Auburn-Opelika Parents November 2013 by KeepSharing

November2013

Volume 4 Number 9

30 Columns 36

Publisherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note Kendra Sumner

Living With Children John Rosemond

Gratitude Games Discover fun ways to reawaken thankfulness in your children this season.

2013 Holiday Happenings Guide

Our guide tells you where to enjoy holiday fun in Lee County.

Kids Health Watch sponsored by Pediatric Associates of Auburn

Get This! Gerry Paige Smith

Dave Says Dave Ramsey

A Page in a Book Gerry Paige Smith

6 Cool Gift Ideas for Teens and Tweens Make it easy on yourself with these gift ideas theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll love.

Say Goodbye to Dressing Drama

Solutions to keep you and your child from frustrated mornings.

On The Cover Thirteen-year-old Myles Redmond is a seventh grade homeschooler who loves the outdoors! He is the son of Anthony Redmond, and Heather and Ben Curtis. His favorite subjects are science and art. When he is not playing with his four siblings, you can find Myles outdoors exploring nature. He also enjoys playing games and watching movies with his family.

The FlyLady Marla Cilley

Parenting on the Plains Polly Dunn, Ph.D.

Departments 6

Bits and Pieces 12

School Bits 42

Family Calendar 48

Movie Reviews www.facebook.com/auburnopelika.parents

Publisher’sNote How often do we show gratitude to those we love? How about to those we just meet or come into contact with every once in a while? Expressing one’s appreciation toward others can be as simple as a quick spoken ‘Thank you!’ or an expressive card. Or, showing your gratefulness can be more elaborate by doing a nice gesture in return or even ‘paying it forward’ and spreading good deeds each day! For some, saying thanks feels like second nature, however, for others, it may not come so naturally. With November being a month in which we traditionally gather among family and friends to reflect on the year, let’s take time to remind ourselves of all we have to be grateful for. Take that a step further...and let’s foster gratitude in our children. Like most things, children need to be taught how to respond to others in a thankful way, and more so, how to give and do for others with a gracious heart. In our feature article, Gratitude Games: Fun Ways to Reawaken Appreciation in Kids, by Christina Katz, you will find some great ideas to spark the learning and excitement in giving this holiday season. One idea is to give your children postcards and have them write or draw a thank you note to all the people they appreciate this year. Together, you can stamp and drop them off at the post office knowing that you will not only bring a smile to another’s day, but have made a lasting, learning impression among your children. Maybe even make it an annual Thanksgiving tradition! Another tradition you can start is to ‘pay it forward’ each November. There are various organizations in our own community that need helping hands (even little hands). Listed in the 2013 Holiday Happenings Guide, you will find some local charities to support this season. One great way to get your kids excited about giving to others is to have them shop for a toy and drop it off at any of the local Toys for Tots bins. Or, how about shopping the Cookie Walk this year? Together, you can pick a box of homemade sweets, take them to an elderly neighbor who could use a friendly smile, and at the same time, your family has helped Habitat For Humanity! Need to check some of those names off your Christmas list? Shop this year’s BigHouse Crafty Christmas, November 23, in Opelika. In doing so, share with your children that the proceeds of the event benefit local foster children who need a helping hand. Of course, the annual Beat Bama Food Drive kicked off this month and runs through November 25. Donate food to the East Alabama Food Bank and help fight hunger in Lee County! Teaching children to be thankful and show gratitude is vital, as these are important character traits. A grateful spirit is about showing appreciation to others, and also giving back. Whether you start in your home with creative Thanksgiving ideas, or reach beyond your own family into our community and give to those less fortunate, take the time to be grateful this Thanksgiving season. From one parent to another, Happy Giving to your family!

Kendra

kendra@auburnopelikaparents.com

Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

Auburn Opelika Lee County’s Foremost Parenting Source

Auburn Opelika Parents Magazine is founded on the principle that parenting is an exciting, diverse, challenging, and significant role in our community. Auburn Opelika Parents Magazine is a community advocate for families and the parenting process.

Publisher Kendra Sumner kendra@auburnopelikaparents.com Editor DeAnne Watson deanne@auburnopelikaparents.com Associate Editor Kelly Watson Contributing Writers Marla Cilley Polly Dunn, Ph.D. Richard Freeman, M.D. Christina Katz Pam Molnar Dave Ramsey John Rosemond Gerry Paige Smith Cover Photography Candy Avera www.pictureperfectbycandy.com

President Jason Watson Director of Sales Justin Sumner justin@auburnopelikaparents.com (334) 209-0552 Ad Design Tim Welch

Visit us online at www.auburnopelikaparents.com Auburn-Opelika Parents magazine is published monthly by KeepSharing, LLC. Mailing address: 1204 Owens Road Auburn, Alabama, 36830. The phone number is (334) 209-0552 and fax is (334) 826-7303. Auburn-Opelika Parents is copyrighted 2013 by KeepSharing LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Opinions expressed in Auburn-Opelika Parents magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the owners, nor do they constitute an endorsement of products and services herein.

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LivingWithChildren by John Rosemond

Dealing with an Argumentative Child Q:

My 5-year-old daughter has developed a bad habit of arguing with me whenever I refuse her something, anything. Believe me when I tell you she is relentless. She will continue to argue until I put her in her room, but as soon as I let her out, she starts up again. I shared this with a therapist friend who told me that my daughter is trying to manipulate me, to control the relationship. She said to just continue putting her in her room whenever it happens and it will eventually stop. Do you agree?

Since you are not in a formal relationship with this therapist, since she’s a friend, I can answer your question: No, I most definitely do not agree. At age 5, your daughter’s brain has not developed the ability to consciously, with malice aforethought, manipulate someone. That very sociopathic ability does not develop, on average, until age 12 or so. Your daughter is arguing with you for the same three reasons all children argue

Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

with their parents: First, you explain yourself; second, you try to get her to agree with your explanation; third, she throws down the proverbial gauntlet and you pick it up. I’ll take each of these in turn. Explanations invite pushback, and pushback is argument. When your daughter asks for something, it’s one thing to simply say “No.” It’s quite another to go on and on about why you are saying “No.” You tell your daughter, for example, that you’re not going to buy her a new Princess Fantastic doll because she has enough of them already and they cost too much anyway. Your daughter responds with a rebuttal, as in, “But Mom, I only have five and besides, this is the one everyone’s been waiting for and all my friends are getting it and besides, it doesn’t cost nearly as much as that new washing machine you and Dad bought last week.” You then tell your daughter that the fact that everyone is getting the new doll isn’t reason enough to pay that much money for it and, yes, five is enough, and where the new

washing machine is concerned, that was something the family needed, not something you simply wanted. And your daughter comes back with...and the game is on. Your objective in this game of backand-forth is to get your daughter to say what no child has ever said: “Wow, Mom! When you explain yourself like that I can’t help but agree with you! Of course, I don’t need another Princess Fantastic doll, and of course, need and want are two entirely different things, and of course, I have enough dolls as it is. Thank you, Mom, for taking the time to help me understand all of this. You’re a really super Mom!” Now, that’s pretty silly of you, isn’t it? Lastly, you said your daughter has a bad habit of arguing with you. I disagree. It’s YOU who has the bad habit of picking up the gauntlet whenever she throws it down. The way to not pick up the gauntlet is to (1) say “No” and nothing more; (2) when your daughter demands to know why or why not, say, “Because I said so.” And then, (3) turn around and walk away, leaving your daughter to stew in her own juices. Our great-grandmothers were on to something, you know. Family psychologist John Rosemond answers parents’ questions on his website at www.rosemond.com.

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bits & pieces Get Blasted with Color at Color Vibe 5K

Get ready for the most colorful fun-filled day of your life! November 16, 8:00 a.m. at the Montgomery Motorsports Park, is the place to be! You’ll have more color on you than your happy levels can handle! So get your friends and family stretched out for this amazing color blast event where you'll get blasted with color while you run the Color Vibe 5K. Color Vibe is here, and you’re about to get tagged! You'll be blasted at every color station throughout this awesome 5K run. Sign up fast, because spots are filling quickly and we have a limited number of shirts available. So grab your girlfriends, your bros, your friends, and your family for a color fun experience that you never knew existed! So join us for the Color Vibe 5K run in your city and get ready to be tagged with color! www.thecolorvibe.com/montgomery.php

Celebration for Adoptive Families

Agape’s 5th annual Adoption Celebration will be held on Saturday, November 2, at the Dreamfield Farms and Pumpkin Patch in Union Springs, Al from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. The community event provides an opportunity for adoptive families to come together, build relationships and celebrate God’s unique plan for their family. The celebratory event is free and lunch will be provided. To register your family for the event, please email info@ agapeforchildren.org or call 334-272-9466. www.agapeforchildren.org.

The Magic of Model Trains

The holidays are picking up steam at McWane Science Center, Birmingham, with the return of the Magic of Model Trains exhibit, November 9-January 5. Discover trains of every shape and size inside this popular exhibit which features over a dozen different train displays. Every set in the exhibit is designed to scale with the size of the trains. The meticulous detail of the scenery including covered bridges, downtown storefronts and of course, several train stations will keep your family entertained for hours!

Free Admission to Callaway Gardens on Founders Day

Founders Day at Callaway Gardens, Ga. is set aside to honor its founders each year on November 6 (Cason J. Callaway's birthday). Enjoy FREE admission and special organ concerts from 12-4 p.m. at the Ida Cason Callaway Memorial Chapel. www.callawaygardens.com.

2013 Frontier Day

Using Fort Toulouse - Fort Jackson Park as its historical backdrop, Alabama Frontier Days focuses on demonstrating what life was like in the Frontier South during the early years of European and American exploration and settlement, 1700-1820. The public can experience this living history, November 6-10, as many frontier trades and crafts will be demonstrated by living history specialists and craftsmen in the costume of the periods. Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson State Historic Site, Wetumpka. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. www.fttoulousejackson.org. Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

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Thanksgiving Market and Holiday Open House

Food Drive at Auburn Public Library

On Tuesday, November 5th, the Auburn Public Library will collect donations of unexpired canned goods and nonperishable food items. Those who donate will be eligible to have one dollar in existing overdue fines waived for each food item donated. All food will then be donated to the Food Bank of East Alabama. Only existing overdue fines (i.e., fines for items that have been returned late) are eligible to be waived. Replacement costs for lost or damaged materials, non-resident fees, replacement cards, and printer/copier costs are not eligible to be waived. One canned good or food item = one dollar of overdue fines.

November 17 on Broad Street, Alexander City, there will be a special market selling vegetables just in time for your Thanksgiving gathering! 7:00-11:00 a.m. While gathering your ingredients for the meal, stop by the Holiday Open House, downtown Alexander City, where local businesses open their doors to showcase the season's most festive decorations and merchandise. 1:00-4:00 p.m.

90th Annual Turkey Day Classic

This year's game features the Alabama State University Hornets versus the Stillman College Tigers at the New ASU Stadium on Thursday, November 28 at 3:00 p.m. For more information or to buy tickets, www.hornethomecoming.com/game.

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bits & pieces Christmas at Crossroads

Enjoy a weekend-long opening of the Christmas Season at Russell Crossroads at Russell Farms Road in Alexander City. On November 29 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., visit Santa at the Naturalist Cabin, whisper to him what you want for Christmas and have a photo taken. Enjoy complimentary carriage rides. On Friday and Saturday, November 29 and 30, don't miss Marianne's "Let's Talk Turkey" presentation. On Sunday, December 1, stop by The Stables for carriage rides, snacks and goodies. Free. www. russelllandsonlakemartin.com.

March of Dimes Night Walk at Callaway Gardens

Join thousands of others for the annual March of Dimes Night Walk through Fantasy In Lights, to be held November 17, 6:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. On this special night, the lights may be enjoyed by walkers only – cars and trolleys are not allowed. Last year, almost 6,780 people participated in the Night Walk. For more information about the Night Walk, call the March of Dimes office at 706.660.0160 or www.callawaygardens.com.

“Alice in Wonderland” at the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts Opelika High Theatre Society presents Alice in Wonderland. November 7 & 9, 12-14, 7:00 p.m., November 10, 3:00 p.m. All performances will take place at the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts. Admission is $7 for adults/$5 for students. For more information, call 334-745-9715.

Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

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KidsHealthWatch

Sponsored by Pediatric Associates of Auburn

Childhood Obesity Recently, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reported that the nation’s obesity rate had reached a plateau. According to an article by Liz Neporent for ARC News, this was the first time in thirty years that the numbers had appeared to level off (with the exception of Arkansas, which showed an increase). Michele Larkin, the assistant vice president of health at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is quoted in Neporent’s article as saying, “This leveling off shows the first time we’re seeing progress in fighting the obesity epidemic. We are starting to see a payoff from the policies being put into place that encourage people to become more active and eat healthier.” Another report, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, showed that in 18 states, there was a slight decrease in obesity ranks among preschool-aged children. However, childhood obesity is still a major public health problem. More than 23 million children and teenagers in the United States are obese or overweight, a statistic that health and medical experts consider an epidemic. And this epidemic puts nearly a third of America’s children at early risk for Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and even stroke. “Childhood obesity is a public health crisis,” said Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-TX), a co-sponsor of National Childhood Obesity Month. “Children need information and guidance to make informed decisions about food and exercise. Childhood Obesity Month supports the goals of families, schools, and communities who are working to en-

Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

sure we raise a healthier generation. If we keep our kids healthy now it will alleviate a major burden on our healthcare system while giving millions of young people the opportunity to live longer, healthier lives.” Weight management is like a mathematical equation with a number of factors. Those factors are diet, activity, and to some degree, genetics. When that equation is out of balance, weight issues result. What many people do not realize is how their body reacts to the food they eat. For example, when we eat foods that are high in carbohydrates, like bread or pasta, it causes a rise in blood sugar. This sends a message to the pancreas to release insulin to control the blood sugar. Insulin is both a survival hormone and a fat storage hormone. Food calories not burned up by the body for fuel are stored. Over time, this means we start to carry around excess weight. As the research into the causes of obesity and the role of diet and nutrition in weight management has evolved, my advice to my patients and parents has evolved along with it. For years, people thought babies and toddlers had to have juice. Now we have learned that they do not need it, and in fact, were getting disproportionate amounts of sugar from those servings of juice. Many parents are surprised when I advise them not to give their children juice, and that water or servings of fruit are all they need to stay hydrated. The wheat grown and processed today is not like what was cultivated in the past; it is genetically modified. Many experts who have done extensive research on the effects of those genetic modifica-

tions believe that it does more harm than good, and that it has had a direct role in the obesity epidemic. Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are also big players in the obesity problem. Sugar and corn syrup are added to many foods that you may not be aware of unless you read labels. High fructose corn syrup is a cheap sweetener that is in so many foods, from cereals to bread to ketchup and yogurt. How do parents help their child achieve a healthy weight? It is going to sound like I am against everything that we hold dear in our culture, but it’s what I believe and what I know is effective. Do not allow sweetened drinks like sodas, Kool-Aid or sweet tea, and don’t even allow diet versions of these drinks. Water and 2% milk are the best choices. Cut back or eliminate wheat and corn products. That means cutting back on bread, pasta, cereals, cookies, cakes and everything made with wheat or corn. Eat lean meats, chicken or fish and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Walk or do some type of physicial activity for at least 30 minutes a day. It’s not easy, but it does work when you stick with it. Making these healthy choices now is so much better than having to treat diseases like diabetes and high pressure later on. Dr. Richard Freeman completed medical school in 1973 and started in private practice in 1975 in Opelika, before practicing in Auburn. Dr. Freeman has served as Vice President and Secretary-Treasurer for the Medical Association for the State of Alabama, was a member of the Medicaid DUR Board, member of the Medicaid Pharmacy and Therapeutic Board and is on the Board of Medical Examiners for the State of Alabama. He is married to Sherry Spann Freeman and they have two children and six grandchildren.

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Autauga County Schools Meet Community Helpers Dean Road Elementary Kindergarten Classes

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Kindergarten classes at Dean Road Elementary School are off to a great start! Recently, classes have been learning about community helpers. Many wonderful parent and community volunteers came to make presentations about their job and how they help the community. In addition, students dressed as community workers and shared with each other about jobs of their interest. Pictured is Mrs. Lettâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s class in their dress-up attire.

Announcing the New 4-H Club Officers at Pick Elementary

The 4-H Club officers for the 2013-14 school year are (from left to right): Secretary Alexis Baker, President Gabby Ledford, and Vice President Colt Bass. Congratulations!

Wacoochee Students Enjoy Breakfast with Parents

The Wacoochee Elementary PTO sponsored Muffins for Moms and Donuts for Dads during October's Parent Involvement Month. Mrs. Niki Edwards and her sons, Trent and Klein, enjoyed this morning-time event eating muffins, drinking juice, and visiting with others. The Wacoochee teachers, parents, and students want to thank our wonderful PTO leaders for all that they do to make success happen at WES.

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Students Take Turns Announcing News at Ogletree

Ogletreeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Morning News Crew begins every morning with a LIVE broadcast to our entire school. New team members will be chosen every 6 weeks to give as many children as possible an opportunity to serve our school and grow in the areas of leadership and confidence. Pictured from L-R, beginning with the back row are Kayla Wheat, Will Warren, Lauren Reed, Andrew Alsobrook, Adrian Meadows, and Lange Johnson.

ABCs of 3rd Grade at Cary Woods Elementary

The third grade from CWES wrote "The ABCs of 3rd Grade" and had an author party and book reading at the Auburn Public Library. The student authors then donated a copy of each class' book to the Auburn Public Library! Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

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Beulah High Homecoming Queen

Sydnee Williams was crowned the 2013 Beulah HS Homecoming Queen on Friday, September 27th in Beulah’s game against visiting Ranburne. Sydnee is the daughter of Joe & Lavonne Williams. At Beulah, she is an FCA Huddle Leader, Vice President of the Senior class, Vice President of Beta Club, a member of the math team and the captain of the Varsity Cheerleaders. Sydnee is a UCA All-American cheerleader as well as a member of Student council. She was also awarded the title of Football Sweetheart by the varsity football team during the homecoming halftime festivities. Sydnee plans to attend Auburn University and major in secondary education.

1st Grade Fun at AEEC

Mrs. Wilson’s 1st grade class has been learning all about apples! Students read fiction and non-fiction books, discussed describing words, read and wrote poetry about apples, and discussed the life cycle of an apple seed. After a class project, making individual apple pies, each student practiced their writing and sequencing skills as they created a recipe for apple pie… complete with ingredients and instructions!

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A concussion is an injury caused by a blow to the head in which the brain moves rapidly and may collide with the inside of the skull. Even a minor fall or collision may be of concern, so be alert to symptoms such as headaches, unsteadiness, confusion or other types of abnormal behavior.

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Alabama

CONCUSSION CLINIC 205.934.1041 www.Childrens AL.org/concussion IN CASE OF MEDICAL EMERGENCY, CALL 911 OR GO DIRECTLY TO YOUR LOCAL ER

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AutaugaClassical County Schools Auburn Academy Student Announced as National Merit Semifinalist

Recently, officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation announced the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 59th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 8,000 National Merit Scholarships worth about $35 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. Miss Katie Kirk, a student of Auburn Classical Academy, was among those selected as a National Merit Semifinalist. She is currently a senior and has attended Auburn Classical Academy for four years. “We are very pleased with this recent news regarding Katie’s academic achievement,” said Loxley Compton, Director of Classical Studies at ACA. “Katie has been a great asset to our school in many ways and as always demonstrated the intellectual capacity and work ethic worthy of such an award. Her work in her humanities classes, particularly, and her others classes as well has been phenomenal.” Head of School, Kelly Gallops Davidson, also remarked, “We’ve been very fortune to have Katie as a student and her work at ACA is exemplary. We wish her the best in her future endeavors and are confident of her success at the collegiate level. She is certainly a excellent candidate for the National Merit Scholarship.” About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and more than half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar title. About 1.5 million juniors in more than 22,000 high schools entered the 2014 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2012 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest- scoring entrants in each state. The number of Semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 440 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

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Lee-Scott Cross Country Competes at Furman

The Lee-Scott Cross Country team traveled to Greenville, SC recently to compete in the Furman University Cross Country Classic. There were schools from South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, and Ohio. Brackin Stewart won first in the Varsity Boys Division for Independent Schools with a time of 16:57 for the 5K. Lee-Scott's team won seventh overall with a team average of 20:11. Runners were Brackin Stewart, Trey Fisher, Stone Ray, Daniel Davidson, Trenton Hilyer, and Landon Speakman. Female runners were Mary Margaret Vansant, Rebekah Mason, Vega Foster, and Diana Ridley.

Richland Elementary Attends Ready Alabama Awareness Day

Mrs. Oprandyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s class at Richland Elementary poses with Aubie at the Ready Alabama Awareness Day at Auburn University.

Laptop Rollout at Auburn Junior High School!

Exciting times at Auburn Junior High School! As of Monday, September 5th, new laptop units were distributed to all of the 8th and 9th grade students. The new tablet computers, an HP EliteBook Revolve 810, feature a touch screen display with revolving monitor and run using Windows 8 operating system. Campus was buzzing with excitement as students received their new units. Teachers are integrating this new technology in their classrooms through PowerPoint presentations, an interactive notebooking software called Dyknow, creating projects using Movie Maker, researching current events, blogging, and communicating classroom happenings and assignments through Moodle. All of the staff at Auburn Junior High School are excited about the opportunities the 21st Century Learning Initiative provides our students!

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Autauga County Schools Opelika High School 2013 Homecoming Court

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The members of the 2013 Homecoming Court for Opelika High School included: pictured (l-r): Ambriah Bryant, Freshman; Abigail Alcantara, Sophomore; Maniysha Marshall, Junior; Ja'miya Carr, Senior; Claudia Weaver, Senior; Emma Garner, Senior; Aaliyah Prince, Junior; Jasmine Bell, Sophomore and Kambria Calloway, Freshman. Emma Garner was named 2013 OHS Homecoming Queen during halftime of the OHS vs. Sidney Lanier football game on October 4. Congratulations to all the members of the court. Photo by Patrick Wright, PPG Photography.

Students from Auburn Classical Academy Visit Jack-O-Lantern Lane

Elementary students from Auburn Classical Academy had a great time searching for the perfect pumpkin at the JackO-Lantern Lane Pumpkin Patch! They also participated in a scavenger hunt, went on a hayride, and learned how to make corn meal the old-fashioned way.

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Lee-Scott Academy Students Happier than a Camel on "Hump Day!"

Thank you to SGA President Patrick Starr and his Farmer Brown's Party Animals! He started our "Hump Day" with a smile at Lee-Scott Academy!

Constitution Day at Wrights Mill Road

Happy Constitution Day from Wrights Mill Road. Students celebrated by wearing their Red, White and Blue. Top Left: Rylee, Madison, Lucy, Mari Miles, Lauren, Davis, Bottom Row: Cameron , Shicari, Jack and Hailey.

Hot Air Balloons at Ogletree?

Dr. Zutter's Venture Class at Ogletree Elementary School work on the Hot Air Balloon Challenge.

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Autauga County Schools Invitation to the Mediterranean!

We would like to invite you to join us on a Mediterranean trip that is planned for June of 2014. The actual dates are June 16, 2014 through June 26, 2014. There is an extension to Madrid in Spain that is included in the price. (We have color brochures featuring the trip if you would like us to send you one.) The trip is open to anyone ages 6 and up. We have been leading trips abroad for the past 13 years. Many educators and students from Lee County have traveled with us and we always have a great time! We only travel every two years and our last trip took us to the shores of England onto Wales and into the Highlands of Scotland. We currently have eleven students and adults committed for our 2014 trip and wanted to send a special invite out to our Lee County Schools employees, parents, students, and residents. Our last trip in 2012 included students and teachers from Beauregard, Loachapoka, and Beulah High Schools. Our 2014 itinerary begins with a flight to Milan, Italy to see the gorgeous and famous resort city of Cinque Terre. We will go on to the visit the country of Monaco and then on to see the French Riviera on the Mediterranean coast of France. Our tour will conclude with a trip into Spain to visit both the cities of Barcelona and Madrid. Paying the $95 registration fee will lock in your price and there is a monthly payment plan. The total price for students ages 20 and under is $3,686. This includes hotels, airfare, guided tours, admissions to attractions, and two meals per day. You can have your parents call 334-740-4628 for more information. To register, go to www.eftours.comand enter the Tour Number 1338449 in the bottom right corner of the webpage. Contact Beulah High School educators David and Theresa Owen for additional information.

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Beulah High School Exceeds Fundraising Goal for United Way

Beulah High School is proud to announce that a recent fundraising effort led by Mrs. Jessica O’Neal will provide a big boost to the United Way. Mrs. O’Neal is an 8th grade math teacher at BHS who volunteered to serve as Beulah High School’s United Way representative. During a fundraising drive to benefit the United Way both students and staff combined their efforts to raise $1,557.32 Beulah students in grades 7-12 exceeded their goal for the United Way fundraising effort. The goal for BHS students was $971.00 and the Bobcats came through raising $1,057.32 for United Way. The Beulah High School faculty also came through to exceed their fundraising goal of $335 by actually totaling $500.00 in donations. Both students and staff alike are very pleased to offer the $1,557.32 donation to the United Way. A big thanks goes out to Mrs. O’Neal for leading the fundraising initiative. It is just another way to show that reaching out to others conducting charitable efforts is important, demonstrating that Beulah Cares.

Pick Pride!

Third graders show their PICK PRIDE at the first school celebration where each class shared their class mission statement and performed their cheer! 19

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County SchoolsHomecoming Parade Beulah High School Autauga Holds 2nd Annual

On Thursday, October 3rd, Beulah High School joined with the community to celebrate their Homecoming with their 2nd annual Homecoming Parade. The idea was put together and chaired by our school’s administrative assistant Mr. Casey Chambley. Due to unauthorized student-organized car caravans held on the morning of Homecoming in previous years, Mr. Chambley proposed a school-sanctioned Homecoming Parade to BHS Principal Mr. Joey Biddle last fall. This year’s parade was a huge success receiving rave reviews from both parents and students alike. The parade organized at Beulah Elementary School and proceeded 1.5 miles down County Road 270 ending at the Beulah First Baptist Church parking lot. The parade’s growth from 2012 was easily noticed as this year’s success grew to draw 50 different entries. The community turned out in mass to celebrate the building of a new tradition at Beulah. Furthermore, the best news is that the unauthorized student caravan held on the morning of Homecoming each year up until 2011 before the start of school did not occur again this year for the second consecutive year. In the past we have had numerous accidents and incidents which brought a negative light to our Homecoming festivities. However, this year’s Parade was again for the second consecutive year truly a positive event promoting both school and community spirit. Hundreds of parents, students, and community members joined the cheerleaders and football team after the parade for a community-wide bonfire to promote school spirit for the Friday night game. Pictured is Senior Allis Hamby on the winning Senior Float displaying “The Greatest Show On Earth.”

Where Learning Begins

From the moment you enter our million dollar, state-of-the-art facility, you realize that Milestones Learning Center is more than a daycare. Established in 2007, we are proud to offer our award-winning services to the children and families of the Auburn/Opelika area. As a private academically focused program that specializes in early childhood education, we cater to those families that want the best for their child. We offer year round educational programs for full and part-time childcare for children six weeks to Pre-Kindergarten. In addition we provide a full menu of enrichment classes onsite which saves our parents valuable time. Come by today and tour our facility and see the Milestones difference.

1811 E. Glenn Ave. • 334.887.4391 • www.milestoneslc.com Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

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Congrats to a Star Student at Dean Road Elementary

Dean Road Elementary presented its Star Student with an award. Lydia Jordan, Kindergartner in Miss MacIntire's class, is all smiles and full of pride!

BSOFN!

[Big Smile On Face Now]

Lee-Scott Academy Student Named Athlete of the Month

Congratulations to Lee-Scott Academy's Chandler Scott for being named Play It Again Sports Student-Athlete of the month for August 2013.

334.705.8655 www.bracesbyallen.com

Ogletree Students Attend Art Field Trip

Ogletree Elementary School 4th grade students, Patrick Bingham and Matthew Clegg, enjoy creating their picture at the Adventures in Art field trip.

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Autauga County Schools Beulah High School Homecoming Court & Homecoming Princess Beulah’s Homecoming Court, Seated: Junior Samantha Edwards, Seniors Britley Hewitt, Crystal Slaughter, Sydnee Williams, Ansleigh Yancey and Junior Danielle Harris; Standing: Seventh Graders Lexi Hutchison and Destiny Thomas, Eighth graders Chloe Aldridge and Erin Orr, Ninth graders Cassidi Collely and Abby Brumfield and tenth graders Kinsey Brown and Beth Moncrief. Miss Haley Bowman (pictured, right) was selected by the senior class to represent them as their Homecoming Princess.

See You At The Pole!

Students in the Auburn City Schools met for a morning of prayer and reflection before the school day. It was national ‘See You at the Pole’ day.

Lee-Scott Dance Team Named State Champion in Montgomery Competition

The Lee-Scott Academy Dance Team was named State Champion at the AISA Cheer/Dance Competition on Saturday, September 21st, at the Crampton Bowl Sportsplex in Montgomery. Pictured Front (L-R): Elizabeth Hyatt, Anna Esco, Tyler Langford, Mallory Prewett, Anna Lynn Starr, Emily Stone; Back Row: Mrs. Mary Smith, Mrs. Katie Basden, Kallie Basden, Laken Lawler, Morgan Davis, Anna Kate Whitman, Camille Kraft, Madison Prewett, Ann Marie Leonard, Samantha Martin.

Southview Primary Pre-K Fun

Pre-K friends in Mrs. Lurn's and Mrs. Lamb's Pre-K class at Southview Primary are pictured making friends!

New Year at Richland Elementary

Students in Mrs. Gilmore's class at Richland Elementary School get settled into a new school year. These students are exploring and learning during center time in their classroom.

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Wrights Mill Road 4th Graders Trying to Save “Fred”

Richland Elementary Student of the Month Richland Elementary’s Student of the month is 2nd grader Luke Young, from Mrs. Oprandy’s class.

It is the first day of school and Fred jumps out of bed to go take a shower. He is very excited. However, when he returns to his room it is completely trashed including his bed that is flipped over (Cup). Fred is worried because his pants are too big and he needs his belt, (Peachie-O) but it is under his bed (Cup). He can’t flip it over alone. He needs your help to flip over the bed and get his belt on so his pants don’t fall down on the first day of school. However Fred has to sit on the bed once he gets it flipped over so he can put his shoes on. (Thus, flipping the cup and placing him in it). 4th Graders in Mrs. Goolsby’s class trying to save Fred include: Morgan S., Savannah W., Hamilton F., and Brenna S.

New School + New Playground = Fun!

Third grader, Landon Danley, enjoys the new playground at Pick Elementary School.

Music Class at Richland Elementary

Student’s in Mr. Rowser’s music class at Richland Elementary School practice keeping the rhythm.

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Autauga Schools Adventures in Art 2013 County Features "The Art of Motion"

Fourth and fifth grade students from Auburn City Schools have been immersed in the art of motion recently as Auburn Parks and Recreation and the Auburn Arts Association presented Adventures in Art 2013 at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Sept. 9 - 12. Adventures in Art (AIA) is a field trip component of a community-based, art education program, offering students hands-on, creative experiences outside the classroom. This year’s program, “The Art of Motion,” offered students a look at the art of modern dance. Using movement as a form of self-expression, this year’s AIA curriculum featured a modern dance performance by Dancers Inc., featuring guest artist Kelly Davino. Students then split into groups and attended four workshops – a visual arts project where students created a mixed media collage inspired by the work of abstract artist Wassily Kandinsky; a theatrical workshop led by guest artist Doc Waller, focusing on movement and positive self-expression through theatre; a gallery workshop, where students viewed and explored works by local artists Romaine Crockett and Cecile Morgan; and a performance workshop, allowing students to design and perform original choreography with Dancers Inc. Workshops and interactive components were all centered around this year’s theme, “The Art of Motion.” AIA is presented by Auburn Parks and Recreation and the Auburn Arts Association and funded, in part, by a $3,000 grant from the Junior League of Lee County (JLLC ). Now in its fourteenth year, AIA is one of many programs the City of Auburn and its community partners are pleased to present for students from Auburn City Schools. Auburn Parks and Recreation would like to extend their gratitude to the Auburn Arts Association and the Junior League of Lee County for their continued support of Adventures in Art. City Manager Charles M. Duggan, Jr. accepts a Community Assistance Grant from the Junior League of Lee County in support of Adventures in Art 2013. Junior League members pictured include Stephanie Froehlich, Danielle Ritch, Deborah Bright, Elizabeth Scarbrough, Elyse Corbitt, and Beth Mentis. City of Auburn staff members pictured include Sara Hand Custer, Cultural Arts Director and Cari Philen, Art Education Specialist. Doc Waller and members of Dance Inc. are also pictured, along with students from Wrights Mill Elementary School.

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New friends are now best friends. New experiences are now the best times ever. No wonder it’s so easy to tell others about it and include them in the fun.

Welcome to Riverview Camp for Girls!

We’ve do put Itogether everything you’re looking for in a perfect“I saw camp onemy of Why choose Riverview each summer? mysetting! first river Recognized on a mountain,as I rode Golf,times Dance, Dance, Outdoor Sports, Soccer,use Beach Volleyball, Basketball, “As go,Stomp it was one of the BEST.”Skills AndClass, what child couldn’t some of that these days?

Riverview Reﬁnement, Program, Campﬁres night,Recognized optional trips and more! We’ve put together everythingCIT you’re looking for in a perfect every camp setting! as one of the Southeast’s best all-around summer camps for girls, Riverview is an oasis of fun, friends and happiness. Spring and Fall &available 2 week Sessions ages to 16... Mother-Daughter Weekends1are also! Registeredfor Nurses and6 Physician on Staff. Entire full-summer staff is First Aid andand CPRFall Certified. Camper/Counselor Ratio 5:1 Spring Mother-Daughter Weekends...

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1 & 2Week Sessions for Ages 6-16

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first I had campfires every night. Icamps felt close to God. giggled a lot is with friends and counselors. time flew by! thehorse. Southeast’s best all-around for girls,IRiverview annew oasis of fun, friends andThe happiness... I Exciting felt safe and secure. Iinclude: gained confidence in myselfPool,Tennis, through the world around me.” activities Riding, Heated Canoeing, Ropes Course, Climbing Tower,

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We don’t wonder anymore how it happened, that one summer could bring such happy memories.

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Ogletree Elementary School's Annual Boosterthon

Mrs. Preston’s Piranhas and Jenny Jet get ready for the Boosterthon fun run at Ogletree Elementary!

Landscape Art at Wrights Mill Road Elementary

3rd Graders from Wrights Mill Road take a little walk with their art class to draw a landscape of the school. Brennan, Noah, and Yates are really focusing on the details of the school.

Lee-Scott 2013 Homecoming

Lee-Scott Academy celebrated Homecoming 2013 with activities such as: dress up days, door decoration contests, grade level flat decorations, junior and senior high girls in the annual Powder Puff Football Game, Homecoming Assembly and the annual "Black Light Pep Rally." The homecoming court included: Front Row (L-R): Seniors Bailey Beckwith, Libby Landrum, Madison Prewett; Back Row (L-R): Garland Grace Welsh, Mary Grace Sprayberry, McCall Ray, Cameron Rice, Kathryn Young, Abby Esco.

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AutaugaWacoochee County SchoolsStudents Show Support in Black and White

Ms. Clark's first grade class celebrated Smiths Station High School's homecoming week by dressing up on Friday's Totally Black and White Day. Students, teachers, and staff also participated in Mix Match Monday, Pajama Tuesday, Animal Print/Camo Wednesday, and Football Spirit Thursday. We show our Panther Pride at Wacoochee Elementary!

Auburn Thunder U13 Named Finalists at Soccer Tournament

The Auburn Thunder U13 boys were Finalists in the Battle at the Jack Soccer Tournament in Decatur, Alabama on September 21-22. Front row: Austin Davis, Caleb Hawkins, Stephen Lee, Clay Pritchett, Aaron Jones, Eli Sacks, Andrew Donaldson, Ethan Wilkes and Zach Rickman. Back row: Liam Weikart, Coach Paul Tassone, Joe Arias, Sullivan Britnell, Jung Junyoung and Peter Abraham.

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Beulah High School Students Participate in FCA Olympics

On Tuesday, October 1st, 26 students from Beulah High School joined with those from other surrounding schools to compete in the seventh annual FCA Olympics sponsored by the East Alabama District Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Opelika High School was the host for this year’s annual event which featured a night of crazy competitive games with teams from surrounding high schools concluding with a spiritual message delivered by local youth minister Kyle Frazier. Sixteen teams comprised the field with entries from Auburn High School, Central-Phenix City High School, Lee-Scott Academy, host Opelika High School, Opelika Middle School, and Beulah High School. Over 160 students from area high schools competed and participated in this year’s FCA Olympic-style event. The Beulah HS Fellowship of Christian Athletes Chapter was well represented with 26 students in attendance to participate. The Bobcats FCA chapter entered three out of the sixteen teams entered in the Olympics competition. The Bobcats had the Beulah Black Game Time team, the Beulah Gold Game On team, and the Beulah White Game Over team. Students participated in some crazy events such as Cow Tongue Football, the Tug of War, the Bed Sheet Chariot Race, the Balloon Bust relay event, and more. Beulah’s FCA shined brightly as it competed with teams from several schools and posted a strong showing. The Beulah Black Game Time team finished 2nd overall on the night as the runnerup to the Opelika Dawgs team. The Beulah Gold Game On team finished 3rd overall on the night with the Bobcats grabbing two of the top three spots. Pictured, is every girl’s dream as 7 members of Beulah Black – Game Time team transport Ashley Remmel in her own Bed Sheet Chariot in the event that the team finished first overall. Pictured are Trevon Brown, Collin Poss, Brandon Waido, Ty Cobb, Clay Williams, Ashley Remmel (in the bedsheet wrapped up), Corey Poss, and Sean Morgan.

Please send your school news and photos by the 20th of each month to: kendra@auburnopelikaparents.com.

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Word Up

Recommending the Best Toys and Products for Kids

Only 26 letters to learn and kids are on their way to a much bigger world of words! Getting acquainted with the alphabet early prepares very young children for stringing them together into words later on. ABC and word toys expose children to the symbols of their language in a playful environment making them familiar companions before they become actual learning components. The following toys introduce letters and words in ways that attract children to the building blocks of language in ways that make learning F-U-N!

by Gerry Paige Smith

See ‘n Spin Alphabet Rack The new spin on the ABCs from Blue Box is a simple yet brilliant take on a traditional learning toy. The frame presents five rows of bar-mounted spinning alphabet tiles that feature letters on one side and a corresponding image and word on the reverse. Part of BKids ‘Soft and Safe’ line-up, the See ‘n Spin Alphabet Rack wooden frame is designed with soft molded corners and contact points so it won’t scratch surfaces or rake tender skin. Used in either the upright position or laid down on a flat surface, the letter tiles turn easily, helping the very youngest children develop fine motor and sensory skills while older toddlers begin to make letter-sound connections in preparation for reading. The See n’ Spin Alphabet Rack is an ideal introduction to letters for the littlest learners!

(Learning Resources)

One of the best games for sorting out the alphabet and its sounds, the Alphabet Soup Sorters starts with 26 durable “soup cans” with lids, one can for each letter. Included are cards for both upper and lowercase letters (vowels are red, consonants are blue). For each can there are also five object cards that feature real-life photos of everyday items with the corresponding word on the reverse. Best used with adult involvement at the beginning, children will discover the letter sounds as they name the images on the object cards and begin to sort them into the correct cans. As kids become familiar with the game, most are ready go solo in the soup kitchen! Alphabet Soup Sorters is a sweet recipe for growing kids’ confidence with letter and word recognition as they get ready to read.

Zingo

Magnetic Poetry: Really Big Words

(ThinkFun)

Combining the excitement of Bingo with the challenge of learning new words, Zingo is the coolest game to help kids pick up on both common and challenging sight words. Played like Bingo, 72 sight word tiles can be played on any of six double-sided Zingo cards. The Zingo game cards feature graphic image clues to help pre-readers discern meaning and connect them with the sight word tiles. After an adult introduces the game play, kids are usually good to play on their own using the Zinger tile dispenser to pop out word tiles, while the creative image hints on the cards help to make the sight word connections! An entertaining way for kids to pick up on the sight words that don’t always make sense phonetically, the reading advantage goes to Zingo!

(Magnetic Poetry)

It’s a common mistake to assume young children can only recognize small words. Preschoolers are perfectly primed to recognize and “sight read” ANY words that they see regularly...words that are read to them during the course of the day. (Example: Many children can “read” the name of their grocery store before they can read simpler words). Ideal for covering the front of the fridge, the Magnetic Poetry: Really Big Words includes over 80 magnetic words and letters that are easily manipulated by small hands. Children can expand their reading vocabulary as they play with the words daily and begin to make sight reading associations. With words ranging from simple to complex, kids and adults alike will find themselves moving the plus-size words around to make their own kind of poetry.

Paige Smith is a freelance writer and syndicated columnist living in Alabama. More on GET THIS! at www.PageBookMedia.com. Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

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Our daughter is 11 years old, and we save $50 a month for her. Right now, we’ve accumulated $4,200 for college, a car or just savings in general. Should we be investing this money, instead of putting it in savings?

A. If I’m in your shoes, I’d choose college as the focal point over the other things you’ve mentioned. My advice would be to move that money into a 529 Plan with mutual funds inside. That way, it will grow tax-free from this point forward. Then, if you continue to set $50 a month aside for her for seven more years—and the stock market averages 11 to 12 percent—you’d have about $16,000 sitting there when she turned 18. That wouldn’t fully pay for college, but it’d be a great start. Plus, she can apply for scholarships and grants and work and save to help make it happen. As far as a car is concerned, I’d set up a separate savings account and agree to match whatever she saves. That way, if she can put aside $3,000 to $4,000, with the match she’ll have a pretty nice car. But in my mind, college is the most important thing here. If you guys can afford these contributions, and she wants to go to college and will hold up her end of the deal, you can work together as a family and make the idea of a college education a reality!

have some money, we want to teach them about the three uses for money—spending, saving and giving. Teaching them wise ways to do those three things while you’re teaching them to work is the key. And you can do that for a small amount of money.

Q. How long should it take someone to fully fund their emergency fund?

A. On average, building an emergency fund takes six months to a year. It takes about 18 to 24 months for most people to pay off all of their debt, except for the house. That’s if they’re gazelle intense, and have no life other than getting control of their finances.

Baby Step 1 is saving $1,000, and not paying extra on your debts until you have that money in the bank. Once you’ve got a $1,000 starter emergency fund, then your list all of your debts except the house from smallest to largest and attack them with a vengeance. All you do is work and pay off debt until you clean up the mess. Once that’s done, you move on to the next Baby Step, which is adding to your emergency fund until you have three to six months of expenses set aside. Most people can accomplish that in six months to a year. There are always various factors involved because everyone’s situation is different. But in most cases, if you approach my plan with the kind of intensity I talk about, you can become debt-free except for your house and have a fully-loaded emergency fund is place in just two or three years!

Q. Should families who are struggling to pay off debt still give their kids commissions for doing chores? A. Yes, but it doesn’t have to be a lot of money. Kids seldom get paid an amount that is equal to what the chore is worth. To be perfectly honest, the chores most kids do—especially the little ones—aren’t worth that much. I wouldn’t pay a kid five dollars a day, or even per week, to feed the dog. I mean, it takes less than 30 seconds to scoop the food into the bowl! When it comes to paying kids commissions for chores, the biggest thing we’re trying to do is find teachable moments. We want the kids to learn that money is tied to work. Then, when they 29

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W by Christina Katz Let’s face it, kids do not always feel grateful for everything they have. But just because they do not feel appreciative every minute of every day does not make them ingrates. And for better or for worse, if you constantly nag your kids with lines like, “Do you realize how lucky/fortunate/ blessed you are?”...they will just tune you out eventually. An attitude of gratitude is something children need to be reminded to practice without excessive pressuring. In fact, if you can make scavenging for gratitude an opportunity for fun every year, everybody wins. You may be surprised to learn that your kids are a lot more appreciative than you thought. And they might decide that expressing what they feel grateful for isn’t as much of a pain as they had imagined. Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

So, go ahead. Make gratitude games an annual habit every Thanksgiving season. Here are five ways to motivate your kids to dig deep and rediscover an inner well of thankfulness without feeling put out:

Word association Let kids pull together a mind association list of words that represent moments, memories, or anything that naturally pops into their minds in response to the question, “What do I feel most grateful for?” Family members can work alone or as a group. A parent can help a preschooler create a short, colorful list. School-age children may do better if given a number challenge like, “What are the top ten things you feel most grateful for this past year?” Keep the activity quick, fun, and light. Don’t treat it like an essay assignment unless you have a writer in the family who would enjoy answering the question in essay form. 30

Photo safari Over the course of a fall weekend, give each child an hour with your digital camera or your camera phone. The assignment is to go around your house and yard snapping photos of things that make them feel happy. These photos can include people, pets, nature, objects, places, and anything else they love. When you recover your camera, download a smattering of photos for each child into a collage format offered through your favorite local photo printing service. Have each child title the document in his or her own words and hang photo collages near the Thanksgiving table. Plastic or magnetic frames make it easy to protect and store collages for next year.

Appreciation postcards Get a few packages of blank postcards and fine-point water-based markers from the art supply store. For young children, www.auburnopelikaparents.com

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parents can write names and addresses of family members in permanent ink on one side of the postcard, so important information won’t smear. Then, on the other side, ask kids to write one word that describes something they appreciate about each family member and decorate the postcard to match the sentiment. Make this an annual event and family members will look forward to their handmade postcards every year.

Lessons learned Life is school. We are all always learning new things. Sometimes we learn things we can’t appreciate until later because the learning process is challenging, difficult or painful. Discussing these kinds of learning experiences raises an awareness of resiliency in kids and teaches them not to shirk challenges. About a week before Thanksgiving, start a round robin of sharing tough lessons learned during the past year. Rather than having everyone share in one night, let one person per night share in a relaxed manner during dinner. You might just find your family swept up in some of your most educational and inspiring conversations of the year.

Written on stone Creating a thoughtful gift for someone else can bring out gratitude in even the grumpiest pilgrim. Purchase enough large river stones from your local garden shop or stone supplier so that each person in attendance for Thanksgiving will have one with their name on it. Be sure to pick up a couple extra, just in case. Scrub stones clean with soap and water and let dry. Paint stones on the top, sides, and bottom lip in an array of autumn colors. Across top of each stone, write guests’ names in large letters with permanent markers or paint pens. Let dry completely then cut words that describe each guest out of old magazines. Apply words to rims of stones with Mod Podge and sponge brushes. When stones are dry, cut and glue a piece of felt on the bottom. Use stones as placeholders at the Thanksgiving table and watch the proud grins. Christina Katz is an author and freelance journalist. She feels grateful every time someone reads her words. Her latest book is The Writer’s Workout from Writer’s Digest Books.

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A Page in a Book

by Gerry Paige Smith

Living a Colorful Life Just as a child’s vocabulary grows from the simplest words to complex sentences as they mature, so too does their grasp of color. Beginning with the most basic colors of black, red, blue and yellow, kids quickly learn to recognize the blending of primary colors to add the greens, purples, orange and more. Even with crayon labels helping them expand their rainbow, their maturing vision and vocabulary let them discern broader and more diverse hues around them. They learn to associate them with their other senses until their palette begins to overflow with colors that define much of their world. The following recommended reading titles shine the light on the life of color through the eyes of a child.

The Day the Crayons Quit

by Drew Daywalt, Illustrated by Oliver Jeffers (Philomel) When young Duncan opens his coloring box, he discovers his crayons gone, and in their place a collection of letters explaining why they’ve quit. His crayons have essentially gone on strike, complaining of their poor working conditions – each color has their own sad story to tell. Red is overworked (coloring fire engines and covering the big holidays of Christmas and Valentine’s Day). Beige is underworked (and suggests more fields of wheat in drawings). Yellow and Orange both believe they are the true color of the sun and are not currently speaking to each other. And poor White doesn’t even get used without Black’s outline! The resignation letters are hilarious – and full of the crayons’ self-serving tips for young readers to discover new ways to use ALL the colors at their disposal. From the furious scribbler to the finicky colorist, the laugh-out-loud title will become a top shelf favorite for every budding artist in the family.

Colors for Zena

by Monica Wellington (Dial Books for Young Readers) Waking up in a room of gray and muted hues, Zena is bursting to leave the house in search of all of her colors! Through each two-page spread in this book, she navigates through every color that she loves. One street is filled with yellow as a school bus and taxi move past yellow buildings and the flower shop. When she turns the corner the pages burst with the reds of a fire truck, a double-decker bus, an art store and more crimson hues. Zena adds all her favorite colors throughout her journey in the neighborhood. Ideal for young readers who are just starting to identify colors with traditional objects, kids will enjoy finding all the things that fit into the color schemes with each leg of Zena’s exploration!

My Cold Plum Lemon Pie Bluesy Mood by Tameka Fryer Brown, Illustrated by Shane W. Evans (Viking)

Young Jamie has a very clear color sense of feelings. Associating colors with both the moments that make him feel good and the times when he is not so happy, Jamie’s moods are colored by his experiences. One of his best moods is the purple kind; the cold plum-eating, grape juice-drinking, listening to music kind of mood. But when his brothers send him off so they can play video games, Jamie’s mood becomes colored by a stormy gray. His yellow mood is warmed up by baked corn pudding, lemon pie and curry chicken, all served in a bright kitchen with his family. Supporting the associative sense of color to communicate feelings, My Cold Plum Lemon Pie Bluesy Mood helps young readers articulate and expand the sense of color beyond putting a crayon to the page.

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Find more A Page in a Book recommendations at www.PageBookReviews.com.

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TheFlyLady

A Flight Plan For You and Your Home. by Marla Cilley

Parents Should Do Their Best, Words ButFavorite Not ExpectHoliday Too Much in Return Today I was asked if I could give one tip for having a good holiday season. The answer came so quick that I even surprised myself.

Let go of your perfectionism! If I can talk you into letting go of your perfectionism then you can cruise through the holidays without all the stress that being a perfectionist puts on you! I know you are looking for that perfect picture post card feeling, but let’s face it, that only happens in paintings or in the movies. I want you to allow yourself the freedom to celebrate the holidays without this undue stress. Let’s look at how your perfectionism ruins your holidays!

are faced with a marathon wrapping session. No one likes to do this and it is hard on your back. Be kind to you and do a little at a time as you come in the door. If you hear yourself say, I DON’T HAVE TIME RIGHT NOW, then just do one little package. 5. Now let’s look at decorating your home. You hear your children begging to do things and then these words

1. You procrastinate until the last minute to do anything because you just don’t seem to have enough time to do it right, or you don’t think you do! Then it really isn’t done to suit you or anyone else because it is just thrown together! I DON’T HAVE TIME! This phrase is whiny!

come out of your mouth! I DON’T HAVE TIME RIGHT NOW! They are usually said in an unkind tone because you are mad at yourself over this procrastination pressure. Do you want to know why you don’t think you have time? It is because of your perfectionism! You don’t think you have time to do it right! Decorating your home does not have to be done all at once. Break it down into smaller pieces; take baby steps to decorate your home and enjoy establishing new traditions. We all have the same amount of time in a day and it is how we choose to use it that makes the difference. When your perfectionism clouds your thinking you forget to do just a little to make things better. Holidays celebrated imperfectly still bless your family!

For more help getting rid of your CHAOS, see her website and join her free mentoring group at www.FlyLady.net. Also check out her books, Sink Reflections, published by Random House, and her New York Times Best Selling book, Body Clutter, published by Simon and Schuster. Copyright 2013 Marla Cilley. Used by permission in this publication.

2. Shopping is put off until the last minute because we have not planned our purchases and then we hit the malls looking for anything and spending whatever to get something to give. You settle because of that phrase again. I DON’T HAVE TIME! Yes, you do, if you had started a few weeks ago! 3. Do you see a pattern here; waiting until the last minute? Do you know the meaning of the word deadline? It is the point at which you have no more time. In other words, you practically kill yourself doing it, when a little each day would have helped you process things without the stress. NOW YOU REALLY DON’T HAVE TIME! But watch, you put on your super woman costume and kill yourself along with the rest of the family trying to save face. This is what makes the holidays miserable! 4. Because you have waited until the last minute again to purchase items, you 33

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by Pam Molnar

Most of us can relate to the

frustrations of a teenager who receives a gift that doesn’t fit their style. When I was fourteen, my aunt bought me a dictionary for Christmas. I am sure I did my best to look happy and act thankful, but it was not the gift I was hoping for. In fact, the next day, the dictionary was shoved in the bottom drawer of my desk where it remained untouched for a long time. Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

With the holidays approaching, it is time to think about what to get the tweens and teens in our life. Don’t be fooled into believing that every teenager appreciates the same thing. Like us, they all have their own taste. Although it is hard to compete with the electronics on their wish lists, you can find something within your budget to make them happy.

Memory Keeper A teen’s life is measured in events – choir practices, football games, dances at school or youth group outings. Why not let them preserve the memories of those events by giving them journals, photo albums or frames? A digital frame allows your teen to run a slideshow of their photos and relive those good times every day. A simple scrapbook may be welcomed by a craftier teen to store ticket stubs and concert programs.

Cash

Entertainment It is not a surprise that tweens and teens like to do things with their friends. Encourage interaction with friends beyond social networking and video games and buy them a gift of entertainment. Teens love going to the movies, bowling or to a local pizza restaurant. More active teens may enjoy gifts to go rock climbing or play laser tag. 34

You will always get a positive response – and maybe even a smile – when you give the gift of cash. Many teens want to save for a big purchase and money is at the top of their lists. Instead of handing over a card with a check inside, be more creative. Blow up balloons and insert rolled up $1 bills. Make a money tree from a branch, place it in a pot and decorate with www.auburnopelikaparents.com

money as if it is growing. Tape cash together end to end and roll up inside an empty tissue box. Stick the end of the money roll out the top so money can continuously pull out.

Magazines There are magazines for every interest, hobby and age group. Whether your teen is an avid reader or just appreciates the pull out posters, magazines are the perfect gift. For the tech savvy teen, consider giving them a digital subscription that they can view on an e-reader. Wrap the current issue of the magazine as your gift and place a little card inside letting them know about their subscription. Your gift will be enjoyed all year long.

A Gift for Two As much as teens like to be with their friends, they value spending time with family members, too. Give them the gift of your time and do something together. Buy two tickets to a play, concert or sporting event and take your

teen with you. Try a spa day or a museum tour. Why not make a day of it by tailgating or eating a nice dinner out? Print out the brochure from the play, a team logo or museum map to place in a box with an itinerary of your day together.

$5 Gift Cards

With a little creativity and a little information about your teen, you are guaranteed to pick something that won’t sit in a drawer with the tags still on it.

If you are still not sure what to get your tween or teen, it’s time to fall back on the gift cards. Why not purchase several $5 gift cards so your teen can enjoy your gift on a few occasions? Five dollars is enough for a latte, a mall pretzel, an ice cream, a sub sandwich or a few items at the dollar store. Use your imagination when packaging your gift card. A coffee gift card can go inside an empty cup with a lid. Attach an ice cream gift card to a small snowman stuffed animal. This holiday season, deliver the cool gift your tween or teen will use and

appreciate. With a little creativity and a little information about your teen, you are guaranteed to pick something that won’t sit in a drawer with the tags still on it. Adults may say it is the thought that counts, but when you are a teen, it is the gift.

Pam Molnar is a freelance journalist living in Naperville, IL. She is the mother of a teenager and two tweens – each with their own tastes.

olnar

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Holiday Happenings Just for Kids Auburn Parks and Recreation

8th Annual Polar Express Holiday Celebration Join the Auburn Arts Association and the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center for the 8th Annual Polar Express Holiday Celebration on Saturday, December 7at 10:00am and 1:00pm at Kiesel Park. The “train” will depart at 10:00 am and 1:00pm. Activities include arts & crafts, sweets & treats, holiday games, a trackless train, and much more. This event is open to children 12 and under. Children under 5 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Participants are encouraged to wear their favorite holiday pajamas. Tickets will be available for sale Wednesday, November 6 and Thursday, November 7 at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center from 9:00 am-4:00 pm. The cost is $8 per person. For more information, please contact the Arts Center at 501-2963. Holiday Outdoor Movie “The North Pole” Saturday, December 14, 5:30pm. Town Creek Park, Auburn. FREE to the public! 26th Annual Daddy-Daughter Date Night Tickets go on sale Monday, December 9, 8:00am at Dean Road Rec Center, $30/per couple and $5 additional child. Dance will be February 7-9, 2013. This is a night for memories! Dads and daughters, enjoy an evening of dancing, refreshments, pictures, and surprises! Put your best foot forward in our dance contest and don’t miss your chance to take home one of several door prizes! Last year, this event SOLD OUT, so be sure to purchase tickets early. Join us for one of three nights of music, memories, and fun! Teddy Bear Tea Children and parents alike are invited to the annual Teddy Bear Tea at Piccolo, December 18-22, to gather around the fireplace for tea sandwiches, sweets, tea and hot cocoa. A real live Teddy Bear will also be there for everyone to snuggle up to. Each child will also be presented with a special teddy bear to take home with them. For additional information about the Teddy Bear Tea, please call 844-5140.

Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

Opelika Parks and Recreation

Christmas Crafts Make and take your own Christmas crafts, on December 20, 2:00-3:00pm at the Covington Rec Center. Ages 6-10yrs. Fee: $15. Christmas Wreaths Join us at the Covington Recreation Center, Opelika for an afternoon of decorating Christmas wreaths to hand on your door for the holidays. December 3; 3:30-4:30pm. Ages: 5-12 years. Fee: $15. Rocky Brook Rocket Reindeer Express December 5-6. 5:00-8:00pm. Municipal Park, Opelika. Ages 2nd grade and under invited. Food, hot chocolate, entertainment and train rides through holiday lights. Therapeutics Christmas Ball Celebrate the holidays and feel like a king and queen for the day dressed in your Christmas best! The event is sponsored by Opelika Parks & Recreation and EAMH-MR and will be Friday, December 13th from 6:00-8:00pm at the Covington Recreation Center, 213 Carver Avenue, Opelika. 705-5550.

Auburn / Opelika 17th Annual Nutcracker Ballet

Presented by the East Alabama Community Ballet. December 13-15, Auburn University Telfair Peet Theatre. There is no more festive way to start the holiday season than by experiencing the holiday ballet classic that is The Nutcracker. www.eacballet.com

BigHouse Presents: A Crafty Christmas

BigHouse Foundation is a non-profit ministry in Lee County Alabama that meets the needs and improves the quality of life for children in foster care. A Crafty Christmas Craft

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Show for a Cause will be Thursday, November 23, 9:00am4:00pm in The Cotton District, 205 S. 10th Street, in Downtown Opelika. Jingle in the Holiday Season with this opportunity for the public to help raise money for BigHouse while Christmas shopping for gifts and decor from local vendors and businesses. $5.00; kids 12 and under free. www.ourbighouse.org

Clara’s Tea Party

December 6, Saugahatchee Country Club, Auburn. A perfect mother/daughter or grandmother/granddaughter holiday outing! Come dressed in Tea Party Fabulous or Holiday Fancy and mingle with your favorite Nutcracker characters. A beautifully decorated holiday scene provides the perfect backdrop for unique holiday card photos! Children’s holiday craft activities are planned along with delicious tea party fare for children and adults alike. For times and tickets, www.eacballet.com.

Christmas Craft Sale

The community is cordially invited to shop our Christmas Craft Sale, December 14, 2013, 12:00-5:00pm. Celtic Traditions School of Irish Dance, 2705 Frederick Road, Suite 3, Opelika. 705-0303. Visit our website at www.celtic-traditions.net.

Variations Dance Studio Presents “Nutcracker”

This holiday season, enjoy the magic and beauty of our premiere performances of “Nutcracker”, December 14-15, 2013 at the Opelika Performing Arts Center. Follow Clara into a dream-like world of dancing snowflakes and see all the colorful treats found in the Land of Sweets! Whether it is a first-time experience or an annual holiday tradition, don’t miss your chance to reserve your seat at this beautiful holiday ballet! Tickets available now online, www. variationsstudio.com. Nutcracker Character Brunch- December 8, 2013. Meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and other characters at Ariccia,

www.auburnopelikaparents.com

inside The Hotel at Auburn University. 11:00am-1:00pm. Brunch reservations are recommended, 844-5140.

7th Annual Holiday Art Sale

The Auburn Arts Association, Auburn Parks & Recreation, and the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center will host the 7th Annual Holiday Art Sale on Saturday, December 14 from 9:00 am- 4:00 pm. at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Local artists will be selling paintings, pottery, stained glass, photography, cards, jewelry, hats, scarves, and much more! If you would like to sell your work, applications are available online at www.auburnalabama.org/ arts by clicking on the special events button. Applications are also available at the Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center. Free to the public. For more information, please contact the Arts Center at 501-2944 or email Cari Philen, Art Education Specialist, at cphilen@auburnalabama.org. Interested in participating in the Holiday Art Sale as a vendor? Applications are available online at auburnalabama. org/parks.

18th Annual Cookie Walk

Cookies! Cookies! Cookies! For this Habitat for Humanity annual community fundraiser, the whole community gets into the holiday spirit of generosity and celebration. The Cookie Walk gets bigger and better every year. Folks come from far and near to buy fresh, delicious, holiday decorated cookies at this Habitat for Humanity fund raiser, sponsored by Auburn’s WeHelp Coalition of churches. Select from an array of 30,000 home baked holiday goodies for $6.00/lb. Santa will visit for photos! See you early for best selection! All proceeds go to build a house right here in Auburn! Saturday, December 1, starting at 8:00am-1:00pm at Grace United Methodist Church by Kroger on Glenn Avenue in Auburn.

19th Annual Christmas in a Railroad Town

Friday, December 13, 6:00-9:00pm. The Historic Downtown District celebrates “Christmas in a Railroad Town” in conjunction with the Victorian Front Porch Tour. This event converts Railroad Avenue into a Christmas wonderland festival, featuring all sorts of fun activities for the whole family, along with music, hot wassail and a variety of other holiday treats. Children love the miniature train rides and the time

liver Christmas Magic to all! Santa and Mrs. Claus highlight the parade’s finale! Find a perfect spot downtown Opelika for seeing the magic at 10:00am.

they can spend with Santa and Mrs. Claus; and everyone loves the wagon and/or trolley rides that take folks from the historic downtown district through the Victorian Front Porch tour in an “old fashioned” way.

Collinwood Christmas Luminaries

27th Annual Christmas Bazaar

Sponsored by the United Methodist Women’s Ministry. Saturday, December 7, 9:00am-2:00pm, Auburn United Methodist Church. Shop for handmade crafts, jewelry, ornaments, art, antiques, food and other holiday gifts. Come shop or to register a booth, contact Mary Ellen 209-1462 or aumwbazaar2013@aol.com.

Annual Holiday Poinsettia Sale

The Junior League of Lee County is offering beautiful poinsettias to enhance the holiday décor of any business or home. By purchasing a poinsettia, you are supporting art and literacy programs for Lee County’s Children. 6.5” Poinsettias (6-8 blooms) at $12 each & 10” Poinsettias (18-20 blooms) at $22 each in Red, Ivory, Marble, and Pink. Orders will be taken from October - November 1st, with pick up at Elk’s Lodge in Auburn on December 6-7, or for orders of 10 or more plants, we offer free delivery on November 22 and December 6. If you are interested in placing an order, please contact the Poinsettia Committee at www.juniorleagueofleecounty.com to receive information and a pre-sale form.

Auburn Christmas Parade

The entire community is invited to celebrate the season with the Auburn Chamber Christmas Parade on December 6 at 5 p.m. in downtown Auburn. The parade, sponsored by Thames Orthodontics, will include Aubie, Santa, Christmas characters, live music and lots of other Christmas favorites! Before and after the parade, from 4-9 p.m., enjoy Christmas in the Village, an open house in downtown Auburn. The event will feature pictures with Santa, a live nativity, live music and merchant specials. For float entry forms or more information, log onto www.auburnchamber. com.

City of Opelika Christmas Parade

On December 7, festive floats showcasing local groups and business will be parading through downtown Opelika to de-

Collinwood Subdivision shares the season with visitors to its annual Luminaries Tour held one night each holiday season- December 19. This wonderful drive through tour features luminaries along the route that leads to the nativity scene at the end of the tour – reminding us all that Christ is why we have Christmas! The luminaries follow a one-way route beginning on Collinwood Street at the intersection of North Tenth Street and Oakbowery Road. The tour winds through the entire Collinwood subdivision and ends on McLure Avenue.

Holiday Open House

Opelika Main Street invites you to Historic Downtown Opelika. Sunday, November 10, 12:00-5:00pm for the Holiday Open House. Visit with friends and enjoy free parking, complimentary gift wrap, refreshments, door prizes and an unhurried atmosphere as you stroll through downtown and shop for one-of-a-kind gifts. www.opelikamainstreet.org

Ho! Ho! Ho! Hike

Join this fun family holiday event, at the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve Saturday, December 14, 10:00am, as we hike around the Preserve looking for visitors in red. After the hike return to the amphitheater for some hot cocoa at the fire pit. Free admission with donation of canned goods for the East Alabama Food Bank . No registration required. 707-6512.

Holiday Wreath Workshop

Join us Saturday, December 7, 2:00-4:00pm, at the Ham Wilson Arena inside the Louise Krehler Forest Ecology Preserve, 2222 North College Street, Auburn, for a fun morning of making beautiful wreaths or sprays with natural elements for your holiday enjoyment. Music and delicious snacks will make the morning festive. Limited to first 25. Choose wreath or spray when registering. Please specify if bringing child and age. Fee: $20 per wreath or spray. Registration is required; 502-4553.

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Congratulations to the Liles Smiles no cavity winners! Aaron Kincaid Aaron Spivey Abigail Chandler Adaih Banks Addyson King Aerieal Smith Aidan Garcia Aiden Neman Aiden Nolan Aiden Thomas Akashia Knight Alex Mendoza Alexia Schwadron Alexis Boswell Ali Gilmore Alicia Peralta Allie Reese Thompson Alonzo Fluellen Jr Alyssa Ennis Alyssa Park Alyssa Ruff Amaurius Avery Amir Word Amori Word Amrtay’vious Avery Andrew Alsobrook Andrew Finley Andrew Jones Andrew Spratlin Aneri Patel Anet Mendoza Anna Alsobrook

Annabella Fowler Annalee Adams Anne Katherine Corley Anthony Ransom Anthony Upshaw Antonio Turner Asher Rudd Ashley Wright Asim Abdelaziz Hamid August Zuanich Auston Hodge Autumn Bracknell Ava Adkins Ava Barron Ava Garcia Avery Beard Avery Dunnam Avery Spratlin Bailey Klapp Barrett Moore Baylor Williams Ben Eskridge Ben Harman Benjamin Darnell Benjamin Ray Bentlee Mann Bladon Brown Brady Forbus Brantley Clegg Brayan Ramirez Brayden Kirk Brent Park Jr.

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Keep Opelika Beautiful and Opelika Tree Commission Annual Christmas Tree Recycling

Recycle your Christmas tree with the Opelika Tree Commission and Keep Opelika Beautiful on Saturday, December 28, from 8:00am-12:00pm. Location for drop off is 601 Avenue A, Opelika. Citizens will receive a tree seedling in exchange for the tree.

Loveliest Village Christmas Tour of Homes and Buildings

The Auburn Preservation League (APL) is pleased to announce the 7th Annual Loveliest Village Christmas Tour of Homes and Buildings will be Saturday, December 14, 10am-4pm and Sunday, December 15, 1-4pm. The tour will feature nine homes and buildings in the Auburn area. Tickets for the tour are $20 and are available at Wrapsody in downtown Auburn, The Flower Store in Ogletree Village and the Auburn Chamber. Tickets will also be available at each home on the days of the tour. For more information about the tour, visit www.auburnpreservationleague.org.

National Village Christmas Lights

Bring the family for a festive, Christmas outing! Just pull right up in your car or bring your blankets for the viewing. The light display will be each night from November 23-January 5. For more information on times, please visit www.facebook.com/NationalVillage.

Santa In Downtown Auburn!

This year, Santa will be visiting downtown Auburn every Saturday in December! Tell Santa your list and then finish yours!

Toys for Tots Drive- Sponsored by The Auburn Department of Public Safety

Designed to assist families in the Auburn community by providing Christmas gifts to needy children ages 3-8. Anyone wishing to register a child to receive a gift can do so at the Auburn Police Division on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 10:00-11:00am through November 14. To be eligible, a parent or legal guardian must provide their picture ID, the child’s social security card or birth certificate, and two of the following three: current light bill, water bill, and/or lease agreement. Donation drop off: Any Auburn Fire Station or the Auburn Police Division located at 161 North Ross Street. Thanks to the generosity of Uncle Bob’s Self-Storage two remote drop off points have also been established at their stores located at 1231 Gatewood Drive and 2020 South College Street. The gifts must be new but do not need to be wrapped. Remember, no gift is too small. Contact Debra Hoyett at the Auburn Police Division, 501-3129.

Victorian Front Porch Christmas Tour

Visit an Ole World Christmas wonderland and see more than 60 turn-of-the-century Victorian homes adorned with life-size Santas, angels, toys, and other figures. Enjoy live entertainment, carolers, costumed homeowners and other festivities. December 5-9, in Opelika. Lighted driving tour December 7-13& 15, 5:00-10pm. Walking tour December 14, 6:00-9:00pm. More information, please call 334-8878747. Free event.

Valley /LaGrange

Christmas Village at The Historic Langdale Mill Christmas Village and Merry-Go-Round

Beginning the first weekend in December, experience the spirit of the Season in Historic Valley, Al. There’s the life size Nativity Scene in the meadow, the Madonna lightsculpture, and the Christmas Merry-Go-Round that has given over 1,000,000 FREE rides to children and adults, too. As you take a walk through history, you will be greeted with Christmas caroling and much more festive fun. In 2008, a new tradition was started with the first “A Cotton Mill Christmas” production at Langdale Historical Theater, as local actors tell the history and stories of Valley. Exit 77 and left on US Hwy 29. www.cityofvalley.com

Follow The Shepherds Christmas Walks & Under The Bethlehem Star Light Show

Gingerbread Jubilee

LaGrange Christmas Parade

Port Columbus’ Victorian Christmas

December 1, 3:00pm, as an old-fashioned celebration laced with nostalgia, culminates in the arrival of the big guy atop a bucket fire truck. LagrangeChamber.com

LaGrange Symphony Orchestra Concert

The Choral Society of West Georgia, led by artistic director Bettie Biggs, joins the LSO for a special Christmas performance, December 10, 7:30-9:30pm, Callaway Auditorium at LaGrange College. 706-882-0662.

Phenix City / Columbus 22nd Annual Fantasy in Lights

The most spectacular holiday light and sound show in the south begins November 22- December 30! Nestled amidst wooded landscape of Callaway Gardens, Fantasy In Lights is the Southeast’s most spectacular holiday light and sound show with more than eight million twinkling lights celebrating the holiday season. This spectacular show has attracted almost two million visitors since it opened in 1992. With more than a dozen larger-than-life lighted scenes, Fantasy In Lights remains unique in that its scenes are custom-designed especially for Callaway Gardens–to celebrate not only the joy of the season but the wonder of nature in this idyllic setting. Drive your car or ride the Jolly Trolley to experience scenes like March of the Toy Soldiers and Snowflake Valley. At Robin Lake Beach, enjoy ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ and ‘The Nativity’, light and sound shows enticing passers-by to stop, reflect and enjoy. November 15- College Night November 16-Bicycle Night November 17- March of Dimes Walk November 18- Motorcycle Night November 19- Community Golf Cart Night November 21- Corporate Night For tickets, www.callawaygardens.com.

22rd Annual Christmas Made in the South

A Christmas Carol

A Cantus Christmas

Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

Prepare to step into a world of wonder where wishing is only the beginning and dreams really do come true! Join Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy as they bring the timeless fairytale adventures of Cinderella, Beauty and The Beast, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to life right in your hometown. Columbus Civic Center, December 14, 4:00pm.

Experience the Christmas story in a whole new way. Join a guide as you walk from Nazareth to Bethlehem, learning new insights into the Christmas story in the most unique, authentic setting surrounding areas, as well as live actors and animals. December 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 24(Friday and Saturday evenings) and Christmas Eve at 6:00pm, 6:30pm, 8:30pm. $10 for adults and $6 for children ages 4-12. Explorations in Antiquity Center, 130 Gordon Commercial Dr., LaGrange. 706 885-0363.

Children are invited to Hills & Dales, LaGrange, Ga., December 14, 9:30am-1:00pm, to see Santa, decorate a gingerbread house and Christmas ornaments, hear stories and songs from Robin Treadwell, visit with Santa and share in fresh cider and cookies. All children’s activities are free. Tours of the home decked out for the holidays are available at regular price. 706-882-3242.

Presented by New Horizon Community Theatre, December 5-7. Tickets on sale now. www.nhct.org Christmas Holidays at Hills & Dales Estate Experience our circa 1940’s tinsel-laden Christmas tree, brilliant Poinsettias and other seasonal decorations during the holiday season. The Fuller E. Callaway family home and the visitor center will be decorated for the holidays from December 6-28, Tuesday to Saturday. Regular tour prices apply. 706-882-3242.

Disney Live! Three Classic Fairy Tales

November 20-22- Children’s Miracle Network at The Medical Center presents the annual multi-activity event that the entire family may enjoy. The RiverMill Event Center hosts this competition event for groups and individuals to create gingerbread houses in a variety of categories (professional, amateur, school groups and local celebrities). Families can view the creations and children can decorate their own gingerbread house to take home with them. And it is a shopping extravaganza with numerous vendors onsite to allow participants to get a head start on their Christmas shopping. www.yourhealthyourmission.com

As Christmastime approaches, what better way to get ready for the holiday season than to stroll the aisles for treasures. Come to the Columbus Convention & Trade Center and see hand-thrown pottery, exquisite jewelry, art of all kinds, basket weaving, colorful purses and totes, metal working, blown glass, photography, stained glass, floral arrangements, delicious gourmet treats, and more! We invite you to listen, smell, watch and take part in the magic that is Christmas Made in the South! November 1-3, 10:00am-evening. $6 adults/children 12 yrs and under free. www.MadeInTheSouthShows.com.

5th Annual Children’s Christmas Celebration

his magical Christmas Eve transformation and redemption. December 5-7, 12-15, & 19-22, Springer Opera House. www.springeroperahouse.org

December 16, 7:30pm. This regularly sold-out tradition tells the Christmas story with musical masterpieces and audience carols. The professional chorus Cantus Columbus presents the eleventh installment of Message of the Season—Music of the Masters in Legacy Hall. The concert features the Atlanta Symphony Brass Quintet and tenor Bradley Howard. www.rivercenter.org

“A Christmas Carol: The Musical”

Based on Charles Dickens’ tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and

December 7-8. Our Civil War-era Santa will be on hand for visits and story telling. There will also be Victorian-era entertainment and music. At the conclusion of the day, Santa will fire the original Civil War cannon from the CSS Jackson! The museum is decorated throughout with circa 1863 decorations and trees. Admission to the museum is FREE during the open house. www.portcolumbus.org

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Ho Ho Ho… Go! It’s the Annual Children’s Miracle Network Annual Reindeer Run! All kids from Pre-k to the 8th grade are encouraged to run. Event scheduled for December 7, in downtown Columbus. www.bigdogrunning.com

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“Tuna Christmas”

Reindeer Run

Celebrate Christmas in Tuna, Texas, with its quick changes, fast-paced humor and heart-warming moments of sincere Christmas joy. Texas’ third smallest town is in the throes of its annual Christmas yard display contest, which promises to have Tuna in an uproar and have you laughing out loud. Columbus’ most popular show ever; over 35,000 served. December 12-15, 19-24, Springer Opera House. www.springeroperahouse.org

Eufaula / Dothan 8th Annual Eufaula Christmas Tour of Homes

Stroll through history and witness the magnificence of Eufaula’s finest homes all aglow in holiday splendor. Enjoy a seated luncheon or an elegant dinner at the grand historical Shorter Mansion. December 7. www.eufaulapilgrimage.com

A Downtown Christmas

Snow, artisans, food vendors, Santa, cookie decorations, marsh mellow roasting, handmade items and lots of art venues for children and families. December 7, 9:00am4:00pm, downtown Dothan on North Foster and Troy Streets. 334-793-3097. www.thedowntowngroup.com. Free!

Mistletoe Market

Main Street merchants offer goodies to sample and great sales. Also an Artist Walk, and more. December 7, 9:00am5:00pm. Historic Downtown Eufaula. 334-616-6170. Free.

“The Nutcracker”

Southeast Alabama Dance Company presents its 32nd annual performance of this holiday classic. Watch as snowflakes dance, flowers waltz, dolls come to life and the Nutcracker turns into a charming prince. December 6-8; Dothan Civic Center; An evening with The Nutcracker, dinner and performance, December 6. 334-702-7139. www. southeastalabamadanceco.org

Victorian Christmas

Sample turn-of-the-century desserts, sip hot chocolate or mulled cider and try your hand at making traditional Christmas decorations. December 8, 1:00-4:00pm. 334794-3452. www.landmarkpark.com. Free.

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Alexander City / Lake Martin An Eclectic Christmas

A unique way to experience Christ this Season! It was the night that saved the world. Sent away because there was not room in the inn, Christmas was born in a stable. Come join us in December to experience the true story of the first Christmas. In the atmosphere of an outdoor walking trail, you and your guests will be part of live drama that is set during the Roman Empire. As you walk through the streets on your way to Bethlehem, you will visit the field where shepherds received the angel’s message and news of the Messiah. Then visit the wise men as they journey in search of the New Born King. The walking tours begin December 4-8, 6pm. This event will take place at 1733 Claud Road Eclectic, Alabama, just south of Eclectic on AL Highway 63. Reservations are suggested and may be made by calling 256.794.7789. Admission is free.

Annual Holiday Open House

Annual Hometown Christmas Parade

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Presented by the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce, local businesses open their doors to showcase the season’s most festive decorations and merchandise. November 17, 1:00-4:00pm; 256-234-3461. One of East Alabama’s largest parades featuring elaborate floats, dancing groups, marching bands, horse-riding clubs and Santa Claus highlight. December 2, 6:00pm. Downtown Alexander City.

Children’s Harbor Christmas Market

Over 40 vendors from all over the state sell their unique items. Great time to pick up that special Christmas Gift. 20% of vendor sales go to benefit Children’s Harbor. The Children’s Harbor Lodge, December 7, 8:00am-1:00pm. www.childrensharbor.com

Christmas at Crossroads

Christmas at Crossroads, November 29-December 1, is a great way to get out with the family and friends, do some

shopping, take a carriage ride, check off items on your Christmas list and let the kids visit with Santa. Our Naturalist, Marianne typically has a presentation that will interest everyone. Stop by for a visit and bring the kids! Russell Crossroads at Russell Farms Road, www.russelllandsonlakemartin.com

Main Street’s Thanksgiving Market

Season-appropriate goods are available at this final market of the season, in downtown Alexander City. Just in time for the annual celebration. November 17; 7:00-11:30 am. 256-329-9227.

Santa & Mrs. Claus and Tree Lighting

The Alexander City Chamber of Commerce is bringing Santa and Mrs. Claus to downtown Alexander City, December 1, 1:00-4:00pm. Bring the kids and your camera to make your own pictures on Santa’s lap as they let him know what they’d like to find under the tree Christmas morning. The, the Chamber and MainStreet invite Santa & Mrs. Claus to light the Christmas tree in front of the Bud Porch Center at 4:30pm. 256-329-3461.

Montgomery 22nd Annual Christmas Light Festival at Montgomery Zoo

Thousands of Holiday Lights illuminate The Montgomery Zoo in shapes of animals and Christmas themes. See the Zoo transformed into a Winter Wonderland sparkling with thousands of festive lights and decorations. Stroll the many pathways or enjoy a brisk ride on the Santaland Express train ride. Visit with Santa nightly, enjoy live entertainment, food, gifts and more. December 5-8, 12-15, 19-31; 5:30- 9:30pm each night. (334) 240-4900; www. montgomeryzoo.com

8th Annual Interfaith Christmas Nativity Exhibit

Help your family keep the true meaning of Christmas in your heart from the start by attending this Community

Celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ. This spectacular event features nativities from around the world and special music by local performers. This magnificent display is sure to warm the hearts of young and old alike. December 4-8, 1:00-8:00pm (Wed-Fri, Sunday) 11:00am-8:00pm (Saturday). 3460 Carter Hill Road, Montgomery. Open to all. FREE Admission. Sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. www.MontgomeryNativity.com

47th Annual Pike Road Arts & Crafts Festival

November 2- Come for the shopping or come for the food! There will be over two hundred vendors selling many beautiful and unique arts and crafts just in time for Christmas shopping. There are also special activities for children too-face painting, a tour of the Pike Road Fire department’s Mobile Fire Safety House and free “make and take” crafts will be provided by Home Depot. 9:00 am-4:00pm; 334-567-6461. www.pikeroadfair.org

Alabama Shakespeare Festival presents “A Christmas Carol”

ASF revives this family classic, November 29-December 24! The snowy London streets ring with carols that set the stage for Dickens’ magical tale of hope and redemption. Join us as the ghosts of the past, present and future reawaken Scrooge’s conscience. Visit www.asf.net for more information.

Cruising with Santa

Cruise the Alabama River with Santa on the Harriott II Riverboat, Downtown Riverwalk. December 7, 12-14 & 20-21. (334) 625-2100.

F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum Christmas Open House Come join us, December 1-31, as we celebrate Christmas with our Christmas Open House. www.fitzgeraldmuseum.net.

Governor’s Mansion Candlelight Open House

The 1907 Governor’s Mansion will be aglow with lights and

Planting the

SEEDS of LEARNING! Technology program for ages 1 & up Solid Rubber Playground Surface reduces injuries Our Character Education program teaches values Healthy menu with fresh fruit and whole grain foods Sign Language for all ages Lower Child:Teacher ratios Video monitoring in all classrooms Infant curriculum customized for your baby Infants through School-Age | Care available from 6:30am to 6:30pm Transportation available to most Auburn schools

644 North Dean Road, Auburn, AL | 334.501.2044

www.growingroomusa.com An independently owned and operated location of the Growing Room Franchising System

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filled with the spirit of the season. December 2, 9 & 16. 5:00-7:00pm. 1142 South Perry Street, Montgomery.

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“Holiday Memories” by Truman Capote

The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum’s North Pole Express

Cloverdale Playhouse presents an American treasure, based on two short stories from Truman Capote, “The Thanksgiving Visitor” and “A Christmas Memory,” HOLIDAY MEMORIES is a charming, heartwarming remembrance of a young man and his family. December 5-15. www. cloverdaleplayhouse.org

Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis

December 7. 5k Run or Walk to benefit the Arthritis Foundation Also 1 mile fun run (chasing an Elf) for under 8’s and 1 mile walk for those of us who want to support the Arthritis Foundation. www.jbrmontgomery.kintera.org

“Mistletoe” featuring “The Messiah”

Alabama Dance Theatre presents “Mistletoe” at the historic Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts. November 15-17. After the matinees on Saturday, November 16 and Sunday, November 17, children are invited to come on stage and meet Santa Claus and other dancers for a $10.00 donation. Each ticket to “Meet Santa” includes a chance to win a voucher for the “My American Girl Doll”. A special FREE performance in honor of our Military on Friday, November 15, 7:30pm. For more information visit www.alabamadancetheatre.com or call 334-241-2590.

Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts Holiday Open House

Join the MMFA for the 17th annual Holiday Open House Saturday, December 7, 1:00-4:00pm. The day’s activities will include musical performances, horse-drawn carriage rides through the park, festive art-making activities, snacks, and photos with Santa! Free admission with donation of canned goods for the food bank or unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. www.mmfa.org

Old Alabama Town Holiday Open House

Join Old Alabama Town in December to celebrate the holiday season. Our house museums will be authentically decorated for the holidays. December 1-31. www. oldalabamatown.com.

Prattville/Millbrook/ Wetumpka Christmas on the Coosa

“A Touch of Christmas Class” Christmas extravaganza with arts and crafts, parade, food, quilt show, classic car show, entertainment and activities on the Coosa River culminating with Santa ski-in and a spectacular fireworks exhibition at dusk. December 14, Gold Star Park & the Courthouse Veranda, Wetumpka. www.wetumpkachamber.com.

13th Annual Mistletoe Market

More than 40 vendors offering the best in holiday gifts, including: Clothing, Accessories, Home Decor, Children’s Items, Gift Baskets, Food Gifts and more! November 1-2 doors open at 9:00am. Downtown Prattville at the Doster Community Center. Sponsored by Prattville Downtown Unlimited. www.visithistoricprattville.com

Christmas at the Alabama Nature Center

December 21-22. For the regular price of admission, ANC guests can visit with Santa, hike over 5 miles of trails, make a Christmas craft and enjoy a snack around a roaring fire. 1-800-822-9453.

Christmas Open House in the District

Presented by Prattville Downtown Unlimited, November 18, 1:00-5:00pm. Downtown merchants will be open with holiday specials and giveaways. www.visithistoricprattville.com

Prattville Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting

‘Hometown Christmas’ parade begins 7:00pm, on at the Autauga County Courthouse.

Wetumpka Tree Lighting & Progressive Nativity and Luminaria

Lighting of the Tree will be December 5, 6:00pm. Downtown Wetumpka and Gold Star Park. Luminary Night and Downtown Open House, December 6, 6:30-8:00pm. www. cityofwetumpka.com

Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

All aboard! Next stop - the North Pole! “All Aboard” says the conductor, as your train ride begins. Families are sure to enjoy their trip to the North Pole, complete with a reading of The Polar Express™ and chocolate milk and cookies served on board the train. Upon arrival at the North Pole, Santa and Mrs. Claus visit everyone on the train and each child will receive the “First Gift of Christmas”, just like in the story. Sing Christmas carols as you return to the depot. Wear your pajamas! The excursion will last approximately one hour. First class service to the North Pole! The Silver Maple and Kayenta railcars will offer first class service hot chocolate in a souvenir mug, special dessert treat, premium gift and specialized service. Wear your pajamas! November 22-24, 29-30, December 1, 6-8,13-15, & 20-21. For tickets, www.hodrrm.org.

Santa Claus Special at The Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum

Santa rides the train with you! Tell him what you would like for Christmas as he poses for photos. Each child will receive a Christmas gift! November 30, December 7, 14 & 21. For tickets, www.hodrrm.org.

Birmingham and North 32nd Annual Christmas Village Festival

The largest indoor arts, crafts, and gifts show in the south. A shopper’s delight! Over 700 booths of clothing, jewelry, food, decorations and much more. Exhibitors come from over 30 states to show their goods. November 6-10, Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center. www.christmasvillagefestival.com

“A Bluegrass Christmas Carol”

December 12-22. A totally new telling of Dickens’ classic tale. This musical version written and directed by Norton Dill is set in the Appalachian Mountains and features the original storyline and characters we all know . . . but they’ve been “mountainized!” With an all-star cast and chorus accompanied by one of the South’s finest bluegrass groups, The Herb Trotman Band, this family-friendly show promises to be Dickens as you’ve never seen it before. www.virginiasamfordtheatre.org

Alabama Ballet presents George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker”

Annual performance of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker™, Alabama Ballet remains one of only seven companies in the world currently licensed to present this holiday classic. All performed to Balanchine’s brilliant specifications; dazzling choreography, opulent costumes, and extravagant sets make this production unlike any other. The addition of a community cast of children from the area make this performance truly magical. Join us December 13-15 and 20-22 at the Samford Wright Center for this joyous spectacle. www.alabamaballet.org.

Christmas Light Show at DeSoto Caverns

November 1-December 31. This special light show celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ and is shown on every caverns tour. www.desotocavernspark.com

Community Kwanza Celebration

December 26. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. A celebration of the spirit of family and community during Kwanzaawhich means “first fruits of the harvest” in Kiswahili. 6 p.m. www.bcri.org

McWane Science Center

Breakfast in Santa’s Workshop Two dates to choose from: December 8 or 22; 8:3010:00am. Bring your little elves to have breakfast in Santa’s Workshop. Decorate gingerbread houses, have breakfast together, explore the Winter Wonderland exhibit and visit with Santa! Be sure to bring your camera! Ticket includes admission to the museum, breakfast, activities and visit with Santa! Reservations are required. $20 Adults, $15Kids. www.mcwane.org The Magic of Model Trains Exhibit Discover trains of every shape and size inside this popular exhibit which features over a dozen different train displays. November 9-January 5.

Winter Wonderland Snow is in the forecast, November 29-January 5, at McWane Science Center this year with the return of the Winter Wonderland exhibit. This magical holiday experience gives families a chance to learn about the science of the season together as they play in the snow, go ice fishing, and watch toy trains zip around the tracks. Inside the snow room, children can make snow angels, build snow castles and more. Children can catch fish through the ice in the ice fishing area. Guests can even sled down the giant slide between the third and second floors in the museum or try the zip line. Families also have a chance to see toy trains of every shape and size zipping around the tracks in the Magic of Model Trains area. This year children will be able to become conductors at one of the new stations and also see several new additions to the train sets. Breakfast in Santa’s Workshop Bring your little elves to have breakfast in Santa’s Workshop, December 14 & 21. Make holiday crafts, have breakfast together, explore the Winter Wonderland exhibit and visit with Santa! Be sure to bring your camera! Tickets also include museum admission. Reservations are required by calling (205) 714-8414. www.mcwane.org Rocky Mountain Express IMAX November 9-January 5-Rocky Mountain Express propels audiences on a steam train journey through the breathtaking vistas of the Canadian Rockies and relates the epic adventure of building the nation’s first transcontinental railway. www.mcwane.org

Opera Birmingham presents “Home for the Holidays”

Ring in the holidays with grand style amid favorite carols and Christmas songs performed by the best voices around! Brock Recital Hall at Samford University. December 19, 7:30pm. www.operabirmingham.org “Santa’s Adventure in the Merrywood Mega Mall” Presented by Birmingham Children’s Theatre, November 24-December 20. Poor Santa – It’s Christmas Eve and he’s trapped in the gigantic Merrywood Mega Mall. Will he find his way out in time to bring gifts to all the good little girls and boys? Recommended ages 2- 6. www.bct123.org

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”

Presented by Birmingham Children’s Theatre, December 3-20, No one wants to be in the annual Christmas play at the local church except six irascible siblings who have never heard the Christmas story. Ultimately, their energy and sincerity triumphs as they make this year’s pageant the best ever! Recommended ages 6-12. www.bct123.org

“Tis the Season”

Step out of the cold and into a heartwarming holiday show. Enjoy your favorite holiday hits in this cheerful celebration that is sure to spread the humor and joy of the season. December 5-22. Visit www.redmountaintheatre.org.

South Alabama and Gulf Coast Arctic Express Christmas Train

Christmas at the Wales West Light Railway is a special family time. The entire railway and surrounding park grounds are totally decorated with over 1,000,000 lights, figures, blow-ups and miles of ribbon & garlands. Our steam powered totally decorated train (Arctic Express) leaves the main station for a mile long trip through a wonderland of lights to the North Pole and return. Visit Santa and receive a handmade wooden locomotive made here at the railway as part of their visit that they can decorate at the arts & crafts table before re-boarding the train. November 29-December 24, 4:00-9:00pm, Silverhill, Al. (near Fairhope, Al.) www.waleswest.com.

Christmas on the River

Weekend festival, December 4-7, in Demopolis, Al., featuring Christmas in the Canebrake, the Alabama State Championship BBQ Cookoff, Alabama Boychoir Concert, day parade, Jingle Bell run, nautical parade and fireworks show. www.christmasontheriver.com.

Magic Christmas in Lights

From November 29-December 31, Bellingrath Gardens, Mobile is set aglow with more than 3 million twinkling lights, and more than 900 custom-designed set pieces appear in 13 scenes at this popular attraction. Tour the

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entire country. This annual showdown is played at the huge Georgia Dome in downtown Atlanta, December 31, 7:30 pm.

Selma Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting

First Night Atlanta New Year’s Eve Festival

A community celebration of the holiday season. A two week long, December 7, craft show and bake sale with Santa in attendance some afternoons. Performing Arts Center, 1000 Selma Avenue. www.SelmaAlabama.com

Atlanta Area

December 31, 11:00pm. Peachtree Street, Downtown Atlanta Georgia. This Block Party for thousands offers live musical performances by local artists and musicians, as well as a midnight Fireworks Spectacular. Tickets are available at a variety of local sources. Stay downtown and enjoy the festivities at Underground Atlanta ... enjoy the ‘official’ Peach Drop at midnight - followed by a really awesome New Year’s fireworks display, with live performances.

2013 Children’s Christmas Parade

Holiday in Lights

December 7, 10:30am-12:00pm, at Centennial Olympic Park, Downtown Atlanta, Ga. Surprise your kids this year by taking them to see the Southeast’s premier Holiday Parade! The annual Children’s Christmas Parade has been a holiday tradition in Atlanta for years, and features awardwinning Marching Bands, Holiday Themed & Animated Floats, giant Helium Balloons & a grand finale featuring Santa Claus. The Atlanta Children’s Christmas Parade begins at Peachtree Street near Baker Street. The route follows Peachtree Street and turns right onto Marietta Street. It will then turn left and end on Centennial Olympic Park Drive.

Chick-fil-A Bowl Parade

Every year on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 12:30pm, around 30 Bands, Classic Cars, Floats and various other entertainment, parade their way down Peachtree Street to International Blvd., then winds through downtown to Centennial Olympic Park, ending at the Georgia World Congress Center. The Parade makes it’s way through the downtown area to honor and celebrate the Two College Teams that will be playing for the Chick-fil-A Bowl title.

Chick-fil-A Bowl

Thousands of people visit Atlanta to witness one of the most popular NCAA College Football Bowl Games in the

Centennial Olympic Park’s annual Holiday in Lights is an Atlanta tradition and celebrating its thirteenth anniversary season this fall. In November, the Park transforms into a winter wonderland with thousands of lights that make up the dazzling display. Different and unique every year, Holiday in Lights runs through the first week of January. The Park is open daily, November 19-January 3, to view the lights from 7:00am-11:00pm, including Dec. 25, Christmas Day, and there is no charge for admission. Come celebrate the 2011 holiday season by taking a stroll through the glowing 21-acre Park or a spin around Atlanta’s only outdoor ice skating rink located amongst the glittering lights on the Great Lawn. After you experience the Park, enjoy holiday specials at restaurants and other attractions.

Magical Nights of Lights

November 15-December 31; nightly 5:00-10:00pm. Rekindle an old tradition or create a new one at Lake Lanier Islands Resort’s Magical Nights of Lights holiday celebration. A seven-mile drive through tour of animated, festive, holiday light displays. At the end of your tour, the Holiday Village awaits you with carnival rides and games, pony rides and numerous holiday treats. Warm up with a hot cup of cocoa or step inside Santa’s Workshop for some holiday shopping and a visit with Santa. And nothing gets you in the holiday spirit like a visit to Legacy Lodge &

Conference Center for a delectable Magical Nights of Lights dinner buffet, or stay the night so the kids can enjoy the time honored tradition of having Breakfast with Santa. www.lakelanierislands.com

Snow Mountain at Stone Mountain Park

Snow Mountain is Atlanta’s first snow park! The season opens November 25, 2013-February 17, 2014. Atlanta’s Stone Mountain Park transforms into a winter wonderland with Snow Mountain. Bundle your family up and get ready for snow tubing, snowballs, snowmen and snow angels. Based at Stone Mountain Park’s famous Laser Lawn, Snow Mountain keeps your entire family busy for hours. A 400’ foot tubing hill and a snow play area filled with a blizzard of snow activities make Snow Mountain Atlanta’s not-to-bemissed winter attraction. There’s even a play zone reserved for your littlest snow bunnies. Snow Mountain’s state-ofthe-art snow-making magic guarantees you tons of fresh snow daily. And with two Mountain SnoLifts to get you up the tubing hill, you’ll want to go again and again! www.stonemountainpark.com

Stone Mountain Christmas

November 9 -January 1. There is nothing like the Christmas season that magically transforms Stone Mountain Park into a land of enchantment. Within the glow of more than two million twinkling lights, you can watch live entertainment, engage in fun attractions and reconnect with friends and family during this special time of year. Make a Stone Mountain Christmas a part of your holiday tradition. Events include Wonderland Walkway, Snow Angel Castle, Holly Jolly Cabaret, The Polar Express 4D Experience, Snow Angel Fireworks and Snowfall Celebration, Sleigh Ride, Simply Christmas, Christmas Parade, Visit with Santa Claus, storytelling and live shows, great food and holiday shopping! For details and tickets, www.stonemountainpark.com

The Rock Ranch Christmas

A Country Christmas in Lights-Check website for upcoming dates in December. Breakfast or Lunch with Santa- December 7 & 14. www.therockranch.com AOP

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Family Calendar Ongoing:

29th Annual Frank Brown Songwriters Festival Nov. 7 - 17. Orange Beach. www.fbisf.com. A2Z Local Homeschooler’s Association For homeschooling families in the Auburn/Opelika Lee County area of Alabama. A2Z Loop is an all-inclusive support group open to all homeschool families in the Auburn/Opelika area regardless of differences in beliefs, cultures, nationality, race, religion, or method of home schooling. For more information call 334-7281162 or email: momofpnk@gmail.com. Alabama Mentor’s Foster Parent Training Classes Offered in the Opelika Auburn area. Call 334-705-8877 x 18 to register or email: Deanna.Hand@thementornetwork.com. Alabama Shakespeare Festival • “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” Through Oct. 20. • “A Christmas Carol.” Nov. 29-Dec. 24. Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Montgomery. www.asf.net. Arctic Express Nov. 29-Dec 24. Silverhill, Al. www.waleswest.com. Atlanta Center for Puppetry Arts • “The Wizard of Oz.” Through Oct. 20. • “The Dragon King.” Oct. 22–Nov. 3. • ”’Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.” Nov 7- Dec 23. www.puppet.org. Birmingham Children’s Theater • “The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963.” Through Oct. 19. www.bct123.org. Bosom Buddies (a breast cancer support group) Meets at The Health Resource Center the first Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. (334) 528-1260. www.eamc.org. Callaway Gardens Annual Fantasy in Lights. Nov 22-Dec 30. Georgia. www.callawaygardens.com. Day Out With Thomas: The GO GO Thomas Tour 2013 Oct. 19-20, 25-27. SAM Shortline at GA Veterans Memorial State Park, Cordele, Ga. www.samshortline.com. DeSoto Caverns Family Fun Park Christmas Sound, Light, and Water Show. Nov. 1-Jan. 1. DeSoto Caverns Family Fun Park. www.desotocavernspark.com. Expressions of a BraveHeart Program A fine arts program for teens and young adults with special needs (ages 11–21), sponsored by Opelika Parks and Recreation, utilizing Auburn University faculty and students, as well as community volunteers. Two 30-minute sessions of art, dance/creative movement and music will be offered and participants will select 2 of the 3 classes. Expressions meets every 2nd and 4th Monday twice a month for 1.5 hours. Opelika Sportsplex, 334.705.5560. www.opelikasportsplex.com. Family Theatre • “The House at Pooh Corner.” Oct. 25–Nov. 9. Columbus, Ga. www.familytheatre.org. Farm-to-Fork Food Invasion Through Oct. 31. Hampstead Farms, Montgomery. www.foodinvasion.com. Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art • JCSM at 10: The First Decade. Through Jan. 4, 2014. • Mickett/Stackhouse: Prints, Drawings, Plans and Models. Through Jan. 4, 2014. • David Henderson Installation: History of Aviation. Sept. 26–Jan. 4. Free. Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art. www.jcsm.auburn.edu. Lee County Parents of Chinese Children helps children understand, see and grow up with other families that look like their family (white parents/Asian child). The group is 100% free! We try to eat out at Asian establishments monthly and have playdates. Families that are waiting to adopt are welcome! We accept any families with adopted children from all Asian countries. Contact Melody at mmhilyer@bellsouth.net for more information. Magic Christmas in Lights Nov. 29-Dec. 31. Bellingrath Gardens, Theodore. www.bellingrath.org. Mary G. Hardin Center for Cultural Arts “Let It Snow!” An Indoor Winter Wonderland. Nov. 1-Jan. 31.Gadsden. www.culturalarts.org.

Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

October/November2013

McWane Science Center • The Magic of Model Trains, Nov. 9-Jan. 5. • Winter Wonderland, Nov. 29-Jan. 5. Birmingham. www.mcwane.org. Meditation Garden and Labyrinth Come and Find the Quiet Center... in the Meditation Garden and Labyrinth, provided as a community service by Village Christian Church, 700 East University Drive, (across from Auburn Early Ed.). 334-887-5111. Try the practice of walking meditation or simply sit and enjoy the sights and sounds. The garden and labyrinth are always open and guests are always welcome. Montgomery Ballet www.montgomeryballet.org. Montgomery Performing Arts Montgomery Performing Arts. www.mpaconline.org. National Village Christmas Lights Nov. 23-Jan. 5. National Village at Grand National, Opelika. Newnan Theater Company • “The Mystery of Irma Vep.” Oct. 24–Nov. 3. Georgia. www.newnantheatre.org. Noccalula Falls Park Christmas at the Falls. Nov. 29-Dec. 22. Gadsden. www.cityofgadsden.com. North Pole Express Nov. 22-Dec. 15. Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum, Calera. www.hodrrm.or. Old Alabama Town, Montgomery • Harvest Time & Tavern Fest. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Through Oct. 31. www.oldalabamatown.com. Opelika-Auburn Newcomers Club A club for new women in town which offers fun social activities, meets for lunch on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Call Joan at 501-4974. Radio City Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes (Touring) Nov 2-23. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Atlanta, GA. Red Mountain Theatre “Grease.” Through Oct. 20. Birmingham. www.redmountaintheatre.org. Rosa Parks Museum • The Berlin Wall Series: Paintings by Jim Harrison III. Through Oct. 29. • The Art of Pamela Boggs. Nov. 4-31. Rosa Parks Museum Exhibit Hall, Montgomery. www.troy.edu. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Free. Springer Opera House • “Rave On!”. Oct. 17-19, 24-27. • “A Christmas Carol: The Musical.” Dec. 6, 12-13. Columbus. www.springeroperahouse.org. Telfair Peet Theatre “All That Fosse”. Oct. 17-20, 22-25. Telfair Peet Theatre, Auburn University. www.cla.auburn.edu/theatre. Virginia Samford Theatre “Jesus Christ Superstar”. Nov. 7-17. Birmingham. www.virginiasamfordtheatre.org. We Piddle Around Theater “Come Home, It’s Suppertime”, Nov. 5-16. Brundidge. www.piddle.org.

Parent & Moms Groups

Auburn Mommies, a fun group of moms in the Auburn/Opelika area that meet weekly for playgroups and Mommy and Me walking twice a week. We also have a Mommies Night Out once a month. Http:// groups.yahoo.com/group/auburnmommiesinalabama/. Auburn Mommy and Me Big Dog Running Co, Auburn. 10–11 a.m. Social time, story time, music/movement, arts & crafts. Ages 9 months–3 years. Free! 334-209-2580. Ongoing Calendar addition: Auburn MOPS 1st Wednesday of each month, September-May. 9–11:30 a.m. Trinity United Methodist Church, Opelika. Meetings open to moms with preschool children ages 5 years and under. $5 per meeting; childcare $5 per child. $25 yearly membership dues. Weekly playdates, monthly moms night out, resources, and more. www.facebook.com/ AuburnOpelikaMOPS; AUMOPS@yahoo.com. Breast Feeding class meets the second Saturday of each month from 10 a.m. to noon on EAMC’s third floor. Call 528-1260 to register.

La Leche League, a support group for nursing moms, meets the 2nd Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. @ CORNERSTONE Family Chiropractic, Airport Plaza, 323 Airport Road Suite E, Auburn. For more information call Josie at 257-3950. Lee County Autism Support Group meets every other month. Call Julie Brown 887-3903 or Florence Evermom 887-5005. Covenant Presbyterian Church on Shelton Mill Road in Auburn. MOMS Club of Auburn, a group of stay-at-home moms that meets about twice a week to provide support for each other and fun interaction for kids. New website is www.auburnmoms.com. Moms In Touch. Do you worry about your children? Come experience how you can replace your anxiety and fear with peace and hope by praying with other moms. Moms In Touch International gathers moms together for one hour, once a week, to pray specifically and scripturally for our children and school. Won’t you join with us in prayer for this next generation? Please contact Julia Farrow at julia@cornerstonebuzz. org for information about our local groups. For more information about Moms In Touch International, visit www.MomsInTouch.org. Single Moms Outreach of East Alabama Single Moms Outreach of East Alabama offers 2nd Saturdays, group classes, and more. Contact Penny Messer at 334-444-6827. Email smoea@bellsouth. net. Website www.smoea.vpweb.com or find us on facebook. Teen Moms (for moms under 20) is a ministry that connects trained adults with pregnant girls and teenage moms. Support meetings, classes, job preparation, devotions and games. Call Laura Fuller at laura@insideyfc.com or 334-501-5637. www.insideyfc.com.

Mom’s Morning Out

Auburn United Methodist Church, Children’s Day Out Program, every Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m.–12 noon. $10 per child for the entire morning, $2 each additional child. Attendance will be on a first come-first served basis. Contact Barbara Dawsey at 826-8800 for more information. Trinity United Methodist Church (Opelika) Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:45–12. $15 per child, $5 each additional.

Support Groups

Caregiver Support Group Caring for a family member or friends can be rewarding, but it’s not easy. Whether you are the caregiver for your parents, spouse or a dependent child, this group is for you! Learn ways to cope with every day stresses of caring for someone you love. Gain tools and resources to help you on your journey. This program is supported by the Opelika Sportsplex, Lee-Russell Agency on Aging and HomeInstead Senior Care. This group is open to the public. Meets the last Monday of each month at 12:30 p.m. at Opelika Sportsplex AAC. Instructors are: Valeri White (Sportsplex), Bridgette Sager (Home Instead Senior Care), Lisa Askew (Lee-Russell Council of Gov). Food Allergy Support of East Alabama The Food Allergy Support of East Alabama group offers support through the sharing of information and resources. We are also working to increase awareness of food allergies in the state of Alabama. For more information, visit our website at www. foodallergysupporteastal.org or call Barbara at 334826-3082; bkg2007@bellsouth.net. GRACE - Post-Abortive Support Group Are you struggling with feelings of regret or sadness from having a pregnancy termination in your past? Do you feel like you can’t share these struggles with anyone? Would you like to find healing and forgiveness? You are not alone. Women’s Hope Medical Clinic wants to help you! You are invited to take part in our GRACE abortion recovery group. This confidential group gives you the opportunity to process the grief of your termination in a safe and non-judgmental setting. If you would like more information about the times, dates and location for this group, call or e-mail Sherry at Women’s Hope: 334.502.7000 or sherry@

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Sports

Auburn High School Football Oct. 18. Opelika High School Football Oct. 25, 31. Columbus Cottonmouths Nov. 23, 26, 28, 30. www.columbusciviccenter.org. Tuskegee/Morehouse Football Classic Oct. 12. 2:00 p.m. www.tuskegee-morehouse.com. Auburn Basketball Men’s: Nov. 8, 15, 19, 23, 26. Women’s: Nov. 9, 13. Auburn Equestrian Oct. 19, Nov. 9, 15. Auburn Football Oct. 26 (homecoming), Nov. 16, 30. Auburn Soccer Oct. 25, 27. AU Women’s Club Soccer Vs. Alabama and Georgia Round Robin. Oct 20. Auburn Swimming & Diving Oct. 18-20, Nov 22-24. Auburn Tennis (Women’s) Oct. 18-22. Auburn Volleyball Oct. 18, 20, Nov. 3, 8, 10, 22, 24. www.auburntigers.com

Friday, October 18

“Almost, Maine” Riverside Theatre Complex, Columbus. www.columbusstate.edu/theatre. AACT Fall Jr. and Adult Show Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn. 502-9326. 3rd Annual All In, All Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Event AU Student Center Greenspace, Campus. Hosted by the Vice President for University Outreach, in collaboration with The Office of Public Service and the Kappa Chi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Contact, ezc0007@auburn.edu. “Les Miserables” Faulkner University Dinner Theatre, Montgomery. www.faulkner.edu/StudentLife/dinnerTheatre. ZooBoo 2013 The Montgomery Zoo. 6–9 p.m. www.montgomeryzoo.com. Tribute to A.R. Siddons Auditorium in the Auburn University Hotel and Conference Center. 5–6 p.m. 844-6169. Greater Columbus Fair Columbus Civic Center. www.columbusciviccenter.org. Talladega 500 Weekend www.talladegasuperspeedway.com. On The Tracks Downtown Opelika. 6 p.m. Biannual Food & Wine Festival with live entertainment, wine tasting, and more. Tickets, www.onthetracks.org. “Rave On!” Springer Opera House, Columbus. www.springeroperahouse.org. “All That Fosse” Telfair Peet Theatre, AU Campus. www.cla.auburn.edu/ theatre/buy-tickets. Ghost Stories at Rikard’s Mill Beatrice, AL. 6:30–10 p.m. www.tokillamockingbird.com. Stone Mountain Highland Games Stone Mountain Park, Ga. www.stonemountainpark.com.

Saturday, October 19

Wildlife Walks Oxbow Meadows, Ga. 10–11 a.m. $2 per/3 and under free. www.oxbow.columbusstate.edu. Arts On the River Columbus. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. www.artsontheriver.com. Uptown’s Foodie Festival Woodruff Park, Columbus. 11 a.m.–6 p.m. www.uptowncolumbusga.com.

October/November2013

Color Me Free 5K Village Mall, Auburn. 8 AM. Hosted by Chick-fil-A Village Mall. Benefiting Freedom 21: Waging War of Human Trafficking. www.colormefree21.com. Bully Buster Workshop Auburn Mixed Martial Arts. 9-10 a.m. Expert black belt instructors, with over 40 years combined experience, will teach students (6-16 years old) proven verbal and physical anti-bullying techniques in an encouraging, fun and positive environment. A portion of the class will also cover techniques your child can use to recognize and avoid cyber-bullying. This workshop is free for current students who bring a friend and $10 for non-members who register by October 17. After October 17, the cost for non-members is $30. 887-0818. Columbus Symphony Orchestra presents S’MORES (Saturday Mid-Day Orchestra Rehearsals) for Kids. 12:30-3:30 p.m. $3.00 for children and $5 for adults. 706.256.3640. ZooBoo 2013 The Montgomery Zoo. 6–9 p.m. www.montgomeryzoo.com. Greater Columbus Fair Columbus Civic Center. www.columbusciviccenter.org. Seasonal Artist Showcase Rumbling Water Studios & Gallery, Wetumpka. Free, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. www.facebook.com/Rumblingwater. Talladega 500 Weekend www.talladegasuperspeedway.com. Loachapoka Syrup Sopping www.syrupsopping.org. 42nd Annual Historical Fair Loachapoka. 7 a.m.-4 p.m. 887-2255. War Eagle Robotics Student Act Center, AU Campus. Annual fall program/ competition for 26+ middle, junior, and high schools from across Central Alabama and West Georgia. Market Days on Broadway Columbus, Ga. 9 a.m.–noon. www.uptowncolumbusga.com. Astronomy Nights at the Coca-Cola Space Science Center 7 p.m. www.ccssc.org/observatory/astronights. Crazy Crawfish Cook Off Festival at Front Porch of the South Columbus. 12–10 p.m. www.crazycrawfishcookoff.com. 18th Annual Arts on the River Columbus. 11 a.m.–5 p.m. www.artsontheriver.com. Ossahatchee Indian Festival & Pow Wow Hamilton, Ga. www.Ossahatchee.org. Day Out With Thomas: The GO GO Thomas Tour 2013 SAM Shortline at GA Veterans Memorial State Park, Cordele, Ga. www.samshortline.com. Alexander City Main Street Farmer’s Market 7–11:30 a.m. www.alexandercity.org. Hot Air Balloon Rally The Rock Ranch, Ga. www.therockranch.com. Alabama Nature Center Public Weekend Lanark Park, Millbrook. www.alabamawildlife.org. Free Workshop ‘Couples Relationship Enhancement Part 3 Intimacy’ Transformations Life Center, Opelika. 8–10 a.m. www.transformationslifecenter.org. “All That Fosse” See Oct. 18 for details. Ghost Stories at Rikard’s Mill Beatrice, AL. 6:30–10 p.m. www.tokillamockingbird.com. Stone Mountain Highland Games Stone Mountain Park, Ga. www.stonemountainpark.com. “Almost, Maine” See Oct. 18 for details. “Les Miserables” See Oct. 18 for details. “Rave On!” See Oct. 18 for details.

Sunday, October 20

Picnic with the Tortoises Oxbow Meadows, Ga. Free. 1:00 p.m. www.oxbow.columbusstate.edu. ZooBoo 2013 The Montgomery Zoo. 6-9 p.m. www.montgomeryzoo.com. Greater Columbus Fair Columbus Civic Center. www.columbusciviccenter.org. Seasonal Artist Showcase Rumbling Water Studios & Gallery, Wetumpka. Free, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. www.facebook.com/Rumblingwater.

Talladega 500 Weekend www.talladegasuperspeedway.com. Calera Goes Pink Golf Tournament Timberline Golf Club, Calera. Day Out With Thomas: The GO GO Thomas Tour 2013 SAM Shortline at GA Veterans Memorial State Park, Cordele, Ga. www.samshortline.com. Alabama Nature Center Public Weekend Lanark Park, Millbrook. www.alabamawildlife.org. “All That Fosse” Telfair Peet Theatre, AU Campus. www.cla.auburn.edu/ theatre/buy-tickets. Ghost Stories at Rikard’s Mill Beatrice, AL. 6:30–10 p.m. www.tokillamockingbird.com. Stone Mountain Highland Games Stone Mountain Park, Ga. www.stonemountainpark.com. Antique Vehicle Show at Angel’s Antique and Flea Mall Opelika. Free. 2-4 p.m. 745-3221. New Orleans-based Dance Troupe Performance Lightwire Theater. “The Ugly Duckling” and “The Tortoise and The Hare”. River Center for the Performing Arts, Columbus. 4 p.m. www.lightwiretheater.com.

Monday, October 21

AACT Fall Jr. and Adult Show Jan Dempsey Community Arts Center, Auburn. 502-9326. Ghost Stories at Rikard’s Mill Beatrice, AL. 6:30–10 p.m. www.tokillamockingbird.com.

Tuesday, October 22

“Les Miserables” See Oct. 17 for details. WWE Smackdown Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center. www.bjcc.org. “All That Fosse” Telfair Peet Theatre, AU Campus. www.cla.auburn.edu/ theatre/buy-tickets. Ghost Stories at Rikard’s Mill Beatrice, AL. 6:30–10 p.m. www.tokillamockingbird.com.

Wednesday, October 23

Storybook Scramble Golf Tournament benefiting the Storybook Farms Grand National, Opelika. www.hopeonhorseback.org. “All That Fosse” Telfair Peet Theatre, AU Campus. www.cla.auburn.edu/ theatre/buy-tickets. Ghost Stories at Rikard’s Mill Beatrice, AL. 6:30–10 p.m. www.tokillamockingbird.com.

Thursday, October 24

Haunted Museum Tours Port Columbus. 6:30–9 p.m. www.portcolumbus.org. “Les Miserables” See Oct. 17 for details. “Rave On!” Springer Opera House, Columbus. www.springeroperahouse.org. Free Workshop ‘Talking to your Children About Sexuality’ Transformations Life Center, Opelika. 6–8 p.m. www.transformationslifecenter.org. ZooBoo 2013 The Montgomery Zoo. 6–9 p.m. www.montgomeryzoo.com. “All That Fosse” Telfair Peet Theatre, AU Campus. www.cla.auburn.edu/ theatre/buy-tickets. Ghost Stories at Rikard’s Mill Beatrice, AL. 6:30–10 p.m. www.tokillamockingbird.com. Fall Concert Series sponsored by Auburn Parks and Rec. Kiesel Park. 5 p.m. www.facebook.com/CityofAuburnAL. Monkey Joe’s presents Swing Into Monkey Joe’s for Exceptional Children’s Night Columbus, Ga. 6-8 p.m. 1/2 off admission. www.monkeyjoes/columbus. East Alabama Arts presents ‘Mamma Mia!’ Opelika Center for the Performing Arts. www.eastalabamaarts.org.

Friday, October 25

Haunted Museum Tours Port Columbus. 6:30–9 p.m. www.portcolumbus.org. The Great Pumpkin Splash Opelika SportsPlex. 6–8 p.m. The pool will turn into a

www.facebook.com/auburnopelika.parents

Family Calendar floating pumpkin patch! Pick a pumpkin, $3. Ages 6–12 years. Must pre-register by Oct 22. “Les Miserables” See Oct. 17 for details. Monster Mash presented by The Montgomery Ballet Davis Theatre Courtyard. Halloween party and performance. 6:30 p.m. www.montgomeryballet.com. Disney’s “Beauty and The Beast” Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center. www.bjcc.org. AU Lecture Series, ‘This is Technology’ Auburn Alumni Center. 3 p.m. Free and open to public. 887-8817. Downtown AUtumn Nights Auburn. Aubie, the band and cheerleaders will begin the celebration while live music will entertain the crowd into the evening. The entire Auburn Family and visiting fans are invited to enjoy the festivities at the new entertainment area located on Gay Street in downtown Auburn. 844.8817. Campus Walking Tours Auburn Alumni Center. 4 p.m. Free and open to public. 887-8817. Jordan-Hare Stadium Locker Room Tours Gate 10 through the Jane and Mike McCartney Brick Plaza. 4–6 p.m. Free and open to public. 887-8817. AUsome Amphibians and Reptiles Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve, Auburn. 4:30–5:30 p.m. Admission is $5/person. Children 3 and under are free. www.auburn.edu/preserve. “Rave On!” Springer Opera House, Columbus. www.springeroperahouse.org. Day Out With Thomas: The GO GO Thomas Tour 2013 SAM Shortline at GA Veterans Memorial State Park, Cordele, Ga. www.samshortline.com. Fort Benning’s Annual Oktoberfest www.benningmwr.com. ZooBoo 2013 The Montgomery Zoo. 6-9 p.m. www.montgomeryzoo.com. “All That Fosse” Telfair Peet Theatre, AU Campus. www.cla.auburn.edu/ theatre/buy-tickets. Ghost Stories at Rikard’s Mill Beatrice, AL. 6:30-10 p.m. www.tokillamockingbird.com. Friday Football Luncheon Enjoy lunch with other Auburn fans and preview the week’s matchup with Coach Malzahn or others of the Auburn Coaching staff. Reservations are required, 8448817.

Saturday, October 26

Haunted Museum Tours Port Columbus. 6:30–9 p.m. www.portcolumbus.org. “Les Miserables” See Oct. 17 for details. Disney’s “Beauty and The Beast” Birmingham Jefferson Convention Center. www.bjcc.org. Old Time Farm Day Greenville, AL. www.oldtimefarmday.com. Peanut Butter Festival Brundidge, AL. Free. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. www.brundidgealabama.com. Big Dog Running Company presents Big Dog Howl 5K Run 1104 Broadway, Columbus. 8 PM. www.bigdogrunning.com. Great Pumpkin Roll Strand Park, Alexander City. Free. www.mainstreetac.org. Weogufka Old Farm “N” Bluegrass Day Weogufka Center for Arts. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. www.weogufkacenter.com. Spinner’s 32nd Annual Pumpkin Patch Arts & Crafts Show Free. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. www.spinnersprattville.com. Cotton Pickin Celebration Old Baker Farm, Harpersville, AL. www.oldbakerfarm.com. Magic City Classic Legion Field, Birmingham. www.themagiccityclassic.com. Owl-O-Ween Oak Mountain State Park, Pelham. 205-663-7930, Ext. 4. Whigmaleerie Day in Wilsonville Columbiana, AL. 9 a.m.–2 p.m. www.southshelbychamber.com. Market Days on Broadway Columbus, Ga. 9 a.m.–noon. www.uptowncolumbusga.com.

Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

October/November2013

“Rave On!” Springer Opera House, Columbus. www.springeroperahouse.org. Day Out With Thomas: The GO GO Thomas Tour 2013 SAM Shortline at GA Veterans Memorial State Park, Cordele, Ga. www.samshortline.com. Fort Benning’s Annual Oktoberfest www.benningmwr.com. Young Eagles Day–FREE Airplane Rides for Kids Columbus Airport. Ages 8–17. 8:30–11:30 a.m. (weather permitting). 706-324-2453. Alexander City Main Street Farmer’s Market 7–11:30 a.m. www.alexandercity.org. The “Not-So-Spooky” Halloween Festival The Rock Ranch, GA. www.therockranch.com. Football, Fans & Feathers Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine’s Southeastern Raptor Center. 4 p.m. Open to the public; Tickets $5/person. Raptor show, flight demonstration, and educational program. www.vetmed.auburn.edu. ZooBoo 2013 The Montgomery Zoo. 6–9 p.m. www.montgomeryzoo.com. Ghost Stories at Rikard’s Mill Beatrice, Al. 6:30–10 p.m. www.tokillamockingbird.com. Oct 24-26- Les Miserables. Faulkner University Dinner Theatre, Montgomery. www.faulkner.edu/StudentLife/ dinnerTheatre. AU Men’s Club Rugby Old Boys Homecoming Game Auburn University Intramural Fields. www.cws.auburn.edu/campusrec. Haunted Museum Tours Port Columbus. 6:30-9 p.m. www.portcolumbus.org. Uno, Dos, Tres Craft! Mildred Terry Library, Columbus, Ga. 3-4 p.m. www.cvlga.org. Halloween ComicFest 2013 Columbus Book Exchange, Ga. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. (706) 324-2559. Halloween Haunted Lab McWane Science Center, Birmingham. Get your hands in some slime, meet some of our resident creepy crawlies and learn the science behind the tricks and treats of Halloween. www.mcwane.org.

Sunday, October 27

Willie Nelson and Family Montgomery Performing Arts Centre. 7:30 p.m. www.mpaconline.org. “Dracula” The Alabama Shakespeare Festival. www.asf.net. Spinner’s 32nd Annual Pumpkin Patch Arts & Crafts Show Free. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. www.spinnersprattville.com. Cotton Pickin Celebration Old Baker Farm, Harpersville, AL. www.oldbakerfarm.com. Barking at the Moon Festival and Parade Fultondale Bark Park, Birmingham. 1–5 p.m. Free. www.fultondaleartscouncil.org. “Rave On!” Springer Opera House, Columbus. www.springeroperahouse.org. Day Out With Thomas: The GO GO Thomas Tour 2013 SAM Shortline at GA Veterans Memorial State Park, Cordele, GA. www.samshortline.com. Fort Benning’s Annual Oktoberfest www.benningmwr.com. ZooBoo 2013 The Montgomery Zoo. 6–9 p.m. www.montgomeryzoo.com. Cornerstone Church Truck-or-Treat Lee-Scott Academy, 1601 Academy Drive, Auburn. 4:006:00 p.m. www.cornerstonebuzz.org. Halloween Haunted Lab See Oct. 26 for details.

Monday, October 28

“Dracula” The Alabama Shakespeare Festival. www.asf.net. ZooBoo 2013 The Montgomery Zoo. 6–9 p.m. www.montgomeryzoo.com. 8th Annual Howl-oween Pet Parade Downtown Opelika. Bring your best dressed dogs in their Halloween costumes. A donation for parade participation or dog food donation in lieu of money is expected. The event

supports Rescue K911 and runs through Historic Downtown Opelika from 8th Street and Railroad Avenue. www.rescuek911.com. Halloween Haunted Lab See Oct. 26 for details.

Tuesday, October 29

Children’s Fall Festival and Carnival Opelika SportsPlex. 6-8 p.m. Ages 12 and under. ZooBoo 2013 The Montgomery Zoo. 6–9 p.m. www.montgomeryzoo.com. Halloween Haunted Lab See Oct. 26 for details.

Wednesday, October 30 Halloween Movie Night ‘Ghostbusters’ Town Creek Park, Auburn. 6:15 p.m. 501-2940. Halloween Treat Bags Covington Rec Center. 3:30–4:30 p.m. Ages 4–11 years. $15 fee. ZooBoo 2013 The Montgomery Zoo. 6–9 p.m. www.montgomeryzoo.com. Halloween Haunted Lab See Oct. 26 for details. City of Opelika Trick-or-Treat Night! 6-8 p.m.

Thursday, October 31

13th Annual Downtown Trick or Treat Auburn. 6–8 p.m. 501-2939. City of Auburn Trick-or-Treat Night! 6-8 p.m. Alice Cooper Montgomery

Performing Arts Centre. 8 p.m. www.mpaconline.org. Scott’s Halloween Bash Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum, Montgomery. 6–9 p.m. www.fitzgeraldmuseum.net. ZooBoo 2013 The Montgomery Zoo. 6–9 p.m. www.montgomeryzoo.com. Halloween Haunted Lab See Oct. 26 for details.

Friday, November 1

Alabama Pecan Festival Tillman’s Corner Community Center, Mobile. www.alabamapecanfestival.com. 70th Annual National Peanut Festival Dothan. www.nationalpeanutfestival.com. Satin Soul First Fridays sponsored by Event Center Downtown 7 p.m.; $5. www.eventcenterdowntown.net. First Fridays “Shop Late, Eat Local” Opelika shops will stay open until 8 p.m. www.opelikamainstreet.org. Annual Greek Food Festival Greek Orthodox Church, Montgomery, Al. Free. 334-462-7285.

Saturday, November 2

Pike Road Arts and Crafts Fair Pike Road. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. www.pikeroadartsandcraftsfair.com. Moss Rock Festival The Preserve, Birmingham. www.mossrockfestival.com. Vulcan 10K Run Boutwell Auditorium, Birmingham. www.vulcanrun.com. Alabama Pecan Festival Tillman’s Corner Community Center, Mobile. www.alabamapecanfestival.com. Pumpkin Destruction Day The Rock Ranch, Ga. www.therockranch.com. Steeplechase Callaway Gardens. www.callawaygardens.com. Canyon FEST Little River Canyon Field School Educational/ Interpretive Center, Ft. Payne. Free. www.canyoncenter.org. Kenan’s Mill Festival Selma. www.kenansmill.com.

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Family Calendar Folkart Festival Showcase Clanton Conference and Performing Arts Center. Free. Facebook.com/Chilton County Arts Council. 70th Annual National Peanut Festival Dothan. www.nationalpeanutfestival.com. AU Ultimate Frisbee Hootenanny Showdown Tournament AU Intramural Fields. www.cws.auburn.edu/campusrec. 2013 Jean Dean RIF Run to Read Floral Park, Opelika. 8am. 10K, 5K Race, 1.5 Mile Walk, Kids Races, Crystal Awards, Vacation Giveways, and more. www.jeandeanrif.org. Fala Day in Warm Springs Ga. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. www.warmspringsga.com. 2nd Annual Harvest in the Meadows Oxbow Meadows, Ga. 4-8 p.m. $5/ 3 and under free. www.oxbow.columbusstate.edu. Home Depot Kids’ Clinic ‘Sail a Mighty Ship’ 9 a.m. Free. Opelika. www.workshops.homedepot.com. Free Workshop ‘10 Tips for Raising a Resilient Child’ Transformations Life Center, Opelika. 8-10 a.m. www.transformationslifecenter.org. Annual Greek Food Festival Greek Orthodox Church, Montgomery, Al. Free. 334-462-7285. Agape’s 5th annual Adoption Celebration Dreamfield Farms and Pumpkin Patch, Union Springs. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The community event provides an opportunity for adoptive families to come together, build relationships and celebrate God’s unique plan for their family. The celebratory event is free and lunch will be provided. To register your family for the event, www.agapeforchildren.org.

Sunday, November 3

Daylight Savings Time ends Set your clocks one hour back! Moss Rock Festival The Preserve, Birmingham. www. mossrockfestival.com. Alabama Pecan Festival Tillman’s Corner Community Center, Mobile. www.alabamapecanfestival.com. Jay Hinkle Benefit The EventCenter Downtown, Opelika. 12:30-9:00 p.m. 17 bands, motorcycles, Big Truck High Performance, Dukes of Hazard Cars, Dragsters, guitar raffles; all donations to support Jay and family. www.eventcenterdowntown.net. Vulcan 10K Run Boutwell Auditorium, Birmingham. www.vulcanrun.com. Folkart Festival Showcase Clanton Conference and Performing Arts Center. Free. Facebook.com/Chilton County Arts Council. 70th Annual National Peanut Festival Dothan. www.nationalpeanutfestival.com. AU Ultimate Frisbee Hootenanny Showdown Tournament See Nov. 2 for details. PWG Bridal Show BJCC, Birmingham. 1-5 p.m. www.ticketmaster.com. Rain: A Tribute to The Beatles BJCC, Birmingham. 7 p.m. www.ticketmaster.com.

Monday, November 4 70th Annual National Peanut Festival Dothan. www.nationalpeanutfestival.com.

Tuesday, November 5 Wildlife Explorers Preschool Program Oxbow Meadows, Ga. 10-11 a.m. $5 per child / no charge for adults. www.oxbow.columbusstate.edu. Fall Sundown Concert Series Kiesel Park, Auburn. 70th Annual National Peanut Festival Dothan. www.nationalpeanutfestival.com. Beat Bama Food Drive www.beatbamafooddrive.com.

October/November2013

Wednesday, November 6 Founder’s Day Callaway Gardens. Free admission. www.callawaygardens.com. Frontier Days Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Wetumpka. www.preserveala.org. 70th Annual National Peanut Festival Dothan. www.nationalpeanutfestival.com. Homeschool Sculpture Workshop The Columbus Museum. www.columbusmuseum.com. Beat Bama Food Drive www.beatbamafooddrive.com. Don Williams Live Montgomery Performing Arts Centre. www.mpaconline.org. Disney On Ice presents “Princesses and Heroes” BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com.

Thursday, November 7

Mockingbird Market Community House, Monroeville. www.monroecountyal.com. Pioneer Days Rikard’s Mill, Monroeville. www.tokillamockingbird.com. Frontier Days Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Wetumpka. www.preserveala.org. 70th Annual National Peanut Festival Dothan. www.nationalpeanutfestival.com. Opelika High Theatre Society presents “Alice in Wonderland” Opelika Center for the Performing Arts. Admission is $7 for adults/$5 for students. For more information, 334-745-9715. Homeschool Sculpture Workshop The Columbus Museum. www.columbusmuseum.com. Beat Bama Food Drive www.beatbamafooddrive.com. Beat Bama Food Drive 5K at Chewacla www.beatbamafooddrive.com. Christmas Village Festival BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com. Disney On Ice presents “Princesses and Heroes” BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com.

Friday, November 8

Battles for the Armory Tallassee Historic District and Gibson’s Plantation, Tallassee. www.tallasseechamber.com. Charis Crafters Craft Show Wetumpka Civic Center. 334-399-0350. Mockingbird Market Community House, Monroeville. www.monroecountyal.com. Pioneer Days Rikard’s Mill, Monroeville. www.tokillamockingbird.com. Monday, November 11: 8th Annual Agape Golf Tournament Frontier Days Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Wetumpka. www.preserveala.org. 70th Annual National Peanut Festival Dothan. www.nationalpeanutfestival.com. “Our Town” Riverside Theatre, Columbus. www.columbusstate.edu/theatre. Christmas Village Festival BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com. Disney On Ice presents “Princesses and Heroes” BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com.

Saturday, November 9 Fredonia Heritage Day Lanett, Al. www.savefredonia.com. First Flight and First Light at Oxbow Meadows Ga. 8 a.m. Free and includes binocular rental for all participants. www.oxbow.columbusstate.edu. 6th Annual Gulf Coast Oyster Cook-off The Hangout, Gulf Shores. www.thehangout.com. Run for the Battleship 5K USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, Mobile. 7-11 a.m. www.ussalabama.com.

Alabama Designer Craftsmen Fine Craft Show Birmingham. www.alabamadesignercraftsmen.com. Battles for the Armory Tallassee Historic District and Gibson’s Plantation, Tallassee. www.tallasseechamber.com. Charis Crafters Craft Show Wetumpka Civic Center. 334-399-0350. Collinsville Historic Turkey Trot Collinsville. Free. www.gemofthevalley.net. Mockingbird Market Community House, Monroeville. www.monroecountyal.com. West Dallas Antique Tractor Show Orrville, Al. www.orrvilletractorshow.com. 5th Annual Fredonia Heritage Day Lanett. www.savefredonia.com. Frontier Days Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Wetumpka. www.preserveala.org. 70th Annual National Peanut Festival Dothan. www.nationalpeanutfestival.com. “Our Town” See Nov. 8 for details. The Great Outdoors Adventure at The Rock Ranch Ga. www.therockranch.com. Second Saturday: Family Fun Day at the Columbus Museum Ga. www.columbusmuseum.com. Lynn Haven Garden Wildlife Club at Oxbow Meadows www.oxbow.columbusstate.edu. Columbus Symphony Orchestra presents S’MORES (Saturday Mid-Day Orchestra Rehearsals) for Kids. 12:30-3:30 p.m. $3.00 for children and $5 for adults. 706.256.3640. Second Saturday Lee County Historical Society Museum. Loachapoka. www.leecountyhistoricalsociety.org. Lowe’s Build & Grow Clinic ‘Pull Back Car’ 10 a.m. Free. Opelika. www.lowesbuildandgrow.com. Second Saturdays Columbus Museum. 10 a.m.-noon. Free, family hands on experiences.edu@columbusmuseum.com. Christmas Village Festival BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com. Disney On Ice presents “Princesses and Heroes” BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com.

Sunday, November 10

Alabama Designer Craftsmen Fine Craft Show Birmingham. www.alabamadesignercraftsmen.com. Battles for the Armory Tallassee Historic District and Gibson’s Plantation, Tallassee. www.tallasseechamber.com. Frontier Days Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Wetumpka. www.preserveala.org. “Our Town” See Nov. 8 for details. Christmas Village Festival BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com. Veteran’s Week at the Zoo The Montgomery Zoo. Help us say thank you to all the brave men and women that serve in the armed forces. Half of regular admission for Veterans, active duty military personnel and immediate family members, regular admission fees applies for all others. www.montgomeryzoo.com Disney On Ice presents “Princesses and Heroes” BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com.

Monday, November 11 8th Annual Agape of Central Alabama Golf Tournament Wynlakes Golf and Country Club, Montgomery. Taking part in this event will help support Agape in finding

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Family Calendar Christian homes for foster children and orphans, as well as helping women through a crisis pregnancy. For registration and sponsorship opportunities, visit www. agapeforchildren.org/golf.

Thursday, November 14 The Auburn University Theatre Department presents ‘Harvey’ Telfair Peet Theatre, AU Campus. 844-8817. “Our Town” See Nov. 8 for details. Free Workshop ‘The Best Is Yet To Come’ Transformations Life Center, Opelika. 6-8 p.m. www.transformationslifecenter.org. Sinbad Live Montgomery Performing Arts Centre. www.mpaconline.org.

Friday, November 15

Friday Football Luncheon Edgar B. Carter Amphitheater, Auburn. 8878817. Campus Walking Tours Auburn Alumni Center. 4 p.m. 887-8817. Football, Fans,

and Feathers Southeastern Raptor Center at the Edgar B. Carter Amphitheater, Auburn. 4 p.m. The Auburn University Theatre Department presents ‘Harvey’ Telfair Peet Theatre, AU Campus. 844-8817. AU Lecture Series “This is Loyalty” Auburn Alumni Center. 3 p.m. Free and open to public. 844-8817. “Our Town” See Nov. 8 for details. University College Night at Fantasy in Lights Callaway Gardens. www.callawaygardens.com. “The Addams Family” BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com. Nov 15- Teen Science Night, McWane Science Center, Birmingham. 6-9pm. These events combine science experts, hands-on activities, music, food and fun to engage 8th-12th graders in emerging science trends. For more information call Lawrence Cooper at (205) 714-8376.

Saturday, November 16 Color Vibe 5k Run Montgomery Motorsports Park. 8 a.m. www.thecolorvibe.com/montgomery.php. Christmas Tree Unveiling Rumbling Water Studios & Gallery, Wetumpka. www.facebook.com/RumblingWater. Native American Pottery Making & Tools, Weapons & Games Demo Little River Canyon Field School Educational/ Interpretive Center, Fort Payne. www.canyoncenter.org. Art Extravaganza at Plank Road Station Talladega. www.facebook.com/PlankRoadStation. “Our Town” See Nov. 8 for details. “The Addams Family” BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com. Astronomy Nights at the Coca-Cola Space Science Center Ga. www.ccssc.org/observatory. Be Farm Strong at The Rock Ranch Ga. www.therockranch.com. Puppy Tales at the Columbus Public Library www.cvlga.org/ Bicycle Night at Fantasy in Lights Callaway Gardens. www.callawaygardens.com. Alabama Nature Center Public Weekend Lanark Park, Millbrook. www.alabamawildlife.org. Free Workshop ‘Effective Families’ Transformations Life Center, Opelika. 8-10 a.m. www.transformationslifecenter.org.

Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013

October/November2013

Dixie Reptile Show BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com.

Sunday, November 17

Holiday Open House Downtown Alexander City. 1-4 p.m. www.alexandercitychamber.com. Thanksgiving Market Broad St. Alexander City. 7-11 a.m. www.mainstreetac.org. 5K Trail Run, Sunday Stroll & Tot Trot Sponsored by Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve. 7 a.m. www.auburn.edu/preserve. The Auburn University Theatre Department presents ‘Harvey’ Telfair Peet Theatre, AU Campus. 844-8817. “The Addams Family” BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com. March of Dimes Walk Night Callaway Gardens. www.callawaygardens.com. Alabama Nature Center Public Weekend Lanark Park, Millbrook. www.alabamawildlife.org.

Elf on the Shelf Storytime at Barnes & Noble Columbus, Ga. Alabama- Back To the Bowery Tour BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com. Baptist Health Presents Cece Winans Montgomery Performing Arts Centre. www.mpaconline.org.

Sunday, November 24 Handel’s ‘Messiah’ Riverchase United Methodist Church, Hoover. Free. www.alabamacivicchorale.com. Christmas Open House Autauga Place, Autaugaville. Free. 2-5 p.m. www.autaugaplace.com.

90th Annual Turkey Day Classic ASU Stadium, Montgomery. 3 p.m. hornethomecoming.com.

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Christmas At Crossroads Russell Crossroads at Russell Farms Road. Free. www.russelllandsonlakemartin.com. Friday Football Luncheon Edgar B. Carter Amphitheater, Auburn. 887-8817. Football, Fans, and Feathers Southeastern Raptor Center at the Edgar B. Carter Amphitheater, Auburn. 4 p.m. Jordan-Hare Stadium Locker Room Tours Auburn. 4-6 p.m. Downtown Autumn Nights Downtown Auburn. Winter Wonderland McWane Science Center, Birmingham. Bring your family to the most magical place around this holiday season. Laughter is in the air as children coast down the Ice Slide and take a whirl across the room on the extended zip line. Climb aboard the McWane Train and go for a ride or try your luck at ice fishing. www.mcwane.org.

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Christmas At Crossroads Russell Crossroads at Russell Farms Road. Free. www.russelllandsonlakemartin.com. 17th Annual Hunter Appreciation Day Arts & Crafts Festival Pine Apple, Al. www.pineapplealabama.com. Prattville Christmas Parade Downtown Prattville. 4:30 p.m. www.prattvilleal.gov. ‘Ahmal &The Night Visitor’ RiverCenter for Performing Arts. 3 p.m. www.rivercenter.org. Young Eagles Day–FREE Airplane Rides for Kids! Columbus Airport. Ages 8-17. 8:30-11:30 a.m. (weather permitting). 706-324-2453. Great Southern Gun Show BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com. Winter Wonderland See Nov. 29 for details.

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Thursday, November 28 Thanksgiving Day

Monday, November 18 Friday, November 29 Motorcycle Night, Callaway Gardens www.callawaygardens.com. AU Concert Band Concert Goodwin Band Hall, AU Campus. 4:30 p.m. auburn.edu. The Eagles BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com. Joe Bonamassa BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com.

Tuesday, November 19 The Auburn University Theatre Department presents ‘Harvey’ Telfair Peet Theatre, AU Campus. 844-8817. Community Golf Cart Night Callaway Gardens. www.callawaygardens.com. Moscow Ballet presents “The Great Russian Nutcracker” Montgomery Performing Arts Centre. www.mpaconline.org. East Alabama Arts presents An Evening with Christine Eversole Opelika Center for the Performing Arts. www.eastalabamaarts.org.

Wednesday, November 20 The Auburn University Theatre Department presents ‘Harvey’ Telfair Peet Theatre, AU Campus. 844-8817. Connection Night Callaway Gardens. www.callawaygardens.com. AU Jazz Band Concert Goodwin Band Hall, AU Campus. 7:30 p.m. www.auburn.edu.

Thursday, November 21 Christmas Parade and Holiday Street Party Montevallo. 3-6 p.m. 205-665-1519. The Auburn University Theatre Department presents ‘Harvey’ Telfair Peet Theatre, AU Campus. 844-8817. Corporate Night Callaway Gardens. www.callawaygardens.com. UA Symphonic Band with OHS Bands Concert Goodwin Band Hall, AU Campus. 4:30 p.m. www.auburn.edu. Alabama International Auto Show BJCC, Birmingham. www.ticketmaster.com.

Friday, November 22 The Auburn University Theatre Department presents ‘Harvey’ Telfair Peet Theatre, AU Campus. 844-8817. 30th Annual Candlelight Tour and Night Run Warm Springs, Ga. www.warmspringsga.com.

Saturday, November 23 Holiday Wreath Workshop Columbus Botanical Garden. 10am-1pm. www. columbusbotanicalgarden.com 30th Annual Candlelight Tour and Night Run Warm Springs, Ga. www.warmspringsga.com.

Saturday, November 30

Looking ahead...

Dec. 7. Children’s Harbor Christmas Market Children’s Harbor Lodge and Conference Center, Alexander City. www.childrensharbor.com. Dec. 14. Disney Live! presents Three Classic Fairy Tales Columbus Civic Center, Columbus, Ga. Dec. 14. 7th Annual Holiday Art Sale Jan Dempsey Arts Center, Auburn. 9 AM-4 PM. Free. Dec. 18-22. Teddy Bear Tea Party Auburn University Hotel & Conference Center. 3-5 PM.

Please send your calendar events to kendra@auburnopelikaparents.com by the 5th of the month. It’s FREE! www.auburnopelikaparents.com

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ParentingOnThePlains by Dr. Polly Dunn

Say Goodbye to Dressing Drama One of my daughters has a fashion sense all her own. From the time she was old enough to be dressing herself, she has been coming up with all sorts of unusual clothing combinations (and usually not ones that I approved of!). When she was little, her outfits usually consisted of at least one princess dress, a bathing suit, and then layer upon layer of “accessories.” Nowadays, if she finds a shirt that she loves, she likes to wear it at least three days in a row. If it’s cold outside, she picks out sleeveless tops and short shorts to sport to school and sundresses and strappy high heels for church. And did I mention she likes to change her outfit about five times a day? Her enthusiasm for fashion is just one of the many things I love about her. I never know what she’s going to come downstairs wearing each day! Although I can usually bet that it WON’T be one of the smocked dresses that are hanging in her closet. Recently though, her fashion peculiarities have been causing us serious stress on school days. Each morning I go to her room to wake her up for school, and as soon as she opens her eyes she’s fretting about what she’s going to wear. She goes through a few outfits before she can decide on just the right one. I’m frustrated, she’s crying, we’re running late for the bus, and all in all it’s a terrible start to the day. Can you relate? After struggling through the start of the school year, I decided it was time for an intervention! If you’ve got some dressing drama going on at your house in the morning, try some of these tricks from my house to get back on the right track:

• If your child has issues with needing to wear just the right socks or a certain headband, have them select all of their accessories, socks, shoes, and underwear the night before, too. Then it will be right where they need it when it’s time to get dressed. • Have them put their selection on the floor by their bed, or in some place that is not near all of their other clothes. This will reduce the temptation in the morning of changing their mind!

• Give yourself (and your child) enough time in the morning to get ready, so you’re not overly stressed about beating the clock. • When your child gets dressed, give them plenty of praise! They love your attention and if they get it when they fuss and complain about getting dressed, then they certainly need it when they get ready without the dramatics! Do you have some dressing tricks that work at your house? Share them with us at www.auburnopelikaparents.com. I know I can use all the help I can get! Dr. Polly Dunn received her Ph.D. from Auburn University in 1999. She is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and currently serves as the Director of the Auburn University Psychological Services Center, a position she has held for over ten years. Dr. Dunn is also the founder of www.ChildPsychMom.com where she blogs about what works and what doesn’t in her hectic life as a child psychologist, wife, and mom of four.

• Let your child pick the outfit they want to wear to school the night before. Allow them to make their own choice within reason. Short shorts and a sleeveless tank are not appropriate during a blizzard! Be sure to approve their outfit and suggest changes the night before to keep arguments over their choices to a minimum in the morning. 47

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Gravity

Captain Phillips

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Overall: AViolence: C+ Sexual Content: ALanguage: D+ Alcohol / Drug Use: B The MPAA has rated Gravity PG-13 for intense perilous scenes, some disturbing images and brief strong language. Sandra Bullock plays medical engineer Ryan Stone in a role that puts her on a trajectory for another Oscar. George Clooney takes on the role of astronaut Matt Kokwalski, a man with swagger and a hint of sexism. They, along with Shariff (another crewmember a by Paul Sharma), are outside the shuttle making repairs when the ship is bombarded with space debris from a detonated satellite. The metal shards rip the ship apart instantly killing the payload crew inside and blasting a whole through Shariff’s helmet and face. The rubble knocks loose the space arm Ryan is attached to and sends her careening through space. The storm of wreckage also collides with transmission satellites around the globe, causing telecommunication blackouts down on Earth and leaving the astronauts flying blind. While the 3D images of space junk flying at the audience will leave you flinching, Bullock’s hyperventilation will make you also want to gasp for breath. The director’s use of breathing becomes one of the best elements in the entire film for depicting the severity of the ordeal. By contrast, Clooney’s character controls his respiration, taking what seems to be an overly relaxed attitude toward their predicament. He proves he knows how to keep his head in the middle of a crisis. This is a survival story -- a kind of Cast Away in space. However, in orbit oxygen is an exhaustible commodity. Temperatures fluctuate wildly. Rescue missions are hard to mount on a moment’s notice. And though Ryan is a person who craves silence, the lack of sound in space becomes too much even for her. It’s that sense of isolation and aloneness that adds to the tension of the story. With outstanding cinematography, sound editing and special effects (including prolonged shots of weightlessness), Gravity is a technically strong production. Still, it takes more than technical elements to make a riveting storyline. Carrying the weight of the film on her shoulders, Bullock doesn’t have the option of relying on interactions with a lot of other characters. Fortunately, she mans the ship well on her own. Yet the intensity of the story’s action (along with numerous profanities) makes this space voyage a better choice for older teens and adults than young aspiring space travelers. Despite the gravity of the situation, perseverance, personal sacrifice and ingenuity keep these survivors grounded in their efforts to get home. It’s an odyssey that encounters impossible odds. Even with payloads of action, moments of humor and an edge-of-your-seat plot, Gravity may still be nothing more than a good, old-fashioned popcorn flick. But at least it’s a really, really good one.

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Overall: B+ Violence: CSexual Content: A Language: C Alcohol / Drug Use: D+ The MPAA has rated Captain Phillips PG-13 or sustained intense sequences of menace, some violence with bloody image and for substance use. The events portrayed in this movie took place in 2009 when the Americanflagged cargo ship, the Maersk Alabama, set sail with Captain Richard Phillips at the helm. Tom Hanks plays the 53-year-old captain who leaves his wife and two college-aged children in Vermont. His boat is alone in the ocean, 240 nautical miles from the Somali shore, when a group of four armed pirates approach the vessel in a fast-moving skiff. The unarmed sailors turn on the fire hoses to ward off the pirates, but the attackers still manage to board. Under orders from the captain, most of the crew hides in the engine room, shutting down the ship’s power and leaving the boat dead in the water. Up on deck, the pirates shoot through the locks on the pirate gates and make their way to the bridge where they hold the captain and two of his crewmen at gunpoint. Unable to navigate the ship, the captors begin a deck-by-deck search for the missing crew. But in the darkened engine room, the hiding mariners capture one of the pirates. While trying to arrange an exchange of captains, Phillips agrees to give the pirates $30,000 from the ship’s safe and access to a lifeboat. However the pirates renege on the swap and take Phillips as a hostage in the lifeboat. Tensions build as the crew of the Maersk Alabama follows the lifeboat from a safe distance until a naval destroyer, the USS Bainbridge, arrives and begins negotiations with the pirates. Director Paul Greengrass has a talent for building tension (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum and United 93). And his skills are no less evident in this movie. Employing some handheld camera work and emphasizing the claustrophobic atmosphere of the enclosed lifeboat, he turns up the heat as the Somali pirates repeatedly send out calls to their mother ship. But when their pleas for help remain unanswered and supplies begin to run low, the dire situation takes a toll on the young captors who become increasingly agitated. Infrequent profanities and the Somali’s use of the stimulant called khat provide some of the film’s content concerns, along with beatings and bloody injuries. However the biggest issue for viewers will be the intensity of the plot, particularly as the Navy Seals are deployed to take down the hijackers. While controversy swirls around the decisions that put the crew of the Maersk Alabama in harm’s way, the heroic efforts of Captain Phillips are what the filmmakers focus on -- that and the men and women on the warships who put an end to the terrifying standoff.

What Parents need to know about Captain Phillips... Violence: Armed hijackers attack and board a ship, firing guns and holding hostages at gunpoint. Men with guns arrive in a village and demand the locals head out to sea to capture cargo ships. Characters argue frequently and loudly. Pushing, shoving and beatings are portrayed. A man is hit several times with the butt of a gun. A character is injured by broken glass and one man has his hand slashed with a knife. Characters are repeatedly threatened with guns. A man is repeatedly shot at after he tries to escape from his captors. Blood splatters cover a man after a shooting. Sexual Content: A married couple kisses before he leaves for work. Language: The script contains infrequent scatological slang, mild profanities, terms of Deity and some cursing. Alcohol / Drug Use: Characters smoke cigarettes and use an illegal stimulant known as khat.

What Parents need to know about Gravity... Violence: Intense scenes of accidents in space include depictions of explosions, space debris, shuttle damage, corpses and a grotesque image of an accident victim. Characters are subjected to frequent peril in a survival situation. Characters experience distress and impending death. Sexual Content: A man talks briefly about a homosexual couple. Language: The script contains a brief strong sexual expletive, scatological slang, curses and profanities. Alcohol / Drug Use: A characters takes a swig of vodka he finds inside a space capsule. Auburn Opelika Parents I November 2013