My new thing this week was participating in an organized run. I “ran” in the fun run part of Gabe’s Hope Heart to Sole. I just started the whole running thing, so I took a baby step and stuck to the 1 mile fun run. It was really cold and I’m really whiny, so it’s probably best that I went small. It did make me feel good and I am planning to do a 5K very soon.
Angie –
This week, I took all 3 of the girls to the park by myself. I’m really not a bad Mommy, I’ve taken them to the park before, but this time we went with no strollers, no wagons, no friends. It was just me, the girls and this very large play area. Luckily it wasn’t packed and I was able to manage a good 45 minutes before I thought I was going to have a panic attack. It was nice to prove to myself that I can do this whole parenting of multiples thing.
Jamie –
I tried a new blow dryer this week and it sucked. I want my old turbo-powered, dry your hair in a second, blow dryer back. The husband destroyed it and I replaced it with a pale imitation. This week’s new thing was a fail.
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 love conversation hearts, pretty little folded valentines and roses galore. But we thought we’d share a few fresh ideas we found here or there, to spruce up Valentine’s Day this year – and have some fun while we you’re at it!
1. Bear Hugs
Supplies needed:
Red & white M&M’s or red/white candy corn
chocolate teddy grahams
cellophane bags
ribbon
tags or paper scraps to label.
For a really sweet Valentine’s Day treat – mix up some red and white M&M’s or red and white candy corn with chocolate teddy grahams. Fill up a small cellophane bag with about 1/2 cup of the mixture. Tie on some gorgeous red ribbon (or pink!) with an attached tag that reads: Bear Hugs from Jane (insert child’s name). You can also use goldfish crackers instead of teddy grahams and call it “Fish Kisses”.
2. Marshmallow pops
Supplies needed:
Large marshmallows
Chocolate bark or melting chocolate
Popsicle sticks
sprinkles or confetti
small cellophane bags
ribbon
tags from art paper, fun scrapbook paper or even scraps of paper bags
Grab a bag of Popsicle sticks, large marshmallows, chocolate bark and some red, white & pink sprinkles. Put the marshmallow on the Popsicle stick, dip the marshmallow in the melted chocolate, then carefully sprinkle the confetti sprinkles over the chocolate. Then lay the Popsicle down on wax paper to cool and harden. Then using small cellophane bags or a square of wax paper, cover the top of the Popsicle, secure with a beautiful ribbon and attach your Valentine’s wishes on a sweet little tag.
3. Handmade Valentine’s Day Cards
Supplies needed:
plain white prepackaged cards and envelopes – available at craft stores
red or pink acrylic paint
a dish sponge
Before you say you don’t have time – think about how much time this will entertain the kids. Not to mention how proud they’ll be of the final result!
Grab a dish sponge and cut it into a heart shape – use a small cookie cutter as a pattern if needed. (Just dip the cookie cutter in some paint or use a stamp pad and transfer the design to the sponge.
Dampen the sponge and wring it out so that it’s pliable but barely wet. Alongside your child (at least for the first few), dip the sponge into the red, pink or white acrylic paint and then “stamp” the heart shape onto your white card. Have your child write or draw on the inside – no matter what it reads it will say “love”
We just recently learned about a program that we needed to share, it’s too good to keep to ourselves really. It involves wearing your children out so they will hit the sack without a fight come bedtime.. You can send your thank you’s through the comment section, you’re welcome.
One of our sponsors, Birmingham Adventure Bootcamp has announced a program designed to get your children active and to help build a positive attitude towards exercise. Their goal for this 5 week program is to build strength, agility, speed, coordination and flexibility…. and did we mention wearing them out so they will fall into bed without a fight?
Beginning February 8th and running through March 12, this Bootcamp is for children ages 10-14. For more information or to register go here.
Spring Break is right around the corner. Why not take a 2 hour drive and have some serious fun in Chatty? The Tennessee Aquarium is one of the highest rated aquariums in the country. Our friends have given us not only 4 passes to the aquarium, but also 4 passes to the six story IMAX theater, and 4 passes to the Children’s Museum! That’s a lot of fun for zero dollars!
(If you would like to make it a weekend, here are some deals on hotels that the Aquarium has hooked up for ya!)
To enter – just comment below. (1 entry per day)
Additional entry #1- Subscribe to our newsletter, it’s on the bottom right side of the main page of our site. If you already subscribe, that will count as an entry too. This additional entry is only available once. – **if you choose the extra entry, please return to the comment on our site and tell us you subscribed or are a current subscriber– otherwise it won’t count** (You can only do this once)
Additional entry #2, tweet this: @BirminghamMommy is giving away a 4 pack of tix to @TNAquarium ! Enter once a day through February 17! ” – **if you choose the extra entry, please return to the comment on our site and tell us you tweeted – otherwise it won’t count** (1 tweet per day will count)
**Please note! The Contest has ENDED – Winner to be announced later today. Good luck to all and thank you for entering and visiting us at Birminghammommy.com! **
One of my favorite things to do each Valentines day is help to my kids make Valentines for Children’s hospital. We’ve been doing it since my art obsessed 4 year old was old enough to hold a crayon. A lot of libraries will accept homemade cards or will have a place set up in the children’s department for you to come in and make the cards.. Here’s a list of locations participating this year.
Hoover Public Library
Children are invited to bring homemade and store-bought valentines to the Hoover Public Library to receive a holiday prize.
The Library is collecting homemade and store-bought valentines (NO CANDY) for the patients at Children’s Hospital. Bring signed valentines to the preschool desk and receive a holiday prize.
February 1 – 11
Emmett O’Neal Library
Stop by the library to help create a Valentine treasure for a child at Children’s Hospital. All week, during library hours, the children’s department will have materials available for supervised children to get crafty and help put a smile on the face of a child who is sick.
February 1st – 5th
Birmingham Public Library
Share your talents by making Valentines for the children who are in Children’s Hospital. Brighten someone’s life!
Now – February 10
West End Meeting Room
Join in and help us make get well valentines for the kids at Children’s Hospital. Supplies provided
Contact: Denise Ford 205-226-4089 dford@bham.lib.al.us
February 4th – 3:30 – 4:30
My in-laws bought us a Wii for Christmas. It was a great present. It’s frivolous, and it encourages delusional behavior – both qualities I find desirable in a gift.
One of my favorite features of the Wii is a digital version of paper dolls. Users can create a player, a “Mii,” in great detail. A Mii can be bald or have pig-tails, sport a bushy unibrow or a large mole, wear dark sunglasses or a thick beard.
I won’t tell you how much time I have spent creating Mii’s – my little alter-egos – because it might make you a little bit afraid for me. Let’s just say I have a few from which to choose, but I always send Tami bowling on my behalf.
Tami is everything I am not. She is tall and tan and cool under pressure. And she is a fabulous bowler.
Channeling Tami, I have racked up the points in Wii bowling, so when we decided to hit the real-life bowling alley a couple weeks ago, I was looking forward to showing off.
Because Wii, of course, is just like real life.
My mom was in town, so it was the perfect time to go. With three adults on hand, one of us could chase 18-month-old Belly around the bowling alley to make sure she didn’t lick the pinball machines, and two of us could hang out with 3½ -year-old Miss D. and teach her to bowl.
I don’t know why I thought I was qualified to teach anyone how to bowl.
With the exception of 15 disastrous minutes last summer when I mistakenly thought I could take both girls bowling by myself, I haven’t participated in this sport since long before we moved here from New England. At home, years ago, we went candlepin bowling. Candlepin bowling balls fit in the palm of one’s hand and don’t require the player to shove her fingers into tiny holes.
If one has the right technique, the size of the balls should not matter, but it does. Ahem. Those little balls make it much easier to knock down the pins, even if you are not a beautiful and skilled Mii named Tami. That is not to say candlepin bowling is not a serious sport; the pot-bellied men who play it on local TV every Saturday morning in the Boston viewing area certainly look serious about it.
I was a little nervous when I saw the size of the bowling balls people use here, but Miss D. looked confident. She picked out her ball and headed up to the lane to take her turn. With the bumpers up, Miss D. really couldn’t go wrong. She dropped her ball, and it slowly, slooowly, slooooowly made its way down the lane and nudged the pins. The pins reacted well to this technique.
My husband, my mother and I should have put the bumpers up on our turns, as well, because Wii-skills aside, we were very bad bowlers. Miss D. crushed us. Then she gloated.
I’ve been loath to hang out with Tami since my shaming at the bowling alley. She steered me wrong, she gave me a false sense of confidence, and I fear she did it all on purpose. Hussy.
I’m moving on. I have a new Mii – Bertha. She has a huge wart on her chin; gray, braided hair and thick glasses. She’s a horrid bowler, but she’s showing some promise on the tennis court.
Yeah, tennis. I think I could be really good at that.
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.
This week, I made macaroni and cheese. New thing? Well wait until you read the recipe. It’s a rich, brie-based macaroni and cheese with gobs of butter and whatnot.
So, was this your mama’s mac and cheese – probably not. But if so, I’d like to meet your mama. Get the recipe here
Trish:
My new thing this week was making sushi! Up until a few months ago, I was a sushi-hater. Then I tried some that was fresh, crisp, and cool in my mouth. And now I crave it basically all the time. So I decided to make it myself. I was very nervous about the rice and the rolling technique. As it turns out, having a rice cooker takes the pressure (literally!) off of you. It was perfect! And layering everything out and rolling it was a blast! We made a night of it and had so much fun. Special thanks to “Precious Sweetie,” the fish man at Whole Foods who made sure I had sushi grade fish and prevented us from food poisoning. 😉 We’ll definitely be making sushi often in the future.
Angie:
In my attempt to spice up our weekly Taco Tuesday around here, I tried a new recipe that was a win for the whole family. Riveting, I know. I’ll try to be more creative next week!
Tacos in Pasta Shells:
12 ounces dried jumbo shell pasta
2 6-oz jars salsa
2 1/2 pounds of ground beef
6 ounces of cream cheese
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
chopped tomato (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse with cold water; drain again.
2. Meanwhile, divide about 1-cup of the salsa between two ungreased 2-quart rectangular baking dishes, spreading evenly. Set aside. In an extra-large skillet, cook ground meat over medium heat until brown. Drain fat. Stir in cream cheese and chili powder, cool slightly.
3. Spoon meat mixture into cooked pasta shells. Arrange filled shells on top of salsa in dishes. Tips with remaining salsa.
4. Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes more or until heated through. If desired, sprinkle with tomato. Makes 12 servings.
And don’t be shy, add sour cream, black beans, or any thing you like with your tacos, it’s a great recipe for being creative!
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!
While getting my hair done the other day, I was expressing the tragedy that is my closet to my stylist, and she recommended I check out Charming Charlie. She said their jewelry alone was amazing and their clothes were really cute. She was so right.
Since I was kid free, I mosied on up the hill to the Summit Shopping Center and walked into the most colorful, most vibrant accessory and clothing boutique I have been into in a very long time. It’s this fun candy land of beautiful jewelry, scarves and handbags. Everything is color coordinated and it’s so easy to find the perfect accessory to match the trendy new outfit you will have to buy when you realize their prices are so affordable you can get the outfit and accessories without breaking the bank…
Any store that can combine selection, style and value, gets our vote! So, next time you are out and about, put this store on your to-do list.
Spring Break is just around the corner and we could all use a little getaway. Here at BirminghamMommy, we know when it’s time to head out of town and we know where to go… Chattanooga! The Tennessee Aquarium is one of the highest rated aquariums in the country. Chattanooga has so many family friendly attractions and is only about 2 hours away, so it’s a must visit city. And to help your purses out, we’re going to giveaway a Family 4 pack of tickets to the Tennessee Aquarium. And after the aquarium, we have 4 tickets to the IMAX Theater and 4 tickets to the Children’s Museum! It’s a great way to get an affordable vacation! Stay tuned for how to enter!
If you are like most married couples, a night out on the town sans kids is a rare but much needed and welcome treat. BirminghamMommy.com has some ideas for you, just in case you can manage a few precious moments of kid free time for Valentine’s day.
Hosted by the Children’s Dance Foundation. “Takes Two to Tango” will help you think outside the box of chocolates… Mesmerize your partner with a close embrace of staccato steps that is the mysterious and passionate Tango. You will enjoy dessert, drinks and a Tango lesson taught by none other than Dancing with the Stars, Fabian Sanchez!! And no ladies, you can’t leave your husband at home for this one… It’s $75 per couple, and proceeds benefit the Children’s Dance foundation. It is limited to 30 couples so make sure you register soon. Saturday February 13th, 7:00p – 9:30p * FINE PRINT: guest artist is subject to change in the event of an unexpected media engagement.
Two left feet? Check out the Valentine’s Special going on at the Alabama Theater. Cuddle up next to your Valentine and listen as the Organist plays love songs just before showing Casablanca. The music will begin at 6:30, followed by a cartoon sing a long and the movie immediately following.February 13, 7:00pm All seats are $7.00 and available at the box office 1 hour before showtime.
If you’re one of those couples fortunate enough to have a spend the night sitter, (we won’t hold it against you) how about a romantic spend the night at the beautiful Renaissance Ross Bridge Resort and Spa? Book a room and take advantage of one of he spa’s Valentine’s Specials. A massage, pedicure or body scrub would be a nice relaxing way to spend this holiday. Really, can you think of anything better? We can’t. Packages range from $140 for the “Puppy Love” Massage, up to $425 for the “Forget me Not” which includes a 75 minute couples massage, with 2 Ross Bridge Robes in your color of choice.
Once you’ve been massaged and scrubbed, have dinner at the Resort. Try Brock’s, a Mediterranean restaurant, boasting an array of tapas and an extensive wine list. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Many, local restaurants offer special Valentine’s Day menus. Check Bottega, Satterfields, Shula’s, or Veranda on Highland. The menu’s look incredible, but make sure to get your reservation in early, they are sure to fill up. Should you choose Shula’s think about making a romantic overnight stay at the Winfrey Hotel. A safe way to enjoy some wine and not have to worry about driving.
Unfortunately not everyone will have the chance to get out of the house this Valentine’s Day, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a romantic night at home. Give the kids an early dinner (may we suggest something high in Tryptophan?) put them to bed early, then enjoy a nice romantic evening at home. Pick up a special sweet from Crave Chocolatier, order dinner in, or try your hand at cooking together. Get out those neglected massage oils (you know you have them, stop blushing.) and have fun. It’s all about being together with the one you love, no matter where you are.
Have something special you can share? What’s your favorite date night spot? We would love to hear your ideas!
*MORE FINE PRINT: BirminghamMommy.com is not responsible for any baby making that happens as a result of these awesome Valentine’s Day ideas we have provided. Celebrate carefully and at your own risk.
