We are so excited to be able to offer YOU a chance to go!!

Now…what we need to know is…who is your child’s favorite Disney character??  Tell us the character and why you know this is your child’s favorite!  My little girl LOVES Cinderella…she has to have EVERYTHING she can with Cinderella on it…she explains that Cinderella is like her because she has blonde hair too!  (and that Cinderella loves makeup and dresses like her!)…

So, tell us your child’s favorite and why…good luck…we’ll use random.org to pick our winner but can’t wait to read all of your comments!  We plan to pick the winner this afternoon around 5:00…what a great way to start a beautiful spring-weather weekend!!

Disney Live! presents Mickey’s Magic Show

MAR. 25 – 26

BJCC Concert Hall

Abracadabra! It’s Disney Live! presents Mickey’s Magic Show! Mickey, Minnie and a host of Disney friends come together with world-class magicians to perform magic from legendary Disney films right before your eyes.  See the Fairy Godmother transform Cinderella’s rags into a beautiful ball gown in a split second; the spectacular levitation of Aladdin’s Princess Jasmine; and the enchanted dancing brooms of Fantasia.  Join Donald and Goofy, Alice and the Mad Hatter, and many more for a one-of-a-kind stage show you’ll never forget.  Mickey’s Magic Show is a whole new way to experience Disney Magic with your family!

Get Tickets while great seats remain!  CLICK HERE…

Scan this with your mobile device to purchase tickets:

MOMS Market is your one stop shop for great products created or sold by working moms!

When: Sunday. April 3, 2011 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Where: Pelham Civic  Complex in the Arena

What is MOMS Market?

It is an event that is held twice a year with a Spring and Holiday market.  It is a great opportunity for Moms who own their business or product to showcase their talents and offer their products.

We are excited about the MOMS Market Spring 2011 Event, Springpalooza.  MOMS has grown every year from our first event, and we would love for you to be a  part of everything as either a vendor or shopper.

It may be acting, Ice Skating, equestrian, or sports, but we have a little something for everyone to get involved in this summer. Now is the time to start exploring what each camp has to offer. Day camps, overnight camps, dates, times, costs and the fun details that makes camp great. The planning process is a great way for you and your child to spend time discussing the options that exist. Plus, you can get them involved in researching the camps and the details. Spending quality time with your child in a fun and learning opportunity, I would say that is a win-win.

Let us know of some fun other activities, and we will add those this growing list.

Have a blast planning and experiencing much of what makes the summer great.

Okay families…the must-visit place during the next week, if you haven’t already been…is the pumpkin patch!  There is not a better way to celebrate fall than visiting your local farm/pumpkin patch.
Just last week, my daughter’s preschool class took a field trip.  It was so much fun and very educational.  The farm we visited had a perfect hay maze set up and the kids ran around for nearly an hour!  After playing in the hay maze they got to pet the farm animals…they have everything from horses to rabbits to guinea pigs.  We even got to watch the cows drink milk from a bottle…the children were amazed!  The animal petting/watching was a success!  
When that was finished, and after a quick visit to wash hands, we were able to hear a tutorial on cotton (uses, etc) and then were allowed to pick our own!  My daughter asked if we could take her pickins to her grammy so she could make her a dress!  
The hayride was next…and the tractor pulled us right up to the pumpkin patch!  The preschoolers had a blast finding the “best” one for them!  And, this was a first for me, we were actually supposed to pull them from the vine!
From there, we rode the hayride back to the barn and had lunch.  (again, after washing hands!)
It was such a fun day…but we were all worn out by the time it was all over!
On the way out, all of us moms scored an excellent deal when we were able to purchase beautiful mums for $5!!!
So, make plans…go visit a pumpkin patch!!!  Visit our calendar for all information on the local farms!

MOSS ROCK FESTIVAL EXPLORES

NATURE, ECO-IDEAS, ART + DESIGN

AT THE PRESERVE IN HOOVER

The Preserve, Hoover, Alabama

Grab friends and family and get outside to the premier eco-creative festival in Alabama!

If your interested in nature, art, design and green living ideas then the 5th Annual MOSS ROCK FESTIVAL (MRF) will be your destination on November 6th and 7^th. Situated among the peak fall foliage and presented by Princeton Baptist Medical Center, this highly anticipated one-of-a-kind outdoor festival attracts more than 15,000 visitors to The Preserve. Visitor’s love that MRF is FREE, as is Park & Ride from Regions Park on one of the many Festival Shuttles, 10am-5pm each day.

Moss Rock Festival’s signature events offer lots to explore while having fun. And you may be struck with a little inspiration too. At Artist Row, a sea of white tents will house thousands of works of art. These works, many depicting or influenced by nature or made from natural or recycled materials, will be for sale to the public.

Unique outdoor installations by artists, architects, designers, and landscape architects have fascinated visitors with their use and design of outdoor spaces. This year etc.Spaces adds to the growing list of engaging design-build projects at the festival. “Boulder-esque Field” joins past ETC.Spaces Project Challenges: SGreening (2009), Space Overhead (2008), PlayGround (2007), and Within/Without through the Wall (2006).

Sustainability, good design, innovation, and “green living” are the focus at the Eco-Ideas District, a major and signature event at the festival. This outdoor district is a cool connection to various eco-friendly ideas, organizations, retail businesses and innovative products. Ask our Experts for answer to all your questions. Get access to some of the latest fuel efficient vehicles, learn about LEED certified architecture, set up a home energy audit to learn details on cost cutting energy solutions, hear about the latest advances in building science and construction methods, get started composting, or connect with local organic growers and community gardens.

The 2^nd annual Wreaths re-Imagined design competition has tripled. Artists, designers, gardeners, and the general public create one-of-a-kind wreaths made of recycled materials, repurposed or found objects, or a combination of recycled/repurposed/found and natural materials. Visit MossRockFestival.com and click on the “About” menu heading to download an application. Most wreaths are for sale during the festival, with proceeds going to support educational programming at the festival. Additionally, the wreaths will be on exhibit at Aldridge Gardens in November. And the must have MRF Mossy Bag, a limited edition reusable shopping bag, will be for sale during the show.

Enjoyment of the secrets and sweetness of nature are especially abundant in the 250-acre Moss Rock Preserve accessible from The Preserve neighborhood. This is the place for the Festival’s guided hikes with Friends of Moss Rock Preserve. Hikes will head out at 11am and 1pm on Saturday and Sunday and include Introduction to the Moss Rock Preserve and Moss Rock Backcounty Tour. Plus don’t forget about the geo-location game, which will capture the promise and fun of the great outdoors using GPS technology to find hidden treasures within the nature preserve. Join the hunt!

If getting active is right up your alley, you’ll also want to participate in The Big Ride. MRF continues to add event programming that promotes an active, healthy lifestyle. This new family-friendly and leisurely bike tour will take riders through The Preserve neighborhood on a 2 mile loop, with the promise of a treat at the end for the younger participants. Riders can park at Gwin Elementary on Patton Chapel Road. For specific details about participation, please visit the festival website. Then grab your bikes, helmuts, and kids- if applicable, and ride with us.

Every child brings huge interest and wonderment to outdoor experiences and art making, so the Festival has carved out a special place just for them. The WonderKid Art Studios continues the festival theme by using the observation of nature as a launching point for creative interactive projects just for kids…we’re talking the WOW variety! 2010 Workshops include Jess Marie Walker and Larry Hoagland’s “Nature’s Hideout”, Sycamore Toffel’s “Sounds Like Rhythm – sthhm”, Anna Sue Courtney’s “Squeaking Tribe Puppets”, Gwendolyn Griffin’s ”Thirsty For Music”, Lindsey Motlow’s “Window to Sketching Nature”, Charles Tortorici’s “Fiddle-In Poet Tree”, and The Waldorf School’s “Flower Power”. Be prepared to drag your kids away from these fun workshops.

The sounds and smells encountered at any festival are just as important as the things to do and see. The Crescent Stage will be spotlighting live music from regional talent for patrons to enjoy from the front row or by way of traveling sound waves. So, grab a chair or put out a blanket. Then, sit back and enjoy the line-up. Saturday acts include 11:00 – Lolly Lee, 12:00am – Nettie Jane Slumpf, 1:00pm – Mile Marker 7, 2:00pm – Joel Madison Blount, 3:00pm – The David Seale Accident, 4:00pm – VASA. Sunday acts include 12:00pm – Charles Tortorici, 1:00pm – Jon Vogel, 2:00pm – Glenn Tolbert and Company, 3:00pm  - Shinbone Ridge, 4:00 – Jason Bailey Band. Highly recommended is a quick retreat to the Café by the Woods to enjoy delicious food, drink and libations with a seated view of the festivities happening on the Village Green and surrounding streets. The festival continues its eco mission here by showcasing cuisine from local eateries and vendors. 2010 culinary features include fish tacos, hibiscus tea and fresh fruit from Cantina; green apple & walnut pesto wrap, hot honey garlic wrap, ham & cheese wrap, hummus wrap, gazpacho, hummus plate, vegan chili, blue sky sodas from Bottletree Café; Assorted wings from Billy’s Sports Grill; barbeque pork & chicken sandwiches, pork nachos, hamburgers, hot dogs, and sweet tea from Full Moon Barbeque; lamb & chicken gyros, greek salad, grilled chicken & rice plate, gyro platter & lemonade from Greek Tavern; grits-n-shrimp, curried chicken, curried tofu, assorted pastries, and hot cider from Catering by LaNetta, Royal Cup coffee, soft drinks & other beverages from Birmingham Coca Cola Bottling Company, among others.

Be sure to indulge your sweet tooth at the Nature Cakes Expo and Juried Competition, a nature-inspired exhibition of artfully designed show cakes. View and sample the talents of top cake designers, bakers and specialists. The 2010 design challenge is “Fantastical PlantAnimal Hybrids”. Imaginative, one-of-a-kind cake designs are sure to surprise & delight. Patrons can purchase 2 tasting tickets for $1 from 11:00am to 4:00pm each day at the Town Hall. 2010 Participating Cake Designers include: Kay Collier – Culinard, Bianca Priest – Who Doesn’t Like Cake?, Emily Forsythe – Prime Cakes & Confections, Diane Olexa – Olexa’s Cafe, Cakes & Catering, Carol Gregg – Pastry Art Bake Shoppe, Domineka Heard – Cakebabie LLC, Kera Voorhries – Culinard Student, Tyessea Mosley – Culinard Student. Glen Rinsky, pastry chef at Jefferson State Culinary School and Laura Rinsky, Chef Instructor at Hewitt Trussville High School Hospitality and Culinary Arts Academy will be jurying the 2010 design & taste competition with a special Fox 6 celebrity.

Tastings at Moss Rock Festival are not for foodies only. Wet your palette at MRF’s Wine Tasting called Off the Vine. This popular venue will be returning for its 2^nd installment and will be showing off a select group of wines to sample from vineyards, some of which use certified, biodynamic, organic and sustainable farming methods. The 2^nd annual BrewHaHa will be showcasing craft beers to sample. There will be two (2) Tasting Sessions that can accommodate 100 people: They include 12:30 – 2:00 and 2:30 – 4:00. No one under 21 admitted into the event. Both tasting events will be located at The Preserve pool located adjacent to the Town Hall off of the Village Green. Combo ticket. $15 at door.

The Moss Rock Festival is FREE and will be in full swing from 10am – 5pm each day. PARK at Regions Park (formerly The Hoover Met) and take the Moss Rock Festival free shuttle into the heart of one of Alabama’s most desirable neighborhoods -The Preserve. Shuttles will run between 9:30 am and 6:00 pm. The site will be blocked to thru traffic except for home owners & their guests. Drop off & Pick-ups at the northwest roundabout on the Sulfur Springs side of Preserve Parkway will be allowed for visitors with special needs: elderly, large art purchases, handicapped, large strollers, or other special circumstances.

Moss Rock Festival is produced by Eileen Kunzman: Fine Art Services, the same organizers of the ONB Magic City Art Connection contemporary art festival, which is celebrating its 28^th anniversary in Linn Park on April 29-30 & May 1, 2011.

• To Enter, Simply Post a comment on this page something you have learned about Birmingham or used in Birmingham from the Kids’ Directory this month.
• Winner will be drawn on Tuesday, October 12 at 10 AM.

The Pumpkin Patch Express

Every Saturday and Sunday in October!

The entire family will enjoy an autumn train ride aboard the Pumpkin Patch Express!  The excursion lasts approximately 1 1/2 hours, including our time at the Pumpkin Patch.

At the Pumpkin Patch, riders will deboard to enjoy a hayride, jumpstation, coloring, and temporary tatoos (all activities are included in the price of your ticket!)  Bring your camera to take photos in front of the giant pumpkin!  Snacks and soft drinks are available for purchase.  Pick the perfect pumpkin from the patch for an additonal fee.