Bham Family - April 2022

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APRIL 2022

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EDITOR’S NOTE Dear Readers, I just cannot believe we are already in the month of April! I really don’t mind the cold weather, so I’m not exactly sad to see it go, but I am looking forward to lots of things this spring: showers, flowers, and Easter!

After reading Sean Dietrich’s column about rain (page 18), I was reminded just how much I love a good thunderstorm—minus the tornadoes. Hopefully April rains bring us lots of May blooms.

Not to harp on the weather, but it is the perfect time of year to get outside with family, so take advantage of some of the fun egg hunts and other holiday happenings around town this month. We compiled a handy list of activities (page 28), so check out an event near you. You’ll need to BYOB (bring your own basket), so make it a pretty one with a hand-painted creation from Liz Bolen of Birmingham Bunny Baskets (page 20). Her personalized heirloom baskets are beautiful and practical for scooping up lots of eggs. And if you’re past

egg-hunting prime, you can still enjoy one. Add some potted flowers to the basket and use it as a seasonal centerpiece on your Easter table.

There’s lots more to enjoy in this issue—maybe on a rainy day from your couch—including an interview with Alabama Mom of the Year Antoinette Sands (pages 24 and 30), summer camp options for kids (starting on page 12), and a piece I found especially helpful from House Peace owner Tara Bremer: tips for staying on top of laundry and closet chaos.

Please stay in touch! If you know of a person, event, or business we should feature, we’d love to hear from you! Email me anytime. Happy Spring!

Stephanie Gibson Lepore, Content Director and Mom, stephanie@jbmcmedia.com

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ABOUT US

Bham Family is published monthly by JBMC Media, LLC, P.O. Box 26432, Birmingham AL 35260.

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

28

20

Just for Dads Ward Williams gives advice. p. 8 Holy Moly Motherhood Judge not in restaurants. p. 10 Organization Tame your laundry and closet chaos. p. 22 Sean of the South Talking rain with strangers. p. 18 Active Living Check out these Easter events around town. p. 28

22

through their summer programs. p. 12 Our Guide to Summer Camps Wondering what to do with your kids when school’s out? We have the answer! p. 14 Heirloom Easter Baskets A local mom hand-paints beautiful containers for candy and treats. p. 20

FEATURE STORIES

Get to Know Alabama’s Mother of the Year Antoinette Sands of Leeds lands this top honor. p. 25

Critter Camp The Greater Birmingham Humane Society nurtures compassion and respect for animals

Q&A with Antoinette Sands Mother of the Year shares advice. p. 24

ON THE COVER Photo provided by Bailey Boys Clothing A full line of Bailey Boys clothing, including the perfect outfit for Easter, is available at Sike’s Children’s Shoes and Jack n Jill Shop. Visit their showroom at 2719 19th Place South in Homewood, or find them on Facebook and Instagram.

Bham Family April 2022 7

JUST FOR DADS

PHOTOGRAPH BY HANNAH BUSING ON UNSPLASH

Alabama is so lucky to have The American Village. It is a living history museum dedicated to teaching kids American values and principals.

Recently, I was at American Village for the retirement ceremony of Tom Walker, the founder and executive director. During the ceremony, Tom said: “In these times of division, our country is beckoning us to be one Ward American people.” How we Williams teach our kids to live, play, and work with those who are different from us—those who hold different beliefs and opinions—is vitally important to becoming one with our communities and schools, as well as transferring that skill as they grow older and work with others into adulthood.

I once heard a special education elementary teacher say that the playground and the act of play is where kids see each other as equals. On the playground, kids learn to work out conflict with one another and explore how to relate.

Lately, I have seen so many adults experience conflict, and it seems that our first reactions are to react emotionally. As parents and adults, we should act differently than early-elementary-age children when we react to our own conflicts.

Our first reaction should not be to pout, scream, cry, and go to social media to express our heated emotions while trying to get other people to take our sides. We should instead stop for a second to take a deep breath, think before we react, and acknowledge that most people are not out to 8 Bham Family April 2022

harm us or our children. We judge ourselves with the best possible intentions, but we tend to judge others by labeling them with the worst possible motives for their actions. I think we have lost the ability to think rationally and intelligently and search for consensus.

I have always been interested in politics. During my early teens to early 20s, I loved to hate Bill Clinton. I never thought of Bill Clinton as a bad guy, and I never thought people who liked Bill Clinton were bad people. It merely came down to my opinions based on his policies, my young age, conversations with my aunt and uncle, and maybe a little help from Rush Limbaugh. I cheered for any American in any competition or any battle from chess to curling to skiing. My family is trying to live this out. As I write this, my daughter is trying out this week to make the varsity dance team, along with many talented dancers. Even though it is a tough competition to make the team, we have taught her that—while the other girls trying out are her competition—they are not her enemies. We have worked hard to instill in her that they are her teammates. Regardless of the outcome of tryouts, the effort that it has taken to get this far and her ability to navigate positive relationship with the other dancers is what we celebrate as a family.

The motto of the United States is E Pluribus Unum, meaning “Out of many, one.” Let us remember to teach our kids that they are just one part of a family, one part of a community, one part of a school, and one part of our country. We can work to get rid of our divisions.

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HOLY MOLY MOTHERHOOD

CHECK, PLEASE Going out to eat always sounds like a good idea—no cooking or cleaning required! But dealing with young kids in a restaurant is not for the faint of heart.

Newborns are quiet and sleepy for a month, then they get really loud and like you to walk them about, while they spit up on you.

One parent always ends up going outside with the wailing kiddo while the other lucky soul gets to eat their food in peace.

Six-month-olds drool, eat the table, and knock glasses over, but Alana are relatively pleasant if they can hold your keys, or any object they Smith really shouldn’t have. Just hope you don’t have to change any diapers, because juggling an infant, diaper, and wipes while on the fold-out changing station is a mom’s favorite pastime.

One-year-olds finally get french fries! Which buys you time for a bit, until they want “DOWN!” They arch their backs and flail about in such a way that makes you want to put them in a straitjacket. Margarita anyone?

Two-year-olds aren’t always great at communicating, but they are good at yelling. And jumping up and down in the booth. And poking the person behind you. And refusing to eat. They’re fun. While on your next date night, if your server attempts to seat you in the booth behind a two-year-old, just politely decline. Then you’ll get to enjoy that tiny two-person table by the wall in peace. You’re welcome.

Three-year-olds will throw a tantrum because you ordered them a cheeseburger, when they actually wanted chicken nuggets, but told you otherwise. They will likely have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the meal. It’s a real judgment call to guess if they actually need to go or not, because they just might. And nothing ruins dinner faster than messed up britches.

This is why you can’t judge parents in restaurants. What they allow their small kids to do in Olive Garden is likely not what they allow at home. Parents are a tired bunch, and they just want to get out of the house sometimes—with their crazy crew in tow. So, the next time you see a mama juggling one in a high chair and another standing in the booth, I hope you’ll give her grace, and send a smile and crayons her way. Everyone in the restaurant thanks you.

“One-year-olds finally get french fries!

Which buys you time for a bit, until they want “DOWN!” They arch their backs and flail about in such a way that makes you want to put them in a straitjacket.

Margarita anyone?”

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FEATURE

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF THE GREATER BIRMINGHAM HUMANE SOCIETY

Adventure Awaits at Critter Camp The Greater Birmingham Humane Society nurtures compassion and respect for animals through their summer programs.

BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE Each year, The Greater Birmingham Humane Society (GBHS) offers eight weeklong camp sessions—four for kids ages 6–8 and four for ages 9–12—during the summer. Critter Camp is designed to help nurture compassion and respect for animals, with a whole lot of learning fun sprinkled in.

Daily camp activities include animal interaction, presentations by guest speakers, crafts, and games. Campers learn all about shelter animals, local wildlife, reptiles, animal CONTINUED ON PAGE 13

12 Bham Family April 2022

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

behaviors and body language, homes and habitats, and how shelters, rescues, and conservation work. It’s a great summer option for all kids who have completed kindergarten through fifth grade.

“Critter Camp is a great chance for us to get kids from our community into the shelter to learn about animal welfare and advocacy—and have a ton of fun in the process,” says Kasey Rawlings, who plans and runs the camp and is also Education Coordinator for the GBHS. “Every year is a little different, as we add special guests from the community to come and interact with the campers, and as we change up the themes. Campers also get to spend a huge part of the day with shelter animals, of course!”

Some of this year’s community partners are Hand in Paw therapy teams, Aaron Hathcock (the GBHS Reptile Educator, who comes every year), and awardwinning photographer Leigh Ann Edmonds. More will be added before camp starts in June.

For summer 2022, Critter Camp runs June 6th through August 5th from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. all five days of each session. The cost is $275 per camper per week, which includes activities, a T-shirt, and one snack per day.

For more information, visit gbhs.org/crittercamp or email Kasey Rawlings at krawlings@gbhs.org.

CRITTER CAMP 2022 Critter Camp is held at The Greater Birmingham Humane Society, 300 Snow Drive, Birmingham 35209.

Campers just need to dress in tennis shoes and play clothes that can get dirty exploring the shelter, playing outside, and working with crafts, and bring a sack lunch, labeled reusable water bottle, and positive attitude.

This year’s Adventure Awaits Critter Camp dates are: Ages 6–8

Ages 9–12

June 6–10

June 13–17

June 20–24

June 27–July 1

July 11–15

July 18–22

July 25–29

August 1–5

Register at gbhs.org/crittercamp.

Bham Family April 2022 13

FEATURE

Our Guide to SUMMER CAMPS 2022 Check the list—and check it twice!—to find the best fit for your family.

ACADEMY OF THE ARTS SUMMER CAMPS Who: 1st–12th grade What: Art and music camps that include 2D and 3D projects in paint, pencil, clay, and glass; visual components color, form, line, shape, space, texture, and value with paint, graphite, clay, paper, and more to make works of art; and music classes focused on piano, violin, music theory and literature, ensemble, and group performance.

Where: Samford University When: June, July Cost: Cost: Starting at $325/camp; samford.edu/ academy-of-the-arts/summer-camps ALDRIDGE GARDENS SUMMER CAMPS Who: Incoming K–5th grade What: Weeklong half-day camps with themes like American Girl Dolls, art, puppets, and S.T.E.A.M. Where: Aldridge Gardens When: June $130/session (members), $150/session (nonmembers); aldridgegardens.com/ education/summer-camps ARTZONE ART CAMPS Who: Ages 7 and up What: Morning and afternoon art camps in a range of mediums from artist and instructor Svetlana Belotserkovskaya. Camp themes include anime/ manga, 3D, magical creatures, young designers, and more.

Where: Shades Mountain Plaza, Hoover When: June, July $200/session prior to May 1, $210/session after; artzonebirminghamal.com/summer-art-camps. html BEAUTY & BRAINS Who: Girls K–6th grade What: Day camps designed around STEM principles and indoor/outdoor free play activities.

Where: Vestavia Hills Civic Center When: June, July Cost: Starting at $185/camper; beautyandbrainsgirlsstem.com BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN’S THEATRE CAMP 14 Bham Family April 2022

Who: Ages 4–18 What: Imagination Party (ages 4-7), BCT Players Studio (ages 8-15), and Magic Players (ages 14-18).

Learn about storytelling, visual arts, imagination, improv, performance style, and much more.

Where: Locations TBD (not at the BJCC) When: June, July Cost: Starting at $250/camp; bct123.org/summercamps CAMP ADVENTURE Who: K3–8th grade What: Family-style fun at one of Alabama’s topranked camps includes themes like carnival, TV, studio, Jedi, spy, gaming, build, and creative camps, while also incorporating Biblical principles.

Where: Shades Mountain Community Church When: June, July Cost: Starting at $125/week; thecampadventure.com CAMP GROW Who: 2nd–5th grade What: Weeklong educational and interactive learning opportunities for curious students to learn about food, farming, and culinary arts.

Where: Center for Food Education at Jones Valley Teaching Farm When: June, July Cost: Starting at $280/student; jvtf.org/center-forfood-education/camps/summer CAMP MCWANE Who: PreK–7th grade What: Hands-on, minds-on, science camps with fun themes like nuts and bolts, LEGO lab, dinos, fairytale science, space cadets, and science cinema.

Where: McWane Center When: June, July, August Cost: Starting at $155/week (members), $180/ session (nonmembers); mcwane.org/education/ camps/summer CHILDREN’S WORSHIP CHOIR MUSICAL THEATER CAMP Who: Incoming 1st–8th grade What: Upbeat camp with three workshops— singing, acting, and choreography—culminating

in a Christian-based musical, performed on stage for family and friends. Afternoon camp includes an opportunity for older students to be involved “behind the scenes.” For kids who love to be on the stage and those who prefer to be in the background.

Where: Inverness Vineyard Church When: June 13–17 Cost: Starting at $140/camper; childrensworshipchoir.com/summer-camp.html CREATED FOR A PURPOSE Who: Girls 3rd–8th grade What: Creative art projects, sound biblical teaching, worship, and small groups to teach girls about they are a unique masterpiece created by God. Where: Covenant Presbyterian, Mountain Brook Community Church, Vestavia Hills UMC, Christ Fellowship Church, and Homewood Community Church When: June, July Starting at $215/camper; createdforapurpose.org ENGINEERING FOR KIDS CAMPS Who: Ages 4–14 What: STEM camps designed to provide students with hands-on immersive learning experiences.

All curriculum is STEM.org-certified and Cogniaaccredited.

Where: Locations including Samford, Homewood

Public Library, and Greystone Elementary When: June Cost: Starting at $125/camp; engineeringforkids. com/programs/summer-camps GROSS OUT DAY CAMP Who: Incoming 1st grade and up What: Crawdads, roly polies, reptiles and more at this hands-on field biology camp. Their motto is, “If it’s gross, we’ve got it! If it’s icky, sticky, or slimy, we will be looking for it!”

Where: Locations including Oak Mountain State Park, Vulcan Park, Trussville, and Vestavia When: June, July Cost: Starting at $250/week; freshairfamily.org/ gross-out-camps HIGH POINT CLIMBING CAMP Who: Ages 5–14 What: Four hours of games, developmentally appropriate instruction, team-building, and climbing to teach kids about rock climbing and equipment.

Where: High Point, Inverness area When: June, July, August Cost: $214/session (members), $234/session (nonmembers); highpointclimbing.com/camps/ summer-camps-2 HOOVER MET COMPLEX SUMMER CAMPS

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Who: Ages 6–12 What:Various sports camps like basketball, outdoor fun sports, and indoor sports plus arts and crafts to learn basic game rules.

Where: Hoover Met When: June, July, August Cost: Starting at $144/camp; hoovermetcomplex. com/sports/camps ITTY BITTY BAKERS COOKING CAMP Who: Ages 3–12 What: Fun and educational baking classes for kids around themes like Star Wars, Candyland, Disney princesses, and outer space.

Where: Locations including Oak Mountain, Riverchase, and Inverness.

When: June, July, August Cost: Starting at $160 per camp; ittybittybakers.com JUNIOR BALLET CAMP Who: Ages 8–12 What: Age-appropriate ballet, modern dance and jazz technique, and character and theatre dance classes. Campers will also study dance history and prepare for an end-of-session performance.

Where: Alabama Ballet Center for Dance When: 2-week session in July Cost: $475/2 weeks; alabamaballet.org/junior-camp KIDCAM SUMMER DAY CAMP Who: Ages 5–13 What: 10 weeks of summer fun at Oak Mountain State Park. Purchase only the weeks you needs.

Campers will explore trails, swim in the lake, visit the petting farm, paddle boat, and more.

Where: Oak Room, Oak Mountain State Park When: May 31–August 5 Cost: $175/week; kidcamcamp.com/camplocations/oak-mountain-state-park MASON MUSIC CAMPS Who: Ages 6–18 What: Award-winning music camps for kids of every age. Options include preschool STARS music camp; music, guitar, or vocal for beginners; and two Rock Band camps.

Where: Studios in Bluff Park, Cahaba Heights, Greystone, and Mountain Brook When: June, July Cost: Starting at $175/session; masonmusic.com/ music-camps PINE COVE CITY DAY CAMP Who: 1st–6th grade What: Campers will experience Jesus through Bible study, worship, and time with their counselor, as well as participate in tons of great camp activities.

Where: Liberty Baptist Church and Oak Mountain Presbyterian 16 Bham Family April 2022

When: July Cost: $298/camper; pinecove.com/summer-camps/ day-camps RED MOUNTAIN THEATRE SUMMER CAMP Who: Ages 4–15 What: For budding thespians: Broadway Bootcamp (audition-based camp to enhance performance technique through a rotation of classes); Blast (intro camp, experience the process of rehearsing a musical with a different script each week); Theme (exploring imaginations and creativity around themes like Hogwarts and Narnia); Play Making (half-day intro camps for ages 4-6 with themes like Arendelle, Daniel Tiger, and more).

Where: Red Mountain Theatre Arts Campus When: June, July, August Cost: Starting at $180; redmountaintheatre.org/ classes/categories/all-camps STEM CAMP FOR TEENS Who: Incoming 8th–12th grade (ages 13–18) What: Explore the wonders of manufacturing and technology through hands-on, cross-curricular STEM solution that engages students with resources to design, build, and program their creations.

Students will use CoderZ software and LEGO MINDSTORMS robo sets.

Where: Jefferson Campus Manufacturing Center When: June 13–17 Cost: Free (first-come, first-serve); jeffersonstate. edu/stemcamp SUMMER AT ALTAMONT Who: Incoming 1st grade–12th grade What: Morning camps for rising 3rd–8th graders, credit and noncredit options for older students, and athletic opportunities for younger kids and up. Older camp topics include drivers ed, public speaking, and math/English enrichments.

Where: The Altamont School When: June, July Cost: Starting at $200 per camp; summerataltamont. com SUMMER DAYS Who: Elementary-age kids What: A Christ-centered environment with more than 10 camp sessions centered around themes like Disney+, mad science, nature, American Girl Dolls, art and music, Happy Bday USA, and All About Alabama. Some include field trips.

Where: Vestavia Hills United Methodist Church When: June, July, August Cost: Starting at $140/camp; vhumc.org/ summerdays THE DANCE STUDIO CAMPS Who: Ages 5–12

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What: Fairytale Camp; Pop Superstar Camp; and Pre-Intensive Training Camp.

Where: The Dance Studio When: July Cost: Starting at $150/camp; thedancestudio.art TUTUS & TIARAS Who: Ages 4–7 What: Age-appropriate ballet and tap, ballet crafts, and ballet pantomime. Campers will also have story time to learn classical ballets.

Where: Alabama Ballet Center for Dance When: 2 sessions in July $250/1 week or $425/2 weeks; alabamaballet. org/tutus-and-tiaras

What: Explore the beauty of God’s creation and the gospel through art, science experiments, games, and music. Camp includes four days of hands-on experiences, ending with a family cookout Thursday night.

Where: Faith Presbyterian Church When: June 6–9 $35/camper; faith-pca.org/wonderlab

VESTAVIA HILLS PARKS AND RECREATION CAMPS Who: Ages 5–12 What: Various camps with topics including art, World Games, and LEGO robotics.

Where: Vestavia Hills Civic Center When: June, July Cost: Starting at $75/camp; vhparksandrec.com/ programs-camps

Zoo Camp Who: K–12th grade What: Educational, active learning through games, age-appropriate hands-on science, animal encounters, and nature play. Zoo camps are rich in STEMbased explorations to engage curiosity and allow opportunities to practice critical emerging science skills. Primary camps include Creature Features, Animal World Games, and more. Specialty Camps include Zoo Keeper and Zoo Career.

Where: The Birmingham Zoo When: June, July, August Cost: Starting at $290/week (members), $325/week (nonmembers); birminghamzoo.com/education/ zoocamps

WonderLab Art & Science Camp Who: Incoming 1st–6th grade

Information is up-to-date and accurate as of publication.

Please visit camp websites to register or for more information.

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SEAN OF THE SOUTH

PHOTOGRAPH BY ROJAN MAHARJAN ON UNSPLASH

Talking Weather

BY SEAN DIETRICH

He sits beside me on the bench beneath a clear sky outside the doctor’s office. My wife is having a routine checkup.

The guy and I are spaced apart.

He wears a mask. I wear a mask.

Occasionally he lowers his mask to take a draw from a vaping pen before exhaling a cloud that smells like Chanel No. 5.

He is bone thin. He is late 50s. His skin is all freckles. His ratty ball cap reads, “Presbyterianism: Est. 33 A.D.” He inhales. Holds. Exhales. Then speaks. “S’posed to be nasty weather tomorrow.”

And already I know where this conversation is going.

Floridians have been cussing the weather since our ancestors first crawled from their prehistoric caves to get their real estate licenses.

The weather is an easy subject in the Alligator State because it’s common ground. Everyone experiences weather. Everyone gets sick of weather. To discuss weather is a grand tradition. And like all traditions, there are obligatory phrases often exchanged between participants.

Such as: “Hot enough for ya?” “Supposed to come up a storm.” And the all-time classic: “We could shore use the rain.”

This is the stuff that makes us human.

The old man opens with an old standard: “S’posed 18 Bham Family April 2022

to rain sideways this week.”

I play my role. “We could use the rain.”

Although technically we don’t need rain. Last week it rained like a son of a gun; my yard had two feet of standing water and became one with the Choctawhatchee.

The man uncrosses his legs. “You here to see the doc?”

“No, my wife’s seeing him. You?” “Waiting on my wife to finish her checkup. Had my own appointment last week.” He thumps his chest.

“Doc says I’m good to go.”

Silence.

He sucks on his pen again and laughs. “Nice to be told I’m healthy for once. I’m used to hearing the opposite.”

I take the bait. “Really.”

He tugs his shirt collar downward to expose a mottled scar between his collarbone and neck.

“S’where my PICC line was. Almost died.”

I know all about PICC lines and central catheters.

My mother bears a similar scar. I remember the day the Emory University angels gave her that scar.

He says, “Did me a lotta praying when I was sick.

Lotta hard praying.”

I smile because I realize we’ve abandoned weather, now we’re getting into philosophy. But we’re on uneven territory. For starters, I don’t speak Presbyterian. I’ve never even visited a Presybyterian church.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

The only experience I have with the Chosen is my friend, Jackson, who was a lifelong member. He said Presbyterians were just Baptists who wanted to drink but couldn’t afford to become Episcopalian.

I point to his cap. “You’re Presbyterian?”

“I am.”

More silence. More weather watching.

A woman exits the building. She has gray hair and a smile. We are jolted out of our silence when she says, “Lonnie, I need the insurance card.”

Lonnie smiles. He stands, reaches into a back pocket, and removes a wallet roughly the size of a Plymouth. I don’t know how his left cheek isn’t deformed by sitting on that thing.

He fumbles through a billfold and hands her a card.

She thanks him, and before returning inside she shares good news. “Lonnie, the doctor said I’m all clear.”

The woman says it the same way you might say, “I just won the Powerball.” A surefire sign that she is yet another individual who has had dealings with the C-word.

She disappears and I can feel the Presbyterian eager to keep our conversational bowling ball rolling.

“She just had a biopsy. Scared the living you-knowwhat out of us. She already beat breast cancer once.”

He shakes his head and consults his vape pen. “What.

A. Year.”

My thoughts wander toward the breast-cancer scares my wife and I have gone through. I know what it feels like to be subjected to the horrors of Medical Care.

The waiting is what kills you. Nobody tells you that the fear never completely leaves you. Not even when you get the green light from the medical establishment. Once your security bubble is popped, you are always on your guard thereafter.

Which is both a good thing and a bad thing. Good: because it makes you appreciate life. Bad: because trying too hard to appreciate something is not very relaxing.

“What a year,” I say.

He blows a lungful of Chanel. “You can say that again.”

After a few minutes, I see my own wife trotting outside the doctor’s. Her hair is bouncing, her steps are light. She looks cuter than a duck in a hat.

Instantly, I can see the doc has proclaimed her to be in good health because she also wears the I-won-thelotto-face. And I can breathe easily.

Also, I’m thinking about how grateful I am that Lonnie and I have both received good news today. Good news, I understand, is how Presbyterianism was founded.

I stand to leave. I tip my hat to the guy. “Stay outta this heat, now.” This is my way of wishing him well.

“Sure will,” he says, vapor coming from his nostrils.

“S’posed to come up a storm tomorrow.”

My wife hooks her arm in mine and there is not a stitch of trouble on her magnificent cheeks. “We could shore use the rain,” she says.

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Bham Family April 2022 19

FEATURE

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF LIZ BOLEN

Birmingham Bunny Baskets Mom and artist Liz Bolen helps parents make Easter memories with her custom-painted heirloom creations.

BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE Liz Bolen’s side business began with sweet memories of her own childhood growing up in Mountain Brook. “I had a hand-painted Easter basket when I was younger, and I always wanted my kids to have one,” she says. “So, I started by painting baskets for my children, Claire (age 7) and Ben (age 4).” While she was at it, Liz also painted baskets for her two nieces, which they carried in the Children’s Arts Guild Spring Fashion Show in 2019.

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20 Bham Family April 2022

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“After that, my sister and friends encouraged me to market them,” she says. “I started by word of mouth and posting on social media—and my business grew from there!” Liz estimates that she took about 15 orders in her first year, but it’s grown to around 30 or 40 in the years since.

The former accountant, who lives in Homewood with her kids and husband, paints in her free time.

How much she can take on really depends on the timing of Easter—this year is later on April 17—and how much she has going on. The designs dictate the amount of time it takes her to paint one basket and range from bunnies to chicks and eggs. “Some are more detailed than others,” she notes.

To get them all done in time for Peter Cottontail’s arrival, Liz typically begins taking orders in February and then paints through the week before Easter. “My goal is to build up my basket inventory and to start earlier each year,” she says. “But the holidays always get me!”

Though she’s open to growing her business if time allows, for now she plans to keep it as a hobby, especially while she’s busy being a stay-at-home mom to Claire and Ben. That doesn’t stop her from following a basket’s journey to its forever home. “It’s so much fun to see them filled with goodies on Easter morning, being carried at church egg hunts, or even planted as a centerpiece. I love to see pictures of the baskets in use!”

You can see Liz’s creations on her Instagram account, @birminghambunnybaskets.

Bham Family April 2022 21

ORGANIZATION

Airing Dirty Laundry Tackle the piles for good with this two-pronged approach

Before PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF HOUSE PEACE

BY TARA BREMER I’ve had laundry on my mind. Soooo cool, right?

I’ll get straight to it—people have so much laundry.

Many of our clients say that laundry is a big problem and gets backed up all the time—to the point that there are baskets and baskets full of dirty laundry, and then mountains of clean laundry on beds and floors.

And the mountains might stay there for a while. Days.

Weeks. Who knows how long? And then it probably gets mixed in with the dirties! (Where are my Parks and Recreation fans? Jean-Ralphio says it best.)

There are two magic wands to wave at your laundry pile, well, piles. Hear me out.

Magic Wand #1: If you have chronic mountains of laundry, ask yourself, “Do I have a laundry problem, or do I have a shopping problem?” If I 22 Bham Family April 2022

had to guess a number, I’d say 75% of people have purchased too many clothes. If these are busy people who have no time, those clothes end up as languishing laundry because there isn’t enough time to deal with it all. (See “before” photo. It’s possible this is a shopping problem and not necessarily a laundry or closest problem.)

This laundry-but-actually-shopping problem has a two-pronged solution. First, you must purge your clothing inventory (this goes for your kids, too).

There is no reason to do this to yourself. And yes, you are likely doing it to yourself. Get rid of half your clothes. I said what I said! Donate to charity, give it to your friends, or host a clothing swap. Just get it done. Second, stop shopping. Stop buying. Give CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

After After a pretty good purge, this closet is now much more manageable. We didn’t purchase any new supplies.

While we love matching hangers, they’re not totally necessary—you just need clothing to be accessible, visible, and tidy.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

yourself a time frame to practice this new mindset.

For example, tell yourself no new clothes until the next season change or for three months. Consider all the money you’ll save. You probably wear your same favorite pieces all the time anyway.

Magic Wand #2: This applies only if you have kids in the house. It’s important to have children do their own laundry, or at least participate in a step of the laundry process. There are developmentally appropriate tasks that all ages can do with adult supervision. This is life skills training, and it’s worthwhile. For instance, a 2-year-old can help to put dirty clothes in the washer. A 3-year-old can scoop some detergent. A 4-year-old can help to toss the cleans into the dryer. A 5-year-old can pull the cleans out of the dryer and place them into a basket. A 6-year-old can carry the basket to their rooms. And— listen to me carefully—a 7-year-old can wash, dry, and

carry a load of their laundry.

Certainly, it depends on the maturity of the child, but you’re their parent, you know them and can gauge what they can safely handle. And if you’re not sure, observe the chores that your child can do at school, in the classroom, or in the cafeteria. Kids are far more capable than some of us realize! And if you’re really not sure, ask your child’s teacher what they think your child can do when it comes to laundry.

All of this “training” leads up to the tween and teen years, when you are doing zero kid laundry. Zero!

I want this for you. This is my current reality: My kids are 10, 12, and 16, and they can all do their own laundry. Is it always on my timeline? Nope. Do they always put it up right away? Well, one does. But the point is, I don’t spend my time doing their clothes.

They do it.

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Bham Family April 2022 23

FEATURE

2022 Mother of the Year A Leeds mom is honored for her service to community, philanthropy, and family.

BY SABRINA WISHER-DEWITT Since 1935, American Mothers, Inc. (AMI)—a national nonprofit, nonpartisan organization— has had the honor and responsibility of searching for and selecting the Mother of the Year in every state, district, and territory in the United States. Founded in 1931 as the Mother’s Day Committee of the Golden Rule Foundation, AMI named the first Mother of the Year on behalf of the nation in 1935. Many outstanding individuals throughout America have served as officers, leaders, members, and supporters of the organization, including Sarah Delano Roosevelt, J.C. Penney, First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, Norman Vincent Peale, Congresswoman Lindy Boggs, Phyllis Marriott, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Jesse Ball duPont.

AMI’s mission is to harness the power of maternal energy to make a positive impact in the world.

“Now more than ever, people are seeing the work that goes into motherhood and truly recognizing the resiliency of mothers. It is an honor to be an organization that has built a legacy network of moms across the nation, while sharing their stories of strength and inspiration,” says Joyce Stevens, President of American Mothers, Inc. This year, Antoinette Sands of Leeds was selected as the 2022 Alabama Mother of the Year. She is the 59th woman in Alabama history to hold this honor. Antoinette is a singer, model, author, and speaker. She recently joined a nonprofit organization directing a summer internship program for inner-city teenagers, while coaching and teaching despairing adults in her community. But first and most importantly, Antoinette is a mother to four children ranging from college to elementary school-age with husband of 24 years, Doug Sands.

Antoinette began homeschooling in the middle of her parenting journey, and she developed a passion for equipping kids to live a life of resilience and faith. Experiencing poverty due to a downturn in the market, her eyes were opened to the needs in her community, which began a new season of empathy and awareness. She wrote a book for teens, helping thousands discover their uniqueness, founded children’s choirs, and started a kid’s musical theater camp. Despite these accomplishments, Antoinette is accustomed to hosting kids of all ages regularly, and she is best known for her home-cooked meals and a listening ear.

Along with honorees from states across the United States, Antoinette will be recognized during the 87th National Convention of American Mothers, Inc. this month. During the convention, one honoree will be named National Mother of the Year. Nominations for Mother of the Year are accepted every year from Mother’s Day through September 15. You can view a full list of Mother of the Year honorees at americanmothers.org.

Turn to page 25 for our Q&A with Antoinette.

24 Bham Family April 2022

FEATURE

MOM TO MANY Mother of the Year shares her tips, advice

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF ANTOINETTE SANDS

Q: How did you learn about the Mother of the Year nomination? Who nominated you?

A: A friend of mine, who lives in Delaware, has known our family since our daughters were in preschool together. Before we moved to Alabama 10 years ago, we did life together, and now we visit them each Christmas when we head home to see family. We have been blessed to continue that sweet friendship, and to see our daughters graduate this year, when they once played Barbies together. This friend is involved in politics and nonprofits and is just a remarkable human. I believe she nominated me, because she has been involved with the organization for a few years. I received a notice that I was nominated in late 2021 and had to submit a lengthy nomination form—complete with two letters of recommendation and details about me and my

family. To be honest I thought, “If forgetting to arrange pick-up for your child in the carpool line is the criteria for this award, then I win this handsdown!” Ha! Q: Were you surprised?

A: I was delighted to be chosen. There are so many women who deserve this title way more than I do, so I am honored to represent the moms of Alabama as a whole. I get to mingle with so many, and we all learn from each other about the most challenging and rewarding job on the planet. I hope to showcase the ordinary mom who sometimes succeeds and sometimes fails but always gets back up again each day and prayerfully pours back into those in her care.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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Q: Tell us a little bit about you and your family.

A: I am a hands-on mama, who loves filling her home with kids and feeding anyone who will drop by the house for a home-cooked meal or who is in need of a listening ear. I am a career coach and budding life coach for teenagers. I am an author of a book for teens called YOUnique, which was written from my desire to help understand my own children better. I also direct Birmingham’s Children’s Worship Choirs—two choirs that spread their light into the community.

My hubby and I celebrate 25 years of marriage this year, which is a miracle in itself! We are passionate about living to honor God with our lives and use our gifts to love others.

We are musical. (If we could be the VonTrapp family, I’d be okay with that!) We sing, play instruments, CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

26 Bham Family April 2022

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Bham Family April 2022 27

FEATURE

HOP TO IT!

Easter egg hunts and events to enjoy this month BYOB—bring your own basket—and head to one of these spring soirees for a day of family Easter fun.

APRIL 9 Bluff Park Community Easter Egg Hunt (Bluff Park UMC) 9:30 a.m.: 10,000-egg outdoor hunt plus Easter Bunny pictures for kids in 5th grade and younger.

Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and the hunt begins at 10:30.

City of Helena Annual Easter Egg Hunt (Joe Tucker Park) 9:30 a.m.: Sponsored by The Church at Old Town and Helena Teen Council with age group hunts.

2 and under: 9:30 a.m. till 11 a.m.

3-7: 9:30 a.m.

8-12: 10:15 a.m.

Easter Bunny at Smith’s Variety Noon–4 p.m.: Make plans to bring your furry friend, kiddos, or the whole family to capture an “egg-stra” special photo memory with the Easter Bunny. $20 and proceeds benefit Animal League of Birmingham.

Homewood Parks Easter Egg Hunt, 3–5 p.m.

Head to the Homewood Athletic Complex for egg hunts (toddlers to age 10), prizes, bounce houses, and photo ops with the Easter Bunny.

Hunt times: 0-6: 3:30 p.m.: 7-10: 4:30 p.m.

Medders Family Farm 4th Annual Spring Fling (Montevallo) 9 a.m.–3 p.m.: Free annual community-wide egg hunt with more than 10,000 stuffed eggs, prize eggs, and other goodies. Two hunt times: 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. with separate areas based on age. Also includes a craft fair, featuring more than 50 vendors, food trucks, and kids’ activities.

(Events and parking are free. Any donations benefit the MHS Marching Band.)

Oak Mountain State Park Easter Egg Hunt 28 Bham Family April 2022

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF AMY GRIFFIN/HELENA HOLLOW.

The Helena Hollow Bunny Hop returns this year.

9 a.m.–4 p.m: Bring a basket to search for over 20,000 filled eggs. The hunt will be off Terrace Drive in the Multiuse Field by Discover Shelby Pavilion. The last hunt of the day, at 3 p.m., is for dogs only! Pups can hunt for plastic eggs filled with treats. The Easter Bunny will be available for free pictures, plus inflatables, yard games, food trucks and a DJ. (Park entrance fees apply.)

Hunt times: 0-3: 10 a.m., 1 p.m.

4-6: 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m.

7-9: 11 a.m., 2 p.m.

10-12: 11:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m.

Resurrection Egg Walk (Clearview Baptist & Iglesia Bautista de Center Point) 2–4 p.m.: an egg hunt with a twist as participants hunt for the true meaning of Easter. Free and family-friendly with candy and gift card giveaways.

Register on Eventbrite.

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APRIL 10 Easter Egg-Sperience (Birmingham Zoo) 10 a.m.–1 p.m.: Four festive hunts with more than 10,000 eggs in Henley Park. Children collect 10 eggs and receive a plush bunny toy. Free for zoo members; included in admission for nonmembers.

Adults can participate in a grown-up hunt from 11:15 a.m. till noon at the Trails of Africa playground. Each participant can redeem one egg for a prize valued at $50 or more. Tickets are available online for $25.

APRIL 13 Hippity Hoppity Tales with the Easter Bunny (Albert L. Scott Library, Alabaster) 10–11 a.m.: Visit with the Easter Bunny, hear stories from Miss Spring, and take home a goody bag. Go to facebook.com/AlbertLScottLibrary to register on Eventbrite.

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MOUNTAIN BROOK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Hueytown Area Chamber of Commerce Easter Egg Drop (Stadium Park) 12:30–2:30 p.m.: Family fun with the Hueytown Fire Department. Easter egg drop for ages 4-10 and hunt for ages 0-3, photos with Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny, bunny petting farm, games, and inflatables.

APRIL 15 Easter Eggstravaganza Hunt (Wald Park) 11 a.m.: Non-competitive egg hunt for ages 6 and under, pictures with the Easter Bunny, petting zoo, crafts, and prize eggs.

Mountain Brook Chamber Easter Egg Roll (Grassy Field in front of Emmet O’Neal Library) 10 a.m.: Eggs, the Easter bunny, and a library storytime. Free and fun for all ages!

APRIL 16 Easter Eggspress at Heart of Dixie Railroad 10 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m.: All aboard for a 75-minute roundtrip on the Easter Eggspress and a visit from Peter Cottontail! In addition, enjoy cornhole, mini golf, decorate eggs, purchase a balloon sculpture from MisterTwister, and get a face painting from Missy Twisty.

Special Needs Community Egg Hunt (Shades Mountain Baptist Church) 9:30 a.m.–noon: An egg hunt hosted by the Special Needs Ministry of SMBC for children with developmental disabilities. Hunts are available to accommodate varying abilities, as well as games, crafts, door prize raffles, and dessert trucks. Contact Amy Kirby (akirby@shades.org) for more information.

Wheelchair-accessible and sensory-friendly egg hunts: Preschool-3rd grade: 10 a.m.

4th-8th grade: 10:45 a.m.

9th grade and up: 11:30 a.m.

Great Big Helicopter Easter Egg Drop (Veterans Park, Alabaster) Gates open at 9 a.m.: Get in place for helicopter egg drops beginning shortly after the ages 0-3 egg hunt at 10:30 a.m. Thousands of candy- and toyfilled eggs dropped for ages 4-5, 6-8, and 9-11.

More free fun includes candy, bouncy houses, food, the Easter Bunny, and more. Pre-register at cultivatechurch.tv/easter.

Helena Hollow Bunny Hop 10 a.m.–4 p.m.: Food truck favorites, a scavenger hunt to find the Easter Bunny, bunny pictures, baby animals, and more! Tickets available for prepurchase online at helenahollow.com or at the gate for $12.

The Big Hunt (Clearbranch UMC Trussville) 2–4 p.m.: Egg hunt by the lake, scavenger hunts, live music, and an appearance by the Easter Bunny. Register online at clearbranch.org.

5th grade: 2–4 p.m. (come and go) Preschool: 2:30 p.m.

5K-2nd grade: 3 p.m.

3rd-4th grade: 3:30 p.m.

Bham Family April 2022 29

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

and love making music and sometimes recording it for others. We appreciate education (we’re on a homeschooling journey), and we feel most at home when we share our home with others.

We have experienced tremendous loss and hardship, so we’ve had to ditch most of the expectations you see on social media and in the world about what life “should” look like. Our world has turned upside down more than once, but there are several gifts that come with pain. You reflect a lot on what truly matters, and you have the capacity for tremendous compassion. That is where much of my involvement in the nonprofit world has stemmed from, and that is something my kids walk away with when they leave the walls of our home.

Q: What does being a mom mean to you?

A: Being a mom is about nurturing and providing your presence. Children spell love “t-i-m-e,” so there is no substitute for just showing up every day. Have you ever tried to use the bathroom or be on a call with kids around? They find you!

Personally, being a mom has meant something different to me during different seasons of my life. I now have children ranging from elementary school all the way to college, so my idealism as a new mom is so different now that we have lived more than 20 years together.

We nurture and provide selfless love in every season, but it looks different as your children grow. In the baby years, you are a caregiver. In the preschool years, you become a teacher. In elementary years, you remain a teacher, but you also become a guide as new experiences fill their lives. As the teen years come, you become a coach. And by the time children are adults, you hope they become your friend.

I also don’t want to leave out those who are not biological mothers but are mothers because of the way they live so open-heartedly. Some of the most amazing women I know have no children of their own, but use that nurturing instinct to pass on wisdom, love, and their presence to others who may not have a home or a heart to run to. In one sense, every woman can mother others—just look for someone younger than you, and begin to value them, speak encouragement, and make a space in your heart for them.

Q: What’s the most important “mom wisdom” you want to pass on to your kids?

A: Everything I hope my kids learn from me is probably summed up in the four sentences I try to remember to speak to them every night before bed: “You are God’s. You are loved. You are good.

Tomorrow, everything starts fresh.”

Q: What is one important lesson that being a 30 Bham Family April 2022

mom has taught you?

A: I’ve learned that one of the best gifts I can give my kids is a healthy me. Keeping my marriage a priority and taking the time to keep myself healthy (mentally, physically, and spiritually) is paramount.

Long after the kids are gone, I will still have me, and hopefully my spouse, to live with! This is a long-term marathon, not a short sprint. Keep that longevity in mind.

Q: Can you tell us about your nonprofit work?

A: I love the nonprofit world! There is nothing better than the day-to-day interaction of helping others, and I have found a happy place in connecting with many nonprofits here in Birmingham. I work parttime as a career coach and teacher for Hope Inspired Ministries, which provides training for adults who need a job or are looking for a reset button. These people are amazing, and I learn from them every day as we share classroom time together.

As the director of Children’s Worship Choir, we reach into the community in so many ways. This spring, our focus is on all the moms and women of Birmingham. We are launching an original song I wrote about mothers as a fundraiser for Blessed Brokenness (a nonprofit in our community that serves those experiencing infertility or the loss of a child). It will be aired on ABC 33/40! We will also bring our music to the Lovelady Center and are providing a special evening of music for women who have been displaced, partnering with several shelters such as Pathways and Jessie’s Place.

Grace Klein Community is near and dear to my heart, too. Last year, I directed a summer internship program for high school students called ELEVATE for GKC. As a family, on occasion, we get to provide a meal and bring music to some of the teams that gather with GKC from out of town.

Lastly, I am a fellow coach with the amazing Beacon People, a nonprofit that helps others find and discover their passions and connect with others in the city.

Q: Your life is full! Do you have any additional responsibilities as Alabama Mother of the Year?

A: I am hopeful to use this platform to encourage moms that their roles are significant and needed in this world. It is the hardest and the greatest job on the planet, and most of the “benefits” are not seen right away. I also hope to encourage women to lean into each other and be more vulnerable to share their own struggles so that friendships and genuine support can be nurtured among mothers. I also want to collectively be a voice with the National Mother’s Association, in Washington, D.C. if necessary, that our role as mothers should remain paramount and not be diminished or taken away by any other government or entity.

Olivia Olivia Tetralogy of Fallot Patient Tetralogy of Fallot Patient

The The path path to to

MENDING MENDING HER HER

HEART was actually through her leg. was actually through her leg.

Olivia was born with a congenital heart defect requiring open Olivia was born with a congenital heart defect requiring open heart surgery at 3 months old. She also required a second heart surgery at 3 months old. She also required a second surgery as a teen to replace her pulmonary valve – but this time surgery as a teen to replace her pulmonary valve – but this time they went through a vein in her leg to insert the Harmony they went through a vein in her leg to insert the Harmony Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve in her heart. This less-invasive Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve in her heart. This less-invasive path to replacement shortened her recovery time, and she went path to replacement shortened her recovery time, and she went home the next day. Olivia was the first pediatric patient in the home the next day. Olivia was the first pediatric patient in the southeast to receive the Harmony valve, and it was here at southeast to receive the Harmony valve, and it was here at Children’s of Alabama.

Children’s of Alabama.

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