Bham Family - April 2023

PASSIONS

CHASING HIS Broadway dancer heads to nursing school in the Magic City Page 22

From catering to cafes and now a brand-new cookbook, Ashley McMakin is making her dreams come true. Page 12

Fun forEveryone

Crafts, recipes, and egg hunts

EDITOR’S NOTE

Dear Readers,

Well spring definitely roared in with warm temps and tornadoes! Hopefully the rest of April will remain calm and mild. I love the cold weather, so I enjoyed the late-March cold snap we had here in Birmingham, but I am also looking forward to getting outdoors and enjoying all of the flowers, showers, and celebrations this month brings.

Early spring (minus the pollen, of course!) 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. We compiled a handy list of activities (page 28), plus we sprinkled in a few kid-friendly Easter treat recipes and craft ideas. There’s something for everyone, so check it out!

There’s lots more to enjoy in this issue—perhaps during an afternoon thunderstorm from your front porch swing—including a chat with Ashley McMakin of Ashley Mac’s Kitchen, who just recently published her very first cookbook (page 12). The cover is gorgeous and the recipes inside are delicious. I plan to cook my way through it this year, starting with a few sides (and a cake!) for Easter lunch.

Our regular columnists bring such great content each month, and I am so thankful for their voices in Bham Family. This month, Ward Williams reminisces on a childhood partly spent in an old Texas coastal town (page 8); Sean Dietrich shares a sweetly distracted take on Resurrection Sunday (page 16); and Alana Smith offers her musings on life after college (page 23).

Tons of other interesting folks lent us their stories, too, like Altamont student Margaret Schedler, who just published her very own play (page 9), and a former Broadway actor who came South during the pandemic and recently graduated nursing school at UAB (page 22). Plus, we ate well at Cajun Steamer (page 20) and wanted to share those magic words with you: Kids Eat Almost Free ($3 meals on Wednesdays!).

I hope you enjoy this first-of-spring issue. I love hearing from y’all, so please reach out to share ideas, feedback, or just a hello! Email me anytime. Happy Spring!

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

ON THE COVER

Ashley Mac’s Kitchen cafe owner and cookbook author Ashley McMakin. Photograph courtesy of 83 Press

ABOUT US

Bham Family is published monthly by JBMC Media, LLC, P.O. Box 26432, Birmingham AL 35260. 10,000 copies are printed and distributed at more than 650 locations throughout Jefferson and Shelby Counties.

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If your business would like to make copies available to customers, please email matthew@jbmcmedia.com with your business name, address, point of contact, and number of copies you would like.

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These folks are the ones to thank for our magazine’s success — spend your money with them, and tell them you saw them in Bham Family!

Aldridge Gardens

Applause Dancewear

Birmingham Children’s Theatre

Children’s of Alabama

Compact

Deo Gloria Wood Works

Kasey Davis Dentistry

Magnolia Festival

Painted Personalities

Pediatric Smiles

Red Mountain Theatre

Sike’s Children’s Shoes / Jack n Jill

Vineyard Family Services

Vulcan Termite & Pest Control

Wrapsody

Just for Dads

Ward Williams gives advice p. 8

Sean of the South Resurrection Sunday p. 16

Education

News from local schools and college students p. 18

Food Review

Cajun Steamer offers great food and kids’ meals! p. 20

Holy Moly Motherhood Age is just a number p. 23

Schoolhouse

Update from the Hoover School District p. 26

Kids Who Shine

Students earn honors at French competition p. 30

FEATURE STORIES

Local Student Publishes Play

Altamont playright presents first work p. 9

Cooking Up Success

Beloved café owner Ashley McMakin’s first cookbook p. 12

From Broadway to Birmingham

Former actor/dancer shifts gears to nursing school p. 22

Celebrate Spring!

Easter crafts, fun recipes, and more to mark the season p. 28

My father escaped family responsibility and found refuge in a small Texas island town called Port Aransas. He often said Port A was a place where losers were not made to feel like losers. My brother and sister spent a part of their childhood in dive bars, hotel swimming pools, playing pool, fishing from local piers, and watching anglers bring in their hard-earned catches.

I developed a love for bar pizza, fried seafood, and amusement games hanging out with the characters you would meet vacationing—or escaping responsibilities—in Port Aransas. There were many positive memories created from my childhood experiences, and I am sure there were citizens there who hung out in classier establishments than Shorty’s Place or The Gaff bar.

In the past couple months, there have been two events that made me wonder if the Port Aransas that my father showed me in the 1980s is really the same Port Aransas that it seems to be today. Southern Living recently created two lists: top Southern towns and top Southern beaches. Port Aransas made both lists. I was in the Corpus Christi area for a conference and had

16 hours to sightsee, so I ventured out to the island, which looks completely different from my childhood memories. Port Aransas was directly hit by Hurricane Harvey and, instead of wilting the town, it created a resurgence of new homes, condominiums, businesses, and residents.

The lessons I have learned is that new growth changes its surroundings. Our views of situations are often limited, and life does not have to stay the same. Port A grew through resilience, planning, and creativity. Port A grew because somebody saw what it could become. Port A grew through collaborations. These lessons can be instilled within your family, kids, and other relationships. As the parent, you need to have a plan for where you want your family to grow, how you want them to develop, and what you want them to become. You must see the plan first, and then create and cultivate the environment in which to see it happen. Our past is important, but it does not dictate our future. I pray that you find a path that is full of growth and opportunities, and that you look forward to lots of great surprises.

Ward Williams is the founder and executive director of Vineyard Family Services. Reach him at ward@vfsdads.com.

Ward Williams

Telling Her Stories

Birmingham senior writes her way to the publication of her first play, all at just 18 years old.

BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE

Altamont senior Margaret Schedler is no stranger to writing, having worked for GirlSpring—”an online community created for girls by girls”—as a writer and content captain, as well as restarting her school’s newspaper, The Acta Diurn,a during the 2020-2021 school year. “I was the youngest editor-in-chief to run the paper by myself,” says Margaret. “I worked under Dan Carsen last year for the upgraded version of the school newspaper as his editor and manager for student articles. We won 1st place for student journalism last year in Scholastic’s Art and Writing Awards.” Her next writing step was a bit bigger, though, as she stepped down from journalism to work on her play, The Post-Modern Prometheus, which was

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF MARGARET SCHEDLER

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published in January.

“I decided to write a play because, firstly, I love theater and, secondly, I wanted this storyline to be pro-formative and therefore more accessible to those who don’t love prose and learn better through emotional dialogue,” Margaret explains. “I’ve acted my whole life, and writing a play seemed the most practical way to honor my passion for fine arts.”

The Post-Modern Prometheus dips into the life of Mary Shelley, best-known as the author of Frankenstein. The three acts follow her after the death of her mother when Mary was young and her newfound fascination with science, monsters, and boys. The Amazon description of Margaret’s play offers this: “It is up to Mary’s mentor and her infamous monster to help Mary confront her past and to help her grow into the famous author she is known as today. This coming-of-age, feminist adaptation of Frankenstein and its author brings forth a new perspective on maidenhood,

mortality, trauma, and religion. The Monty-Python-esc humor makes this play perfect for hilarious high school and college level productions.”

Margaret goes on to explain that she’s written one other play but was unhappy with the finished version. “It was a similar type of story, where I rewrite stories most people are familiar with, but with a feminist lens to amplify the feminine voices in the original text,” she says. “The play I wrote last year, Adonis and Aphrodite, was the groundwork for the play I just published. The main themes were about correcting our communal understanding of women, like the goddess Aphrodite and Mary Shelley. Both of these women—one mythical, the other real—are often taught and depicted as shallow, temperamental girls who do whatever they want without regard for others.”

For Margaret, it was important that The Post-Modern Prometheus tell Mary Shelley’s story in a way that honors

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the author. “The play considers important questions like “What is a monster? What makes a monster?” and I contrast characters like a voiceless Picasso, who is notorious for his problematic and incredibly sexist existence with the children Mary Shelley lost before they reached adolescence,” Margaret says. The play explores Mary’s journey back to her younger self, where she must come to terms with the childhood and young adult trauma she experienced. “The death of her mother, the death of her children, grooming, sexism,” Margaret ticks off the list. “The play is also about feminine love and loving oneself.”

Mary Godwin Shelley was groomed by future husband, poet, and amateur scientist Percy Shelley, who was married and had a child when he convinced Mary to elope at age 16. (Percy was in his early twenties.) As they traversed Europe, along with Mary’s sister, Claire, the women found themselves taken advantage of by men they encountered.

“Because Mary eloped with Percy so young, she lost most of the children she carried before the age of 19. Only one of her children survived to adulthood. Being 18 myself, I’m between the ages that Mary was when she was abused and before she lost all of her children. I couldn’t imagine the immediate maturity that Mary had to cope with at such a young age. The wife that Percy left behind when he ran away with Mary committed suicide by jumping into the Serpentine in London,” Margaret says.

The ensemble piece requires a minimum of 10 actors and is written as a comedic comedy to deliver Margaret’s core message: sharing the trauma of Mary Shelley’s life in a way that is approachable. “The themes are relatable for a wide assortment of audiences.”

The role that her education at Altamont played is not lost on Margaret. “I dedicated the play to Altamont,” she says. “As a senior, I wanted to make sure that the play speaks to my love for the school.”

The Post-Modern Prometheus is available on Amazon.

Cooking with Ashley Mac

BY STEPHANIE GIBSON LEPORE

Ashley McMakin is no stranger to those around town. She grew up here in Birmingham with her parents, Ken and Sandy Deaton, where she inherited a love for all things food. “My mom and grandmother are both amazing cooks, and all events naturally centered around delicious food,” she says. After graduating from Briarwood High School, Ashley headed just a few minutes south to the University of Alabama, graduating with a degree in marketing. She didn’t quite make the kitchen her career yet, but the lure was coming.

“I traveled to East Asia for a year to serve with Campus Crusade for Christ,” Ashley says. “The day I returned home, I became engaged to [husband] Andy McMakin, and we were married six months later. After settling into our Homewood condo, I found myself longing to go to culinary school but instead settling for a desk job. Craving an outlet to develop my love of cooking, I started a little hobby with one of my co-workers—we each put $250 in a joint account and started calling our friends to see if they needed any catering.” Several of the duo’s friends were drug reps, and interest was high for catered lunches to take

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY 83 PRESS

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to doctors’ offices. A short three months later, Ashley and her friend were catering multiple events per week that forced them to quit their day jobs. “We were so blessed by word-of-mouth, people kept calling and calling and calling!” says Ashley. And yes, the infamous and beloved chicken salad the very first recipe Ashley used to cater to friends and family. “It is still our biggest seller in our stores!”

After eight months of full-time catering, Ashley’s partner decided to stay home full-time with her new baby, leaving Ashley “lots of work in my tiny Homewood condo. Thankfully, my husband transitioned out of his job and joined me full-time. He was determined to not only keep my business alive, but also to grow it substantially by finding a commercial kitchen to operate the business.” During a six-month search all over Birmingham, Andy happened upon a vacant tearoom in Bluff Park. “We immediately fell in love with the place and renovated it to fit our needs,” says Ashley. “And on June 16th, 2007, Ashley Mac’s officially opened for business.” The couple hired several employees right off the bat, and they took to heart the encouragement from others to offer to-go meals in addition to catering.

“I continued to develop new menu items, as well as sell many of our popular catering items in smaller portions,” she says. “The following year, in November 2008, we opened our second location in Cahaba Heights. With another supportive community behind us, we were able to open a larger store in Cahaba Heights, which included our first dine-in restaurant that opened in summer 2010.” The Ashley Mac’s loyalty continued, and the business continue to grow steadily, resulting in four more locations: Inverness (2013), Riverchase (2015), Homewood (2018), and Pizitz (2020). “We are continually amazed that the Lord called us to this exciting adventure, and we are so grateful for all the staff and customers He continues to provide for us.”

In addition to her family’s faith, Ashley credits her employees for the cafes’ success. “Our people have always been the core focus of what we do and why we do it. We are passionate about investing in a great team.” In fact, the business’s core purpose is, “To improve the lives of our employees and co-workers by engaging in authentic relationship, providing meaningful employment, cultivating a balanced, gracecentered and excellence driven work environment, and by facilitating the pursuit of their goals in

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life.” Their core value, grace.

“God has called me to both run a business and to be a wife and mama,” Ashley says. “I daily depend on His grace to help me know how to spend my time. My kids are growing fast, and I don’t want to miss a thing—yet there are sacrifices I do have to make in order to keep the business going.”

As she continued to build the brand, Ashley continuously fielded requests for recipes from customers and their insistence that “you should write a cookbook.” But, explains Ashley, “I always dismissed it, because I knew I didn’t have time.” A few years ago, however, her friend Brian Hoffman of Hoffman Media mentioned that his company would love to talk to her about publishing a cookbook. “We discussed it, yet I still felt overwhelmed at the thought of it. After many months passed, I called him back up, and a few months later, I signed a contract with their publishing division, 83 Press.” The process took a little over a year, with Ashley presenting the team at 83 Press with 200 recipes, which were then narrowed down to favorites by placing them into seasonal categories. “We had eight

photoshoots and lots of writing deadlines—I could not have done this without the amazing team from Hoffman walking alongside me.”

Published last month, the cookbook is filled with Ashley Mac’s favorites, as well as new recipes she developed during the process. It’s already selling quickly, and Ashley has hosted several signings at various Ashley Mac’s cafes—recently rebranded as Ashley Mac’s Kitchen. The cookbook is available for purchase at all Ashley Mac’s Kitchen locations as well as online for shipping.

Now that she’s crossed off “publish a cookbook” from her to-do list, Ashley is looking forward to continuing to grow the business through catering, market items (premade frozen soups, casseroles, desserts, breads, and more), as well as their wholesale business. “We hope to expand and open new cafes outside the city and state,” she says. There’s also one more thing she’s looking forward to: “My current favorite recipe is any of our seasonal recipes. Our Tomato Tart comes back each summer, and I am anxiously awaiting that now!”

You can order Ashley Mac’s Kitchen at ashleymacs. com/store/product/ashley-macs-kitchen-thecookbook.

Resurrection Sunday

Easter Sunday. An Episcopal church in Birmingham. Vaulted ceilings. Ornate masonry. A pipe organ. A choir dressed in lacework cottas. Individual stained-glass windows that cost more than tactical government helicopters. The whole works.

My wife and I arrived late. The place was loaded with parishioners in pastel colors. There were no available seats in the back.

“We have room on the front row,” said the usher.

“The front row?” I said. “Isn’t there anywhere else? Somewhere less…frontal?”

He shook his head. “Full house today, sir.”

I am not a front pew guy. I come from mild, soft-spoken fundamentalist people who hug each other sideways; we prefer to fill up the sanctuary from the back to the front.

He guided us to the front pew so that we were practically sitting in the priest’s lap. The whole church was looking at us.

Service began. The organ bellowed. People stood.

Before we sang the first song, a kid in the pew behind me started making flatulent sounds with his mouth. I could not concentrate.

As a former little boy, I am qualified to tell you that these were not just your run-of-themill mouth-based sound effects. These were long, juicy, squirty sounds that, if I hadn’t known better, sounded like minor digestive issues.

And he never quit. During the communal singing, the kid made this noise. During the call to worship: The Noise. During the Lord’s Prayer: nuclear blasts.

Spittle was flying onto the back of my neck as the boy’s sustained raspberry sounds reverberated off the stone walls. I was certain someone would tell the boy to knock it off, but

it never happened.

So, I turned around to give the child a stern look.

He might have been 3 years old. The kid was blond, plump, dressed festively in a seersucker jumpsuit adorned with lace.

His mother smiled. I grinned back, hoping she’d get my drift and put an end to her son’s newfound talent. But she didn’t.

So, I tried to deal with it. Throughout the service, the kid made even louder sounds and I made greater attempts to ignore him. But it was difficult, inasmuch as I could feel the windspeeds from his mouth-trombone moving the hair on the back of my head.

Occasionally, I would look around at other parishioners to gauge their reactions, but nobody was paying attention to the kid. It was incredible. Even though this boy’s sphincterlike tones were rattling the windows, I was the only one in the Western Hemisphere who noticed this child.

When the choir stood for the offertory song, I tried to tune the kid out completely. I focused on the music. I closed my eyes. I listened to the a cappella choral arrangement, bowing my head, reflecting on spiritual matters, when all of a sudden…

Somebody ripped one.

At least that’s what it sounded like. The kid had upped the ante this time. He wasn’t just making basic mouth sounds anymore. He was raspberrying the national anthem. The back of my neck was painted in a fine spray of toddler saliva.

I leaned over to my wife. “I can’t concentrate,” I said.

“Hmmm?” she said.

“That kid. He’s making noise.”

“What kid?”

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“What kid? Junior the Incredible Tooting Toddler. Don’t you hear him?”

“Just don’t pay attention to him.”

“He’s spitting on me.”

Someone across the aisle shushed me. Finally, it was time for communion. Several hundred of us filed toward the altar, and who do you think was standing behind me? That’s right. Toot-Zilla.

The kid was making his lip noises while standing in line, bouncing on his mother’s hip.

I’d had enough. I was just about to say something to the kid’s mother when she spoke first. She told me she didn’t have a free hand for receiving communion. So, she asked if I would watch her son for a moment while she approached the altar and took the sacrament. I said sure.

So, she left him with me for a moment. He stood beside my leg and looked up at me with tap-water blue eyes. And, I have to admit, this

child was cute.

“You shouldn’t be making those sounds in church,” I told him.

“Raah baah baah waah,” he said.

“That’s no excuse.”

“Aaaggghhh.”

“People are trying to be reverent here.”

“Waaah daah haah baah faaah.”

“You’re not even sorry, are you?”

He drooled on himself.

When his mother finished receiving the Eucharist, she came back to us and lifted her son into her arms. I wished her a happy Easter. She returned the favor. Then, I wished the kid a happy Easter and his little face erupted in a smile.

“Haaappah eeeee-saaaah!” he shouted.

My heart officially melted. I pinched his nose, and the kid responded by making that familiar loud sound again.

Only this time his lips didn’t move.

I hope you had a happy Easter. I know he did.

Birmingham Student Spotlight

Eighth-grader Stephen Briscoe will represent Alabama in the national spelling bee.

Briarwood Alumni Earn Honors

The following Briarwood graduates earned the prestigious honor of presidential positions in their fields of study:

• Hayden Kent, class of 2021, Auburn University student President of the College of Science and Math

• Ansley Azar, class of 2019, Auburn University student President of the College of Architecture, Design and Construction

• Emma McMullen, class of 2022, Auburn University student President of the College of Liberal Arts

Cullman County Middle Schooler Wins State Spelling Bee

Stephen Briscoe, an eighth-grader at Hanceville Middle School, won the 2023 Alabama Spelling Bee at last month’s competition at UAB. His winning word was “schnell.” Stephen will now compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in late May in Washington, D.C.

Trussville Teacher Competes on Jeopardy!

Cahaba Elementary School PE teacher and HewittTrussville High School football coach Jake Garrett competed on an episode of Jeopardy! on March 20. The teacher-coach began the process several years ago with an online test. After scoring high enough to be placed into a potential contestant pool, he was given another test and interviewed a couple times. Close to a yearand-a-half after the last interview, Jake received a call to fly out to Los Angeles to film the show. Jake came in second place with just $1 less than the show’s first-place winner.

Mountain Brook Student to Play Collegiate Lacrosse

Stutts Everette, a senior lacrosse captain at Mountain Brook High School, recently signed with Sewanee (The University of the South) to play the sport this fall.

Former Springville Student Receives Naval Honor

Birmingham native Engineman 2nd Class Morgan Rogers, a Recruit Division Commander who also attended Springville High School, was named Junior Instructor of the Year at the U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command, the Navy’s only boot camp. She also received the Junior Instructor of the Quarter for the second quarter.

Ministry Training School Granted Accreditation

On February 14, Highlands College—a private Biblical higher education institute affiliated with Birmingham’s Church of the Highlands—was granted initial accreditation by the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) Commission on Accreditation by unanimous vote. In addition, the commission had no recommendations or actions for Highlands College for improvement.

Initial accreditation allows the current associate degrees the school awards to be accredited. The college’s five-year plan, released in 2021, calls for growth to an accredited four-year program with approval to offer a bachelor’s degree where students have the potential to graduate without college debt through a generous scholarship program.

The ABHE Commission on Accreditation is one of only four recognized national, faithrelated accrediting agencies which focuses on offering certificates, diplomas, associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degrees preparing students for Christian ministries through Biblical, church-vocational, and general studies.

High School Students Named Rising Stars

• Homewood High School senior Shawnise Gregory was named a Rising Star by FOX6 News. Shawnise is an athletic mentor, general manager of the chess club, and has silver and bronze awards through Girl Scouts of America. She’s also received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.

• Pinson Valley High School senior Joshua Boykin was also named a Rising Star. Josh holds a 3.81 GPA and is a member of both the Technical and English Honor Societies. During his free time, Josh volunteers at the Salvation Army and Drug and Alcohol Recovery Center giving free haircuts.

The WBRC FOX6 News Rising Star is sponsored by America’s First Credit Union and highlights Central Alabama high school students who serve the community, participate in extracurricular activities, and maintain at least a 3.0 GPA. Weekly winners compete for one of five $5,000 scholarships from America’s First Credit Union.

Former Mountain Brook Champs Play for Auburn Basketball Team

Auburn senior Lior Berman and Auburn junior Carter Sobera, both basketball state champs during their time at Mountain Brook High School, participated in Auburn’s run during March Madness at Legacy Arena in Birmingham last month.

Helena Grad Makes

Dean’s List

Kendal Watkins, a Helena graduate and member of Phi Mu sorority at Samford, was recently named to the 2023 Dean’s List.

Let the Good Times Roll at Cajun Steamer

The restaurant serves traditional bayou favorites with lagniappe. (That’s “a little somethin’ extra” for the uninitiated.)

This Louisiana-centric restaurant started as a simple roadside stand in Hoover that sold crawfish from the back of a truck. (Original co-founder Jeff Thompson moved to Birmingham from Louisiana in the early ‘90s, and the stand was born out of desperation to locate Cajun food and crawfish in the Magic

City.) The chain has now grown to include seven party-style bar and grill establishments— including the one we recently visited in Cahaba Heights.

Cajun Steamer offers the comfort cuisine of Louisiana—think gumbo, po’boys, seafood

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platters, and spicy pastas—as well as the laissez les bon temps rouler (“let the good times roll”) culture for which the state is known.

I’ve spent a little time in the bayou pulling crawfish traps and separating the freshly caught crustaceans from debris and bait, so I can appreciate the work that goes into getting them to the table. At Cajun Steamer, they come boiled the traditional way in the restaurant’s special seasoning and served hot with cocktail sauce. (When crawfish aren’t in season, go for one of the Gulf shrimp or snow crab leg options.) In my opinion, it’s tough to find good oysters Rockefeller too far outside Charleston, but the ones at Cajun Steamer filled the bill and my appetite for the spinach-baconParmeson-topped mollusks.

Bold flavors sing in dishes like Voodoo Chicken (grilled with a cream sauce of caramelized onions, bacon, crawfish, and balsamic glaze); Red Beans & Rice served with smoked sausage and cornbread; and Catfish Pontchartrain, which features a shrimp and crab-stuffed fillet topped with Crawfish Louie sauce. The Cajun Trio is the holy grail of bayou specialties, and worth the food coma after you finish crawfish étouffée, jambalaya, and red beans and rice.

Po’boys choices are plentiful, with shrimp (three ways) or fried oysters, catfish, or chicken. All come on toasted rolls and dressed with remoulade, tartar sauce, or honey mustard. Though I didn’t try any of the pastas this trip, the dishes are tempting. The Cajun Pastalaya comes with a chicken and sausage jambalaya rotini pasta topped with blackened shrimp. The ridiculously decadent Crawfish Mac N’ Cheese includes crawfish in a creamy Cheddar sauce with pasta, spicy bacon, and Creole tomatoes, topped with Zapp’s Voodoo Chips.

Though I went for dinner, I can promise you I’ll be back for the $12 lunch special, which includes your choice of a half-po’boy or two tacos plus a cup of gumbo or a small salad. (You can pick from seafood, chicken and

sausage, or gumbo yaya, a combo of chicken, sausage, shrimp, oysters, and crawfish. The latter is my strong rec!)

Drink specials and a general atmosphere of Cajun revelry make this spot a fun choice for a laid-back date, but, like you, I’m a parent with a small child to feed as well. Wednesday nights at the Cahaba Heights Steamer location are Kids’ Night, when all kids’ meals are $3 from 5-9 p.m. All kids under 12 can choose from a fried shrimp or catfish basket, cheeseburger, or chicken tenders. Each meal includes fries and a drink. It’s such a delicious deal!

Make sure you finish with “a little somethin’ extra”—that’s the lagniappe part—off the dessert menu.

The Acadian Bread Pudding is a crowd fave, with its rich bourbon caramel sauce and sprinkle of chopped pecans, or you can opt for a decadent French Quarter Brownie with a hot honey topping, classic beignets, or fried cheesecake.

Cajun Steamer says it best themselves: “With authentic bites from the bayou, paired with drinks filled to the brim with the essence of New Orleans, we’ve got everything you want and more at Cajun Steamer.”

Cajun Steamer is located at 3151 Green Valley Road in Vestavia Hills. Open Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Sunday 10 a.m.-9 p.m. For more information, visit cajunsteamer.com/location/cahaba-heights-al or call (205) 490-8438.

Leap of Faith

BY HANNAH ECHOLS

Nicholas Cayce is no stranger to performing under pressure. If anything, he thrives on it. From dance studios across Alabama to the bright lights of Broadway, Nicholas has danced and acted on stages around the world.

This past December, he walked across a new stage as he received his Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Nicholas, a native of Madison, Alabama, found his passion for dance when he began ballet at the age of 8. He attended the Alabama School of Fine Arts for high school and

continued his training at the collegiate level, earning a degree in dance from Point Park University. After graduation, he developed a passion for musical theater during his time as an actor and was a dancer on Royal Caribbean cruises. After five years performing his way through the seas, Nicholas wanted to try his hand on land.

Nicholas would spend the next eight years performing across the country. He was a swing and dance captain on the Broadway national tour of Elf in addition to performing in productions of Cinderella, The Music Man, and the dance-heavy Cats The Musical. In

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From the bright lights of Broadway to nursing school, this pediatric RN is chasing his passion.

PHOTOGRAPH BY FRANK COUCH Nicholas graduated from the UAB School of Nursing on December 9, 2022.

Carefree Days

We went to Tuscaloosa recently for a college basketball game. As I waited with my family at a restaurant, I looked at the college girls around me.

Their wrinkle-free, full faces. Their hair, pulled back, without a trace of gray. Their carefree conversation and laughter. Nowhere to be, other than at their table on this Saturday.

Such a good feeling, I remember.

As I watched them, I was shushing my three-year-old and pushing my glasses back up on my face. I wondered what I looked like to them. I tried to relax my brow and unclench my jaw.

Do I look old?

On one hand, it feels like yesterday when I was in their shoes. And on the other, it feels like a million years ago. I barely recognize the young face I see in my college photos.

It’s funny how you don’t realize how carefree you are when you are young. You think your classes are hard and you are sick of being broke, but you have no idea how good you really have it.

It’s a heavy feeling at times, being grown. But these 15 years—the ones that take us from college girls to adult women—are filled with some of the best feelings we will have in our lifetime.

Saying yes to a man that adores us. Earning that first paycheck with more than three numbers. Painting a wall that you actually own. Driving home with a puppy that will become your family. Feeling a tiny life move inside you. Hearing the words, “I love you, mama.”

So, as much as I miss the freedom of my college days, those feelings could never add up to this.

And I imagine in 15 more years, I’ll look over at a tired mom in a restaurant and think, “She doesn’t know how good she has it.”

Alana Smith is a boy mom (ages 7 and 2), nurse anesthetist, and writer in Birmingham. She shares her writing at Holy Moly Motherhood (on Facebook and Instagram), where she tackles all things motherhood and marriage.

Alana Smith

PHOTOGRAPH BY WOODY KELLY ON UNSPLASH

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

2019, Nicholas was invited to help with the pre-production of the popular Broadway show Beetlejuice—a position his younger self would have dreamed of. However, the stage lights had started to dim for Nicholas as he grew weary of the theater lifestyle. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Broadway turned into a ghost town.

“I didn’t know what to do, so I decided to come back to Alabama thinking it would be a short but needed break,” Nicholas said. “I quickly realized that, as much as I loved the life of a performer, it was not fulfilling to me anymore. It was time for a change.”

While Nicholas dreamed of entertaining the masses, he also dreamed of taking care of them as a health care worker. As he watched thousands lose

CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

PHOTO COURTESY OF NICHOLAS CAYCE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24

their lives to COVID-19, many within his theater community, he decided to take a leap of faith and applied to the UAB School of Nursing’s Accelerated Master’s in Nursing Pathway. Nicholas was accepted to the program, which allows those with bachelor’s degrees or higher in a non-nursing field to earn their nursing degree. The accelerated program was not a simple task for Nicholas, now 35, who had been out of school for more than 10 years; but he felt his time on the stage helped him in the classroom.

“Swings were responsible for knowing multiple roles and recalling routines at the drop of a hat,” Nicholas said. “As a swing, I was constantly taking notes and studying, trying to absorb and retain as much information as I could. The skills and habits I developed not only as a swing but throughout my dance career without a doubt helped me succeed in nursing school.”

During clinical rotations, Nicholas found

a passion for pediatric nursing and joined the Children’s of Alabama team after graduation. He hopes to be a positive influence on pediatric patients, many of whom are facing a road of uncertainty.

“Growing up as a male ballet dancer, I was faced with many obstacles; but I did not let that keep me from pursuing dreams,” Nicholas said. “I hope I can show my patients that not all journeys are the same, and some journeys may take you all around the world; but it is important to believe in yourself and not let detours discourage you.”

As his time in the AMNP program came to a close, Nicholas reflected on his transition from the stage to the exam room. While it has been a whirlwind of events, he is grateful he had the courage to embark on a new journey.

“My advice to others is to trust your gut. If you feel like you have a calling, go for it,” Nicholas said. “Take the leap. It will feel terrifying, but still jump because you’ll end up flying right into so many great opportunities.”

RES math team excels

The Riverchase Elementary School

5th grade Math Team members participated in the Hayden Middle School Math Tournament and won 1st place for 5th grade math in the small schools division. Vihaan Budankayala earned an individual award for 2nd place and Kelly Curtis for 3rd place.

SPHS wrestlers recognized

Two Spain Park High School wrestlers won individual state championships at the 2023 AHSAA wrestling state tournament. Will Conlon won the 182 lb. classification, and Rayshod Burts won the 285 lb. classification. The team finished Top 5 in the state with five finalists.

Speech pathologists speak at conference

Kandis Chatman, a speech-language pathologist at Deer Valley Elementary School, and Crystal Perry, an English Language Learner Specialist at Deer Valley Elementary and Brock’s Gap Intermediate, were featured speakers at the Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama’s 2023 convention.

Buccaneer Band marches in NYC

The Hoover High School marching band made the journey to New York for the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade on March 17. This photo of the Hoover Buccanettes was the main photo on a story on the New York Daily News’ website.

TCES celebrates 30 years

Trace Crossings Elementary School held a 30th Anniversary Celebration recently, as 2022 marked 30 years since TCES opened its doors. The celebration commemorated its success in the Hoover City Schools district and its role in serving the Hoover community since 1992.

Simmons band earns honors

The Simmons Middle School honors band and concert band both received “Straight Superior Ratings” at the Alabama District 4 Music Performance Assessment. This is the highest rating possible. The MPA, organized by the Alabama Bandmasters Association, gives bands the opportunity to be evaluated and critiqued by a panel of qualified adjudicators.

Spring is Here!

Celebrate Easter and the start of warm-weather season with one of these treats or events that promises core memory fun!

googly eyes), and glue on a pink pom pom for a nose. Using a dauber or sponge, add pink paint circles for cheeks. Add white pipe cleaners to make whiskers. Attach both the nose and whiskers with glue.

Glue the chick and bunny to the back of each white paper plate “egg.”

EASY EGG CRAFTS FOR THE KIDDOS

PAPER PLATE BUNNY AND CHICK

White paper plates

Scissors

Round daubers or sponges

Acrylic paint

Foam sheets or heavyweight construction

paper

Markers

Feathers

Glue

Pom poms

Pipe cleaners

Cut two paper plates in half. Cut out a zig-zag pattern across the top of each half. Using daubers, sponges, or your finger, paint dots or designs across the front of each plate half.

Make a chick: Cut an oval from yellow craft foam or construction paper. Draw on two eyes and attach a feather to the back to create a baby chick. Using a dauber or sponge, add pink paint circles for cheeks. Cut out a small orange triangle for a beak, and glue to face.

Make a bunny: Cut a circle from white craft foam or construction paper. Cut out two white ovals and two slightly smaller pink ovals for ears. Glue a pink oval onto each white oval, and attach ears to the back of the white circle. Draw on two eyes (or glue on

CLOTHESPIN EGGS

Wooden clothespins

Glitter foam sheets or scrapbook paper

Scissors

Glue or adhesive

Yellow construction paper

Markers

Cut out oval egg shapes from foam sheets or scrapbook paper. Draw a zig-zag across back of each egg and cut in half.

Attach egg halves to front tops and bottoms of

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

clothespins.

Cut out a small oval chick shape from yellow construction paper. Draw on a face with markers or use small googly eyes and mini orange pom poms for a beak. Repeat for desired number of clothespin eggs. Glue each chick to the back bottom portion of each clothespin.

WHIP UP A TASTY EASTER TREAT

Recipes and photographs courtesy of Jennifer Davis, memorymakinmomma.com

CROCKPOT EASTER CANDY

2 (16-ounce) containers salted peanuts

1 (24-ounce) package vanilla almond bark

1 bag Easter M&Ms

Sprinkles

Pour peanuts into crockpot. Add almond bark on top. Cook on low for 1 hour.

Stir mixture candy to coat well. Cook an additional 15 minutes, then add half the M&Ms; toss.

Drop candy by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper (working with a few at a time). Add sprinkles and an additional 1-2 M&Ms on top. Make sure to do it while still warm so they stick.

EASTER WHOOPIE PIES

1 package Pillsbury cookies

Vanilla frosting

Food coloring

Bake cookies according to package directions. Cool.

Prepare desired colors of frosting.

Spread a thick layer of vanilla frosting on one cookie. Top with second cookie to make a sandwich.

EGG-STRAVAGANZAS AROUND TOWN

UAB Dragon Egg Hunt (4/6)

This family-friendly event, hosted by UAB Athletics at Protective Stadium, includes an on-field egg

hunt for ages 12 and under during halftime of the UAB Spring Game. More info and registration at uabsports.com.

April First Friday (Calera 4/7)

Sponsored by AmFirst, April’s First Friday includes the Grand Eggs-travaganza Celebration, with live music and the Easter Bunny. Event includes crafts, egg hunt, exhibitors, food trucks, a Kids Zone, and more!

Easter Egg Dyeing (4/7)

Head to Azaelas Alabaster to dye eggs and take pictures with the Easter Bunny. The restaurant will offer adult drink specials and a special mocktail menu for kids.

Easter Eggstravaganza (4/7)

Hosted by Vestavia Hills Library in the Forest at Wald Park, bring the kids for an egg hunt and catch a puppet show from Lee Bryan at 11:30 a.m. or 12:15 p.m. Also includes a petting zoo, visit from the Easter Bunny, and goodie bags. More info available at vestavialibrary.org/events.

Great Big Helicopter Easter Egg Drop (4/8)

Thousands of filled eggs dropped from a helicopter at Veterans Park in Alabaster! The free event also includes bouncy houses, a designated sensory area, and a visit from the Easter Bunny. Three helicopter drops are divided by age categories; gates open at 9 a.m. Pre-register at cultivatechurch.churchcenter. com/registrations/events.

Glow in the Dark Egg Hunt (4/8)

Sponsored by MortgageRight in Leeds, head to 7910 Parkway Drive to hunt glowing eggs and enjoy hot dogs, candy, prizes, and more! Registration required; visit everyoneleeds.com/community-calendar, click for April events, then register for the egg hunt.

Bunny Barnival at Helena Hollow (4/8)

Hop on down to celebrate spring! Tickets include a carnival-themed meal, games with Easter prizes, petting zoo, face painting, and more. Purchase tickets at helenahollow.com.

Shades Mountain Baptist Church

Special Needs Community Egg Hunt (4/8): Egg hunts for ages pre-K-5th grade and 6th gradeadult to accommodate varying abilities, games, crafts, door prizes, and dessert trucks (for treat purchases). Bring your own basket. Wheelchairaccessible and sensory-friendly options. Kids will trade in eggs for a goodie bag after hunt. Contact Amy Kirby with questions (akirby@shades.org).

KIDS WHO SHINE THE ALTAMONT SCHOOL

BY SEAN FLYNT

Students Earn French Honors

Altamont School students competed at the annual Alabama Federation of French Clubs convention recently. Through performances, presentations, and activities, the students explored the 2023 theme, “L’Impressionnisme: Un coup de pinceau, un coup de cœur!” Students devote time to developing convention skits and presentations and present them during a school assembly before attending (with captions for the non-Francophones). French Club president Parker Denson noted that the only way to prepare for some convention events, including interpersonal speaking, is simply to become proficient in the language. She said one-on-one conversations with judges are a unique and favored part of the competition. “I feel like conversational language skills are much more practical for fluency,” she explained. “So, I like the practice.”Altamont’s individual and group honors included:

Scholarship

• Madeleine Beckwith won a Supérieur award and $500 for her extemporaneous essay and oral interview in French.

Breakout Room

• The team of Finn Pak, Bud Riley, Chloe Shaffield, and Edward French won a Supérieur award.

Group Skit

• Levels 1/2: “Chez Monet” won a Très Bien award.

• Levels 3/Advanced: “Ladies of Impressionism” won a Supérieur award.

Individual Oral – Live

• Level 1: Natalia Jimenez Arellano won a Supérieur award.

• Level 2: Holman Gray won a Supérieur award.

• Level 3: Alden Dumontier won a Supérieur award.

• Advanced: Temple Coleman won a Supérieur award.

Individual Oral – Recorded

• Level 2: Holman Gray and Maddie Winslett won a Supérieur award, Ali LeJeune won a Très Bien award, and Payton Daniels won a Bien award.

• Level 3: Sykes Carlson won a Supérieur award.

• Advanced: Chloe Shaffield won a Supérieur award and James Myers, Sophia Sultan and Liam McNiel won a Bien award.

Dictation Competition

• Level 2: Maddie Winslett won a Très Bien award.

• Level 3: Marko Maglic-Kinnunen won a Supérieur award. Alden Dumontier won a Très Bien award. Andrew Herrin, Sykes Carlson, and George Benson won a Bien award.

• Advanced: Raju Sudarshan, Savitri Sasse, Parker Denson, and Valeria Blanco won a Supérieur award. Lizzie Maxey, Alexander Skowronski, Sophia Sultan, Finn Pak, Temple Coleman, Frances Overton, Dima Reem Gambino, Reese Jeffery, Chloe Shaffield, Tanner Battle, Ingrid Smyer, Liam McNeil, and Charlie Youngson won a Très Bien award. Edward French and John-Nathan Rosborough won a Bien award.

Interpersonal Speaking

• Level 2: Holman Gray won a Très Bien award.

• Level 3: Angus Brantley won a Très Bien award.

• Advanced: Parker Denson won a Supérieur award.

Presentational Speaking

• Advanced: Raju Sudarshan won a Très Bien award.

T-Shirt Competition

• Madeleine Beckwith & Ingrid Smyer won Mentions Honorables for their designs.

Written Test

• Advanced: Savitri Sasse and Frances Overton won a Bien award.

journey to mend his The

heart led

Qua was born with tricuspid atresia that required a series of open heart surgeries as an infant. But as a teen, his health took a dramatic turn. Qua’s pediatrician and cardiologist recognized something wasn’t right with his heart and sent him to Children’s of Alabama. Our team was standing by when he arrived by helicopter, and within two weeks he received a new heart. He rebounded quickly and was back at home a few weeks later, thanks to the expert heart team here at Children’s of Alabama.

TEENS — Have questions? Concerned about things? Just need someone to listen? Talking helps. Whether you are having a great day or a tough day, give us a call. We are here to listen.

PARENTS — Think your teen might be involved with substance abuse? Have questions? Concerned about your teen? Wondering how to handle your teen’s choices? Just need someone to listen to you? Talking helps.