’t be afraid of groups that require a face to face meeting before allowing you to join them. This is typically a measure of security, to make sure that you are who you say you are via your email or online application. No one wants some pervert having access to all of the information you can typically find on the message boards or sites. Think of it also as a chance for you to meet with the group leaders and discuss any questions you may have about the way the group runs. Make sure it’s a good fit for everyone involved.
Now, with that said, how does one go about finding a group, you ask? Here is a list of some of the local groups for you to consider.
Birmingham Area Mothers of Multiples: Support group for mothers of twins, triplets, quads or more. Serving the greater Birmingham area. Website
Moms League of Birmingham: For all Moms of babies, toddlers, and Pre-k! Looking for Rookies, Pros and even Mom’s to be. Join them for trips to the zoo, local parks, storytime, playdates, and much more. Website
Chubby Cherubs: Jefferson & Shelby County. Guardian’s and cherub’s that like to get together and have fun. Involved in all Jefferson & Shelby County events that include Story Times at different Library’s, Craft Fairs, School Fairs, Festivals, Parks & Recreation, Our new Safe House, The Humane Society, the Zoo and much more! Website
Mommys Munchkins: A diverse group of moms, in the Hoover/280 area, of all ages and personalities. A mix of SAHM and Working Moms. Playgroups are targeted for children ages 3 and under. Activities include in-home playgroups, trips to the mall, park and zoo and mom’s night out! Website
Moms n More: A modern group of ladies who get together at least twice a week. In-home playgroups, trips to the park, zoo, movies, mom’s night out, and many other fun events! Website
Mommy Network of Ross Bridge: A group of fun-loving Moms who live in Ross Bridge in Hoover, AL. Website
Pitter Patter Playgroup: A playgroup that is targeted around the age of 4 and under. The purpose is to involve, inform and connect with other SAHM’s & their children in the area and in your similar situation. Offering plenty of playgroups, crafts, MNO’s, holiday parties and other social gatherings on the calendar.
Moms Club of Birmingham – Inverness: Non profit Organization, for Stay at Home Moms the club includes mothers of children of all ages. Zip codes for this chapter are: 35242, 35243, 35094, 35147, 35186, 35043 Website
Moms Club of Birmingham – South: Non profit Organization, for Stay at Home Moms the club includes mothers of children of all ages. Zip codes for this chapter are: 35111, 35080, 35114, 35115, 35124, 35040, 35007, 35202, 35021, 35022, 35023 Website
Moms Club of Birmingham – Over the Mountain – Website
MOPS (Moms of Preschoolers) – MOPS stands for Mothers of Preschoolers. MOPS International exists to meet the needs of every mom – urban, suburban and rural moms, stay-at-home and working moms, teen, single and married moms – moms with different lifestyles who all share a similar desire to be the very best moms they can be! Website
** There will be a Membership open house for Moms Club of Birmingham – Over the Mountain Chapter on Friday, April 23rd at 10am. This ice cream social will take place at Homewood park, and they will try to set up at the pavilion closest to the playground.
Alright, so now you are armed with the knowledge you need to make an informed decision on joining a local group. Come back and let us know how your new group is working out for you!
New this week!
