Need a quick getaway? Well, instead of escaping to the beach – escape to the mountains and take in that crisp air!
A great family spot to hit up is Wilderness at the Smokies in Sevierville, TN. Just a 4 hour trip, it’s a fantastic resort for kids and their parents. There are indoor (and outdoor – but we don’t think you’ll be up for those right now) water parks and the new indoor water raft ride, Runaway Canyon just opened in November! There’s even something for the itty bitty’s – Minnow Marsh is the perfect escape for the minnows in your family with its zero depth pool and tot-swings.
The other plus: the rooms aren’t your typical hotel rooms. The 2 bedroom premier has 1218 Square Feet with a kitchen, living room, and sleeping for 12!! That means plenty of room for you – and plenty of room for the kids!
There’s nothing like a good pair of jeans. Am I right, or am I right? And you know, as well as I do that when you get that great pair of jeans, you wear them until they fall apart. But, there is a problem when shopping for jeans – you seem to have to go through 400 pair to find that “oh so right” fit. Well, fear not Birmingham Moms! We’ve consulted the city’s experts and are here to deliver the dish!
Jeff and Kathleen Tenner, owners of SOCA clothing in Homewood, have agreed to spill their secrets and help you find just the pair of jeans you need (because come on, good jeans are a necessity). Here’s what Jeff had to say:
What information should we know before we go jean shopping (typical size, body shape, measurements,…)
The most important thing to know is what you already have so we can fill the gaps in your denim wardrobe. Our sales associates will be able to pick appropriate fits and sizes for your body shape. So unless you have a preconceived notion about buying a particular style of jeans, our associates will steer you in the direction of a jean that flatters your figure the best.
How long should we be prepared to spend to find the right jean? How many pairs should we be willing to try?
Our employees are trained to be able to find a pair of jeans that will fit you correctly within the first three that you try on. This does not mean that you will definitely purchase one of those, but within the first three we should have a good idea of what fits you the best and what flatters your figure, then we can pull you as many jeans as you wish that are good for your body and determine what wash or color you prefer in a particular style.
To make sure that you leave with your next favorite pair of jeans, you should be prepared to try on at least 5 pairs.
How can going to a boutique or store that specializes in jean fit be beneficial to us? Why is denim good investment clothing?
I can’t speak for every boutique, but at SOCA we train our associates to be able to help you find the perfect pair of jeans as quickly and as easily as possible. We also have the largest selection of denim in the city to choose from.
Denim is a great investment because depending on what you do on a daily basis, you can wear it all the time.
Most importantly is the way denim makes us feel. Having the confidence of knowing you look great in your jeans makes your day.
What tips can you give us on things to look for to get a more flattering fit (yoke design, back pocket position/embellishments, wash…)
The designers use pocket placement, embellishments, and other tricks to flatter, hide or accentuate different features of our bodies. Depending on your particular body style, we can help you pick the perfect pair for you.
How much stretch is too much? As moms, we’re up, down, moving all around – how can we get comfort but not show off our “assets” at the same time?
Most of our denim has 2% elastin for stretch. Our associates know which jeans stretch more than others. The weight of the denim used in production as well as the wash and any treatments done to the jeans all play a roll in how much the jeans will stretch.
For Moms on the go, which is all of them, we suggest a mid-rise jean. This allows you to be up and down with the kids, while keeping your “assets” hidden. These jeans still have a flattering and sexy look.
What are the current trends in denim and what can we expect to see more of in the future?
Right now it is really a buyers market in the world of denim because there is so much to choose from. Most of the jeans made have a 34” inseam, however the manufacturers have listened to the public and have made many styles available in petite as well as extra long. There is a very good chance you will be able to find a pair that fits you perfectly and needs no hemming at all, however if you do have to have them altered in some way, most alterations places are very familiar with how to do it correctly and can reattach the original hem to maintain the authentic look. If you do take your jeans to be altered, make sure you wash them first and always wash your designer denim in cold water, inside out, and let them hang to dry.
The current trend is jeans with abrasions, skinny jeans, denim leggings, and black jeans. The top designers always also offer the traditional fits such as bootcut and flare, as well as traditional washes in basic dark, medium and light blues. The future is wide open in the world of denim as more and more companies produce different styles and try to compete with the major denim companies. For Birmingham Mommy’s, we would recommend starting with the basics in your denim wardrobe and then venturing out whatever trend is the flavor of the month. Either way you go, SOCA has plenty of choices for you.
Welcome to our first edition of 52 New Things! Where we’re going to try a new thing a week and share it with you. We hope you’ll do the same and share it with us! Here are the results of our first week (last week):
Angie –
My New Thing for this week is a fashion trend I’ve been refusing to embrace. Leggings. I’m not sure If I thought I was too old, not the right shape, or afraid of going against something that both Tim Gunn and Stacy London frown upon. I already have enough fashion “don’ts” in my closet to land me on a seasons worth of What Not To Wear…. At the encouragement of my friends I finally caved and bought a pair in black, and what can I say except that I absolutely LOVE. THEM. I have probably worn them 4 times in the past week. They are actually very practical for a Mom of 3, who knew? A long sweater, leggings and boots are almost (almost) as comfortable as my yoga pants!
Trish –
My new thing for this week was repurposing a table. I just so happen to be in the middle of redecorating our guest room into a playroom/guestroom combination. I was looking for ways to create play areas for the play room portion of the room, but I didn’t want it to look like a typical toy room since our guests will be sleeping in there. And since my son needs a train table desperately, I decided to make a nontypical one. I used our old kitchen table which is pub style, so all I had to do was cut the legs off. Then I positioned the leaves in the table to make it a square and placed a screw through the middle so the leaves no longer move. (We worried they would pinch fingers with any moving parts.) And might I say, Martha move over!! Our train table is unique and free!
Jamie –
My new thing this week was cooking with turnips & leeks. Something that until last week, I’d managed to never do in my entire life. Shocking – and how unexciting – but this is the life I live 😀 I made a fabulous “clean eating” version of chicken pot pie that was one of the most incredible “comfort” meals I’d ever had! So good and so good for me. (You can find the recipe in the Jan/Feb 2010 issue of Clean Eating)
If you’d like to participate in 52 new things along with BirminghamMommy, Birmingham Bargain Mom 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 Tuesday!
When I found out that I was pregnant with my first daughter, who is now 4 years old, one of the many “freak out” moments I had didn’t have so much to do with “how is the baby going to be extracted from my body?” or the “life long responsibility I was about to be taking on,” but more along the lines of Holy Crap! Am I doomed to a life of music from big purple dinosaurs and grown men that like to dress up and “wiggle.”
I have always loved music, all kinds. Rap, country, pop, alternative, you name it, and it’s probably on my ipod. I decided during that first pregnancy that I didn’t have to concede to a life of mind numbing children’s music that was the equivalent to nails on a chalk board. I would not lose complete control over the radio in the car every time we went to the library for story time. I would prevail with the likes of Coldplay and John Mayer by my side.
So that is where my search began. I scoured my cds, itunes, websites, and every other source of music I could find, bound and determined to find some common ground. Music that my child (now children) would love and wouldn’t drive me (like the wheels on the bus) round and round to the nut house.
I started creating playlists that were mixed with some of my music and some fun and different types of children’s songs. It’s amazing what you can find if you dig a little.
We hope that you and your children will enjoy this list. It is based on the first playlist I ever created for my daughter, we called it “Car songs” (Yeah, so no points for creativity there.) In this new monthly feature “The Juicebox Jukebox,” we will attempt to offer you fun alternatives that will make car time, playgroups and bedtime enjoyable for everyone…
Thanks for inviting us to guest blog on birminghammommy.com. It’s been an awesome week. Our book Bitches on a Budget: Sage Advice for Surviving Tough Times in Style, was just released and has been #1 in the “Hot New Releases Category in Consumer Behavior” on Amazon. In addition to writing for the Huffington Post, our daily blog bitchesonabudget.com and our incredibly active Fan page on Facebook, we’re working on a television series for The Bitches! So exciting.
The book, Bitches on a Budget, is about living smart, having fun, being wise. It’s a compendium of smart tips and thoughtful advice about living a stylish life for less. It’s fun, ironic, bawdy and filled with practical advice. The ten chapters cover everything from: shopping, to exercise, to healthy eating, to wheels, to travel, to home décor, to food, to pets (pamper the bitch). A modern woman just can’t (even if she could afford to) consume everything in her path. After all, nothing is less attractive than a bloated bitch.
A little taste from our book published by the New American Library division of Penguin books.
“Budget is Not a Dirty Word
Fiscal responsibility is like monogamy… if you think it’s boring, you’re doing it wrong. Since when has budget been a dirty word? After all, we’re not talking chastity belts, abstinence rings, knee-jerk denial. Think of budget as just another way to say edit. The key to good living is in using your limited resources wisely– we’ll show you how to hitch your mind to that little lust engine that’s driving you. The end result? You’ll make smarter shopping decisions. Bargain buys will replace designer labels as your new badge of honor. Besides, since you want to be a good green citizen of the world, it’s time to stop consuming everything in your path. Nothing is less attractive than a bloated bitch.
Be a Bitch, Bitch
Bitch isn’t a bad word, either. We’re proud to be modern women. Women who know what we want and aren’t afraid to get it; women with the sense to edit the good from the bad; women who choose to live with style and with conscience. Independent women who say what they think, are in touch with our femininity, and know how to enjoy our pleasures. Hell we make less than men do by the hour, work harder and produce more value (just think about it, can they have babies?). It’s time to stand proud, Bitch. “
The North Shelby Library is proud to be participating in Reading with Ringling Bros.
You can receive a FREE ticket to the Circus
appearing Jan. 27-31 at the BJCC Arena (for kids 2-12)
Here’s how it works: 1. Ask a staff member in the Children’s Department for a Rewards Club Card. 2. Fill in the information on the back of the card. 3. Your Rewards Club Card must be stamped by your librarian after completing and returning each book. 4. You must complete four books and receive four stamps in order to receive your FREE ticket. 5. Bring your Rewards Club Card to the Childrens’ Department to be stamped. 6. Present your Rewards Club Card to the Box Office at the BJCC Arena Jan 4th – 31st for your free ticket. 7. To ensure seating, redeem your Rewards Club Card in advance of your desired performance.
Your dance, theatre, church or school group can be in the National Tour of THE WIZARD OF OZ for all eight performances when it comes to the Broadway Across America appearance in Birmingham in March. This is by far one of the coolest things we’ve heard of coming to the Magic City and can’t wait to hear about your little munchkin’s involvement with the production!
Auditions are January 30th at the Riverchase Galleria. For more information, visit this site: http://www.wizardofozontour.com/ and click on Munchkinland!
A great gift idea for the whole family! 101 Dalmations the Musical is coming to Birmingham!
January 12-17
One of the world’s greatest classic tales hits the stage for the first time with THE 101 DALMATIANS MUSICAL. Audiences will be transported to a slightly topsy-turvy, exciting, and altogether fantastic reality that gives grand license for song, dance and spectacle in a one-of-a-kind theatrical experience!
Well, mingling with Martha herself might actually be wishful thinking on our part, but BirminghamMommy.com will be blogging live, January 14th from the Martha Stewart show in New York City!
We are so excited that we have been chosen to participate in this special blog themed episode, where we and all others in the audience will blog throughout the one hour taping of the show. BirminghamMommy submitted an online questionnaire about our site on the Martha Stewart Show Website and were pleasantly surprised when a few days later we received an email inviting us to participate.
We think this is a great opportunity for us to represent Birmingham and all the moms in our community that support us.
Stay Tuned for more updates on how BirminghamMommy.com takes on New York City, make sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for up to the minute details of our trip!
No ladies, we’re not talking about eating disorders, we’re talking about what seems like thousands of new toys and “things” that have found their way into your houses over the holidays. It’s a new year and it’s time to make some space, or sign up for an episode of Hoarders, it’s up to you.
-Get some big boxes. Label one “To Give” and start filling it liberally with things you don’t need or use on a semi-regular basis. Example: At one point, I unknowingly owned 3 crock pots. And guess what I never do? Cook simultaneously in 3 crockpots. Be gone I say! You can truck off to the Salvation Army or call Hannah Home or The Foundry to come to your doorstep and pick it up for you. It just doesn’t get easier.
-A great way to get rid of some of those “handy” kitchen utensils is to dump everything into a box and put it under the sink. As you need an item, pull it out of the box and put it in the utensil drawer. At the end of the month, what’s left in the box can go!
– If you’re feeling up to it, label one box “To Sell” and start adding the items that you paid a fortune for and just can’t justify giving away. But be aware, this means you WILL have to have a yard sale in the Spring.
– Don’t spend a fortune on fancy storage units. Try to think of ways to store things that are free. I use the kids’ old beatup lunchboxes to hold small items or pieces, like matchbox cars or Mr. Potato Head pieces. How many pairs of shoes does one stinking potato NEED anyway? Another tip: Keep the Publix plastic bags easy to store and get to with an old baby wipe dispenser. (That’s an Angie tip!)
– Sentiment is for the weak. Just because someone gave it to you doesn’t mean you have to keep it, or display it. Keep the quilt your great grandmother made, but toss the candle that smells like feet that your Aunt Julie gave you.
– Toys are meant to be played with. Kids can’t play with 60 things at a time. Leave out 15 and store the rest in a closet or under the bed tub. An added bonus to this system is when you cycle out and pull some of the stored stuff out, they think it’s Christmas all over again!
– Stand back and look at your room. Then put on your MINIMIZE glasses. Does that knick knack bring meaning to the room or just look like more stuff. Less is more!
– Baby steps! Do one pantry or small room so you can finish it and see the beauty of improvement. It will build you up to tackle the playroom. Or, it will make you start shutting the door to the playroom. The sense of pride you’ll feel at tackling and completing something is so gratifying. Maybe you’ll get addicted to the adrenaline high and get the whole house done in no time! Or again, shut doors until you get to that room.
There are indoor (and outdoor – but we don’t think you’ll be up for those right now) water parks and the new indoor water raft ride, Runaway Canyon just opened in November! There’s even something for the itty bitty’s – Minnow Marsh is the perfect escape for the minnows in your family with its zero depth pool and tot-swings.
