Independence Day

Ok, Christmas is far and away my most favorite holiday but 4th of July comes in a close second. I think of things like watermelon, bbq, lakes, sunburns and of course, fireworks. Here's what I could find...

Big KaBoom in Chelsea Park subdivision. Ok, seriously the city of Chelsea is super smart. They are doing their production on July 3rd. Everything starts at 9pm but there is pre-fireworks entertainment at 8pm. The flyer also says free drinks provided by Pepsi. We did this a few years ago and it was amazing. The traffic wasn't so bad then either but I'm sure it will be PACKED this year so get there early!!

American Village Independence Day 1776. The celebration kicks off at 12noon (gates open at 11am) on July 4th. This will cost you $5 for adults and children 6 and over but veterans and military personnel/kids 5 and under are FREE. They are having sack races, meet historical figures and Full Moon BBQ. Fireworks are at dusk.

Thunder on the Mountain. These are shot from Vulcan Park beginning at 9pm on July 4th. Magic 96 has previously done music to coincide with the show. I honestly can't ever find a place worth being with the kids to watch this display. If anyone out there knows of some family friendly spots, please lemme know.

And ok, since Vulcan kind of overshadows all the other stuff around town I have gone beyond my comfort zone and found happenings around the state. Just in case you are planning a weekend getaway.

Spirit of America Festival. Point Mallard Park, Decatur. Miss Point Mallard Pageant, children's activities, musical entertainment, fireworks display. Free. July 3 & 4.

Fourth of July Blast. Lake Martin Amphitheater, Alexander City. Benefit concert followed by fireworks. Admission. 6-10 p.m. July 4.

Boat Parade. Kowaliga Marina, Alexander City. Decorated watercraft parade on the main channel of Lake Martin. Free. July 4.

Firecracker Festival. Athens High School. Games, live music, fireworks. Free. July 4.

Fourth at The Wharf. Lee Greenwood and The Wharf's Fireworks Spectacular. Tickets: $7 per ticketChildren 12 and under in free Military ID gets in four. Call 251-224-1000 or go to www.thewharfal.com. 8 p.m. July 4.July 4th Celebration. Duck Samford Stadium, Auburn. Musical entertainment and fireworks. Free. Gates open at 6 p.m.; entertainment at 7; fireworks at 9. July 4.

July 4th Festival. Smith Lake Park, Cullman. Entertainment, children's activities, fireworks. Admission. July 4.

Freedom on the River. City Landing, Demopolis. Children's parade, fireworks. 6 p.m. Free. July 4.

Family 4th Celebration. National Peanut Festival Fairgrounds, Dothan. Bands all day, car and bike show, kids' activity zone, arts and crafts. Admission. 10 a.m. July 4.

Spirit of Freedom Celebration. McFarland Park, Florence. Entertainment, fireworks. Free. 10 a.m.-10 p.m. July 4.

Watermelon Festival. Festival Park, Grand Bay. Music, games, arts and crafts, all the watermelon you can eat. Admission. 9 a.m. July 4.

4th of July Celebration. Town Park, Grant. Music, crafts, activities, fireworks. 5-9:30 p.m. July 4.

All-American 4th of July Celebration. Civitan Park, Guntersville. Fireworks over Lake Guntersville. Free 9 p.m. July 4.

Music and Fireworks in the Vineyard. Morgan Creek Winery, Harpersville. Music, fireworks, winery tours and tastings. Admission. 6-9 p.m. July 4.

Sand Mountain Potato Festival. Henagar. Music, arts and crafts, entertainment, games, fireworks. 10 a.m. July 4.

For Parents ONLY

For the rare occasion you might get some free time from the kids, here are a few places that offer cold beverages and possibly some great food for CHEAP!!

Courtyard 280 Oyster Bar and Grill. Um, can we say Heck yeah!! These guys are doing Happy Hour every day of the week from 2pm to 7pm..stuff like $5 pitchers and $2 pints and bottles. Monday through Wednesday they have a FREE buffet (wings, snacks, etc) from 5pm to 7pm. They also do a lunch special from 12pm to 4pm with 25cent wings and oysters. They have pool tables, live music and fun stuff like Wii Bowling.

Morgan Creek Winery. They offer free tours and tasting of their wines every day of the week. They are also having a series of concerts this summer, which apparently involve wine and fireworks. The June session was $10 a person but please call to check prices for the other months (it's not listed on the website).

Monnette's in the Lee Branch Shopping Center. Monday through Thursday from 3pm to 6pm it Happy Hour here. They offer 10cent wings, $2 draft pints of Bud Light and $5 martinis/belinis (one of my faves). They also offer discounts on bottled beer and call/rail liquors.

Whole Foods. It seems weird to go "hang out" at the local grocery store but the last event I went to here really seemed like a little party rather than an awkward encounter with employees. Every Monday from 5pm to 7pm they are offering a wine and cheese pairing for $7. It is at the Village Brassiere section (near the bakery). They are also offering a wine sampling for free every Friday from 5pm to 7pm in the wine section. What a way to begin and end your week!!

I also discovered that there is AT LEAST one wine tasting going on around Birmingham every day of the week. Some of these are free, some cost $5 or $6 and some are a little pricey. Click on the hyperlink and choose for yourself...you might become a wine snob by the end of summer LOL.

Shhhh! We're having fun at the library!

I would bet that every public library is having some sort of summer reading program, story time or other great escape from the heat outside. I personally have very fond memories of pouring of the shelves of books looking for just the right one. Being transported to another place with the turn of a page...how exciting!! Here are some events going on around Shelby and Jefferson county.

The North Shelby County Library is having a series of special programs this summer. Honestly, I tried to decipher when to sign up and what age was included and blah blah blah. Lots of the programs have limited space (like 20) and so it seems you would have to go there often to sign up in time for what you wanted.

Vincent Public Library. Be Creative Summer Reading Program will include story time, crafts and food. These run through July only so don't miss out. One advantage for this library is the time is 4pm to 5pm, so you can do all your morning/early afternoon stuff and then wind down at the library before dinner...hopefully this will also be a plus for some working parents that can only do late afternoon stuff.

Alabaster Public Library. They are also doing a Be Creative Summer Reading Program (county wide I'm assuming) but they have TONS of stuff going on. So much that I just linked it to their calendar. Check it out...I saw something on there about a real cow coming this week.

Chelsea Public Library. Their program will be on Wednesdays at 2pm. They also have a Tot Spot Wednesday at 10am for the 2's, 3's and 4's in case the afternoon program isn't appropriate for the littler ones.

Hoover Public Library. WHOA...it's been a while since I've been to this library but they have it packed with loads of stuff to do now. There is a cafe, music gatherings, author readings, kids stuff almost every day. This is definitely worth checking out!

I know I just highlighted a few but just about every city has a public library so please check yours out. You and your kids will have a blast.

The results

Well the princess party was a bit of a bust since my daughter decided she WOULD wear a dress to the thing but WOULD NOT participate in most of the "girly" aspects. She did not want to have her hair done or have her nails painted. Nor did she want a sparkly star tattoo...I did though. The friends we went with were in a bit of the same boat but the mom was able to coax her daughter into getting her nails painted. The people at Lifeway were brave souls, allowing the girls to sit on the carpet while munching on lovely cupcakes and pink punch. The crown craft was probably the highlight of the event and the girls did receive a free magnetic photo frame. The pink limo for pictures outside the event was awesome though it did have a giant dent in one door (I just thought that was funny).

Also, we went to the Alabaster CityFest and WOW! For a free event (even for one we would have paid for) this was really awesome. Parking was daunting but a really wonderful gentleman gave us his VIP parking pass. We gave it to our friends that have 3 kids 3 and under so they wouldn't have to navigate the shuttles and they were able to park right by the stage. There were tons of food vendors (they were PRICEY but fair for this type of event), loads of inflatables and 2 hot air balloons giving rides for the bargain price of $5 (you only had to wait in line forever). All and all, I'd say it was totally worth the time and money. Note for next year though...Since they did deflate the playgrounds at dark, next time we will go much earlier and make it a lunch thing.

Thanks to Alabaster for putting on such an awesome event!!

What's for dinner???

Summer means running around for sports, family gatherings, vacations, you name it. I find myself out and about at meal times...alot. So I've been scouting who has "kids eat free", deals of the week, etc. I really would welcome input on this post, since we are always looking to eat out on a shoestring budget.

Dairy Queen in Chelsea. They have 99 cent kids meals on Monday nights. They were a little vague on what time the deal started (the guy said around 5pm). But what a deal!! The kids meals have 4 choices for the sandwich, fries or applesauce, kids size drink AND dessert (choose 1 of 3 kid sized treats). Granted Mom and Dad will probably splurge a little for them since they are saving so much on the kids but DQ is also offering a menu where you can pick 2 for $3, 3 for $4 or 4 for $5. So everyone can get a treat without breaking the bank!

Chick-Fil-A in Inverness. Every Tuesday night is Kids Night. There is usually a theme and activity (around Valentine's the kids could make a card) If you order a regular combo meal you can receive a free 4 count kids meal or a free 1 strip kids meal. I really enjoy the kids meal here because they do offer a toy but it is usually something of the "useful" variety (books, flashcards, etc) Plus at this location they have disposable placemats and an indoor playground. **The second Friday of July (July 10th this year) anyone that dresses from head to toe like a cow can receive a free combo meal (kids dressed up will get a free kids meal). If you have a cow accesory like earrings or a hat you can receive a free entree. This is for all locations according the website.

O'Charleys in Alabaster. They have kids eat free EVERY night. The restrictions listed were "Kids 10 and under eat free when accompanied by an adult purchasing an entree". The best thing about this is O'Charleys is also offering a Monday-Wednesday special called 2 for $20. This menu offers a drink and an entree (there are 5 to choose from) for 2 people for only $20. I asked the woman that answered the phone at this location if you could use the Monday-Wednesday special in conjunction with the kids eat free and she said yes. So a family of 4 could eat for $20 plus tax and tip. WOW!

Logan's Roadhouse. Monday-Wednesday they are offering 2 meals for $13.99. They have 12 entrees to choose from here. Plus, kids meals are only $2.99. Now one drawback here is that some of the entrees don't include 2 sides and some are lunch portions. But my thinking on that is if you want the two sides or bigger portions, choose one of the others! With so much to choose from..we're talking meatloaf, chicken teriyaki and sirloin, everyone will get what they want.

Goings On June 5 - June 14

Here's a list of some stuff going on around town for the next two weeks. This is what I have at the moment, but I will add other events as I find out about them.

Whole Foods in Mountain Brook is hosting a healthy cooking demo Saturday June 6th from 11am to 1pm. Anyone who has ever stepped foot into Whole Foods knows what a delight it is for the eyes and mouth. I, personally, think the seafood department is very smelly but I can overlook it. The cooking demo is FREE but please take a few bucks to enjoy the vegan chocolate chocolate chip cookies from the bakery. They are AMAZING.

The MOMS Club of Hoover is hosting a free popsicle day at Hoover Central Park. Friday June 5th at 10am. These MOMS groups offer lots of mom friendly interaction while the kids play. It's a great way to connect with other mothers in your area.

12th Annual Birmingham Parks and Recreation Family Fishing Rodeo. Saturday June 6th 7am to 1pm. This is in Eastlake Park which is an awesome place for fishing. They will have activities, prizes and more. It's free!

7th Annual Alabaster CityFest. Saturday June 6th 9am to 8pm. It is Alabaster Muncipal Park. This will be an entire day filled with FUN FUN FUN. Inflatables, food, music, antique car show and more. Free!

God's Little Princess Party at LifeWay Christian Stores. Saturday June 6th 11am to 2pm. This flyer I have is for the store located in the Village at Lee Branch off of 280. I visited the store website and could not find if this was going on at other locations. They will have games, giveaways, refreshments, photos in a PINK stretch limo and a beauty parlor hosted by Sweet and Sassy Salons. This is free and I assume adorable!

Vulcan's 105th Birthday Bash. Sunday June 7th 1pm to 4pm. This will be at Vulcan Park, of course. There will be clowns, entertainment, food, activities and more. This is $3 for ages 5 and up but 4 and uder are FREE.

Baby Season at the Alabama Wildlife Center. This is an on going event through June 30th. This is located inside Oak Mountain State Park. You can watch the staff members care for the newest editions to the center as well as take a self guided tour of the Treetop Nature Trail. You will have to pay the entrance fee to Oak Mountain (which is $2 on weekdays for adults, $3 on weekends, children 6-11 are only $1, children 5 and under are FREE). If you've never been to Oak Mountain, it is a natural paradise in the middle of all the 280 hustle and chaos. There is a beach area with lake swimming, paddle boat rentals, golf, nature trails. There is also a petting zoo inside the park which is only $1 a person!

Let's go to the movies...

Free (and pretty cheap) movies RULE! There are some drawbacks, like massive crowds, but the fun wins out every time. Here is what I have found for this summer:

Rave Theaters. This starts June 9th and runs through most of the summer. Every Tuesday AND Wednesday the movie starts at 10am. It is first come, first serve so I really suggest getting there early and prepare for lots of noise during the movie (it's 100+ pre-schoolers so go figure lol). We're talking Kung Fu Panda, Space Chimps and the like. They have done this for a few years now and we were disappointed in the past because they substituted really unknown movies for the ones advertised but I see no mention of that happening this year. There is also $1 off movie meals during the show, so popcorn for cheap is a deal to me!

Free Friday Flicks Homewood Park. Not all of these movies are for younger kids, so check out the schedule before you haul the fam all the way there. Food is sold at the park though I'm not sure what exactly it is. Also, the movies start at "dusk" which means you might have the kids out a little later than normal...but hey it's the weekend.

Sundown Cinemas City of Helena. Again, not all of these movies are for younger kids. I saw two times listed for these movies...one said 8pm and one said dusk. I'm thinking the earlier you get there the better seating you will get. They have concessions there, think hot dogs and candy. There has usually been a smaller crowd here than at Homewood.

Now for the cheap ones...

Carmike Theater in Hoover. The link to the actual theater site wasn't working for me so I've posted the next best thing. Movie admission here is only $1 but concessions are regular price (so eat first!). They almost always have the latest movies, maybe a week or so after premiering.

AmStar Cinema. Located in Alabaster in the Promenade. Every Tuesday and Wednesday the movie starts at 10am. The line up is similar to what the Rave is showing but not exactly. The movies are $3 a person and you get FREE kid's size popcorn and drink. Again, I would suggest showing up early and being ready to endure all the noise.

Harpersville Drive In. This is a good old fashioned drive in (the name gave it away didn't it?). I really enjoy this place because it has two screens and a concession stand (but you can always bring your own snacks). The best part is that it is $10 a carload and on Wednesdays it is ONLY $5 a carload!! They have double features on Friday and Saturday nights. You really get a lot of bang for you buck here. The movies start at 7:45pm according to their website but I have seen a line of cars out to 280 at this place so getting there a little earlier won't hurt. So while it might be a little far to drive for a lot of people, the experience of it and the savings on admission are absolutely worth it!

THIS JUST IN...Veteran's Park on Valleydale Road is also doing movies in the park on Fridays. They begin around 8pm and they also have a weather line (neat idea) 739-RAIN.