It seems like each year there is an Elf on the Shelf Creativity, my facebook feed is constantly filled with all of these crazy creative things that my Mommy peers are doing with their Elf, all while ours pretty much just sits on his shelf forgetting to even move most nights. So, if you’re like me, not super creative but would like to step it up a notch, here are 31 things you can do with your Elf that will make you feel like a Elf parent rock star.

* Please note that we are strongly opposed to Elves making messes that you will have to clean up, these are quick, easy and take very little effort.

1. Zip Line. This does not have to include an obstacle course or anything resembling Mission Impossible. Some fishing line across the room will suffice.

2. “Snowball” fight using marshmallows and various other characters that might be out of their storage boxes for the holidays. Snowmen, Santa, bring out some Smurfs, Barbies and Action Figures if you need to.

3. Build a fort or igloo with big marshmallows and hide your elf there. Have little marshmallows located around as “snowballs” Or just use a Picture frame to hide behind.

4. Have him/her eating a bowl of cereal

5. Sporty Elf. Dress him up and have him rooting for your favorite sports team.

6. Horseback riding. Easily done with American Girl Doll Horses..

7. Play a board game with stuffed animal friends or action figures

8. Write an amazing letter of all the wonderful qualities your Elf has witnessed in your child.

9. Use your exercise equipment for an Elf Workout. Run on treadmill, sit on bike..

10.  Make a super hero out of your elf. Give him a cape or cut out a superELF logo and pin on him. Have him swinging from a ceiling fan or chandelier.

11. Re-create a scene from one of your child’s favorite movies using your current toys and stuffed lovies. Think Toy Story, Lion King..

12. Elf Planks. (Remember when that was all the rage? )

13. Cruisin’ in the Barbie Car (Dumptruck, racecar…. )

14. Poker Night. Have your Elf sitting playing cards with Barbie or your Action Figures. Throw out some poker chips if you have them

15. If your Elf isn’t much of a gambler have him set up with a game of solitaire.

16. Gamer Elf. Let Elf fire up the Playstation.

17. Locked Out Elf. Have your Elf positioned outside of one of your windows or glass door looking in. Note: It might be helpful to leave a little trail of cheerios or maybe even take the time to cut out a few tiny elf foot prints and have them leading to the door. Otherwise you littles might spend all morning looking for him. (which might not be a bad thing?)

18. Playing dress up in Moms Jewelry.

19. Find an extra Toothbrush and have your Elf brushing his teeth sitting on the bathroom counter

20. Put your Elf in the cookie jar and have some half eaten cookies around. (I don’t consider this a mess, just a chance to eat some cookies)

21. Have your Elf make your childs lunch and/or send a note.

22. Emailing Santa from your computer

23. Drive in movie with Barbie or other similar sized toy. Have them in your RC or Barbie car watching your flatscreen

24. Coloring in your Child’s favorite coloring book.

25. A “Bubble” bath in a bathroom sink with mini marshmallows

26. Riding your Christmas Train

27. Texting or Talking on an old cellphone. If you have 2 old/play phones, have another character somewhere else in your house on the other end of the “conversation.”

28.Hiding in a plant

29. Reading a book

30. Use tiny instruments to make your Elf a rock star. Have him performing a concert for his adoring friends.

31. Fishing.

Have a cute idea to share? We would love to hear about it.

Many homeowners are surprised when they suddenly realize that the “perfect” home they’ve had for just a few years no longer suits their needs. From an expanding family to an empty nest, it’s common for a home to no longer be the right fit. If you’re unsure if you’ve reached the point where a move is warranted, here are a few signs you’ve outgrown your home.

•More Kids than Rooms or More Rooms than Kids – Life changes and our homes must change also. Whether your family is growing or you’ve become and empty nester the number of people in your home is a big determining factor on whether your home still suits your needs.

•Clutter or Lack of Storage – Do you need more closet or storage space?

•Home Office – More and more companies are opting for telecommuting or home office workers, if your kitchen is your office, it might be time to look for a new home with extra room for a home office.

•Outdoor Entertaining – Home design trends over the last couple of decades has seen a rise in outdoor living and entertaining areas. Can your current yard/outdoor area accommodate making changes to give you more space for outdoor living?

•Lifestyle – The square footage might be fine, but you would prefer a different floor plan; more open, single story, more windows to allow for natural light, etc.

Your reasons for moving will be as unique as you are, but these are just a few considerations which indicate that your current home might no longer meet your needs or wants. It’s always a great idea to sit down with your agent to discuss your options and see what’s on the market that might better suit your needs.

Thank you to our site sponsors, Sophia Leece and Scott Boudreaux with LAH Real Estate. For more information on what’s happening in the Birmingham Housing Market, or to schedule a free home buyer/seller consultation, you can reach them:

Sophia Leece, 205.895.9120 | sleece@lahrealestate.com
Scott Boudreaux, 205.835.9787 | sboudreaux@lahrealestate.com

Injuries are the leading cause of death and disability to U.S. children. According to the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, 20 children die each day as a result of preventable injuries – resulting in more deaths than all other diseases combined.

Motor vehicle crashes, choking, burns, falls, drowning and poisoning are just some of the health threats that bring nearly 200 children to the Emergency Department at Children’s of Alabama every day.

“Injuries in children are preventable,” said Kathy Monroe, M.D., medical director of the Children’s of Alabama Emergency Department and professor of pediatrics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “Children’s is participating in National Injury Prevention Day on Nov. 18 to bring awareness to the alarming statistics related to childhood injuries and to help parents and caregivers learn how to anticipate and prevent childhood injuries.”

The rooftop lights at Children’s of Alabama will be lit green on Nov. 18, joining other pediatric hospitals across the country to “help light the way toward child injury prevention.” Doctors in Children’s Emergency Department and the Adolescent Medicine and Primary Care clinics as well as physicians around the state from the Alabama Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics will distribute safety education materials to patient families.

Injuries affect children of all ages. Dr. Monroe and the team of physicians in the Children’s of Alabama Emergency Department offer these age-based tips to protect children from the most common causes of injury.

Infants –  Safe Sleep

There are about 3,500 sleep-related deaths among U.S. babies each year, which occur from accidental suffocation, co-sleeping or sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Risk Factors:

• Placing infants to sleep on their stomach
• Sharing a bed with an adult
• Sleeping on a soft surface or with loose bedding
• Exposure to secondhand smoke

What You Can Do:

• Follow the ABCs of safe sleep: Alone, on his or her Back and in a Crib.
• Put your baby to sleep alone. (Never let the baby sleep in bed with you. It is okay to share a bedroom, but not the same sleeping surface until your child is at least one year old.)
• Put your baby to sleep on his or her back. (Babies should always be placed on their backs when going to sleep for both naps and bedtime.)
• Put your baby to sleep in a crib or bassinet. (This should be completely empty except for one fitted sheet.
• Do not use soft bedding, bumpers, blankets, pillows or soft toys in the crib or bassinet.)

Toddlers – Poisoning

Children of all ages are at risk of poisoning in the home. Young children and toddlers often put what they find in their mouths as a way of exploring their world. Safely storing household medications and products is the best way to prevent your child from accidental poisoning.

Risk Factors:

• Brightly colored or scented cleaning products
• Pills that look like candy
• Toys that have small parts can be a choking hazard

What You Can Do:

• Place cleaning products and chemicals on a high shelf, out of reach of small children.
• Store all medications in a locked place, such as a lockbox or a locked cabinet.
• Do not leave medications out on the counter where children may easily reach them.
• Follow instructions from your doctor or pharmacist to dispose of expired or unused medications

Preschool Children – Drowning

Drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death in U.S. children ages 1 to 4 years. Drowning can be fast and silent. Children can drown in less than 1 inch of water and can occur in bathtubs and toilets, buckets of water, swimming pools and natural bodies of water.

What You Can Do:

• Use childproof doorknob covers and toilet locks to keep unsupervised young children out of the bathroom.
• Empty buckets, inflatable pools, and bathtubs immediately after using them.
• Ensure that all children wear a Coast Guard approved life jacket while boating or around natural bodies of water.
• Enroll children in swim lessons from an early age to learn water safety skills.
• If you have a pool, install a fence that is at least 4 feet tall and surrounds the pool on all four sides. Use self-closing and self-latching gates to keep young children from entering the pool area unattended.

Older Children – Firearms

Firearm-related deaths are the third leading cause of injury-related death among U.S. children. Young children are curious and cannot truly understand how dangerous guns are (even if you have talked to them about gun safety). If your child comes across a loaded gun, he or she can be accidentally hurt or killed, or may hurt or kill others. Teens can be impulsive and may act without thinking.

What You Can Do:

• Keep all guns locked, either with a gun lock or a gun safe.
• Store guns unloaded and away from ammunition.
• If anyone in the house is undergoing treatment for mental health disorders such as depression or suicidal thoughts, remove all firearms from the house for his/her safety.

Adolescents – Motor Vehicle Safety

Motor vehicle collisions are the number one killer of older children and teens. Learning to drive is an exciting time, but inexperience and distractions can put teens at risk.

What You Can Do:

• Properly restrain children in the correct car seat, booster seat or seat belt, depending on their age.
• Discuss car seat safety with your pediatrician, and make sure you learn how to properly install your car seat in your vehicle.
• Do not allow children under age 12 to sit in the front seat of the vehicle.
• Teach teenagers to obey traffic lights and street signs, drive the speed limit and wear a seat belt.
• Remind teenagers not to talk on the phone or text while driving.
• Model good behavior: always wear your own seatbelt while in a vehicle, and check to be sure that your children are wearing theirs.
• ATVs should only be used while wearing a helmet and following the safety instructions from the manufacturer. Never let a child under 16 ride an adult-sized ATV, and never allow more riders than the
• ATV was designed to carry.

All Ages –  Fire Safety

More than 60 percent of all house fires occur in homes without working smoke detectors. It is important to install smoke detectors on each floor of your home. Test smoke detectors frequently.

What You Can Do:

• Change the batteries of your smoke detectors and check that they work every 6 months.
• Have an escape plan from the home in the event of a fire, and practice with your family.
• Place fire extinguishers in the kitchen, basement and garage.
• Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children.
• Teach children what to do in the event of fire: stop, drop, and roll.
• Make sure space heaters do not come in contact with clothing or other flammable materials. Do not keep space heaters in bedrooms.

All Ages – Motor Vehicle Safety

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 19 and under, and more than half of car seats are not used or installed correctly.

What You Can Do:

• Properly restrain children in the correct car seat, booster seat or seat belt, depending on their age.
• Discuss car seat safety with your pediatrician, and make sure you learn how to properly install your car seat in your vehicle.

Visit www.childrensal.org/emergency-department for more information.

The BIG McWane Discount 2020

We’re partnering with the McWane Science Center again this year, and we’re offering Birmingham Moms (and Dads!) some BIG Savings!

We’re offering this AMAZING discount of $20 off any basic membership level to our readers, and it’s good for 1 week only!! November 15th – November 21st.

It’s one of the biggest discounts you will see this year for the McWane Science Center and it’s only available for a limited time through BirminghamMommy.com

Here’s how to take advantage of this deal:

• Use Code BHAMMOMMY20 to purchase online at McWane.org. (click the Bhammommy Logo on the membership page or follow THIS LINK directly)
• Call member services at 205.714.8318, M-F, 8:30a – 4pm
• In person at the Ticketing Desk at the McWane Center
• In person at DIY Crafts in Homewood – during normal store hours Monday – Saturday
• *In person with a BirminghamMommy Representative if COVID-19 restrictions allow. We will update social media if and when we know locations for in person sign ups.

If you’re currently a McWane member, you can renew for next year at this rate!

You can purchase as many of these memberships as you want as gifts! Tip: Call the grandparents, aunts and uncles and let them know this is what your kids want for Christmas. They can mark you off their shopping list and it takes up no space in your house! A win/win for everyone.