Alabama School of Mathematics and Science
Free Tuition, Room, and Board
Visit ASMS.NET to Apply Now Alabama 9th & 10th Graders are Eligible to Apply
Alabama’s Public High School Educating Alabama’s Future Leaders since 1989
Come find out if ASMS is right for you by visiting our campus Saturday, Nov.10 or Dec. 1 for ASMS Day. Prospective families get a chance to see student-run classroom demonstrations and learn about a school that could change your life forever. Register for ASMS Day at www.asms.net. ASMS is our state’s only fully public, residential high school for sophomores, juniors, and seniors seeking advanced studies in math, science, and the humanities.
Applying to ASMS is FREE – and so are tuition, room, and board if you are admitted! Current Alabama 9th or 10th graders can apply online at www.asms.net. Many people ask, “Do I have to be a ‘genius’ to be accepted to ASMS?” Answer: Absolutely NOT! ASMS is made up of students who are intelligent and work hard for academic success. In 2018, 80 ASMS grads earned $10 million in merit-based scholarships with an ACT composite class average of 29.8. Questions? Email admissions@asms.net or call 251.441.3250.
Register for the ASMS Day at www.asms.net. ALABAMA SCHOOL OF MATH AND SCIENCE • 1255 DAUPHIN STREET • MOBILE, ALABAMA 36604 • 251.441.2100 • WWW.ASMS.NET
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December2018
Volume 11 Number 7
50 Columns
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6 Publisher’s Note Lynn Knighton
8 Therapeutic Parenting Sonia Martin, LMSW
Celebrate New Year’s Eve with the Kids Unique ideas for a night at home!
Keep the Hush in Your Holiday Rush
16 Kids Health Watch
Ways to stay relaxed all season!
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sponsored by Magnolia Springs Pediatrics
40 Parenting, Media & Everything in Between Common Sense Media
42 A Page in a Book Gerry Paige Smith
43 Dave Says Dave Ramsey
Holiday Happenings Area parades, lights, musicals and more...to brighten your season.
Parenting the Video Game Fanatic
48 Parenting Today’s Teens Mark Gregston
How to encourage other interests.
65 Get This!
Gerry Paige Smith
On The Cover Jaxon Perry (5), son of Chris and Katie Perry and little brother to Knox Perry (8). Proud grandparents are Russ and Lanie Banks and Billy and Judy Perry. Jaxon’s favorite holiday tradition is to “spend time with all of my family, celebrate Baby Jesus, and sing Christmas songs.” Special thanks to Baking Me Happy for the adorable (and delicious) Christmas cookies!
Departments 10
Bits and Pieces 18
School Bits 66
Family Calendar 72
Movie Reviews
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Publisher’sNote The Eastern Shore’s Foremost Parenting Source This year our family celebrated Thanksgiving early. That left me with a whole week to do whatever it was I needed (and wanted) to accomplish. Once I wrapped up some magazine work that needed to be done, the plan was to finish some household projects and put up Christmas decorations. In my mind Thanksgiving day was going to look something like this: A morning to sleep in a bit, a wonderful brunch while watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, then an afternoon of holiday decorating finished up with homemade sugar cookies and a Christmas movie. Sounds crazy perfect, right? Well, I would not know because that is not what happened. Nobody was really hungry for brunch, so I watched the parade on the elliptical at the gym (which was probably a better idea anyway), then the girls and I scoured the Black Friday deals in the newspaper. We talked about the Christmas decorations, but that was about it. Then at some point we naively thought it would be a good idea to check out the Thursday night sales. That ended up being more of a spectator sport for us. I definitely did not get any shopping done. My hat is off to those of you who did. That takes some patience, planning and skill! So the Thanksgiving holiday week came and went, along with my perfect little plan. And yes, my Christmas decorations are still in the attic. Not having accomplished my list of to-dos has left me feeling a bit anxious. I am now going into the holiday season behind schedule and not sure when I am going to fit all of this in. If your household is anything like mine, December is quickly filled with performances, exams, and other commitments. If I’m not careful the busyness of the holidays can quickly suck out all of the fun. If you find yourself frazzled during the holidays, then flip to page 50 where you will find 21 Ways To Keep The Hush In Your Holiday Rush, by Christina Katz. Hopefully by trimming out some of the more stressful to-dos you can make room for more of the things that will build fond holiday memories with your family. You will find an abundance of joyful holiday events in this year’s Holiday Happenings Guide on page 54. This listing is filled with many activities perfect for creating memories with your loved ones. Parades, live nativities, light shows, concerts, ice skating, and yes, even snow are some of the exciting activities found in this year’s guide. Make sure to also flip over to the Family Calendar for even more December events. The fun does not stop once Christmas is over. New Year’s Eve can also be a family friendly holiday to celebrate with the kiddos. Tiffany Doerr Guerzon shares with us some festive crafts and activities to welcome 2019 in her article, Celebrate New Year’s Eve with the Kids, on page 44. You will also find some family friendly New Year’s Eve activities in the previously mentioned Holiday Happenings Guide. Whether you are out shopping ‘til you drop or just taking in the sights and sounds of Christmas, please do remember those in need who may be struggling financially or emotionally. Make it a family priority to give back this holiday season. It doesn’t matter if you have a million dollars to give or just a smile, you never know how a simple act of kindness may turn someone’s day around. May God bless you and your family with peace, love and joy.
Publisher Lynn Knighton lynn@easternshoreparents.com Editor DeAnne Watson deanne@easternshoreparents.com Associate Editor Kelly Watson Research Editor Christa Weinberg Contributing Writers Mark Gregston Tiffany Guerzon Christina Katz Cheryl Maguire Dave Ramsey John Rosemond Robert L. Rux, M.D. Gerry Paige Smith
Cover Photography Stephanie Hanway www.StephanieHanwayPhotography.com
President Jason Watson jason@easternshoreparents.com Advertising Opportunities Lynn Knighton ads@easternshoreparents.com (251) 929-2099 Accounts Manager Eleanor Williams Ad Design Tim Welch
Visit us online at www.easternshoreparents.com
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Eastern Shore Parents I December 2018
Eastern Shore Parents Magazine, is founded on the principle that parenting is an exciting, diverse, challenging, and significant, role in our community. Eastern Shore Parents Magazine is a community advocate for families and the parenting process.
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Eastern Shore Parents magazine is published monthly by KeepSharing, LLC. Mailing address: P.O. Box 374, Montrose, Alabama, 36559. The phone number for voice and fax is (251) 929-2099. Eastern Shore Parents is copyrighted 2017 by KeepSharing LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Opinions expressed in Eastern Shore 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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TherapeuticParenting by Sonia Martin, LMSW
Meet the Need Behind the Behavior A critical component of therapeutic parenting is the focus on meeting the need behind the behavior. Whereas traditional parenting seeks to immediately stop the behavior in front of us through the engagement of consequences, threats or punishments - therapeutic parenting seeks to disarm the foundational need that is prompting the negative response in your child in the first place. According to local counselor Beth Long, PhD, all difficult behaviors look essentially the same on the outside. However, each behavior actually serves one of three purposes: a need to escape, a need for attention, or a tangible need. For example, a child will often become frustrated and act out when they want something they cannot have (tangible). We have all seen (or experienced) children pulling out all the stops from bargaining, to tantruming, to stealing, simply to get a candy bar while in the check-out line. Alternatively, children may behave inappropriately when they are attempting to escape a situation. This could be escaping from a negative emotion (fear, shame, anxiousness) or escaping from a task they do not want to complete (brushing teeth, cleaning room, finishing homework). Behaviors can also be perpetuated by a desire for attention. For children, any attention is good. If their positive attention tank is low, they try for negative attention because they do not have the capacity to
Eastern Shore Parents I December 2018
verbalize, “I’m feeling a little neglected at the moment, and I really want a bit of your time, could you please pay attention to me?” So as you approach each engagement with your child I encourage you to attempt to identify which need your child is attempting to fulfill and work from there. That being said, your response to their behavior should never be to ignore their need – this only serves to lengthen and heighten the intensity of the outburst. Instead, your response should be to help your child learn how to meet his/her needs in an appropriate way. Give voice to their situation, help them understand and begin to identify their own emotional process. For example: “I wonder if you are feeling frustrated with that math homework, I think we should take a break and go shoot some hoops for a few minutes – I’ll race you out there!” Instead of forcing your child to sit longer at the table with the homework, thereby escalating the negative behavior, try to break up the predictably stressful homework into smaller portions and give your child a break (opportunity to escape) when they complete each section. They will likely be a bit more agreeable to engaging in the homework if they know they are not stuck there for long periods. Overall, we want to get in the habit of looking past the behavior that is right in front of us because that outburst typically has absolutely
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nothing to do with the real issue at hand. The screaming, yelling, or propelling of one’s self to the ground, is merely the breakdown phase of a dysregulated child. But if we are honest, that is where we invest so much of our energy. We spend hours googling how to get our 3-year-old to stop tantruming, or how to get our middle schooler to stop talking back. If I may, instead of pouring so much effort into the end result of a behavior, look at the origin of the behavior itself. So, next time you are waist deep in toddler tantrum meltdown mode, or face to face with a disgruntled teenager, take a minute, and see if you can figure out the need behind the behavior and keep your focus there. That’s where you are going to find victory (and your sanity). Do you have a behavior or parenting question? Shoot me an email at sonia.kidstolove@yahoo.com. I will answer your question in an upcoming issue!
*Therapeutic parenting is parenting in a highly structured, highly nurturing way. This form of intensive parenting is often a key to progress in dealing with children who have trauma and attachment challenges, but has also proven beneficial with any child.
Sonia is a licensed social worker and holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Social Work. Her clinical focus is on helping parents and professionals understand the role of the brain in behavior, and how to adopt therapeutic parenting techniques to help mitigate negative behaviors. She travels the state speaking at various conferences on behavior and parenting and is a therapist for Kids To Love Foundation. Sonia is a mother to 7 sons, 3 of whom were internationally adopted, and is also a foster parent.
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Just Five Dollars a Day – a Campaign to Fight Hunger on the Eastern Shore
The Fairhope Store and Prodisee Pantry return their campaign this holiday season in support of a critical but often silent need in our community: hunger. More than 1500 families in Fairhope alone depend on Prodisee Pantry for emergency food and groceries. “For just $20, we can feed a family of four for an entire week,” said Executive Director Deann Servos. “While canned food drives and other projects are wonderful, we can stretch dollars so much further. A grocery basket that would cost you $260 for a Thanksgiving meal we can provide for 1/5 the cost.” “One Town – One Family – One Day” again encourages a donation of just $5 – enough to feed a family of four a healthy holiday meal. Diners at participating restaurants may add $5 to their restaurant tab as a direct donation to Prodisee, receiving the familiar Fairhope Store “pier” sticker in return. “ The “One Town –One Family – One Day” campaign will run through the end of December including Orange Beach and Daphne as well.
Bellingrath Gardens and Home Magic Christmas in Lights
Bellingrath Gardens and Home presents the 23rd season of Magic Christmas in Lights in 2018. The dazzling nighttime display features more than 1,100 set pieces, 3 million lights and 15 scenes, set out in a walking tour throughout the 65-acre Garden estate. The show is held nightly from 5 to 9 p.m. through Dec. 31. Families enjoy strolling along the paths together, taking holiday photos, drinking cocoa on Live Oak Plaza and visiting Santa Claus in the Magnolia Café. Four Bellingrath employees work full-time all year on the light display! Magic Christmas in Lights also includes nightly choral performances on the South Terrace of the historic Bellingrath Home, which will be decorated in full holiday finery and open for guided tours each night until 8 p.m. For details about Magic Christmas in Lights, or to order tickets, visit bellingrath.org.
Wales West’s Arctic Express makes its way to the North Pole
Enjoy a steam train ride to the North Pole and visit Santa with your whole family this holiday season at Wales West. Guests will travel by train through a snowy winter wonderland featuring more than 1 million twinkling lights and receive a free toy as a memento of their trip. It’s the perfect opportunity for a family photo. This special holiday tradition will also feature a petting zoo including pony rides, miniature train rides, a hay-less hayride, bounce house, and fun artificial snow. Guests may preorder tickets online or purchase at the railroad for $15; ages 2 and under enter free. Dates: November 23 through December 24, Open Friday – Sunday, 4:00-9:00 PM. Starting December 12, open nightly, 4:00-9:00 PM. 13670 Smiley Street, Silverhill. https://waleswestlightrailway.heartlandticket.com.
Mobile Museum of Art Opens Exhibition Built for Kids!
Mobile Museum of Art’s new exhibition opening December 8, FOR CHILDREN: The Elements of Art & Design, is the first exhibition organized by the Mobile Museum of Art specifically designed for kids! The exhibition presents a maze of galleries for children to experience immersive, creative and wacky visual environments. A second installation for kids, Bob H. Miller: REFLECTORAMA, will also open in the Museum’s Education wing and combines the science of optics with dynamic art—which can only be experienced with flashlights. The opening reception for these exhibitions on December 8 will be a daytime ticketed event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. also designed specifically for kids, and serves as a FUNdraiser for future children’s education programs at MMofA. Opening day will feature face painting, art activities, bouncy houses, kid-friendly food, and games. Presale tickets for Mobile Museum of Art members are $10 per person, and $25 per person for nonmembers. The last day to purchase tickets at the presale level is November 29, after which the price will increase to $35 per person for members and non-members. This exhibition will open to the public the following Saturday, December 15. www.MobileMuseumofArt.com. Eastern Shore Parents I December 2018
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Holiday Half Marathon and 8K for USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital
Come join us on Saturday, December 8 at 8:30 AM at Mullet Point Park for the Holiday Half Marathon and 8K to benefit USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital Pediatrics Department. Everyone is encouraged to bring a new toy in its original wrapping to the race. This event is sponsored by the Port City Pacers. Pre-register by mail (entries should be postmarked by December 1), in person at McCoy Outdoor, Run-N-Tri, or Fleet Feet in Mobile or Running Wild in Fairhope until noon on December 6, or online (www.events.com) until 4:00 AM December 7. For more information contact Port City Pacers at 251-473-7223 or Race Director: Jon Bowie at jnbowie@gmail.com. www.easternshoreparents.com
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Mobile Ballet Presents “The Nutcracker”
Mobile Ballet celebrates its 31st year with a fresh take on the beloved Christmas classic – combining new choreography from Artistic Director Katia Garza along with the treasured music of Tchaikovsky. The tale surrounds a Christmas Eve family party, a godfather’s magical gift of a toy nutcracker, and the heroine Clara’s fantastical dream that follows. The Gran Pas De Deux of the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier is one of the most celebrated moments in dance. This year, Mobile’s Corps de Ballet is joined by Guest Dancer Eduardo Pi Iglesias as Cavalier, Paul Branco as The Nutcracker, and Ballet Master/Resident Guest Artist Israel Rodriguez as Arabian. Snowflakes, angels and more will be performed for the first time by children from throughout the Mobile Bay community. December 15 - 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM and December 16 - 2:30 PM. Mobile Civic Center Theater. Admission $20-$60. For tickets and additional information contact: (251) 342-2241 or www.mobileballet.org.
Nights of Lights Drive-Thru Light Show
Noon Year’s at LuLu’s
Come enjoy one of the most amazing drive-thru Christmas light shows you will ever experience at this year's Christmas Nights of Lights. Over 1 million LED lights, driven by over 10,000 computer channels, synchronized to both traditional and new rocking Christmas music playing through your car radio. Pack your vehicle full of friends and family to enjoy the show as you begin a new Christmas tradition. Hank Aaron Stadium, 755 Bolling Brothers Blvd, Mobile, 5:30 PM 10:00 PM. $6.00 per person, children 3 and under are free.
Noon Year’s at LuLu’s is a fun-filled day for kids and adults alike. Crafts, kid-safe fireworks (bubble wrap,) and a sand castle building contest are only the tip of the iceberg. When the clock strikes noon there will be a beach ball drop! Hundreds of colorful beach balls will flood LuLu’s beach, but the excitement doesn’t stop there. A live band, face painting, balloon animals, and more will be at LuLu’s to start your New Year’s celebration off right.
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5 Rivers Delta Resource Center Holiday Story Time and Movies
Join us for Holiday stories and movies at 5 Rivers. Story Times are the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month from 10 AM – 11 AM. Children under age 6 years are welcome to stop by for the reading of a story, followed by arts and crafts. No registration is necessary. December 4th Story: “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”; December 9th Movie: “Shrek the Halls” (looping throughout the day); December 18th Story: “Snow Party”; December 23rd Movie “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (looping throughout the day). Events are free and open to the public.
Nautical Night of Nights Boat Parade
Don't miss Coastal Alabama's oldest Christmas tradition. The 33rd Annual Nautical Night of Nights Boat Parade will be held Saturday, December 8. The parade begins at Lulu's at dusk and ends at the Flora-Bama Ole River Grill. Enjoy great viewing sites all along the intracoastal waterway and at The Wharf. For information on this and other Coastal Christmas events visit www.alabama coastalchristmas.com.
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Dollar General Bowl Tickets on Sale
Tickets are on sale now for the 20th annual Dollar General Bowl game. The game will be played Saturday, December 22, at Ladd-Peebles Stadium and will be televised nationally on ESPN. Kickoff is set for 6:00 PM CST. Tickets for the game are $15 for end zone seats (General Admission) and $45 along the sidelines (Reserved Seating). All tickets can be purchased online at www.dollargeneralbowl.com/tickets or by calling 251-635-0011.
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IMPACT 100 Grant Recipients Selected
At its Annual Meeting held at the Daphne Civic Center on November 1, Impact 100 Baldwin County selected five Baldwin County nonprofit organizations to receive $455,000 in grants. Each of the five nonprofits received $91,000 grants, one in each of Impact’s five focus groups: Arts and Culture; Education; Environment, Preservation and Recreation; Family; and Health and Wellness. The five organizations were selected from a very competitive group of applicants and vetted by a comprehensive review process by Impact members, including site visits and in-depth discussions about each of the projects. In September, ten organizations were chosen as finalists for this year’s grants. At the Annual Meeting, each of the ten finalists had the opportunity to make a 5-minute presentation about their proposed project, after which Impact members voted to select this year’s grantees. The votes were tallied on-site and the five 2018 grant award winners were announced. This year’s grantees are: ARTS AND CULTURE, Baldwin County Youth Orchestra, Project: Baldwin Strings Academy This grant will pay for additional string instruments that will allow for the expansion of the Baldwin County Youth Orchestra after-school strings program. Children in elementary schools in Elberta, Foley and Summerdale will now have access to this musical enrichment. A brand-new program for middle school students in Robertsdale is included in this project. Grant funds will also be used to cover instructor fees at all schools. EDUCATION, Fairhope Point Clear Rotary Youth Programs, Inc., Project: Creating a Healthier Academic Environment This grant will be used to restore, enhance and improve the Rotary Youth club gymnasium, which houses a library, tech classroom and teen room. The enhancements will help them meet current safety standards, be energy efficient and made usable for the needs of children pre-K through high school, as well as the community. ENVIRONMENT, PRESERVATION AND RECREATION, The Miracle League of Coastal Alabama, Inc., Project: Miracle League All Inclusive Recreational Park This grant will provide special playground equipment for the new all-inclusive park in Summerdale designed to enable persons with special needs to play side-by-side with their family and friends. The special equipment being purchased will include a sensory/music station, a “ZipKrooz” zip line with a chair, spinners, a wheelchair glider and swing set, ramps and more. FAMILY, Light of the City/Volunteers of America (in collaboration with the city of Bay Minette), Project: Light the Way Family Initiative Grant funds will provide for improvements and upgrades to the former Douglasville High School Campus, including construction of a 24’ x 24’ event and community gathering pavilion, resurfacing the gymnasium floor, creation of a 1/10-mile walking track, and the development of a community garden area. HEALTH & WELLNESS, Big Fish Ministries, Project: Facilitating Change, Championing Freedom, Fostering Hope This grant will expand Big Fish Ministries’ residential treatment program to include women, allowing them to purchase the property currently housing the men’s program and convert it to a much-needed women’s facility. Since its inception, Impact 100 Baldwin County has awarded 32 grants, totaling over $3 million to nonprofit organizations serving Baldwin County.
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Shop Local and Win Prizes with the Eastern Shore Elf
The Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce is taking a fun approach to supporting the shop local movement with a little bit of Christmas magic. This holiday shopping season, the “Eastern Shore Elf” is on special assignment to visit a different Eastern Shore retailer each day, offering customers holiday cheer, some great deals and chances to win awesome prizes. The Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce will use the Eastern Shore Elf’s antics to feature a different local retailer each day on its social media sites. Stores are offering great discounts and promotions while he’s there. “It’s going to be exciting to see where he shows up each day and just like with the ‘Elf on the Shelf’ holiday tradition, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets into a little mischief,” said Eastern Shore Chamber President Casey Williams. Each night Eastern Shore Elf will be giving away a prize on the Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce Facebook page as he announces where he’s going the next morning. That means there’s 30 different chances to win. Shoppers can also win an amazing gift basket worth more than $300, just by sharing their pictures of the Eastern Shore Elf as they shop. Everyone who posts a picture of the Elf in the comment section of that day’s post, will be entered to win a prize basket overflowing with incredible finds from each of the 30 participating retailers. The prize basket winner will be announced December 26. “This is a fun way to get shoppers engaged with our local stores and we hope they’ll find a new favorite place to shop. It gives us an opportunity to truly highlight each of these locations and all the great gift ideas available locally,” said Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce Communications Director Denise Curtis. The Eastern Shore Elf’s visit runs from Black Friday until December 23. To keep track of him, follow the “Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce” on Facebook. Also look for the hashtag #EasternShoreElf. To learn more about the Eastern Shore Elf, call the Chamber office at (251) 928-6387.
Your Health Matters. Quality Care Matters. Michael Rhodes Lee, MD
John S. Wilson, MD
Dr. Lee and Dr. Wilson specialize in pediatric and adult Ear, Nose & Throat care. From a sore throat, or runny nose to allergies and allergy testing, Drs. Lee and Wilson treat everyday ENT illnesses to complex surgeries. Schedule your appointment today. MOBILE • DAPHNE
Daphne & Mobile Offices 1302 Hwy 98 • Daphne • 251-410-9000
Visit us online at pmg.md
2880 Dauphin Street • Mobile • 251-473-1900
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KidsHealthWatch
Sponsored by Magnolia Springs Pediatrics
New Year’s Resolutions: Kids’ Edition I have to admit to you guys, I love this time of year. We are about to have Christmas and New Year’s, and Mardi Gras is around the corner. I know not everyone likes the cold, but I have some Wisconsin blood flowing through my veins, so I don’t mind the weather. It’s a perfect time to stay at home and spend time with our families and loved ones. One thing I try to think about is resolutions. I know this is an old cliché— everyone vows to run ten miles a day, give up junk food and save the planet. While these goals are worthwhile, they often fall by the wayside within a few weeks. So this year, I want to challenge you to do something different. While I often think of great ideas that will improve my relationships, health, and my community, the execution oftentimes gets in the way. Today, we are going to talk about some ideas that you and your kids can do that are realistic, fun, and will bring you together more as a family. First let’s think about some goals as a whole family. In this day and age of running to school, practice, homework, video games, and smart phones, we miss some of the most important memories of childhood. Meals with your family, playing board games, reading books together, and even talking about your day is so important to the relationships in a family. I recently
heard a wonderful speaker describe this as “margin.” That is creating time to just spend with your family and not running around crazy! I had a parent try and tell me that their “perfect” child who was suspended from school could only have learned the language and behaviors from other bad influences at school. Wrong! Children learn their basics from their parents and family when it comes to respect for adults, each other, property, and themselves. Sure, they can be influenced by others, but that’s where parenting steps in as well. Developing a trusting relationship between children and parents is vital to their success. If a child is having a difficult time at school or with another person, they need to be able to come to you and talk. If you feel you and your child don’t have that relationship, then work on it. Talk to them, spend time, and be good role models for your children. When it comes to some specifics, let’s look at some New Year’s resolutions that help the body and mind. First, let’s teach ourselves and our kids to practice good hygiene. Washing hands, covering you nose and mouth when you cough and sneeze, trimming your nails and brushing your teeth are basic, but oftentimes forgotten, personal hygiene traits. Not only can you significantly reduce the spread of illnesses,
but you feel better and are more confident about yourself. Along similar lines is our diet. I understand how hard it can be to have the mealtime food battle (I have three kids and we go through it all the time); but the excuse that my child “has to have something (even if it’s not healthy)” before they go to bed or “my child only eats cheese” is full of junk. First, who buys the food that is currently in the house? What do you as a parent eat at meals and snacks? How do you respond when your child refuses to eat the meal you prepared? Healthy eating habits for a child are all about expectations! If you get unhealthy food, you expect unhealthy food! You will be surprised that the answer is not “my child is a picky eater!” So take the New Year to focus on family relationships, personal hygiene, and the food we put into our bodies, and try and create some margin. You might be surprised how much better you and your children feel!
Robert L. Rux, M.D. is a Board Certified Pediatrician at Magnolia Springs Pediatrics. Originally from Mobile, he attended medical school at The University of Alabama School of Medicine (UAB) and completed residency at The Children’s Hospital of Alabama (UAB). He is married to Jaime and has three children, Adler, Walker and Mary McAtee.
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GIVE YOUR CHILD THE GIFT OF A LIFETIME. A Bayside education opens the door to their future. CURRENTLY ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2019-20 SCHOOL YEAR
For details, please visit www.baysideacademy.org or call 251.338.6446.
303 Dryer coeducational, Ave. | Daphne, 36526day | school 251.338.6300 | www.baysideacademy.org Bayside Academy is an independent, collegeAla. preparatory offering a superior educational opportunity to students in grades PK-12. 17 www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine
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Students Give the Gift of Learning at Fairhope Intermediate School
Sixth grade gifted education students at Fairhope Intermediate have been spreading the love of learning to their fellow students! Mrs. Wiles’ classes worked hard preparing engaging and hands-on lessons for younger students with objectives on equality, compassion, and gratitude. The students thoroughly enjoyed their experiences and discovered that teaching truly is a work of heart!
Spanish Fort H.S. All-Star Players
Spanish Fort High School students, Chris Tuberville (left) and Desmond James (right) have been selected to play in the AlabamaMississippi All-Star Game in December in Montgomery.
Foley Elementary Kindergarten Mice
Daphne Middle School has three art winners from the “I Love Our Gulf” art contest, sponsored by the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. All three students placed, “Best of Show,” and their artwork was on display during the art festival on Dauphin Island October 27 and 28. The winners are: Stella Jones, grade 8, Cheyenne Stone, grade 7, and Emily Mackin, grade 8. Their art teacher is Mrs. Sherry Bittinger.
Fall Musicale at Westminster Village
Music students of Baldwin County Music Teachers Association members Vincentine Williams, Daniel DeKonty and Eric Marrero recently performed for the residents of Westminster Village. Their fall musicale featured piano, electric guitar and ukulele. From left, Back Row: Marygrace Sebastian, Ethel Kostmayer, Joyana Brown, Sam Hayes. Middle Row, Kathleen Harris, Hayden Roy, Starla Ou. Front Row: Camryn Roy, Jeremy Ou and Bricene Turner.
Ms. Pritchett's kindergarten class at Foley Elementary School was full of mice, as her students were studying the characters from Laura Numeroff's book, "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie".
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Sea Lab Art Contest Winners at Daphne Middle School
BCHS Band Gets Superior Ratings
Congratulations to the Baldwin County High School Tiger Band for its superior performance at the War Eagle Classic Band Competition in Waynesboro. The band received an overall superior rating and was just .95 points shy of winning Best in Class. The Color Guard and Percussion also received superior ratings. In addition, the Percussion section was named "Best in Class". There was not a dance team category for this competition. We are so proud of your accomplishments this competition season! #GoBand #ourkidsaretalented 18
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Chewbacca Visits Orange Beach Kindergarten Class
Mrs. Lynn’s Kindergarten class had a special storybook character stop by their room recently…Chewbacca from “Star Wars” (aka Principal Moss)! Students at Orange Beach Elementary School dressed up for Halloween as a storybook character. There were many stories told and books read about their costumes!
Bayshore Christian School to Host Tour Days
Are you interested in learning more about Bayshore Christian School? They will be hosting their Classical Connection Tour Days to give prospective parents an opportunity to learn more about the educational opportunities offered at BCS. You have 4 chances to attend a Tour Day: January 15 at 8:30 AM and 6 PM, February 12 at 8:30 AM, and March 19 at 8:30 AM. Each event will begin with a presentation that explains classical education and will end with a tour of the campus given by BCS Student Ambassadors. Attendees will have a chance to ask questions of students, faculty, and staff. Please make plans to attend and see what makes Bayshore such an amazing place! Open Enrollment begins on March 1. To place your child on the BCS waiting list please call Paige Walsh at 929-0011.
Renaissance Receives Grant for Garden
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Renaissance School is a proud recipient of EMC Baldwin County Operation Round Up Star Light Award! This $1,000 grant will allow the students to design, cultivate and harvest a garden. Renaissance School is grateful and excited!
Training up the next generation of Christian leaders ONE STUDENT AT A TIME
Christian, Classical, Life Preparatory BayshoreChristian.org | 251.929.0011 19
DR. PAMELA MCKEE, HEAD OF SCHOOL
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Autauga County Schools
Parent/Veteran Speaks to Christ the King Students
Gulf Shores MS Students Build Winning Electric Car
5th grade parent, retired US Army Sergeant Major Cash, visited our students to speak about Veteran's Day and his over 30 years of service to our country. He shared stories about his training, tours of duty, the importance of Veteran's Day and what it means to those who have served and to their families.
Congratulations to the Gulf Shores Middle School Turbo Dolphins for placing first in the Toyota Classica competition in Huntsville! The Turbo Dolphins are also in 1st place in the Greenpower Grand Prix after the first two races. Students built their Greenpower USA F24 electric car in Coach Prince’s makerspace class. The Turbo Dolphins are: John Tuberville, Owen McCann, Danthan Butt, Gracie Littleton, Wyndy Hathcock, Andrew Williams, Brent Rehr, Messiah McCollum, Lucy Karolinski, Ulrich Ramos, Braxton Akins, and Coach Prince.
Send School News and Photos to: lynn@easternshoreparents.com!
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Little Miss Honey Bee Queen and Court 2018-2019
Congratulations to the Little Miss Honey Bee Queen and Court for 2018-2019: 2018 Little Miss HoneyBee Railey Black from Rosinton Elementary; 1st runner up Caroline Taylor from Gulf Shores Elementary; 2nd runner up Adalyn Lyles from Elsanor Elementary; 3rd runner up Portia Hollis from Gulf Shores Elementary; 4th runner up Taite Fields from Rosinton Elementary; Miss Congeniality Raekyn Elkins from Gulf Shores Elementary; Most Photogenic Caroline Taylor.
BAnd Together for Hurricane Relief
Bayside Academy students loaded a tractor-trailer donated by Wright Transportation with supplies for victims of Hurricane Michael in Port St. Joe, FL. Pictured: Bayside Academy students hold some of the items donated for hurricane relief. Front row L to R: First graders Mary Walker Jinright, Ruby Houser, Wright Thompson, Carlisle Mosteller, Crenshaw Miller, and David Green. Back row: Lawson Hellmich, Sam Koby, Traylor Henry, Henry Covington, Charles Corte, Steadman Jones, and Jack Hixson.
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Project Serve Visits Daphne Elementary
Students from University of Mobile’s Project Serve recently visited Daphne Elementary School. The students were thrilled to have visitors on campus to help around the classroom. Thank you, Project Serve, for coming to DES. Please come again soon!
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Autauga County Schools
Central Christian Students Take trip to Ark
Part of the 8th grade Bible class from Central Christian School, with a couple of high schoolers, traveled over fall break to Williamstown, KY where they experienced The Ark Encounter. It was incredible to see how Great our God is and that He is a God of Order and detail. The students not only toured the Ark but also had the opportunity to ride camels and donkeys.
Junior Auxiliary Decorates Fairhope Middle School Girls' Restrooms with Positive Messages
The Junior Auxiliary of the Eastern Shore and art students from FHS have volunteered to decorate the girls’ bathroom stall doors (20 stalls) with positive messages in conjunction with National Stand Beside Her Week (10/29-11/2). The Stand Beside Her movement is about women and girls supporting and building each other up instead of tearing each other down and competing with each other. For more information click here: http://www. standbesideher.org/ Mrs. Kim Huffty with the Junior Auxiliary is coordinating this effort. The Junior Auxiliary of the Eastern Shore has been serving the children of Baldwin County since 1989. Their mission is to identify the needs of children, youth and their families in our community. They create projects to meet those needs which will enhance educational achievement, physical health and emotional wellbeing. Fairhope Middle School is so excited about this project and want to express our gratitude to the Junior Auxiliary and FHS art students for offering to do this wonderful project which spreads positivity with our girls! THANK YOU!
Brayden (BB) Butler is right. His healthcare team is among the best in the nation! While practicing a motocross jump, BB fell and suffered a brain bleed. It would take half a year and surgeons, physicians, nurses and therapists to help him recover. Fortunately, for BB and thousands of other children, Children’s of Alabama is ranked among the top hospitals for children by U.S. News & World Report. DOWNTOWN RUSSELL CAMPUS 1600 7th Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35233
205.638.9100 CHILDREN’S SOUTH OUTPATIENT CENTER Outpatient surgery, Pediatric Imaging, laboratory services and specialty care clinics
1940 Elmer J. Bissell Road Birmingham, AL 35243
205.638.4800
www.ChildrensAL.org
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St. Michael Cheer Squad Heading to State Championship
On Wednesday, November 7 the St. Michael cheer squad competed in the AHSAA 1-3A South Super Regional competition, held at the Mobile Civic Center, scoring high enough to qualify for the State Championship! The State Finals is scheduled to begin at 9 AM on Saturday, December 15, at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, Alabama. The cheerleaders are Katie Berry, Morgan Domning, Nika Greenlay, Ally Mavar, Avery O'Brien, Margaret O'Connor, Millie Ollinger, Anna Claire Potier, Mary Kate Roberts,.Anna Savarese. Captains are Stirling Faulkner and Mary Ellis Ollinger. Lisa Mavar is the coach. Congratulations, ladies!
Pine Grove Elementary Students Receive Scholastic Readers
Students in Jaclyn Boatright's class at Pine Grove Elementary School are excited about reading! They were also excited to receive new books through the Scholastics program. Earlier this school year, Mrs. Boatright issued a challenge to her friends and family to sponsor Scholastic Readers for her students. So far she has collected enough donations to cover three months of orders for her class! For as little as $8 per month, you can also help provide readers for her classroom! Scholastic offers a wide range of books with rich vocabulary, providing something for every interest. "The kids become better readers when they read what they're interested in," Mrs. Boatright said.
MOBILE’S TIMELESS TRADITION... THE NUTCRACKER Saturday, December 15th, 2:30pm & 7:30pm Sunday, December 16th, 2:30pm
Dine Before the Show Sky-High over Mobile Pre-Show Menus for Saturday Dinner & Sunday Brunch Make Your Reservation Now! Tickets starting at $20, call 251.342.2241 or visit www.mobileballet.org 23
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Bayshore Invites Community to Christmas Concert
You are invited to Bayshore Christian School’s Christmas Concert, “Bells are Ringing.” All of our students in grades K5-8 have been working hard to prepare for the concert which will be held on December 14 at Fairhope First Baptist Church at 6:30 PM. This year’s theme will be “Bells are Ringing!”. Our choral and instrumental ensembles will be performing, along with our student-led ensemble. Join us for a night of praising Jesus as we enter the Christmas season. The event is free and open to the public!
Autauga County Schools
Gulf Shores Elementary Hurricane Relief Drive
Thank you to the students, teachers and staff, families and community members of Gulf Shores Elementary for their support and donations to those affected by Hurricane Michael. GSES raised over $1,000 and hundreds of supplies for hurricane relief. We appreciate the service efforts of our students and K-Kids Club and the time they spent collecting and organizing the
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donations. Pictured, K-Kids Club officers gathered hundreds of donations from Gulf Shores students as they entered school on October 19. K-Kids Club Officers pictured are: (left to right) Coolie Grover, President; Jeb Bathrick, Treasurer; Claire Colvin, Secretary; Ana Bathrick, Vice President; and Annica Farris, Sergeant at Arms.
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Marine Science Course for High School Students
L c H re an gra pla Bi te
June 16 July 12, 2019 Immerse yourself in the world of marine science.
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Learn by doing - in the field, in the lab, and on the boat
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Connect with DISL researchers, aquarists, and faculty Earn high school or college science credit For current 9th through 12th graders
Apply by April 3, 2019 Learn more at disl.org/dhp/summer Call 251-861-2141 x7515 or email DHPSummer@disl.org.
DISL's unique, longest lived residential program. Students join 30+ years of marine science education
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BCHS Teacher of the Year
Norleisha Lewis has been selected as Teacher of the Year at Baldwin County High School. She joined the faculty in 2015 and although she has only been on the campus for a few years, she has already made a big impact on her students. Mrs. Lewis serves as an English and Guided Reading teacher. She is also the co-sponsor of Student Council, Leadership Team member, and a tutor in the 21st Century Afterschool Program. “I am a product of the Baldwin County School System,” Mrs. Lewis said. “I love this county and how it works to prepare the students to go out achieve and return to sow seeds achievement in future generations.” Her family attends St. John Baptist Church in Spanish Fort, where she is Youth Director, choir member and VBS Coordinator. She is also part of the Chosen Outreach Ministry and a graduate member of Alpha Kappa Sorority Inc.-Delta Theta Omega Chapter.
Library Contest Winners at Daphne Middle School
Two Daphne Middle School art students placed in the annual Daphne Public Library bookmark contest. Ashley Herring, grade 7, received 1st place, and Nora Whiteis, grade 7, received 3rd place. Mrs. Sherry Bittinger is the art teacher at Daphne Middle School.
Foley Teachers Support Community Programs
Foley Elementary School teachers participated in the 1st Annual Foley Witches Ride which benefited Family Promise and Feed Foley Backpack programs. Thank you, teachers for supporting these wonderful community programs! 25
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Autauga County Schools
Fairhope Intermediate Students Attend Project American Life
Fairhope Intermediate School’s gifted education and History Club students attended an annual field trip to Project American Life. The four-day field trip was held at Camp Hargis in Shelby County, a beautiful YMCA camp situated on a lake and surrounded by rolling hills. The activities included history, government and economic simulations that gave students a greater understanding of and appreciation for our American system. The students, parents, and teachers had a fantastic week of citizenship, fun, and friendship!
Orange Beach Students Make it Rain
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Fifth Graders at Orange Beach Elementary are studying the Earth’s water. Freshwater can be hard to find sometimes. Rain helps replenish aquifers, but how do we make it rain? Mrs. Ellsworth’s class took a closer look at the stages of the water cycle and the best scenario to make water condense. Pictured are Myles Payne, Lanna Winfield, Kamryn Curtis, and Kingston Duncan.
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Silverhill Elementary Says No to Drugs
Our awesome School Resource Officer, John Branscomb, visited classes at Silverhill Elementary during Red Ribbon Week to teach them the importance of “Saying No to Drugs.” Our students learned a lot and they all pledged to travel drug free! Pictured below, congratulations to Emma McCullough who was selected to serve as Silverhill Elementary Red Ribbon Leader. Emma was recognized at the Drug Education Council Annual Superintendents’ Red Ribbon Leadership Awards ceremony on September 24. Emma is a sixth grader who displays good character on a daily basis and she is an excellent leader. Emma will lead campus-wide substance abuse prevention activities during Red Ribbon Week and plan a community service project.
Lions Club Poster Contest Winner at Gulf Shores M.S.
Congratulations to Siddah Weihing for winning the Lions Club Peace poster competition for Gulf Shores Middle School. Siddah’s poster will go on to compete in the county division. Pictured: Mrs. Earley, Siddah Weihing, and Mrs. Michaelson.
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Red Ribbon Week at Bay Minette Middle School
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Bay Minette Middle school joined schools in Baldwin County to celebrate Red Ribbon Week. Our students participated in a week-long celebration, signing the pledge to be “Drug Free”, receiving red ribbon bracelets and stickers that read “I pledge to be drug free” and a fundraiser for The Shoulder. Students were also given the opportunity to dress according to specific “Theme Days” which included wearing crazy socks, a Halloween costume day theme “Say Boo to Drugs” and wear red day. In addition we honored Red Ribbon week with creative arts and craft projects; drawing of Kiki Camarea displayed in front of the school and poster and meme contest.
Send School News and Photos to: lynn@ easternshoreparents.com!
Central Christian Assists with Clean Up after Florida Hurricane
So thankful for Central Christian School students, parents and teachers who gave their Saturday serving the Callaway community of Panama City, FL doing clean up and debris removal after Hurricane Michael made landfall on October 10th as one of the worst storms to ever hit the Gulf Coast. Much-needed work is still there along with much-needed prayers. We hope to return to the area soon to once again serve and to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
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Stapleton School Resource Officer Makes a Difference
Deputy Lisa Bedgood serves as the School Resource Officer at Stapleton Elementary in north Baldwin County. Principal Jim Perry said that although she has only been assigned to the school for a short time, she is already making a big difference in the lives of the students.
Learning About Mobile Bay Watershed
On October 24, students attending Daphne High School went on a field trip to the Robertsdale Coliseum. On this field trip students taught fourth graders from around the county about the Mobile Bay Watershed. A watershed is defined as the area of land that drains to one particular stream or water body. Every stream has its own watershed. Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes. They have city, county, state, and nation boundaries. The Mobile Bay watershed covers approximately sixty-five percent of the state of Alabama and portions of Mississippi, Georgia, and Tennessee. The Mobile Bay is serving as a drainage system for 43,662 square miles. Mobile Bay is the sixth largest in the nation by area and at 62,000 cubic feet per second. “I learned things about the Watershed of Mobile Bay that I never knew.” says Taylor Smith. As soon as the DHS students arrived at the Robertsdale Coliseum they were greeted by the volunteers and assigned stations. Each student had their own table set up. The students had to set up the table with markers, 3D model of the Mobile Bay, aluminum foil, Kool Aid, cocoa powder, and a poster with the highlighted areas of the river flows. Volunteers explained to each class what, how, when, and where Watersheds occur. “It was cool working with the kids and experiencing it for myself,” Keirston Johnson said. After the main volunteer was done with their speech, the fourth graders were split into two four sections. DHS students at their table illustrated an activity for the fourth graders and walked them through it. In this activity the students had to draw restaurants, any places they liked to go to and have fun, houses, and water streams on the 3D model. When that was completed, Kool aid and cocoa powder was added onto the model to be represented as water streams, dirt roads, and trash. Then, the elementary students sprayed water out of a spray bottle onto the platform and watched how it all came together at the bottom of the model, which is a prime example of how the Mobile Bay works.
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Autauga County Schools
Gulf Shores High School Announces Safe Driving Media Contest Winners
The winners of the “Safe Driving” public service announcement (PSA) contest jointly sponsored by local radio station, Sunny 105.7, Little Bitty’s Towing, Woodson’s Barge-In, Zaxby’s of Gulf Shores, Matt’s Homemade Ice Cream, The Hangout, and local State Farm agent, Frances Holk-Jones were recently announced. The campaign was held to promote National Teen Driver Safety Week at Gulf Shores High School. Students were asked to produce thirty second audio scripts involving teen driver safety. Frances Holk-Jones State Farm marketing consultant, Lindsay Schumacher, announced Clair Dickinson and Luke Robinson as the Gulf Shores High School “Safe Driving Campaign’s” PSA winning team. Their entry aired during National Teen Driver Safety Week, October 22nd through 27th, on Sunny 105.7 FM. Bella Turner and Charlee-Ann Garmon were awarded second place while Stacy and Davis Stevens won the position for third place in the PSA competition. National Teen Driver Safety Week was established to focus attention on the epidemic of car crashes being the leading cause of death among teens and to help find solutions to lower this statistic. Locally, the Gulf Shores High School Driver Education classes, led by Marcus Early, conducted various campus awareness activities to promote teen driver safety including the public service announcement contest and a safe driving assembly featuring Khyle Jackson – MedStar Air-Care Nurse - as the guest speaker, Cities of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach proclamations presented by Grant Brown and Ken Grimes, and a crashed car displayed on campus. Awards were presented by Kevin Keith – Media Chairman for the event and Program Director for Sunny 105.7, Melissa Woodson – owner of Woodson’s BargeIn in Gulf Shores, and Cindy Veasey – Principal of Gulf Shores High School. The winning public service announcement may be heard at www. sunny105.7.com. Left to right front row: Marcus Early (GSHS Driver Education Instructor), Luke Robinson (GSHS student – 1st place winner), Clair Dickinson (GSHS student – 1st place winner), Charlee-Ann Garmon (GSHS student – 2nd place winner), Bella Turner (GSHS student – 2nd place winner), Davis Stevens (GSHS student – 3rd place winner), Stacy Stevens (GSHS student – 3rd place winner), and Melissa Woodson (Woodson’s Barge-In owner). Back row: Kevin Keith (Sunny 105.7 Program Director). Picture courtesy of Lindsay Schumacher – Marketing Consultant for Frances Holk-Jones State Farm.
WELCOME
Dr. Brittne� Bicksler
SPECIALIZING IN FAMILY PRACTICE AND OBSTETRICS
Brittney Bicksler, D.O., has joined Dr. Nicole Arthur at North Baldwin Family Medicine. Dr. Bicksler is a graduate of Virginia Tech and received her medical degree from Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) in Blacksburg, Virginia. She completed her residency training in family practice at McLeod Regional Medical Center in South Carolina and her fellowship training in obstetrics at Spartanburg Medical Center in South Carolina. + Board certified in family medicine + Member of the American Academy of Family Physicians + Certified provider in Advanced Life Support Obstetrics
Now accepting new patients.
251-937-5377 | 2002 Medical Center Drive | Bay Minette, AL 36507
infirmaryhealth.org
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St. Michael Cross Country Teams Qualify for State Tournament
Both the men’s and women’s cross country team achieved historic firsts for the St. Michael Catholic High School athletic program, qualifying for the state tournament on the basis of their sectional performance in Loxley on November 1. The women finished third overall and the boys finished 4th overall.
Bay Minette ES Students Study Architecture
Project Jubilee students at Bay Minette Elementary are studying architecture so they are keeping a close eye on the construction site of the new school, which is just beyond their classroom door. "It is really fascinating to see the progress every day. We are beginning a photo journal of the changes from day to day," said teacher Pam Hartner. The class also hopes to hear from some of those involved with the design and construction of the new school. The new Bay Minette Elementary is expected to be completed by the start of the 2019-2020 school year!
Foley Robotics Teams Win VEX Tournament
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Foley Robotics Teams won 1st and 2nd place out of 26 teams at the Montgomery River Region VEX Tournament, securing State Championship slots held in April at Auburn University. Kyle Kovalchec, Ethan Pickering, Andrew Little, Cole Smith, Matt and Zach VanWelzen, Joshua Fields, Tristan Keller, Seth Kollars, Mason Finch, Nick Hudson, Colby Thompson all attended. Robot teams 8293A, 8293X won the tournament together through teamwork and strategy. All four teams 8293A, B, C, F and X took the top four spots through the morning qualifying matches, but B, C and F were knocked out in the final single eliminations. Foley is hosting our first Robotics Tournament State Qualifier December 15 at the Foley Sports Tourism Event Center.
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Autauga County Schools Bayside Academy Shrimp Festival Bayshore Christian School Youth for Art Winners Thankful for its Blessings
Bayside Academy students had a very strong showing in the Middle and High School Divisions of the 47th Annual National Shrimp Festival Youth for Art Competition. We are so proud of our students’ performance in this very competitive event. Middle School Division - Best of Show: Samuel Carpenter (8th grade); First Place: Samantha Beall (8th grade). High School Division - First Place: Anna Schmidt (11th grade); Second Place: Gavin Mims (11th grade). Pictured L to R: Shrimp Festival Fine Arts Co-Chairman Lee Kramer, Gavin Mims, Anna Schmidt, Samuel Carpenter, Samantha Beall, Shrimp Festival Fine Arts Co-Chairman Ron Arnold, and Coastal Alabama Business Chamber Special Events Coordinator Suzetta Mimms.
Eastern Shore Parents I December 2018
Bayshore Christian School is proud to be wrapping up a record-breaking year! They reached a record enrollment of 384 students in K4-12th grades. BCS seniors have earned an average ACT score of 29. A BCS student was recognized as a National Merit semifinalist and one was recognized as a commended student. BCS began competing athletically in the AHSAA this year. BCS students served their community by collecting donations for the homeless, beautifying Mobile Bay, and preparing Thanksgiving meals at a local food bank. Bayshore is proud to recognize all of the blessings God has bestowed upon them this year.
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Spanish Fort H.S. Students of the Month
Congratulations to the Spanish Fort High School October Students of the Month! 9th - Sakina Tirmizi, 10th - Olivia Lee, 11th - Audrey Miller, 12th - Lindsey Lambert.
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Chemistry at St. Michael
Students in Honors and CP Chemistry classes have been studying separation of mixtures. They performed a chromatography experiment and separated the dyes in Kool-Aid. Thanks to their teacher, Miss Lisa East, for keeping things interesting. Pictured are Sam Swanson and Ryan Brown.
International Festival
Bayshore Theater Club Qualifies for State Competition
Bayshore Christian School's Theater Club recently competed in the Trumbauer Theater Festival in Mobile. Their one-act show, “Arsenic and Old Lace� received the Superior Award and earned them a spot in the state competition for the third year in a row! Additionally, several students competed in individual events and received very high marks. Hamp Oldshue received the award for Best Supporting Actor. Wes Cochran, Ethan Colbert, Tillery French, Abigail Macaro, Ashlyn Scism, and Bryant Stevens received recognition as AllStar Cast Members. Evan Doremus received an Excellence Award for his one-man stand-up routine. Finally, Wes Cochran, Camryn Sexton, and Wyatt Bracken received an Excellence Award in group acting. The BCS Theater Club will travel to Florence in the spring to represent the school at the state competition.
Daphne East 6th grade students enjoyed the International Festival.
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Conference Day at Gulf Shores Elementary
Gulf Shores Elementary School first grader Michael Wyatt welcomes his mom, Simone Wyatt, to his classroom for their Student-Led Conference Day, where all students shared their Leader in Me leadership notebooks. It was a fantastic day for GSES students and families!
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Autauga County Schools
Red Ribbon Week at Fairhope Intermediate School
Fairhope Intermediate fifth graders in Mrs. Anderson and Mrs. Alman’s classes kicked off Red Ribbon Week with the help of Lonnie McKinney, Baldwin County Drug Task Force, and Brett Anderson, former Baldwin County ADA. Mr. McKinney and Mr. Anderson talked to the students about the dangers of drugs and how they can help fight drugs in their own community. As the nation’s largest and oldest drug prevention campaign, Red Ribbon Week reaches over 80 million people each year throughout the United States, and Fairhope Intermediate’s students are proud to be a part of it!
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GSMS Shrimp Fest Art Contest Winner
The Coastal Alabama Business Chamber, Annual National Shrimp Festival, and sponsor RE/MAX of Gulf Shores, recently announced the winners of the 2018 Youth for Art contest. The Youth for Art program exists to encourage student artists in the area and to support school art programs in Baldwin County. Congratulations to Kaylee Steele from Gulf Shores Middle School for placing 2nd in the middle school division.
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Daphne High School Teacher of the Year
Being a good teacher has many different definitions or characteristics depending on who you’re asking. Recently Daphne announced their teacher of the year, Mrs. Deborah Few. She is an English teacher for AP, IB, and Standard. Along with teaching these courses, she is also the sponsor of Girl Service Club, Project Outreach, and the IB coordinator. “It’s, humbling. It’s amazing and humbling, and I’m very honored,” Mrs. Few said. Mrs. Few has been a resident in Daphne for the past fifteen years with three years in Williamsburg/ Jamestown, VA. She has four children- Anna, Katelyn, Wilson, and William who are actively involved in the community and school. Her family and she are lovers of anything outdoors and active. Mrs. Few is also a huge fan of historical sights and tries to put in order trips/ activities to historical places. “I’ve known Mrs. Few for four and half years; we traveled to Europe together every summer with students. She’s awesome. I think Mrs. Few cares more about Daphne High School than anybody else because she has kids here [and] she lives in the community. She’s always trying to make this a better place, and she is always the first person to help out with anything,” Mrs. Helms said. She has a B.A. in Secondary Language Arts (English, Journalism, Speech/communications/ Theatre), AVID Program (Advancement Via Individual Determination College Prep) Training- San Diego, 2011, and College of William & Mary SURN Education programVTALL Program (Visible Teaching Leading and Learning) 2011-2012. Mrs. Few has graced Daphne High School, and the community as a whole, with her hard work, dedication, and community to everyone. She will continue to thrive for her family, friends, and community.
Bayside Academy Veterans Day Assembly
Bayside Academy’s Intermediate School students held a special assembly on Monday, November 12 to recognize veterans in honor of Veterans Day. Pictured, Bayside fourth-grade student Joseph Williams with his uncle, Stephen Legg. 35
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Kindergarten Thanksgiving Project at Orange Beach Elementary
Mrs. Lynn’s kindergarten class at Orange Beach Elementary School completed “I turned my turkey into a ….” project at home and shared them with the class. Some of the turkeys turned into a snowman, gumball machine, mouse, Santa Claus and a box of popcorn! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Autauga County Schools
Bayside Academy Homecoming
Senior Madelyn Mixon was crowned as Bayside’s 2018 Homecoming Queen during the October 19 Homecoming football game vs. St. Michael Catholic High School. Congratulations to the 2018 Homecoming Court: Freshman Caroline Crum; sophomore Sophie Barkan; junior Tori Roush; and seniors Sophie Akyuz, Lucy Barnes, Amalie Beard, Kennedy Bedford, Ann-Margaret Boothe, Georgia Brown, Ella Cate Cooper, Laurel Cunningham, Maggie Davis, Mallory Downey, Aubrey Engeriser, Alexa Fucich, Mary Helene Hall, Grace Hollingsworth, Rebecca Klimjack, Riley McGlasson, Maddy McPhillips, Madelyn Mixon, Annie O’Neill, Emily O’Neill, Jessie Peterson, Lily Radcliff, Ashley Suchan, Mae Taul, Ainsley Terrell, Anna Turner, Avery Vosen,, Mary Frances Will, and Harper Wise. Senior members of the Bayside Academy 2018 Homecoming Court. First row (L to R): Ashley Suchan, Emily O’Neill, Maddy McPhillips, Mary Helene Hall, Rebecca Klimjack, Kennedy Bedford, Queen Madelyn Mixon, Harper Wise, Jessica Peterson, Sophie Akyuz, Ainsley Terrell, Aubrey Engeriser, and Mallory Downey. Back row: Riley McGlasson, Laurel Cunningham, Mae Taul, Lucy Barnes, Annie O’Neill, Lily Radcliff, Mary Frances Will, Avery Vosen, Grace Hollingsworth, Amalie Beard, Anna Turner, Ann-Margaret Boothe, Ella Cate Cooper, Georgia Brown, and Maggie Davis.
Send School News and Photos to: lynn@easternshoreparents.com!
BCHS Tigerettes, Tiger for a Day
Baldwin County High School had some very special guests take part in a recent pep rally and field show as part of the Tiger Band Auxiliaries. Several little girls participated as Tigerette for a Day and Tiger Guard for a Day representatives. Joining the Tigerettes dance team were Leah Stuart, Shelby Stewart, Cale Jones, Lauren Walker, Linden Wigstrom, Annabelle Stevens and Macy Harrison. Tiger Guard for Day included Payton Brown, Victoria Ferguson, Olivia Ferguson and Bella Crook. All of the young ladies were able to participate in the school’s pep rally along with their high school counterparts, enjoyed a pre-game meal with the teams, and got to perform in the band stands and during the half-time show. The opportunity to be a Tigerette and Tiger Guard for a Day was donated by the organization as silent auction items for local community events. In addition to participating with the teams, each young lady was presented a commemorative uniform and T-shirt designed especially for them.
Christ the King Soccer Champs
The Christ the King D4 soccer team beat St. Ignatius 3-2 in the Toy Bowl championship game! The team was also the division champion, having an undefeated regular season. Way to go Saints! Eastern Shore Parents I December 2018
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CTK FOOTBALL CHAMPS
Fairhope Sailing Team Sails On
Congratulations to the Christ the King D4 football team who beat St. Mary 36-8 in the Toy Bowl championship game!
Congratulations to our Fairhope H.S. Sailing Team! The FHS Sailing Team raced in the Mississippi High School Championship in Gulfport, MS. After a weekend full of cold and rough conditions, the FHS Sailing Team won Second Place Overall! FHS Sailors: Liam Bishop, Kip Buck, Parker French, Elijah Healy, Adler Rux, Chandler Teloney, Gavin & Nathan Valentine, and Catherine Zubler.
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Exceptional Foundation Celebrates Birthday with Virtual School
Exceptional Foundation Gulf Coast celebrated its 7th Birthday with one of Baldwin County Virtual School’s clubs. No Barriers is a club that seeks to raise awareness and acceptance for individuals with special needs. EFGC participants and BCVS students dressed in an 80’s theme to mark the occasion. Exceptional Foundation Gulf Coast is a non-profit program that provides social and recreational opportunities for individuals with special needs in Baldwin & Mobile counties.
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Autauga County Schools
Honoring Veterans at Daphne Middle School
Daphne Middle School had its annual Veterans Day Program on November 7. We honor every soldier who served and has made many sacrifices for the freedom of our country. Our teachers and students gave thanks and listened to the valuable lessons that they preached for us, especially Reverend Jackson. We hope everyone celebrated our veterans and honored them!
Silverhill Helps Florida Hurricane Victims
Our amazing students at Silverhill and their families have poured out their generosity to help relieve the worries of the communities in Florida that were drastically impacted by Hurricane Michael. This community service project was sponsored by the Silverhill National elementary Honor Society.
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Spanish Fort’s Lady Toros Win State Championship
Congratulations to Coach Gretchen Boykin and the Lady Toros Volleyball Team from Spanish Fort High School on winning the 2018 Class 6A State Championship! We are so proud of you ladies and all that you have accomplished this season! What a great way to finish! GO TOROS!
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Green Screen Technology at SFMS 8th grade Spanish Fort Middle students in Mrs. Stewart’s class utilized new green screen technology during their reading of “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. Groups created newscasts as a way to present information from their novella. Students collaborated with each other while making real-world connections in their learning. Pictured from left to right: Ella Britain, Gracie Stoner, Briley Wiggins, Ariana Rodriquez-Palamino.
Rosinton Red Ribbon Week
Rosinton Elementary School’s sixth grade students celebrated Red Ribbon Week in style!
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How to Protect Your Kid from “Fortnite” Scams
fake ones. These fake domains mimic developer Epic Games’ and Fortnite’s real styles, colors, and fonts to fool people. Some even put “Fortnite” in the URL. These sites also collect personal information, but they often go a step further in directly charging a credit card or bank account.
The popular game has become an easy way for scammers to trick kids into sharing way too much information
Social media scams. One of the most popular ways that scams are spread is through social media. Fake sites and V-Bucks generators often encourage people to share their links to get more points, which helps expose the scam to more people. Plus, these links often direct users to suspicious apps and malware that can also target your kid’s personal information.
You were just getting used to your kid’s obsession with Fortnite, and now, all you hear about is V-Bucks. V-Bucks, like Robux on Roblox, are Fortnite’s in-game currency. Players use them to buy the fun “skins” (characters and outfits) and “emotes” (those hilarious dances like “Flossing” and “Take the L”) that kids will say they totally need to make Fortnite even cooler. For the record: You don’t need V-Bucks to play Fortnite, and if you do spring for them, they cost real money. Also, online scammers are all over V-Bucks. Fortnite’s incredible popularity among kids has made it an easy target for rip-off artists trying to make some actual bucks while the game is hot. A recent study from online security company ZeroFox discovered more than 4,700 fake Fortnite websites, and the company sent out more than 50,000 security alerts about Fortnite scams in a single month. Kids are particularly vulnerable to requests to turn over personal information, including names and email addresses or even credit card numbers. Here’s how you can spot the scam and protect your kids.
YouTube video scams. Similar to link-sharing scams on social media, there are tons of YouTube videos offering free V-Bucks and more. These fake videos and accounts have millions of views and send gamers to other sketchy sites. Fake Android apps. After Epic Games made the controversial decision not to offer their Android app in the Google Play Store, scammers took advantage by putting up fake Fortnite apps. Although they’re designed to look like Fortnite, they’re really data theft and malware distributors in disguise.
Tips to avoid getting scammed Talk to your kids about how to spot and avoid Fortnite scams and other scams online. Here are some tips to keep your kid’s information private and your money safe: Be cautious when you give out private information. Tell kids to check with you before filling out forms, quizzes, registration pages, and the like on a website or app. For older kids, teach them to think carefully about why a site or app might want your data.
What to watch out for V-Bucks generators. “V-Bucks generators” are one of the biggest online Fortnite scams. These are often websites that offer people points for watching or clicking on ads, and these points can supposedly be traded in for free V-Bucks within Fortnite. Not only do these free V-Bucks never appear, these sites often try to collect people’s Fortnite usernames and passwords or have them take surveys where they submit personal data under the pretense of verifying that they’re human.
Only spend real money through official platforms. PlayStation, Xbox, Epic Games’ official website, and the official Fortnite app are the only places to buy V-Bucks. Anything else is a scam. Double-check URLs and domain names. Talk to kids about scams and how some sites or apps look very similar to the official ones but are designed to trick you into giving up money or information. Domain names and URLs might have only one letter or symbol that’s different from the original, so look carefully.
Fake domains. Similar to V-Bucks generators, there are also tons of sites that offer free V-Bucks or trick people into buying Eastern Shore Parents I December 2018
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A Page in a Book A Sense of Belonging A child’s first sense of belonging emerges within their family, an inborn connection. As they grow, they develop social skills and begin to find commonalities with their peers. They may find themselves happily embedded in a group of fellow dinosaur fanatics, or in complete synch with basketball teammates. Belonging can emerge quickly through shared interests or evolve slowly as children discover connection with others. As social creatures, a sense of belonging in family, among friends, and within community offers strong emotional benefits. The following titles follow journeys from solo experience toward the best sense of belonging.
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Kitten and The Night Watchman
by John Sullivan, Illustrated by Taeeun Yoo (Simon & Schuster) Leaving the embrace of his family as the sun sets, a night watchman heads to his job when the evening comes. As the only person patrolling a vast construction work site, he moves among the buildings and equipment alone, his flashlight casting shadows that bring a bit of life to the darkness. But when a small figure emerges to join him on his rounds, his journey becomes a little less solitary. As the sun starts to pink the morning sky, the two sentinels who started their journey solo find their paths merging toward a common destination. A quiet balance between solitude and companionship, Kitten and the Night Watchman navigates the full circle from leavetaking to homecoming.
Am I Yours?
by Alex Latimer (Peachtree Atlanta) After a gusty wind pushes a big spotted egg off its nest and sends it tumbling across a prehistoric landscape, a voice from inside the shell begins a rolling inquiry to find out where it belongs. “Excuse me, please, but am I yours? I’m sure I am a dinosaur’s” is the egg’s opening query as he encounters potential parents. A procession of dinosaurs query the egg’s occupant about its characteristics (as they can’t see inside) hoping to discover its nest home. As spikes, horns, long necks, and crests are eliminated from the egg’s self-image, a picture of exactly where the egg fits begins to emerge. Moving from generalities to specifics, Am I Yours? is an adorable rhyming Q & A that leads a little one back to the home where they belong.
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Found
by Jeff Newman and Larry Day (Simon & Schuster) While a thunderstorm pours rain through the city streets, a young girl spots a puppy alone among the puddles. Bringing him in from the weather, she slowly assembles the things that might help him recover and feel at home. She has some dog food, a small bed, and a leash on hand. The observant reader of this carefully illustrated wordless title will begin to discern that the girl has recently lost a dog of her own. The relationship between the girl and pup is hesitant and careful. Should this dog belong to her? Should she give up on the search for her lost companion? Crafted with care, Found is a surprisingly tender exploration of how we navigate loss and find the connections that bring us back where we belong.
Find more reading recommendations at www.PageBookMedia.com.
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Dental Insurance for Kids? Q. Should I keep buying dental insurance for my kids, or is it just a gimmick? A. Dental insurance is one of those things
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where it’s easy to see that the payout is greater than the return. We’ve had dental insurance proposed to us at my company several times as an employee benefit, but when you add up what you pay for it you’ll find you rarely spend that much on dentistry. In many cases, I advise self-insuring for dental care. Now, there is a dental discount company I highly recommend called 1Dental. com. This kind of thing is worth it. As a member, you get discounted rates on
dental work when you visit an in-network provider. I’ve gotten to know the folks behind this organization, too, and they’re great people.
Strained Relationship Over Borrowed Money Q. I borrowed some money from my parents in January, and it took a few months longer to pay them back than originally planned. Since then, I’ve noticed our relationship seems to be strained. They will sometimes make remarks about money when I’m around, and it’s obvious the things they say are aimed at me. I don’t want things to be like this between us during the holidays. I have taken steps to become more financially responsible, like watching my spending and living on a budget, so how can I address this issue with them? A. I’m sorry you’re going through this, but I hope everyone has learned a valuable
lesson. It’s okay to give money sometimes, as long as you’re not enabling irresponsible behavior in the process. But loaning money to or borrowing from friends and relatives will often lead to bruised feelings. If you paid them back, especially if it took longer than expected or agreed upon, there’s not much you can do if they choose to hold a grudge. With some folks, it just takes a little while for those kinds of things to heal. And considering it’s your parents, my guess is they’ll become more and more forgiving with time. Until then, maybe you could look for opportunities during conversations with them to mention your new approach to finances. Something as simple as referring your budget, or getting excited about how much you were able to put into savings from your last paycheck, might get their attention. A few subtle hints that you’re actively working to gain control of your finances might go a long way with your parents. If they realize you’re starting to handle your money more wisely, I’ll bet you’d start to notice a real difference in their attitudes!
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Whether you couldn’t find a sitter for New Year’s Eve or you just don’t feel like fighting holiday traffic, you can still have a fun, kid-friendly celebration. The key is to keep the kids occupied as the clock counts down. We’ve gathered a few family friendly ideas to help you ring in 2019.
Here are some ideas of what to stuff the bags with: Party hats and noisemakers Party poppers Candy A deck of cards and game instructions Pens and paper to write New Year’s Resolutions Craft projects Glow Sticks Bubbles
Countdown the hours
Milk and cookie cocktails
There are so many fun ways to help kids mark time until the new year arrives.Pick the time you want to start (and end!) and count down the hours by opening a bag, package, or even popping a balloon. Mark each bag with the time and include a fun activity for each hour. This need not be expensive. Eastern Shore Parents I December 2018
Every party needs snacks! Serve up milk and cookies in style by coating the rims of small glasses or even wine glasses with colorful sprinkles. Spread a thin layer of honey or corn syrup on a plate, and then pour out sprinkles onto a 44
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separate plate. Simply dip the rims of glasses in honey or corn syrup then dredge in the sprinkles. (Leave the glass upside down in the sprinkles for a few minutes so that the sprinkles don’t slide down the glass!) Cool the glasses in the fridge, fill with cold milk and serve with cookies.
DIY noisemakers Create DIY noisemakers for midnight from objects around the house. Decorate empty, lidded canisters such as butter containers, coffee cans, Pringles cans, etc., and add dried beans or rice to make shakers. Or thread large jingle bells onto pipe cleaners, then twist the pipe cleaner together at the ends for a jingle bracelet.
Sparkling science Younger kids love to watch bubbles grow when vinegar is added to baking soda. You can glam up this simple science experiment by mixing glitter or confetti to the baking soda. To do this, mix together baking soda and glitter or confetti in a shallow bowl (be sure to use plastic confetti, not paper). When kids add drops of vinegar with droppers to the soda mixture, it will produce sparkling bubbles. If you don’t have droppers, kids can pour small amounts of vinegar over the baking soda with cups.
Balloons, balloons, balloons It’s not a party without balloons, right? These confetti-filled balloons will brighten up your space, then you can pop them at midnight for a confetti shower! (www.amazon.com/dp/B01HUNHKP2/ref=dp_cerb_1)
Bake a clock
You can fill these with helium or not – either way, the kids will love them. If you really want to wow the kids, stage your own balloon drop! You can make one by taping a plastic party tablecloth filled with balloons to your ceiling, or buy this kit.
If your kids love baking, a fun and delicious activity is to make a countdown clock. You can do this by baking cookies or cupcakes and arranging the treats in a circle on a round serving platter or pizza pan. Decorate each with the numbers of the clock and use licorice sticks such as Twizzlers as clock hands to mark the time.
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can be as simple or elaborate as you wish! Grab a shoebox or big manila envelope and gather your time capsule items. Ideas for what to include: your child’s handprint, a family picture, and an interview. Questioning your kids about their current likes and dislikes, life goals, and more is fun in the moment and to look back on next year. Simply google “interview questions for kids” for ideas on what questions to ask – some bloggers even offer printable Q-and-A forms. Once finished, tuck away your time capsule and open next year.
(www.amazon.com/Plastic-Balloon-Party-Accessory-count/dp/ B000R4PX0G/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1537891293&sr=84&keywords=balloon+drop+kit)
Photo booth Even if it’s just you and the kiddos, why not have a photo booth? No need for an elaborate set-up, tacking up a sheet or plastic tablecloth to the wall to use as a background works well. Gather fun props from around the house such as hats and sunglasses or buy a New Year’s Eve photo booth prop set.
New Year’s Eve picture books
(www.amazon.com/Big-Dot-Happiness-Years-Party/dp/B011 AC07UO/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=15378913 78&sr=1-2-spons&keywords=2019+photo+booth+props&psc=1)
The night can get long and a quiet break for storytime is good for everyone. Try one of these holiday-themed books to balance out the activities.
Christmas crackers
“The Night Before New Year’s” by Natasha Wing: The kids want to stay up until midnight, but can they make it?
Christmas crackers may be traditional for Christmas dinner, but they’re equally as fun for New Year’s Eve. These brightly wrapped cylinders are pulled apart, breaking the cracker open with a popping sound. Be sure to check the prizes inside before purchase to get kid-friendly items (most boxes of crackers have a description on the back of the box). Here is one option:
“Squirrel’s New Year’s Resolution” by Pat Miller: A fun way to explain New Year’s Resolutions to children. “Shante Keys and the New Year’s Peas” by Gail PiernasDavenport: This book introduces kids to the way New Year’s is celebrated in different cultures.
(www.amazon.com/Christmas-Crackers-Holly-Set-Handmade/dp/ B0119O9YA2/ref=sr_1_2_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1537891574&sr= 1-2&keywords=christmas+crackers)
Whatever you choose to do with your family on the eve of the New Year, you can make sure it’s memorable with these surefire party pleasers. ESP
Family time capsule Putting a time capsule together as a part of your New Year’s Eve activities can be a nice way to reflect on the past year. This
Eastern Shore Parents I December 2018
Tiffany Guerzon is a freelance writer and contributor to many parent magazines.
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ParentingToday’sTeens by Mark Gregston
Parent-Teen Relationship Destroyers I have never had a mom tell me, “I want my daughter to be perfect,” or had a dad say, “I want to have absolute authority over my son.” Certainly, no parents have ever announced, “We want to be judgmental.” But I have heard hundreds of girls say, “My mom wants me to be perfect,” and hundreds of young men have said to me, “My dad rules our home with an iron fist.” And, thousands of teens have told me, “My parents are the most judgmental people I know.” As parents, we want a strong relational bond with our teens. But sometimes, despite our good intentions, we can be doing the very things that destroy these relationships. So what are the primary culprits that break our connection with our kids? Here are the four “most wanted” relationship destroyers.
#1: DEMANDING PERFECTION
At a recent parenting seminar, I asked each mom and dad to pull out their cell phone and text this question to their teen, “Do you think I expect you to be perfect?” After about five minutes, every phone in the auditorium started beeping with replies. About 95% of the teens said they did believe their parents wanted them to be perfect. As parents, we want great things for our kids. That’s why we try so hard to push them towards excellence. But there’s a line between encouraging excellence and creating unreasonable expectations. When we place unattainable standards before our kids, we always risk raising expectations so high that our kids just give up. Some kids will begin to rebel to prove they are in control of their own lives. Others will become hyper-aware of the high standards and turn to drastic measures in order to achieve them. We need to balance between wanting the best for our teens, and setting up impossible expectations. If you have never shared your personal flaws with your kids, they haven’t had an opportunity to see what it’s like to live with imperfection. Instead, they think that faultlessness is normal. By admitting your flaws, you give your kid permission to make mistakes Eastern Shore Parents I December 2018
and be imperfect, and you allow your teen to connect with you in a deeper way. Plus, as your kids see your own successes and failures, they’ll understand that it’s possible to have a good life even when they’ve messed up and fallen short.
#2: HAVING A JUDGMENTAL ATTITUDE
This relationship destroyer is sneaky. I’ve witnessed parents using voice inflection, body language, and even Bible verses to make a valid point to their son or daughter— but the child only hears a harsh judgment being given. When you take a stand on issues like marijuana, homosexuality, religion, or even movies, your child may interpret your words as unfair criticism. Now, it might sound like your teen is putting words in your mouth. I mean, you’re not a judgmental person, right? But let me ask you; have you rolled your eyes when your daughter came out wearing certain outfits? Have you withheld hugs or signs of affection when your son disappointed you? We’ve all been there at one time or another. The problem is, these actions can be seen as coming from a judgmental spirit, and teens pick up on that quickly. It’s okay to voice your concern or disappointment, but be careful that you don’t belittle your kids or look down on their friends when you do so. Display grace in your actions and attitudes. And take time to listen to your son or daughter with a caring heart. You don’t have to offer your opinion to every conversation. But if your teen does ask you to speak into a topic, preface your thoughts with, “I don’t want you to think I’m being judgmental, but these are my feelings.”
#3: THE NEED TO CONTROL
As parents, we want to protect our kids. But our desire to protect can morph into an unconscious habit of control. And that habit crushes relationships! Do you want to control your son when he’s 20? Of course not! How about 18? I would guess “no.” So what about when he’s 48
15? You can see where I’m going. If you don’t want to be controlling your children when they’re adults, the teenage years are the best training grounds for slowly and carefully making that handoff. When teens feel like mom and dad control every aspect of their life, that’s when they start to act out. Rebellion is an effort to take back decision-making power, even if the resulting decisions are very poor ones. There was a sweet girl who was staying with us at our Heartlight campus and she was fond of piercings, but her parents were not. For this teen, piercing her body was a way to take control back from her parents who (with good intentions) maintained tight control over her life. Once the parents started to let their daughter make more decisions on her own, guess what? Somehow, those piercings started to disappear.
#4: CONSTANT NEGATIVTY
Try this little exercise this week—start counting the times you say, “You need to…” “What you should’ve done…” (or phrases like these) to your teen. You may be surprised how many times those types of comments come out of your mouth. A foolproof method to get your kid to shut down is to speak more negative than positive words into their lives. If you spend more time criticizing than encouraging, judging than training, condemning than approving, you’re slowly eating away at a relationship with your child. Be intentional about finding positive behaviors, actions, and attitudes for which you can praise your child. I realize that these words are tough to take. It’s not easy to hear that something we may be doing as parents is destroying our relationship with our kids. We can all readily admit that we don’t have parenting down perfectly. To build great relationships with our kids, we have to be willing to evaluate our attitudes and actions, and continue building strong and healthy ties with our teens. Mark Gregston is an author, speaker, radio host, and the founder of a residential counseling center for struggling teens located in Longview, Texas. Mark’s passion for helping teens can be seen in his 40 years of involvement with families as a youth pastor, Young Life area director, and now, as the Executive Director of Heartlight, where he has lived with and helped over 2,700 teens. To find out more about Mark and his ministry to parents and teens, you can visit www.HeartlightMinistries.org or www.ParentingTodaysTeens.org.
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Are you excited about the holidays, but dreading the end-of-year rush? If so, you are not alone. Most parents approach the season with equal parts excitement and trepidation, which can lead to difficulties with decision-making from moment to moment. That’s why I’ve created this list of twenty-one reminders to help you preserve your family’s good cheer all the way through the most wonderful time of the year. 1. Go For Good Enough. If you have an idea in your mind of the “perfect” holiday, you may to be disappointed when your imperfect brood can’t uphold your image. Aim for “good enough” instead. You’ll smile more if you can let unimportant things-like slightly burnt cookies, lights that won’t blink in unison, and late holiday cards-slide.
2. Just Hit Delete. If you think your holiday schedule is grossly overloaded, call a family meeting and vote on what to scratch off your joint to-do list. Decide what you don’t want to do, first. Then decide what matters most to each family member. A one-gift-per-family-member tradition might be a sanity-saving plan that sticks. Eastern Shore Parents I December 2018
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3. Call In Fresh Recruits. Even if you don’t normally hire a housecleaner, you probably could use some help now. Why not call in a cleaning service in midDecember and in mid-January to bookend the holidays, even if you don’t use one the rest of the year? Consider it a holiday present to yourself.
4. Hum Your Favorite Tunes. Haul out your seasonal music early before you tire of the omnipresent muzak that is sure to come. Load up your smart phone or iPod and carry headphones in your purse to jolly things up when you are ticking chores and errands off your to-do list. If your old faves are getting overplayed, jazz up your playlist with some fresh downloads or albums. 5. Shop The Plan. First, the plan: write down the names of everyone you truly want to give to and what you think they would like. Then, the shop: keep the list in your wallet to jog your memory when hunting down a gift each person you cherish. For store shopping, pay cash, so you won’t overspend. For online shopping, search for coupons before ordering and act early for cheaper shipping.
6. Sip Your Way To Heaven. When you are having a hectic day, take a timeout. Warm up or buy an extra-hot cup of Chai tea with a spritz of whipped cream on top. The spices will put you back in touch with your senses and the warmth will spread through your belly and soothe your frazzled cheer.
9. Bring Mother Nature Inside. Pine cones, holly, evergreen boughs, twigs, and poinsettias all remind us that there is life hibernating underneath that blanket of snow or wicked frost. Gather reminders of the season from your backyard or local garden shop and decorate the front hall,
7. Get Bazaar. Take the whole family to a local holiday craft bazaar. Look for gifts for teachers and other folks who enrich your family life. Give each child a spending limit and enjoy interacting with the vendors. Plan to spend a couple of hours browsing, so you can soak up all the creative energy.
8. Take Thirty. Line up winter reads from the library or download them onto your e-reader. Encourage the whole family to take 30 minutes a day to relax and read. Collections of short stories or essays are good choices for moms with very young or multiple children. This is a great way for everyone to decompress after a busy day.
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mantle, and stairway. Remember: simple is as merry as ornate.
10. Huggy Holidays. Use “Happy Holidays!” as an excuse to hug your loved ones often. Every time you feel stressed, hug or get hugged. Your holiday stress will melt away.
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11. Stay Healthy. Put holiday-scent-
15. Question Tradition. Traditions are
ed soaps by every sink and encourage plenty of hand washing. Install a bottle of hand-sanitizer next to every box of tissues. Chase every “Ah-choo!” away. (But stock up on cold medicines, just in case, to avoid midnight trips to the market.)
wonderful, but let’s face it, sometimes even the fondest can become tired. So, if you don’t feel like tromping around all afternoon hunting for the most splendiferous evergreen on the tree farm or frying the most perfect potato latkes, buy a pre-cut tree at your local grocery store or pick up latkes at the deli instead. Use saved time to enjoy tree trimming or dreidel playing instead.
12. Lighten Up. Twinkling lights create a comforting mood. Don’t limit shimmery lights to the tree and outdoor eves. If it sounds fun, bring some solace into the kid’s bedrooms as well as yours.
13. Take A Deep Breath. Bring some uplifting scents into your cleaning routine. Check out the Mrs. Meyers brand of earthfriendly cleaning supplies. Your home and laundry will smell winter-wonderful.
14. Enjoy Spreading Cheer. Save the annual holiday letter composing and Christmas card address labeling for when you can carve out time to relax and enjoy the process. And don’t try to do it all yourself. Break the job down into steps and enlist the whole family. Remember: taking everything on without helpers is naughty, not nice.
16. Create Classic Memories. Play hooky from holiday prep for the day and go ice-skating or play in the cold with your kids. Drink hot chocolate. Take lots of family photos. Build a fire. Goof off. Enjoy the grins.
17. Save It For A Heatwave. If you are really feeling a time crunch, don’t donate time to help the less fortunate during holiday time. Give time later during a less hectic time of year. There are people in need throughout every season, after all.
one in your brood has warm tootsies as the mercury plunges.
19. Hit The Hay Harder. There’s less light during the winter. Take advantage of it and put the kids to bed an hour earlier than normal. There’s the extra hour you need to keep some hustle in your holiday muscle or at least wrap some presents without interruption.
20. Pop Plenty Of Corn. Line up holiday movie classics in your mail order DVD queue. Watch some with the kids and some with your honey in the wee hours.
21. Deck The Bathroom. Hang up some scented pomanders. Bring in lots of little candles (beyond the reach of little hands, of course). Look for winter-scented bath indulges in Juniper, Cedar or Musk. Sink into a bubble bath wonderland. Forget your name for ten minutes.
18. Sock It To ‘Em. Don’t wait until the
You’ll feel more holly-jolly if can get calm and stay centered all holiday season long. Happy holy days! ESP
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Christina Katz is an author, journalist, and writing coach, who adores the holidays. She’ll take the rush, so long as she gets the hush, too.
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SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT Glass Orthodontics is proud to offer a wide range of orthodontic treatments, as well as solutions for sleep apnea and TMJ pain. We treat patients of all ages and have three convenient locations to better serve you. With complimentary consultations, exible appointments, and interest-free payment plans, our practice gives you something to smile about!
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Now – December 24 Wales West Arctic Express ad on page 57
@ Wales West RV Resort and Light Railway 13670 Smiley Street Silverhill, AL 36576 Enjoy a steam train ride to the North Pole and visit Santa Claus with the whole family! Travel through a snowy winter wonderland featuring more than 1 million twinkling lights and receive a free toy as a memento of your trip. It’s the perfect opportunity for a family photo. We will also feature a petting zoo with pony rides, miniature train rides, a hayless hayride, bounce house, and artificial snow! Tickets can be purchased on our website or at the railroad for $15 per person (plus tax). Ages 2 and under are free. Group rates, field trips, and parties can be booked in advance. Open now Friday – Sunday from 4:00pm - 9:00pm. Beginning December 12th, we will open nightly from 4:00pm - 9:00pm.
(888) 569-5337 or (251) 232-2322 www.waleswest.com
Now - December 31 Christmas Magic in Lights ad on page 35
@ Bellingrath Gardens 12401 Bellingrath Gardens Rd Theodore, AL 36582 It’s one of the nation’s best holiday light shows! Designed and made right here at Bellingrath Gardens. Stroll through a dazzling nighttime display with more than 1,100 set pieces, 3 million lights and 15 scenes throughout the 65-acre Garden estate. Walking tour hours are 5pm - 9pm nightly. (251) 973-2217 bellingrath@bellingrath.org www.bellingrath.org
Now - January 1 Christmas Night of Lights ad on page 55
@ Hank Aaron Stadium 755 Bolling Brothers Boulevard Mobile, AL 36606 Come enjoy one of the most amazing drive-thru Christmas light shows you will ever experience. Over 1 million LED lights, driven by over 10,000 computer channels, synchronized to both traditional and new rocking Christmas music playing through Eastern Shore Parents I December 2018
your car radio. Pack your vehicle full of friends and family to enjoy the show as you begin a new Christmas tradition. Time: 5:30pm - 10:00pm. Cost: $6.00 per person, children 3 and under are free. www.christmasnightsoflights.com
December 1 Breakfast at the Manger ad on page 8
@ Fairhope United Methodist Church 155 South Section Street Fairhope, AL 36532 Join us for a pancake breakfast from 8:30am 10:30am for Breakfast at the Manger. Santa will be taking pictures with children and reading the story of the night Jesus was born! There will be family activity stations in the gym, tickets are $5 and every child will be given a gift. (251) 928-1148 www.fairhopeumc.org
December 8
December 18 Community Christmas Meal ad on page 47
@ 3Circle North Campus 10080 County Road 64 Daphne, Al 36526 Good Food, Great Friendships - There is no better way to bring in the holiday season! We invite you to join us at 3Circle Church North Campus at 6:00P for a Community Christmas Meal. You can RSVP at www.3circlechristmas.com. We hope to see you there!
ad on page 49
@ LuLu’s 200 East 25th Avenue Gulf Shores, AL 36542 Billy Claus and his LuLubelle’s will arrive in style, read a Christmas story, and listen to your wish list to pass on to Santa! Enjoy arts & crafts, live music and get your picture taken with Billy Claus and more fun from 1pm - 4pm. (251) 967-LULU (5858); www.LuluBuffett.com
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December 15-16
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Mobile Ballet presents “The Nutcracker” @ Mobile Civic Center 401 Civic Center Drive Mobile, AL 36602 Mobile Ballet will take you on a magical journey of brilliant dancing, sumptuous sets, and gorgeous costumes. This is a favorite for all ages. Performances Times are Saturday, December 15th at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sunday, December 16th at 2:30pm. (251) 342-2241 www.mobileballet.org
December 31 Noon Year’s Eve Celebration!
December 14
ad on page 49
Bells are Ringing! Bayshore Christian School ad on page 19
@ Fairhope First Baptist Church 300 South Section Street Fairhope, AL 36532 All of our students in grades K5-8 have been working hard to prepare for this concert. which will begin at 6:30pm. This year’s theme will be “Bells are Ringing!”. Our choral and instrumental ensembles will be performing, along with our student-led ensemble. Join us for a night of praising Jesus as we enter the Christmas season. The event is free and open to the public! (251) 929-0011 www.bayshorechristian.org
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ad on page 23
Billy Claus visits Lulu’s!
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@ Lulu’s 200 East 25th Avenue Gulf Shores, AL 36542 The Family friendly NOON Year’s Eve Celebration at LuLu’s starts at 10:00AM! Noon Year’s is a FREE family event for all ages to enjoy. We will have kid friendly activities, a massive beach ball drop when the clock strikes NOON! See you there! (251) 967-LULU (5858) www.LuluBuffett.com
Now - December 24 Photos with Santa at the Wharf
@ The Wharf 23101 Canal Road Orange Beach, AL 36561 Ho Ho Holiday photo time in Santa’s Village at The Wharf. Sit with jolly Claus and capture the moment
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forever! He has checked his list, twice actually, so make sure you are on your best behavior when you snap a frame-worthy picture. Fridays: 3pm - 7pm, Saturdays: 10am - 7pm and Sunday: 12pm - 6pm. *During Christmas Tree Lighting event (November 27th) from 5:30pm - 9:30pm. *The week before Christmas (December 17th – 22nd), from 10am7pm Monday - Saturday; *Christmas Eve (December 24th), from 10am-2pm.
Now - Christmas
Now - January 13
(251) 928-5095 www.facebook.com/DowntownFairhope
(251) 224-1000 info@alwharf.com www.alwharf.com
Ice Skating Rink
@ The Wharf 23101 Canal Road Orange Beach, AL 36561 Let us bring winter to you! Grab a pair of skates and glide, spin, or fall into the season. Regular Hours: 4pm - 10pm on Monday-Friday and 10am - 10pm on Saturday & Sunday. Thanksgiving Hours: (November 16 - 25) from 10am - 10pm. Christmas Hours: (December 19 - 31) 10am - 10pm. (251) 224-1000 info@alwharf.com www.alwharf.com
Now - December 23
Fish River Christmas Tree Farm
13982 Woodhaven Dairy Rd E Summerdale, AL Stroll through our 40-acre Christmas Tree Farm and evergreen nursery and view the wide selection of trees. We offer choose & cut trees, fresh cut fir and spruce trees, as well as displays of flocked trees (for pre-order) and container-grown, Living Trees to replant after the holidays. See activity dates in this directory for Santa visits, live manger scene, camel rides, train and more! Our nursery is now open year round and the tree farm is open daily from 8am - 5pm. (251) 988-8114 fishrivertrees@gulftel.com www.fishrivertrees.com
Now - December 23
Trim-A-Tree Christmas Event
@ Tanger Outlet (Suite 182) 2601 South McKenzie Street Foley, AL 36535 Local Artists and craftsmen offer unique one-of-akind ornaments, decorations, pottery, jewelry, and fine artwork to be sold on consignment. Sponsored by the Foley Art Center. Monday - Saturday 10am -7pm, Sundays 11am - 6pm. (251) 943-4381 foleytrimatree@gmail.com www.foleyartcenter.com
Send a Letter to Santa
@ Fairhope Welcome Center 20 North Section Street Fairhope, AL 36532 Children can send old Saint Nick a custom letter on stationery! AND the elves have assured us he will even write back! Just stick it in the shiny red mailbox provided at the Welcome Center and be sure to include your return address. Please stop by the Welcome Center for more information.
Weekends Only Now - December 23
Holiday Activities at the Farm
@ Fish River Christmas Tree Farm 13982 Woodhaven Dairy Road East Summerdale, AL 36580 Bring the family, choose a Christmas Tree and enjoy our fun Holiday activities (Fridays - Sundays Only) from 8am - 5pm. Take a free ride on The Tannebaum Express Tree Train for a farm tour, view our manger scene with live animals, Camel & Pony Rides ($5 per ride) and a Christmas Bounce House ($2 per child). Santa will also visit the Farm November 23-25, December 1-2 and December 8-9 only.
Coffee and Movies in the Park! Contact Vicky Norris, Alma Deoge or the Town Hall to participate or donate to the event! (251) 232-5393 townofelberta@gulftel.com www.townofelberta.com
Gingerbread Jam Gingerbread Building Contest
@ Orange Beach Community Center 27235 Canal Road Orange Beach, AL 36561 A gingerbread building competition to raise money for the City of Orange Beach’s Expect Excellence Culinary Arts Program. Building begins at 9am and opens to the public from 10am - 2pm for viewing. Admission is Free. Cookies and hot chocolate will be available for purchase. The Family category is $10 and will be judged at 12pm. The Business category is $25 and will be judged at 1pm. Up to 10 coworkers build and decorate a gingerbread village. Online promotions include: logo on website and social media, social media tags and mentions, inclusion in press releases and media content leading up to, during and after the event. Trophies will be awarded in each category. (251) 981-7836 or (251) 981-6028 jessicareneejones223@gmail.com
Honey Bee Festival & Run - Central Baldwin Educational Foundation
@ Gulf Shores United Methodist Church 1900 Gulf Shores Parkway (Highway 59) Gulf Shores, AL 36542 Wear your Christmas PJs and join us for breakfast, pictures with the angels, crafts, & games! The event begins at 9:00am in Room C101 (next to Crossroads & ReSale Heaven Thrift Store).
@ Honeybee Park Robertsdale, AL 36567 Join us for the 2018 Honeybee Festival and Run! This year’s event is from 8am - 3pm and will include a 5K and Fun Run, food vendors, shopping vendors, cornhole tournament, entertainment and more! This event is hosted by the Central Baldwin Education Foundation - a 501(c)(3) organization working to enhance, enrich, and support the education of public school students in the Central Baldwin area by providing support to supplement educational programs and activities. Online Race Registration is available on our website.
Elberta Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting
Mobile’s Singing Children Annual Christmas Concert - Ceremony of Carols
(251) 988-8114 fishrivertrees@gulftel.com www.fishrivertrees.com
December 1
Children’s Christmas Angel Breakfast
(251) 968-2411 info@gulfshoresumc.org www.gulfshoresumc.org
1305 Main Street Elberta, AL 36530 The Christmas parade begins at 5:30pm. Then enjoy the Tree Lighting, Santa, Cookies, Cocoa,
cbef08@gmail.com www.cbef.org
@ Cathedral of Immaculate Conception 2 South Claiborne Street Mobile, AL 36602 Mobile’s Singing Children Annual Christmas Con-
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cert. Performance at 7:00pm. Admission is free with 10.00 suggested donation at the door.
homemade casseroles to go. Saturday and Sunday from 9:00am - 3:00pm.
mobilesingingchildren@gmail.com www.mobilesingingchildren.org
(251) 928-5931 bazaar@stlawrencefairhope.com www.stlawrencechristmasbazaar.com
Robertsdale Christmas Parade & Christmas in the Park
December 1 & 8
@ Honeybee Park Robertsdale, AL 36567 Parade will start at 6:30pm and runs from Fairground Road to Honeybee Park. Christmas in the Park is sponsored by the Robertsdale Rotary Club. Family Fun and photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus begins at 7pm - 9pm. (251) 947-2626 www.centralbaldwin.com
Spanish Fort Spirit of Christmas Parade @ Eastern Shore Centre 30500 State Highway 181 Spanish Fort, AL 36527 The Parade begins at 9am. If you are interested in participating, a Parade Application may be downloaded from the City’s website. (251) 626-4884 www.cityofspanishfort.com
December 1 - 14
Gingerbread House Display and Contest
@ Bay Minette Public Library 205 West 2nd Street Bay Minette, AL 36507 Contestants must drop off on November 31st. Voting by the public is December 1st - 7th. Prizes will be awarded at 6:30pm on December 7th during Bedtime Stories with Santa. Houses will remain on display until December 14, 2018. See our Facebook page for entry forms and rules. (251) 580-1648 www.cityofbayminette.org
December 1 - 2
Coastal Ballet Academy Presents “The Nutcracker”
@ Foley Civic Center 407 East ?Laurel Avenue? Foley, AL 36535 Join us for the timeless classic and holiday cheer found in this magical rendition of The Nutcracker. Coastal Ballet’s local, classically trained ballerinas perform in this premier production, offering the community a wonderful start to the holiday season! The Saturday performance will begin at 7:00pm and Sunday performance begins at 2:00pm. Tickets are $15 each and available online. Photos in the sleigh with Clara or the Sugar Plum Fairy will be available after the ballet! (251) 968-1171 or (251) 979-9851 or (251) 269-3723 coastalballet@gmail.com www.coastalballet.org
It’s A Wonderful Life Radio Play
@ Theatre 98 350 Morphy Avenue Fairhope, AL 36532 Actors will portray the numerous characters of Bedford Falls. Sound effects will be created through Foley artists as you witness the magic of radio in 1947! Saturday 7:30pm - 9:30pm and Sunday 2:30pm - 4:30pm. Purchase tickets on our website under the Tickets tab. (251) 928-4366 theatre98boxoffice@att.net www.theatre98.org
St. Lawrence Christmas Bazaar
370 South Section Street Fairhope, AL 36532 Join us for our silent auction with over 200 items, over 40 vender booths, bake sale, various gift baskets and a Christmas Cafe. Unique art and antiques for purchase. Kids can shop in Santa’s Workshop, take pictures with Santa and enjoy the bouncy castle! We’ll have Gumbo and gourmet soups, home canned goods, baked goods, and Eastern Shore Parents I December 2018
City of Fairhope Santa Saturdays
@ Downtown Fairhope 24 Section Street Fairhope, AL 36532 Santa will be visiting Fairhope on December the 1st and 8th for Fairhope’s Santa Saturdays in front of the Fairhope Museum of History from 10:30 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Parents may bring their cameras to take pictures.
December 2 - 24
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@ Bass Pro Shop 20000 Bass Pro Drive Spanish Fort, AL 36527 Santa photos, children’s activities, crafts, games and more! A Bass Pass is required and provides a time slot to see Santa, allowing you to explore Santa’s Wonderland or shop the store while waiting in a virtual line. Bass Passes are limited and go quickly each day. Photos with Santa are Monday - Saturday 10am - 8pm & Sunday 10am - 5pm; Free Crafts Monday - Friday 5pm - 7pm, Saturday & Sunday 12pm - 5pm. Check the activity schedule online for updates. Times and activities subject to change.
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Santa’s Wonderland
(251) 929-1466 www.cofairhope.com
(251) 607-5900 www.basspro.com
December 1, 8 & 15
December 2, 8-9, 14-16
@ The Grand Hotel One Grand Boulevard Point Clear, AL 36564 Santa will be available for photographs from 8:00am - 11:00am. The breakfast buffet will be served from 7:00am - 10:30am. Adults (12 years +): $25.95, Child (5-11 years): $12.50, 4 years and under eat for free. Renaissance Portrait Studio will have photo packages available. Reservations are required. Please call to book your spot.
@ The Wharf 23101 Canal Road Orange Beach, AL 36561 Are you “saddled up” for the holidays yet? If not, then mosey on over to The Wharf and spend an evening under the moon in an enchanted horsedrawn carriage. Rides are from 5:00pm - 8:00pm. 6:00pm - 10:00pm. Dates will be announced soon. $25 per carriage ride for up to 4 people and $5 for a single rider.
Breakfast with Santa
(251) 928-9201 info@renaissanceportraits.com www.RenaissancePortraits.com
Horse and Carriage Rides
(251) 224-1000 info@alwharf.com www.alwharf.com
December 3
December 2
City of Spanish Fort Tree Lighting
7361 Spanish Fort Blvd Spanish Fort, AL 36527 Please join us at 6:00pm at the Spanish Fort Community Center dock for The City of Spanish Fort’s Christmas Annual Christmas Tree Lighting. Caroling for everyone to sing along! (251) 626-4884 www.cityofspanishfort.com
Expect Excellence Theatre Presents Hansel & Gretel
@ Orange Beach Community Center 27235 Canal Road Orange Beach, AL 36561 City of Orange Beach Expect Excellence Theatre Program presents Dom DeLuise’s Hansel and Gretel Brunch Theatre at 1:30pm. Tickets are $10 per person and includes brunch provided by Island Epicurean. Ages 6 and younger are free. Reserve tickets online. (251) 981-6028 www.goo.gl/forms/W3EulI2ei9sDS4Ri2
Holiday Sip N Shop
@ The Wharf 23101 Canal Road Orange Beach, AL 36561 Enjoy the small town holiday shopping experiences at The Wharf. Shop local! Enjoy kids activities, discounts, and more from 12:00pm - 6:00pm.
North Baldwin Infirmary Christmas Tree Lighting
@ North Baldwin Infirmary 1815 Hand Avenue Bay Minette, AL 36507 Join our friends at North Baldwin Infirmary for an evening of fun for the whole family: Visit Santa from 5:00pm-6:30pm, Make reindeer food, Visit special booths, Refreshments (while supplies last), Food truck and Sing along with Christmas choirs. The evening culminates with the Lighting of the Tree ceremony at 6:45pm. (251) 937-9099 Marisa.Williams@InfirmaryHealth.org
December 4
Baldwin Pops Holiday Concert
@ Gulf Shores Cultural Event Center 19470 Oak Road West Gulf Shores, AL 36542 The City of Gulf Shores will host the Baldwin Pops for a traditional Christmas Concert at 7:00pm. The Baldwin Pops consists of volunteer musicians whose mission is to share music in a concert band format free of charge to the citizens of Baldwin County. Patrons are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped gift to donate to the US Marine Corps Reserves Toys for Tots program. This is a free event and will not require a ticket. Seats are first come, first served.
(251) 224-1000 info@alwharf.com www.alwharf.com
(251) 232-1013 baldwinpops@gmail.com www.baldwinpops.com
Tis the Season for Brunch
Lights of Love
@ Little Point Clear 18263 Scenic Highway 98 Fairhope, AL 36532 Join us from 11am - 2pm for some family Holiday fun at Little Point Clear. Chef Will Hughes will prepare a delicious brunch & beverages. Santa will be here along with the elves and BlueRoom Photography for pictures with Santa from 12pm 2pm. Build your own biscuits, decorate your own donut, fun games and more. Reservations and Tickets are Required and available through our Facebook event, website or by calling. Tickets are $42 per person. Children under 10 years are free. (251) 929-8568 info@littlepointclear.com www.littlepointclear.com
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@ USA Women’s & Children’s Hospital 1700 Center Street Mobile, AL 36604 Three organizations dedicated to the care of children and families are celebrating the excitement and wonder of this holiday season! Co-sponsored by the Ronald McDonald House and the USA Mitchell Cancer Institute. Join us for the Tree Lighting directly in front of the hospital at 4:30pm. This event will also feature visits from Santa Claus and Ronald McDonald, as well as performances from local school and community choirs. Enjoy cookies, caroling and spread some old-fashioned Holiday cheer! (251) 415-1000 www.usahealthsystem.com/usacwh
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Teen Holiday Make & Take
@ Daphne Public Library 2607 Highway 98 Daphne, AL 36526 Teens in grades 6th -12th are invited to drop by the library from 3:45pm - 4:45pm and create soaps in Holiday molds to share with friends or family. This event is Free. All supplies will be furnished. Please call or email to sign up. (251) 621-2503 lyoungblood@daphneal.com www. daphnelibrary.org
December 4 - January 4
USA Children’s & Women’s Holiday Tree Trail
@ Geri Moulton Children’s Park 1700 Center Street Mobile, AL 36604 The Holiday Tree Trail is a free display of holiday trees for the community to enjoy in Geri Moulton Children’s Park from early December through the New Year. The trees will first light up at our Lights of Love ceremony on December 4th, and will be open nightly from dusk until midnight. For more information on how to sponsor a tree, please visit the website listed. (251) 415-1000 cwhdevelop@southalabama.edu www.usahealthsystem.com/holiday-tree-trail
December 4, 9, 18 & 23 Story Times and Holiday Movies
Halls (looping throughout the day); December 18th Story: Snow Party; December 23rd Movie A Charlie Brown Christmas (looping throughout the day). Events are free and open to the public. (251) 625-0814 www.outdooralabama.com/5-riversalabamas-delta-resource-center
(251) 928-2835 www.cofairhope.com
December 5
December 6
@ Christ United Methodist Church 6101 Grelot Road Mobile, AL 36609 Join us in the Christ Center as we celebrate the Christmas season by traveling through the story of Jesus’s birth. This will be a unique experience for every one of all ages! This is free and all are invited!
@ Heritage Park 125 East Laurel Avenue Foley, AL 36535 Trees can start being set up in on Monday, December 3rd. Judging will take place on December 6th and the trees will be on display until after Christmas.
Live Nativity at Christ United
(251) 342-0462 www.christunited.com
Playhouse in the Park presents “Babes in Toyland”
@ Saenger Theatre 6 South Joachim Street Mobile, AL 36602 Playhouse in the Park will present the Victor Herbert classic musical, “Babes in Toyland” on Wednesday, December 5, at 7:30 p.m. The single public performance, which brings favorite storybook characters to life, will play at the Saenger Theatre. (251) 602-0630 www.playhouseinthepark.org
@ 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center 30945 5 Rivers Boulevard Spanish Fort, AL 36527 Join us for Holiday stories and movies at 5 Rivers. Story Times are the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month from 10am - 11am. Children under age 6 years are welcome to stop by for the reading of a story, followed by arts and crafts. No registration is necessary. December 4th Story: How the Grinch Stole Christmas; December 9th Movie: Shrek the
11th, our Jammin’ Folks will perform holiday favorites and on December 13th, The Blue Mullet Bluegrass Band will play traditional and holiday tunes. Refreshment will be served following the concerts. These events are free and open to all ages.
December 5, 11 & 13
City of Foley Christmas Tree Decorating Contest
(251) 943-1300 lhula@cityoffoley.org https:// dspu7mbc6ymp3.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/ Tree-Decorating-Contest-wcriteria-2017.pdf
Eastern Shore Choral Society Christmas Concerts
@ Spanish Fort United Methodist Church 6690 Spanish Fort Boulevard Spanish Fort, AL 36527 Concert begins at 7:30pm. Enjoy music of Handel, Mendelssohn, Rutter and includes an audience sing along! Soloists: Kathryn Hedlund, Monika Cosson, and Andre Chiang. Tickets are $15 and available online or at the door. Students are admitted Free. (251) 802-4757 www.ESCS.org
Nix Center Annual Holiday Concerts
@ James P. Nix Center 1 Bayou Drive Fairhope, AL 36532 Join us from 2:00pm - 3:00pm on each date listed for musical concerts everyone will enjoy. On December 5th will be a ?Cello concert, ?as local artists play? holiday and classical music. December
Make your own Snow!
@ Wonderland Children’s Museum 151 Van Buren Street Daphne, AL 36526 It may be the only snow we see this year! Bring the kids at 4:30pm to play and enjoy making their own snow to take home! Parents can relax and hang out! General Admission is half off after 3:30pm!
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Hop aboard for an authentic train ride through our snowy winter wonderland!
(Open Friday-Sunday)
Santa visit with free toy
Dec. 12-Dec. 24 (Open Nightly)
1 million+ lights Purchase tickets online or at the railroad! WalesWest.com
Use promo code “PARENT” for a discount on online tickets! 251-232-2322 13670 Smiley Street, Silverhill, AL 36576 57
www.facebook.com/easternshoreparentsmagazine
Regular Museum Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am 5pm. Closed on Sunday. (251) 586-8811 www.Wonderlandcm.com
Santa Paws Movie
@ Daphne Public Library 2607 Highway 98 Daphne, AL 36526 Bring the whole family to watch Disney’s The Search for Santa Paws! The movie will begin at 4pm in the Community Room. Wear your PJs and enjoy some snacks too! (251) 620-2500 (Ext. 2508) rmoss@daphneal.com www.daphnelibrary.org
December 7
Bedtime Stories with Santa
@ Bay Minette Library 205 West 2nd Street Bay Minette, AL 36507 The Bay Minette Public Library will hold its annual “Bedtime Stories with Santa” at 6:30pm. The event will feature Christmas-themed stories and a visit with Santa Claus! There is no charge to attend. (251) 580-1648 www.facebook.com/Bay-MinettePublic-Library-65278263205/
City of Daphne Christmas Parade
@ W. O. Lott Park Main Street Daphne, AL 36526 Join us at 6:30pm for the Daphne Christmas Parade along Main Street in Olde Towne. Applications are available at the Daphne Recreation Center. (251) 620-1000 www.daphneal.com
City of Gulf Shores Lighted Christmas Parade
@ Gulf Place Public Beach to Sims Park Gulf Shores, AL 36542 The Parade will roll at 6:30pm and feature festive lighted floats, holiday characters and marching bands. Gather along Highway 59 as the parade makes it’s way from Gulf Shores Public Beach to the Sims Park. Continue the holiday fun immediately following the parade at Sims Park. Families can enjoy pictures with Santa, holiday treats, crafts and a 4th Annual snowball drop! It will be a man-made blizzard as 4,000 ping pong balls will be dropped from above by Santa. Winning snowball will have a number that correlates with a prize supplied by our generous sponsors. (251) 968-1171 hdean@gulfshoresal.gov www.gulfshoresal.gov/888/Lighted-Christmas-ParadeBeach-Celebrati
Fairhope’s Magical Christmas Parade
@ Downtown Fairhope Fairhope, AL 36532 Fairhope’s Magical Christmas Parade begins at 7:00pm at the intersection of Morphy and Section Street and continues down Section to Oak Street. (251) 929-1466 www.cofairhope.com
Foley’s Christmas in the Park
@ Heritage Park 125 East Laurel Avenue Foley, AL 36535 Come out to Heritage Park from 6pm - 8pm to sing carols, sip cocoa, light the Christmas tree and enjoy the beautiful Christmas displays. Don’t forget to visit with Santa. Free Family Event! (251) 943-1300 www.visitfoley.com
Gift Make-n-Take
@ Daphne Public Library 2607 Highway 98 Daphne, AL 36526 Parents need presents too! Let your child come Eastern Shore Parents I December 2018
make a special gift just for you in our community room. Make-n-Take is a come & go event for kids of all ages from 1:30pm - 4:45pm.
(251) 620-2500 (Ext. 2508) rmoss@daphneal.com www.daphnelibrary.org
Letters to Santa at the Bowling Alley @ The Gulf Bowl 2881 S Juniper Street Foley, AL 36535 Visit us at the Bowling alley and write a letter to Santa! From 3pm - 8pm. (251) 943-4575 gulfbowl@gulftel.com www.gulfbowl.com
Letters to Santa at the Bowling Alley
@ Eastern Shore Lanes 10460 Eastern Shore Blvd Spanish Fort, AL 36527 Visit us at the Bowling alley and write a letter to Santa! From 3pm - 8pm. (251) 625-3400 sonya.esl@att.net www.eslanes.com
Mobile Symphony Youth Orchestra “Holiday Concert”
407 East Laurel Avenue Foley, AL 36535 The child musicians are sure to move audiences with sounds of the Christmas season. Time: 7:00pm. (251) 943-1545 www.mobilesymphony.org
Polar Express Storytime
@ Barnes & Noble 30500 State Highway 181 (Suite 114) Spanish Fort, AL 36527 All aboard for the Polar Express! Join us at 7pm for crafts, hot chocolate, and an enchanted reading of The Polar Express. Come in your best PJs and listen as we ring the bells to board the story train. (251) 621-3545 www.facebook.com/SpanishFortBN
December 7 - 8 Merry Market 2018
@ Orange Beach Event Center at The Wharf 25753 Canal Road Orange Beach, AL 36561 Join us for two days of shopping fun! Over 70 vendors with unique gifts, home baked goods, spices, dipping sauces, toys, apparel, jewelry, and arts & crafts. Admission is free and open to the public. Vender applications available online. Friday from 9am-6pm and Saturday from 9am 5pm. (251) 968-7215 www.alabamacoastalchristmas.com
December 7, 8 & 9
Bay Shore Ballet Academy “The Nutcracker”
@ Fairhope Civic Center 161 North Section Street Fairhope, AL 36532 Please join us for Bayshore Ballet’s production of the Nutcracker! This holiday classic will delight people of all ages! Dates & Times: December 7th (Abbreviated school show) at 9:00am to 11:15am. December 8th at 2:00pm & 7:00pm and December 9th at 3:00pm. Tickets are available through our website beginning November 15th. (251) 990-9744 trinollinger@gmail.com www.bayshoreballet.com
December 7-8, 14-15, 21-23 Gulf Coast Ducks - Holiday Ducks
@ Fort of Colonial Mobile 150 South Royal Street Mobile, AL 36602 Start a new family tradition and relive the magic of the classic story as you are whisked away on
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The Polar Duck Express! Experience the streets of downtown and two splashes into the Mobile River on this hour-long holiday adventure. In addition to the wonderful memories made on this trip, each guest will enjoy hot chocolate, a cookie from Sylvia’s, and will take home a magical keepsake sleigh bell! (251) 802-8687 www.gulfcoastducks.com
December 7-8
36th Annual Christmas Fest in Bay Minette
@ Blackburn Park Bay Minette, AL 36507 A longstanding tradition complete with Fun for the whole family! On Friday from 10am - 8pm and Saturday from 8am - 4pm. Christmas Tree Lighting, Entertainment, Arts & Crafts, Good Food, and the Saturday afternoon Christmas Parade! Join the event on facebook for the most up to date information. (251) 937-5665 (Ext. 3) www.northbaldwinchamber. com/36th-Annual-Christmas-Festival
December 7-9, 14-16
South Baldwin Community Theater “A Charlie Brown Christmas”
2022 West 2nd Street Gulf Shores, AL 36542 The classic animated television special A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS comes to life in this faithful stage adaptation, in which Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts Gang discover the true meaning of Christmas on December 7, 8, 14 & 15 @ 7:30 pm and December 9 & 16 (Sunday) @ 2:30 pm. (251) 968-6721 info@sbct.biz www.sbct.biz
December 8
2nd Annual Busy Bees Market
@ Perdido Bay United Methodist Church 13660 Innerarity Point Pensacola, FL 32507 Over 30 local artisans, boutiques and crafters will be ready to help with your holiday shopping needs. We will also have food trucks, kids activities and a special kids only market. A fun event for the whole family from 9am - 3pm. We will also be collecting non-perishable items for the USO NW Florida food pantry who offer support once a month to military families in need. (850) 492-2135 busybeesmarketfl@gmail.com
33rd Annual Nautical Night of Nights Boat Parade
@ LuLu’s to Flora Bama Don’t miss this Coastal Christmas tradition! The Boat Parade will begin at Lulu’s at dusk and end at the Flora-Bama. Enjoy great viewing sites all along the intracoastal waterway and at The Wharf. (251) 968-5349 suzetta@mygulfcoastchamber.com www.alabamacoastalchristmas.com
Annual Christmas through the Ages
@ Fort Gaines 51 Bienville Boulevard Dauphin Island, AL 36528 Experience a Christmas of “Days Gone By!” This is a living history day for the whole family. See soldiers from the 1700s through the 1900s and their families as they celebrate a non-commercial Christmas. Children will have the chance to make a seashells ornament and other decorations. Admission: Adults (age 13+) $8.00, Children (age 5 to 12) $4.00. Time: 9:00am-5:00pm. (251) 861-6992 fortgaines@outlook.com www.dauphinisland.org
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Boat Parade Activities
@ The Wharf 23101 Canal Road Orange Beach, AL 36561 Want a front row seat for all the illuminated action? The Wharf is the place to be! Watch as boats, large and small, glide through the Intracoastal Waterway in all their festive glory. Head down early to avoid traffic and grab a bite to eat or catch up on some holiday shopping. There will be plenty of fun activities for the kiddos as well. Make it a family affair and join us! Parade time TBD, The Wharf shops are open until 9:00pm. (251) 224-1000 info@alwharf.com www.alwharf.com
Christmas Fest Parade
@ Downtown Bay Minette Bay Minette, AL 36507 A part of the 36th Annual Christmas Fest, the annual parade is always the star of the show!! With over 50 entries each year, this tradition is fun for the whole family! For parade route and entry information please visit our website. Parade begins at 1:30pm. (251) 937-5665 (Ext 3) Kristina@northbaldwinchamber.com www.northbaldwinchamber.com/36th-AnnualChristmas-Festival
Crazy Christmas PJ Party
@ Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center and IMAX Theatre 65 South Government Street Mobile, AL 36602 This years event will be a celebration of our current exhibit, Animation Academy, and will feature some fun and educational activities for the whole family. Best of all we are encouraging visitors to come in their favorite comfy PJs for the event! Flannels, onesies, superheroes - whatever your favorite, we want to see them! Appearances by Santa & Mrs. Claus, Animal Tales. More details coming soon! PLUS we will being showing the holiday favorite, Santa vs. The Snowman on the IMAX Dome! Time: 3:00pm-7:00pm. Cost - Ages 13-64 = $7, Ages 7-12/65+ = $5, Ages 3-6 = $3, Ages 2 and under = Free and Exploreum Members = $3. (251) 208-6873 www.exploreum.com
@ Daphne Civic Center 2603 US Highway 98 Daphne, AL 26526 Get all of your Christmas Gift needs offering you everything from Jewelry to gifts, accessories, fashion and so much more. Unique gift items including those pieces for the person who has everything. Event is from 10am - 2pm.
(251) 473-7223 www.pcpacers.org
Holiday Market & Christmas Kids Day
Cathedral and Bienville Square Mobile, AL 36602 Join us for arts and crafts, fun activities, music,. pictures, dance performances and much more!
(251) 421-2259 studioglitzevents@gmail.com
(251) 208-1550 www.ncsmobile.org
Fish River Christmas Boat Parade
@ Highway 98 Bridge to 32 Bridge The Fish River Lighted Boat Parade is from 5pm - 8pm and runs from Highway 98 Bridge at Weeks Bay to 32 Bridge. Big Daddy’s will donate a portion of sales to the Chelsea Garvin Memorial Fund.
Jingle Jubilee Kids Craft Day
@ The Wharf 23101 Canal Road Orange Beach, AL 36561 Activities will take place from 12pm - 4pm at The Port in various shops. Enjoy the Kids Art Contest, Arts & Crafts stations, Tenant crafts, and more.
(251) 988-8127 frmvfd@gmail.com
(251) 224-1000 info@alwharf.com www.alwharf.com
Foley Kiwanis Club Christmas Parade
Seasons Consignment Market Day
@ Downtown Foley Foley, AL 36535 The annual Foley Kiwanis Club Christmas Parade begins at 10am and winds its way through downtown Foley with festive floats, treats and throws, and of course, Santa waves a Merry Christmas to all. Applications to have a float are available online.
26992 Highway 181 Daphne, AL 36526 A family fun event featuring a kids craft area, arts, crafts, food and other merchandise from local businesses from 10am - 4pm. The upcoming Market day on December 8th will have a “Santa’s Workshop” area and a visit from Santa! There will be a photo area set up where parents can take their own pictures of their kids.
(251) 943-1032 jjackson@cityoffoley.org www. foleykiwanisclub.com
251-459-0700 info@seasonsconsignment.com www.facebook.com/SeasonsConsignment
Foley’s Annual “Let It Snow!”
December 8 - 9, 15 - 16 & 22 - 23
@ Heritage Park 101 East Laurel Avenue Foley, AL 36535 Bring your mittens to Heritage Park from 11am - 3pm (directly following the Christmas Parade). Musical performances, listen to Mrs. Claus tell stories, arts and crafts in the Children’s Art Village, and of course play in the SNOW! Concessions are sold on site. (251) 943-1300 www.visitfoley.com
Holiday Half Marathon & 8K Run
@ Mullet Point Park 13203 County Road 1 Fairhope, AL 36532 The Holiday Half Marathon & 8K Run will start at 8:30am at Mullet Point Park. The race benefits USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital Pediatrics
Photos with Santa on the Farm
@ Forty South Farm & Zoo 27257 Glass Road Robertsdale, AL 36567 Santa will be available for pictures during the day from 1pm - 4pm and 5pm - 8pm. Take pictures with your own camera or we can take one for you. Enjoy concessions, bounce houses, petting zoo, and hot cocoa. Come at night too and see the Farm in Christmas lights! Admission is $7 per adult and $5 per child. Kids under 2 are free. We will have special announcements to add soon so check our Facebook page often! (251) 978-0166 info@fortysouthfarms.com www.facebook.com/fortysouthfarms
Quality Care Close to Home Since 1985
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Brian W. Hixon, M.D. | Frank K. Hixon, M.D. | William B. Norris, M.D.
Pediatric ENT Patients Nasal & Endoscopic Sinus Surgery Allergy Testing & Treatment Ear & Mastoid Surgery Thyroid & Salivary Gland Surgery Airway & Voice Disorders Cancer of the Head & Neck
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Department. Everyone is encouraged to bring a new toy in its original wrapping to the race. Toys are needed to distract the children while they are in the hospital.
Daphne Christmas Extravaganza
CALL US AT (251) 928-0300 FOR AN APPOINTMENT 59
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December 8-9
The Music Ministry of First Baptist Church - “At Last, Noel”
@ First Baptist Fairhope 300 South Section Street Fairhope, AL 36532 The Music Ministry of First Baptist Church, Fairhope will present “At Last, Noel” Saturday and Sunday at 7:00pm each night. This event is free and open to all. (251) 928-8685 jbaldwin@fbcfairhope.org www.fbcfairhope.org
The Music Ministry of First Baptist Church - “At Last, Noel”
@ First Baptist Fairhope 300 South Section Street Fairhope, AL 36532 The Music Ministry of First Baptist Church, Fairhope will present “At Last, Noel” Saturday and Sunday at 7:00pm each night. This event is free and open to all. (251) 928-8685 jbaldwin@fbcfairhope.org www.fbcfairhope.org
December 9
Coastal Ballet Academy Presents “The Nutcracker”
@ Erie H. Meyer Civic Center 1930 West 2nd Street Gulf Shores, AL 36542 Join us for the timeless classic and holiday cheer found in this magical rendition of The Nutcracker. Coastal Ballet’s local, classically trained ballerinas perform in this premier production, offering the community a wonderful start to the holiday season! Performance begins at 2:00pm. Tickets are $15 each and available online. Photos in the sleigh with Clara or the Sugar Plum Fairy will be available after the ballet! (251) 968-1171 hdean@gulfshoresal.gov www.coastalballet.org
Drive-Thru Nativity
@ Trinity Presbyterian Church 545 South Mobile Street Fairhope, AL 36532 We invite our community to join us from 5pm - 7pm for a Drive-Thru Nativity. Experience a meaningful journey through the sights and sounds of the birth night of Jesus - All from your own car! From the Angel to the Manager scene, with music and live animals. This event is free and open to all ages. (251) 928-2524 www.tpcfairhope.org
Eastern Shore Choral Society Christmas Concerts
@ Fairhope First Baptist Church 300 South Section Street Fairhope, AL 36532 Concert begins at 2:00pm. Enjoy music of Handel, Mendelssohn, Rutter and includes an audience sing along! Soloists: Kathryn Hedlund, Monika Cosson, and Andre Chiang. Tickets are $15 and available online or at the door. Students are admitted Free. (251) 802-4757 www.ESCS.org
Happy Howlidays Kid & Pet Parade
@ The Wharf 23101 Canal Road Orange Beach, AL 36561 Bring your kids and pets dressed in a Christmas theme at 2:00pm for a fun parade down Main Street. After the parade we will have a Magic Poodle Show on the Palm Plaza. (251) 224-1000 info@alwharf.com www.alwharf.com
Milk & Cookies with Santa
@ Wonderland Children’s Museum 151 Van Buren Street Daphne, AL 36526 Children will enjoy a Winter Wonderland while decEastern Shore Parents I December 2018
orating cookies, singing Christmas carols with Santa! Crafts, games, and free play from 5pm - 8pm. The cost is $15 per child. *Only 1 Parent included in children’s memberships for special events. Additional adults will cost $5. Space is Limited. Sign up Now! Regular Museum Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm. Closed on Sunday. (251) 586-8811 www.Wonderlandcm.com
December 10
Baldwin Pops Holiday Concert
@ Foley Civic Center 407 E Laurel Avenue Foley, AL 36535 Under the direction of Dr. Jason Rinehart. Concerts begin at 7:00pm and will be collection sites for Toys for Tots, the US Marine Reserve program. Please bring new, unwrapped toys to be distributed in our area to underprivileged children. This concert is free. Santa is scheduled to drop in for a short visit with the children during the concert! Follow “Baldwin Pops Band” on Facebook or visit our website. (251) 232-1013 baldwinpops@gmail.com www.baldwinpops.com
December 13 Light Up the Arts
@ Coastal Arts Center of Orange Beach 26389 Canal Road Orange Beach, AL 36561 Bring the whole family and celebrate the season from 5:30pm - 7:30pm. Refreshments, live music, fiery hot glass demos, clay studio pottery firings and more. Holiday gifts will also be available for purchase. (251) 981-2787 artcenter@cityoforangebeach.com www.coastalartscenter.com
Santa Stories
@ Daphne Public Library 2607 Highway 98 Daphne, AL 36526 Santa will share his favorite stories with all his Eastern Shore friends and have cookies and cocoa! Join us in the community room for 2 sessions at 4:00pm and again at 5:00pm. Don’t forget your cameras! (251) 620-2500 (Ext. 2508) rmoss@daphneal.com www.daphnelibrary.org
The Mobile Pops Christmas Concert
@ Davidson High School Auditorium 3900 Pleasant Valley Road Mobile, AL 36609 Join us at 7:00pm at Davidson High School for our annual Christmas Concert. All concerts are FREE and open to the public. (251) 679-6036 www.themobilepops.com
December 13 - 14 Phone Calls From Santa
@ Gulf Shores Recreation Department Gulf Shores, AL 36542 Experience a memorable moment with a free personalized phone call from Santa! Registration is required and available at the Recreation Center, Cultural Center or online. The deadline to register is December 7th. Calls will be made between 5pm - 7pm each day. Santa will try to call your child 2 times at your reserved day/time. If your child is unavailable, a voice message will be left. (251) 968-9818 www.gulfshoresal.gov/388/OnlineRegistration-Payments
Park! Visits and photos with Santa Claus from 5pm - 7pm. Classic Christmas movies at 6pm with popcorn, and other activities. (251) 620-1000 www.daphneal.com
December 14-16
ACE Performing Arts - ELF the Musical, Jr @ Loxley Civic Center 4198 Municipal Park Drive Loxley, AL 36551 The ACE Performing Arts Center presents “Elf: The Musical” Friday performances at 7:00pm. Saturday at 2:30pm & 7:00pm and Sunday performance at 2:30pm. Call or visit our website for Ticket information. Follow us on Facebook. (251) 266-9753 www.theaceperformingartscenter. com/elf%3A-the-musical
December 15
A Grinchmas Get-Together
@ The Factory Gulf Shores 18948 Oak Road West Gulf Shores, AL 36542 Join us at 3:00pm for Christmas Fun! Festivities Include: Unlimited jump time, pictures with Santa, a silly slime station, cookie decorating, take-home Christmas crafts, a popcorn bar with special treats, hot chocolate & coffee. Hang out for the showing of The Grinch movie. Ages 3-17 are $20; Ages 18+ are $5; 2 years & Under are Free. Purchase tickets on our website under the Tickets tab. (251) 202-0900 www.thefactorygulfshores.com
Breakfast with Santa
@ Erie Meyer Civic Center 1930 West 2nd Street Gulf Shores, AL 36542 Children will have one last minute chance to visit with Santa beginning at 8:00am! Families can dive into a wholesome breakfast complete with sausage, bacon, eggs and pancakes before having pictures taken with Santa. Admission for Breakfast with Santa is $5.00 per person. Children 3 and under are free.
Daphne’s Snow & Movie Night in the Park
@ W. O. Lott Park Main Street Daphne, AL 36526 Join us as snow begins falling at 4pm in the
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@ Graham Creek Nature Preserve Interpretive Center 23030 Wolf Bay Drive Foley, AL 36535 Learn about winter wildlife, make a one of a kind ornament, enjoy a tasty hot chocolate bar, pictures with Santa and nature based stories. This event is free for children 10 and under from 10:00am 12:00pm. (251) 923-4267 info@gcnp.org www.grahamcreekpreserve.org
How to Make a Gingerbread House
@ Grand Hotel Marriott Resort 1 Grand Boulevard Point Clear, AL 36564 Learn and build your very own gingerbread house! $35 for Each Gingerbread House built (not per person) so make it a family event! Class size is limited and tickets are required. There are two class times available: For tickets to the 10:00am - 11:30am class go to: bit.ly/GrandGingerbread10AM. For tickets to the 2:00pm 3:30pm class go to: bit.ly/GrandGingerbread2PM. Follow our event on Facebook for updates. (251) 928-9201 www.facebook.com/ events/206590796556271/?active_tab=about
December 14
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The Mobile Pops Christmas Concert
@ Murphy High School 100 South Carlen Mobile, AL 36606 Enjoy a variety of holiday music performed by the
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Mobile Pops Band. 7:00pm -9:00pm at Murphy High School Auditorium. (251) 679-6036 www.themobilepops.com
December 15-16
Mobile Symphony presents “Tis the Season”
@ Saenger Theatre 6 Joachim Street Mobile, AL 36602 Our annual Christmas concert is a Mobile tradition, and we’ve packed this year’s program with the best of traditional holiday music set in a magical winter wonderland. December 15th at 7:30pm and December 16th at 2:30pm. (251) 432-2010 www.mobilesymphony.org
December 16
Santa Toy Shop meet & greet
@ Wonderland Children’s Museum 151 Van Buren Street Daphne, AL 36526 Each child receives a wooden craft to paint and decorate with Santa and his Elf on the Shelf helpers. Hear a beautiful Christmas tale from the man himself, Games, and free play. Cost is $15 per child and parents are $5. *Only 1 Parent is included in children’s memberships for special events. Space is Limited so Sign up Today! This event is from 5pm - 8pm. Regular Museum Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm. Closed on Sunday. (251) 586-8811 www.Wonderlandcm.com
December 19
Santa Hat No-bake Kid Cooking Class @ Wonderland Children’s Museum 151 Van Buren Street Daphne, AL 36526 A Favorite for ALL ages! Join Santa at 4:30pm for story time and snacking fun making Santa Hats. General Admission is half off after 3:30pm. Regular Museum Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm. Closed on Sunday. (251) 586-8811 www.Wonderlandcm.com
Teen Art Workshop
@ Daphne Public Library 2607 Highway 98 Daphne, AL 36526 Teens in grades 6th – 12th grade are invited to
attend from 1:30pm - 3:00pm. All art supplies will be furnished. This event is free. Please call or email to sign up. (251) 621-2503 lyoungblood@daphneal.com www.daphnelibrary.org
December 20
Christmas Handprint Keepsake
@ Wonderland Children’s Museum 151 Van Buren Street Daphne, AL 36526 Let your kids make something from their hand print along with special memories you both can keep forever. Pick your favorite design. Extra craft for presents is an additional $5. General Admission is half off after 3:30pm. Regular Museum Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm. Closed on Sunday. (251) 586-8811 www.Wonderlandcm.com
@ Downtown Fairhope Fairhope, AL 36532 Bring your family and ring in the New Year in downtown Fairhope with fireworks dancing in the streets, a DJ and a ball drop at midnight! Festivities last from 8:30pm - 12:30am. (251) 929-1466 www.cofairhope.com
MoonPie Over Mobile New Year’s Eve Celebration
Downtown Mobile Mobile, AL 36602 Come and get a close-up look at the MoonPie as it drops in downtown Mobile. There will be live entertainment and a countdown to 2019 like no other.
Reelin’ In the New Year NYE Street Party
NAS Theater Company Presents “Elf the Musical, Jr.”
@ Black Box Theatre Fairhope High School 1 Pirate Drive Fairhope, Al 36532 Based on the holiday film, this hilarious fish-outof-water comedy follows Buddy the Elf in his quest to find his true identity. Tickets will be available for purchase on our website and Facebook page. Visit us often online for updates as well as information on our classes, productions, lessons, workshops and more. Performance times & ticket price TBA. (251) 219-0837 nastheatre@gmail.com www.nastheatre.com
@ The Wharf 23101 Canal Road Orange Beach, AL 36561 2019, you’re on the hook and we’re bringin’ ya in. Reel in this upcoming year with us at The Wharf for our annual New Year’s Eve Street Party. Let’s bid adieu to 2018 in the grandest of style. Live bands, family-friendly and adultcentered fun all rounding off at midnight with our marlin drop and fireworks. Resolutions are for the start of the month. Give yourself one last excuse to let loose! Time: 5:00pm - 12:00am. Admission is FREE. (251) 224-1000 info@alwharf.com www.alwharf.com
December 22
January 1
Polar Bear Dip
@ Wonderland Children’s Museum 151 Van Buren Street Daphne, AL 36526 Polar Express Movie Date Night from 5pm - 8pm. Pizza and snack included. $25 per child. Please call or visit our website to register. Regular Museum Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm. Closed on Sunday. (251) 586-8811 www.Wonderlandcm.com
Fairhope’s New Year’s Eve Family Celebration
(251) 208-1550 www.ncsmobile.org
December 20-23
Polar Express Movie Date Night!
December 31
@ Flora Bama 17401 Perdido Key Drive Pensacola, FL 32507 Wear a crazy costume, bring the whole family and take a New Year plunge into the Gulf of Mexico! No registration is required. Event is from 12:00pm - 3:00pm. (850) 492-0611 info@florabama.com www.florabama.com/events.html ESP
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“It’s time for karate class,” I said to my 13-year-old son. “Do I have to go?” “Yes.” This has been a common exchange between us for a variety of activities over the past 10 years. He has tried everything from baseball to cooking class—yet nothing holds his interest as much as video games. Every now and then I wonder if it is worth investing money and time into classes or sports he doesn’t want to participate in. But if I hold off on signing him up for things, he does nothing except play video games until we try something new again. It’s a never-ending cycle.
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Are Video Games Healthy? My son is not an anomaly. According to the Pew Research Center, 72% of teens—and 84% of teen boys—play video games. There is a lot of conflicting information about video game use, so it can be hard for parents to know what to allow. It’s screen time, of course, but video gaming is often also a social activity played together with friends either in the same room or online. And if it’s a popular pastime among a teen’s peer group, some parents may be inclined to let them play for an unlimited amount of time with their friends. Playing video games can have positive benefits, says Dr. Larry D. Rosen, a professor at California State University and author of The Distracted Mind. Gaming “can offer some skill-building, including reaction time, executive functioning, and strategic thinking,” says Rosen. He cautions, though, that “playing video games can be very addictive and create problematic thinking, including desensitization to violence.”
Video Game Obsession? Rosen recommends that video game play should be limited since research
shows physiological arousal increases when playing—and kids need breaks from that. He suggests limiting gaming for teens to 60-90 minutes at a time, even if parents decide to allow more total time daily. Maria Sanders, a licensed social worker, and certified parent coach, also recommends creating clear boundaries with your teen regarding when and how long they are allowed to play. She says an example of boundaries might be letting teens choose to play an hour of video games either before or after completing homework. She encourages parents to learn more about their teen’s interest in video games. Sit down and play the games with them. “The child will see that you have an interest in what they are doing,” she says, “and you will learn about why they are so attracted to the game.”
Encouraging Other Activities Teens should live “balanced lives and not live solely in the video game,” says Sanders. But if your teen doesn’t express interest in anything else, it may be difficult to figure out which activity or sport to encourage. Sanders suggests asking
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your teen about the type of video games they like to play. Then you might be able to figure out an activity that uses similar skills or gameplay. An avid Fortnite player, for example, might enjoy a laser tag league. Parents should avoid simply announcing which activities their teen must do. Rosen stresses the importance of including the child in the decision-making process. With your child’s input, create a list of the types of activities they could do at home during unstructured times or when they feel bored. Similarly, involving your child in discussions about organized extracurriculars will prevent them from feeling forced into participating in certain activities.
Stay Positive About Video Games Often parents make comments like “video games are a waste of time” or “video games are unhealthy” in an effort to decrease video game use. Rosen says this almost always backfires. Instead, parents could reward the child for responsible behavior. For example, when a child demonstrates that they can stop playing on their own without parent badgering, parents might loosen strict time limits on screen time.
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Instead of making negative statements about video games, Sanders says, “The best thing a parent can do is guide their child down a path of self-reflection. Asking questions like, I notice you seem pretty tired after playing video games. How are you feeling? will help your child figure out their own beliefs about video game use.” Parent negativity can make a teen feel as if they are being judged and misunderstood. Focus on their strengths while playing a video game—perhaps, for instance, their ability to help a friend get to another level. A parent should notice that ability and point out how it might connect to real-life situations. Next step: Parents can help them get out there and do just that.
dictions do show similar patterns, says Rosen.
Too Many Video Games: When to Worry
If you are concerned about your teen, you can contact a mental health professional to discuss counseling options. ESP
Video game addiction is not yet a disorder recognized by the American Psychiatric Association. The World Health Organization, however, recently recognized the existence of “gaming disorder” for the first time. Excessive video game play and other types of ad-
Some signs parents should look for are: • Isolating behavior or ignoring family and friends • Sneaking video game play at night or at friends’ houses • Changes in eating or sleeping patterns • Decline in academic performance or not doing homework • A need to continue playing video games beyond a time limit • An interest only in playing video games, at the expense of other activities • Always thinking about video games
Cheryl Maguire holds a Master of Counseling Psychology degree. She is married and is the mother of twins and a daughter. Her writing has been published in Parents Magazine, Upworthy, Chicken Soup for the Soul: Count Your Blessings and Twins Magazine. You can find her at Twitter @ CherylMaguire05.
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Recommending the Best Toys and Products for Kids
Babies first experience solo play as they reach for mobiles, kick dangling toys in their bouncy seat and shake a rattle in their fist. But as they grow, children become more accustomed to playful interactions with parents and their peers. The importance of playing alone can get lost among the increasing social opportunities that many children enjoy. Nonetheless, solo play is vital to cultivating independence and encouraging individual problem solving. Playing alone also teaches kids how to self calm and to feel comfortable by themselves. The following toys and games offer ideal opportunities for kids to explore the ways they can be their own best playmate.
by Gerry Paige Smith
Kanoodle
RC Police Car
Colorful and compelling, Kanoodle is a tactile type of solitaire that stimulates threedimensional thinking in solo players. Using combinations of colored connected beads, the player follows images in the illustrated guide to construct vibrant designs that are either two-dimensional puzzles or layered structures. Visual cues, concentration, and experimentation all contribute to recreating the Kanoodle illustrations with the bead pieces. There are hundreds of possible combinations, but only one completes each puzzle.Compact and portable, the puzzle pieces fit inside the handy pocket-sized case with built-in game boards, so kids can Kanoodle anywhere!
There are vast options for remote control toys with varying degrees of performance and complexity. But the best start for a child’s RC journey is going to be a simply operated vehicle like the RC Police Car from Haktoys. Two directions of travel (forward and reverse left) and the simple two-button controller minimize frustration for new operators. Crafted from non-toxic plastic, the vehicle features honking sounds, music and flashing lights (which can also be turned off for quieter driving). The police car includes a removable officer for more pretend play options. Letting kids take the wheel empowers them with control and independence as they guide their RC Police Car to the rescue!
Find It Game Jr: Sesame Street
Little People Learn About Others
The popular Find It Games feature a sealed clear plastic tube filled with irregularly shaped pellets that hide distinctive treasures within their tumbled mass. The player consults a legend with cues to a series of themed objects that can only be found by spinning, twisting, shaking and tilting the cylinder. As the pellets shift, sharp eyes dart to find and identify the objects from the list. Specially designed for younger players, the Sesame Street Find It Game features extra figures to uncover and a Way to Play booklet with additional challenges as children start their addictive quest to find every signature object from the Sesame Street world, right between the palms of their hands.
Every spin reveals something new with this See ‘n Say toy. With a pull of the lever, the arrow will spin around the face before selecting one of eight different community members. Featuring a farmer, a teacher, a pilot and more familiar roles in our lives, each character shares a short phrase explaining how they help others. And while a child learns about others, they can also learn about themselves. A hinged ring flips open to reveal eight emotions with expressions that kids can explore. In addition to building a measure of dexterity and fine motor control as they steady the toy and pull the lever, there’s a fun quiz mode to help build their confidence! Ideal for solo play, this new See ‘n Say helps children learn about the people in their community while they also discover more about feelings.
(Haktoys)
(Educational Insights)
(Fisher Price)
(Find It Games)
Gerry Paige Smith is a syndicated columnist recommending the best products for kids and their families. Discover more at www.PageBookMedia.com
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FamilyCalendar Saturday December 1
Honeybee Festival & 5k 8:00 AM Honeybee Park, 22780 AL-59 Robertsdale, AL, 36567 We will have our annual Honeybee 5k Race and Arts & Crafts Festival Saturday, December 1st. Race will begin at 8 a.m. and festivities will continue throughout the day. Come out and join us for a family, fun-filled day. There will be plenty of arts & crafts, games and food. 251-947-2626 www.cbef.org Teen & Tween Card Games 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Fairhope Public Library, 501 Fairhope Avenue Fairhope, AL, 36532 Bring your deck or try one of ours! 251-928-7483 www.fairhopelibrary.org/ Author signing with Karyn Tunks 2:00 PM 30500 AL-181 #414 Spanish Fort, AL, 36527 We are thrilled to host a signing for local children’s book author Karyn Tunks. Karyn’s newest book “Mardi Gras In Alabama” features lively illustrations of Mobile and Baldwin County as our hero, Folly, attempts to visit all of the Mardi Gras Festivities! Children and adults will love this beautiful book of our local traditions. www.stores.barnesandnoble.com/store/2186 Wildflowers Boutique 6th Annual Toys for Kids! 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM, Perdido Beach Resort, 27200 Perdido Beach Boulevard Orange Beach, AL, 36561 Wildflowers Boutique will be throwing an event to raise funds for the Christian Services Center and their annual toy drive! The event will be held in the Perdido Beach Resort Grand Ballroom and will consist of: Hors D’oeuvres, A Silent Auction, Live Music by Triggerproof, Fashion Show, Dancing and a Bubble Bar to celebrate at the end of the night! All proceeds will go to the Christian Services Center and their worthy cause! www.events.ticketprinting.com/event/6th-AnnualToys-For-Kids Black Violin 8:00 PM Saenger Theatre, 6 South Joachim Street Mobile, AL, 36602 Revolutionary Music Group Black Violin to Bring Signature Sound to Mobile Saenger. www.mobilesaenger.com
Sunday December 2
1st Sunday Outdoor Market at 5 Rivers 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM, 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center, 30945 5 Rivers Boulevard Spanish Fort, AL, 36527 Featuring local arts & crafts, farmers’ market and outdoor-themed items from the 5 Rivers Cypress Gift Shop www.outdooralabama.com/5-rivers-al-deltaresource-center/ 5 Rivers Animal Ambassadors Meet and Greet
(Free) 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM, 5 Rivers Delta Resource
Center, 30945 Five Rivers Boulevard Spanish Fort, AL, 36527 Alabama has one of the highest plant and animal diversities in the United States. Join a member of our human educational staff and meet one of the local critter inhabitants from the Mobile-Tensaw Delta and beyond. 251-625-0814 www.outdooralabama.com/ activities/5-rivers-alabama-delta-resource-center Sips & Suds for Family Support 5:00 PM Le bouchon Wine and Tapas Bar, 1903 Main Street Daphne, AL, 36526 Join us for an evening of wonderful wine from our friends at United Johnson Brothers of Alabama and Le Bouchon, fabulous food, live entertainment by Erin Curtis, and a silent auction. Family Support enhances the lives of individuals with disabilities and their families.
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Monday December 3
Moonlight Chassé Ballroom Dance Society
($7 for members and $10 for non-members)
7:00 PM - 9:30 PM, Hot Wheels Skating Rink, 616 Whispering Pines Road Daphne, AL, 36526 Moonlight Chassé Ballroom Dance Society is open to the public for dancing every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month. Live music is featured for dancing Cha Cha Cha, Swing (West Coast and East Coast), Rumba, Waltz, Salsa, Argentine Tango, Bolero, American Tango, etc. Moonlight Chassé Ballroom Dance Society offers an enjoyable evening of dance, live music, fun, friendship, A partner is not required to participate in the dancing experience. Find us on Facebook. 251-377-4069
Little Discoveries (Included in General Admission for non-members. Free for Exploreum Members)
2:00 PM Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center, 65 Government Street Mobile, AL, 36602 Little Discoveries takes place in the Wharf of Wonders and is for little scientists six years old and younger. Theme: Snowflake Science: Discover why snowflakes are individually fantastic. (251) 208-6893 www.exploreum.com Daphne Public Library Movie Night (Free ) 4:00 PM Daphne Public Library, 2607 US-98 Daphne, AL, 36526 Daphne Public Library Movie Night. www.daphnelibrary.org 11th Holiday Gala “The Chocolate Affair” 6:00 PM Daphne Civic Center, 2603 US Highway 98 Daphne, AL, 36526 Benefit for Family Promise of Baldwin County featuring Appetizers, Auctions, Live Music by Roman Street, Desserts and Drinks! www.familypromisebc.org
For many more events, please check out our Holiday Happenings Guide on page 54! Tuesday December 4
World Famous Harlem Globetrotters 7:00 PM University of South Alabama Mitchell Center , 5950 Old Shell Road Mobile, AL, 36608 On the heels of taking their unparalleled entertainment to capacity crowds overseas, the Harlem Globetrotters will return to North America with their one-of-a-kind show at the Mitchell Center www.ticketing.axs.com
Wednesday December 5
Little Discoveries (Included in General Admission for non-members. Free for Exploreum Members)
10:00 AM Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center, 65 Government Street Mobile, AL, 36602 Little Discoveries takes place in the Wharf of Wonders and is for little scientists six years old and younger. Theme: Snowflake Science: Discover why snowflakes are individually fantastic. (251) 208-6893 www.exploreum.com Observe & Explore Day (Free) 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Graham Creek Nature Preserve, 23460 Wolf Bay Drive Foley, AL, 36535 Theme of the Dec. 5th O&E event will be ‘Feathered Friends’ . We will examine birds who are native or migrate to Graham Creek Preserve.vFREE nature learning activities for children and families. www.grahamcreekpreserve.org
Thursday December 6
Friends of the Foley Library Bookstore Sale 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM, Foley Public Library, 319 East Laurel Avenue Foley, AL, 36535 Half price on ALL BOOKSTORE ITEMS! Add to your personal library or give the gift of reading to family and friends. 251-943-7665 www.foleylibrary.org/FOFLBkStorePhotos.html
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Wine and Wishes 6:30 PM Ezell House , 407 Conti Street Mobile, AL, 36602 Dress in your favorite cocktail attire and enjoy heavy hors-d’oeuvres and an open bar with a band that will have you dancing the night away at the second annual Wine & Wishes event hosted by Laurel Flowers State Farm benefiting Make a Wish Alabama. The event will help raise funds to grant the wishes of local children battling life-threatening medical conditions. www.eventbrite.com Kansas Concert 8:00 PM Saenger Theatre, 6 South Joachim Street Mobile, AL, 36602 Kansas concert. www.mobilesaenger.com
Friday December 7
First Friday Art Walk 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Downtown Fairhope, Fairhope, AL, 36532 Fairhope First Friday Art Walk Visit our local merchants in Downtown Fairhope as they open late and highlight the art community. Art Walk happens every first Friday of each month from 6-8 p.m. The Black Jacket Symphony 8:00 PM Saenger Theatre, 6 South Joachim Street Mobile, AL, 36602 The Black Jacket Symphony will perform the late Tom Petty’s iconic record “Damn The Torpedoes” in its entirety by a group of handpicked musicians. www.mobilesaenger.com
Saturday December 8
For Children FUNdraiser & Exhibition (Members: $10 per person, Non-members: $25 per person, After Nov. 29: $35 for everyone) 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Mobile Museum of Art, 4850 Museum Drive Mobile, AL, 36608 Join us in celebrating MMofA’s first ever kid-focused exhibitions. Opening day will feature face painting, art activities, food, a photobooth, and more. 251-208-5200 www.mobilemuseumofart.com Seasons Consignment Market Day 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM, 26992 Highway 181 Daphne, AL, 36526 Event that features arts & crafts vendors, food trucks and local small businesses. www.facebook.com/SeasonsConsignment
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FamilyCalendar The 0.5K Pub “Run” & Block Party 10:00 AM Moe’s Original Bar B Que, 701 Springhill Avenue Mobile, AL, 36602 The Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Alabama’s Young Professional’s Committee is hosting The 0.5K Pub “Run” & Block Party, a “run” for the rest of us to support BBBSSA’s mission. https://give.classy.org/BBBSPubRun Book Reading and Games 1:00 PM Page & Palette, 32 South Section Street Fairhope, AL, 36532 Come sit on the rug with the author in the children’s room at Page and Palette. Learn how to teach your parents and grandparents the “Nanner Game” you can play in the car, when the “line takes a long time.” www.pageandpalette.com
Sunday December 9
5 Rivers Sunday Matinee: “Shrek the Halls” (Free)
5 Rivers Delta Resource Center, 30945 Five Rivers Boulevard Spanish Fort, AL, 36527 The Christmas tree isn’t the only thing green in this holiday classic. See Shrek trying to get into the spirit of the season. Showings will loop throughout the day. www.outdooralabama.com/activities/5-rivers-alabama-delta-resource-center
Wednesday December 12
Little Discoveries (Included in General Admission for non-members. Free for Exploreum Members)
10:00 AM Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center, 65 Government Street Mobile, AL, 36602 Little Discoveries takes place in the Wharf of Wonders and is for little scientists six years old and younger. Hibernation Science: Discover animal sleeping habits in winter. (251) 208-6893 www.exploreum.com
Thursday December 13
Little Discoveries (Included in General Admission for
non-members. Free for Exploreum Members)
2:00 PM Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center, 65 Government Street Mobile, AL, 36602 Little Discoveries takes place in the Wharf of Wonders and is for little scientists six years old and younger. Hibernation Science: Discover animal sleeping habits in winter. (251) 208-6893 www.exploreum.com Arts at the Market 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Coastal Alabama Farmers and Fishermans Market, 20733 Miflin Road Miflin, AL, 36535 We have a wide variety of talented Artists that will have their work on display for you and we can’t wait to share more about them! We will have 30 artists, food and live music! 251-229-9885 coastalalabamamarket.com/home
Saturday December 15
Living History Crew Drill 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM, USS Alabama Memorial Parkway, 2703 Battleship Memorial Parkway Mobile, AL, 36602 See history come to life! Our historical reenactors from the USS ALABAMA and USS DRUM will be at the park for their last drill of the season. Learn what life was like aboard these naval vessels during WWII. www.ussalabama.com Observe & Explore Day (Free) 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Graham Creek Nature Preserve, 23460 Wolf Bay Drive Foley, AL, 36535 Theme of the final O&E Day of 2018 will feature ‘Christmas In Nature’. FREE nature learning activities for children and families including holiday crafts, story time and more. www.grahamcreekpreserve.org
Story Time with Poppy the Reading Dog 10:00 AM Fairhope Public Library, 501 Fairhope Avenue Fairhope, AL, 36532 Every third Saturday of the month, Poppy, a certified reading dog, will be at the library for a whole group story from 10-10:20 followed by a craft and for individual reading sessions of up to 10 minutes, running until 11 p.m. 251-928-7483 www.fairhopelibrary.org/ Author Signing with Perry Guy 12:00 PM Barnes & Noble, 30500 AL-181 #414 Spanish Fort, AL, 36527 Please join us for a special storytime and author signing with local author Perry Guy. Mr. Guy will be here to sign copies of his books “A Gulf Coast Christmas”, “The Mardi Gras Boat Parade” and “Treasures In the Sand.” These beautiful picture books feature local wildlife and Holiday traditions here on the Gulf Coast. www.stores.barnesandnoble.com/store/2186 Irish Dancers from Maccrossan School of Irish Dance 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM, Barnes & Noble, 30500 State Highway Spanish Fort, AL, 36527 We are thrilled to have the Maccrossan School Of Irish Dance in our store for a special Irish Dance performance. Take some time out of the busy holiday season to enjoy these lovely performers dance traditional Irish Jigs and Reels. www.stores.barnesandnoble.com/store/2186
Sunday December 16
5 Rivers Animal Ambassadors Meet and Greet
(Free)
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM, 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center, 30945 Five Rivers Boulevard Spanish Fort, AL, 36527 Alabama has one of the highest plant and animal diversities in the United States. Join a member of
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FamilyCalendar our human educational staff and meet one of the local critter inhabitants from the Mobile-Tensaw Delta and beyond. 251-625-0814 www.outdooralabama.com/ activities/5-rivers-alabama-delta-resource-center
Monday December 17
Moonlight Chassé Ballroom Dance Society ($7
for members and $10 for non-members)
7:00 PM - 9:30 PM, Hot Wheels Skating Rink, 616 Whispering Pines Road Daphne, AL, 36526 Moonlight Chassé Ballroom Dance Society is open to the public for dancing every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month. Live music is featured for dancing Cha Cha Cha, Swing (West Coast and East Coast), Rumba, Waltz, Salsa, Argentine Tango, Bolero, American Tango, etc. Moonlight Chassé Ballroom Dance Society offers an enjoyable evening of dance, live music, fun, friendship, A partner is not required to participate in the dancing experience. Find us on Facebook. 251-377-4069
Tuesday December 18
5 Rivers StoryTime “Snow Party” (Free) 10:00 AM 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center, 30945 Five Rivers Boulevard Spanish Fort, AL, 36527 The 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month is StoryTime at 5 Rivers. This week’s story is about a magical, snowy evening. Children under the age of 6 are welcome to stop by for a free reading of a nature based story followed by arts and crafts. 251-625-0814 www.outdooralabama.com/ activities/5-rivers-alabama-delta-resource-center
Thursday December 20
The Stolen Faces do Reckoning at Page & Palette 6:30 PM Page & Palette, 32 South Section Street Fairhope, AL, 36532 Join The Stolen Faces for a special acoustic performance at Page & Palette www.thestolenfaces.com
Friday December 21
Dollar General Bowl Activities - Mardi Gras Parade, Pep Rally and Street Party 6:30 PM Downtown Mobile, Mobile, AL, 36602 Doubloons, moon pies and beads will fill the air as the Greer’s Markets and Cash Savers/This is Alabama Mardi Gras parade marches through the streets of Downtown mobile. Don’t miss Mobiles largest Mardi Gras themed parade with over 24 mardi gras floats, marching bands from both teams participating in the Dollar General Bowl as well as high school squads from across the country. Following the parade the party will move to Bienville square for team pep rallies and street party. dollargeneralbowl.com
Saturday December 22
Dollar General Bowl 6:00 PM LaddPeebles Stadium, 1621 Virginia Street Mobile, AL, 36604 A national television audience will tune in for the Annual Dollar General Bowl. The Dollar General Bowl has built a reputation of fielding some of the most competitive and exciting games of the Bowl season. dollargeneralbowl.com Wind Creek Fan Festival 4:00 PM Ladd-Peebles Stadium, 1621 Virginia Street Mobile, AL, 36604 Beat the traffic and get to the
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stadium early for a great tailgate experience featuring live music, great food, games and activities for all football fans! I Heart Radio will host a live concert and fans can prepurchase tickets for a great meal at the VIP Buffet Tent. dollargeneralbowl.com
Sunday December 23
5 Rivers Sunday Matinee: “A Charlie Brown Christmas” (Free) 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center, 30945 Five Rivers Boulevard Spanish Fort, AL, 36527 Join the Peanuts gang for this Christmas classic that will be looping throughout the day. www.outdooralabama.com/activities/5-rivers-alabama-delta-resource-center
Wednesday January 2
2019 Winter Maritime Academy 8:30 AM GulfQuest, 155 South Water Street Mobile, AL, 36602 Our Winter Maritime Academy is open to students in 1st-6th grades. Dates: January 2 -4. Parents may choose singles days or all 3 for this Academy. www.gulfquest.org
Thursday January 3
2019 Winter Maritime Academy 8:30 AM GulfQuest, 155 South Water Street Mobile, AL, 36602 Our Winter Maritime Academy is open to students in 1st-6th grades. Dates: January 2 -4. Parents may choose singles days or all 3 for this Academy. www.gulfquest.org Friends of the Foley Library Bookstore Sale 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM, Foley Public Library, 319 East Laurel Avenue Foley, AL, 36535 Half price on ALL BOOKSTORE ITEMS! Add to your personal library or give the gift of reading to family and friends. 251-943-7665 www.foleylibrary.org/FOFLBkStorePhotos.html
Friday January 4
2019 Winter Maritime Academy 8:30 AM GulfQuest, 155 South Water Street Mobile, AL, 36602 Our Winter Maritime Academy is open to students in 1st-6th grades. Dates: January 2 -4. Parents may choose singles days or all 3 for this Academy. www.gulfquest.org First Friday Art Walk 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Downtown Fairhope, Fairhope, AL, 36532 Fairhope First Friday Art Walk Visit our local merchants in Downtown Fairhope as they open late and highlight the art community. Art Walk happens every first Friday of each month from 6-8 p.m. South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Arsenic & Old Lace” 7:30 PM South Baldwin Community Theatre, 2022 West 2nd Street Gulf Shores, AL, 36542 South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Arsenic & Old Lace”. www.sbct.biz
Saturday January 5
South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Arsenic & Old Lace” 7:30 PM South Baldwin Community Theatre, 2022 West 2nd Street Gulf Shores, AL, 36542 South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Arsenic & Old Lace”. www.sbct.biz
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Sunday January 6
1st Sunday Outdoor Market at 5 Rivers 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM, 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center, 30945 5 Rivers Boulevard Spanish Fort, AL, 36527 Featuring local arts & crafts, farmers’ market and outdoor-themed items from the 5 Rivers Cypress Gift Shop www.outdooralabama.com/5-rivers-al-delta-resource-center South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Arsenic & Old Lace” 2:30 PM South Baldwin Community Theatre, 2022 West 2nd Street Gulf Shores, AL, 36542 South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Arsenic & Old Lace”. www.sbct.biz
Monday January 7
Moonlight Chassé Ballroom Dance Society ($7
for members and $10 for non-members)
7:00 PM - 9:30 PM, Hot Wheels Skating Rink, 616 Whispering Pines Road Daphne, AL, 36526 Moonlight Chassé Ballroom Dance Society is open to the public for dancing every 1st and 3rd Monday of the month. Live music is featured for dancing Cha Cha Cha, Swing (West Coast and East Coast), Rumba, Waltz, Salsa, Argentine Tango, Bolero, American Tango, etc. Moonlight Chassé Ballroom Dance Society offers an enjoyable evening of dance, live music, fun, friendship, A partner is not required to participate in the dancing experience. Find us on Facebook. 251-377-4069
Wednesday January 9
Winter Wednesdays 10:30 AM Bellingrath Gardens and Home, 12401 Bellingrath Gardens Road Theodore , AL, 36582 Even during the cold season, Bellingrath Gardens is filled with blooms and beauty. Gulf Coast residents and visitors are invited to join us at our Winter Wednesdays series in January and February for sessions on gardening, history and more. The Winter Wednesdays sessions are held each week in the Magnolia Room from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. through Feb. 27. Admission to the program is included in the regular Gardens admission, and guests are encouraged to tour the Gardens after the session. Registration is requested. January 9: Frye Gaillard, author – Frye Gaillard, writer in residence at the University of South Alabama, has written extensively on Southern race relations, politics and culture. He will discuss his new book, “A Hard Rain: America in the 1960s, Our Decade of Hope, Possibility, and Innocence Lost,” his deeply personal history of this pivotal time in American life. www.bellingrath.org
Thursday January 10
South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Arsenic & Old Lace” 7:30 PM South Baldwin Community Theatre, 2022 West 2nd Street Gulf Shores, AL, 36542 www.sbct.biz
Friday January 11
South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Arsenic & Old Lace” 7:30 PM South Baldwin Community Theatre, 2022 West 2nd Street Gulf Shores, AL, 36542 www.sbct.biz
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Calendar Saturday January 12, 2019
Childrens Mardi Gras Ball 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM, Foley Civic Center, 407 East Laurel Avenue Foley, AL, 36535 You are invited to the 2nd Annual Children’s Mardi Gras Ball in Foley hosted by the Krewe Du Cirque! This is a fun family event with a DJ, snacks, door prizes, and fun. Let us roll out the red carpet for you! Girls wear fancy dresses and boys wear slacks and ties. We will have a contest for Best Dressed Boy and Best Dressed Girl, Limbo, and Best Dancers with great prizes! Mardi Gras masks are preferred but not required. www.eventbrite.com South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Arsenic & Old Lace” 7:30 PM South Baldwin Community Theatre, 2022 West 2nd Street Gulf Shores, AL, 36542 South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Arsenic & Old Lace”. www.sbct.biz
Sunday January 13
South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Arsenic & Old Lace” 2:30 PM South Baldwin Community Theatre, 2022 West 2nd Street Gulf Shores, AL, 36542 South Baldwin Community Theatre presents “Arsenic & Old Lace”. www.sbct.biz
Classes/Meetings Alabama Pre/Post Adoption Connections (APAC) Offering Adoptive Family Support Group Meetings in Baldwin County the 2nd Thursday of each month. The meeting is held at 3 Circle Church, 10274 Highway 104, Fairhope. from 6 - 7:30 p.m. Parent, Youth/Teen group and childcare is available. Topic discussions by adoption professionals and ceu’s for foster families are offered. For more information call 251-460-2727 or 1-800-4891886 or www.childrensaid.org. APAC also offers free counsuling services to adoptive families. Bridge Support Group A place where parents with similar experiences come together to share stories, advice and love. These families have had babies who: were stillborn, born with a lethal anomaly (such as Trisomy 13, Trisomy 18, skeletal dysplasia, anencephaly) or had a baby that only lived in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Our families are from all over the Gulf Coast and all have beautiful stories to tell. Meets 1st Tuesday of every month, 5:30pmuntil. Dinner is served. 1st floor conference room of Strada Center, 1601 Center Street, Mobile. Contact: Rene Sprague RN, MSN rgilstrapsprague@health. southalabama.edu, 251-610-5264. Please RSVP if you plan to attend. Celebration MOPS Fairhope (Meets During School Year Only) Celebration MOPS meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. at Celebration Church, 8180 Dyer Road, Fairhope. Childcare is provided and is included in the fees. There is an annual $23.95 MOPS International membership fee and $30 per semester. Call for info at 251-928-0343 or like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/celebrationmopsfairhopeal. Family Center’s Positive Parenting Classes are held on Tuesday mornings 9:30-11:30 am and Responsible Parenting with focus on fathers, co-parenting and economic stability/child support are Wednesday mornings 9 am-11 am and Monday evenings 6 pm8pm. Call 251-947-4700 to register for either class. at
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SupportGroups The Family Center is located at 22671 Hwy. 59 South, Robertsdale. Fairhope MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) (Meets During School Year Only) We meet 9:30 a.m. -
27365 Pollard Rd., Daphne, near the YMCA. *Chill Skills” - Anger Management by appointment. $25 giftcard upon completion. Call 251-626-1610 schedule, The Exchange Club Family Center of Baldwin County, 27365 Pollard Rd., Daphne, near the YMCA. *Nurturing Parenting, everything you need to know but were afraid to ask. Thursdays, 9:30-11:30 a.m., 12-week rotating series. Jump in on any Thursday! Call 251-626-1610 to register, 27365 Pollard Rd, Daphne. Shepherd’s Place (Christian Life Center) Ministry for memory & physically challenged. Mondays & Wednesdays 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., Tuesdays & Thursdays 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Fairhope United Methodist Church, 155 South Section Street, Fairhope. 928-1148.
11:30 a.m. every 2nd & 4th Monday (during the school year) at Fairhope United Methodist Church. All mothers of young children are welcome. Email fairhopemops@ yahoo.com for how to register. Father Central of Daphne *Positive Fathering, A New & Improved Parenting Class Just For Men, $75 giftcard upon completion. Mondays, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Call 251-626-1610 to register, held at The Exchange Club Family Center of Baldwin County,
SOS (Survivors of Suicide) This group is for adults who has ever lost a loved one to suicide. SOS meets the 2nd and 4th Monday of EVERY month from 6:30 to approximately 8:00 p.m. at the Fairhope United Methodist Church, 155 S. Section Street, Fairhope. The support group is facilitated by a professional and co-facilitated by two survivors. For information, please email jlbarber5@ bellsouth.net or call 251-455-6453. South Baldwin Regional Medical Center offers the following classes: Your entire family can take part in several informative
classes designed to help moms and dads welcome their special new addition to the family with more confidence. Classes cover topics including: Having A Healthy Pregnancy Nutrition, discomforts of pregnancy, warning signs of complications, and relaxation exercises. One session. $10. Prepared Childbirth Classes (Once a week for four weeks). Cost: $30 Week 1: Begin the Stages of Labor: The labor and delivery process, signs and stages of labor, options for coping, pain management, vaginal delivery, and relaxation exercises. Week 2: Delivery and Cesarean Birth: A review of complications that may arise, use of special equipment, complete the stages of labor, cesarean delivery, and relaxation exercises. Week 3: New Born and Postpartum Care: Newborn appearance, caring for the newborn, infant safety, recognizing complications, relaxation exercises, and choosing a pediatrician. What to expect after delivery, understanding the physical and emotional changes to your body, and relaxation exercises. Week 4: The Art of Breast Feeding: The benefits of breast feeding for mother and baby, anatomy and physiology of the breast, how to breastfeed, and common difficulties. One session. • Tiny Toes members may enroll in Yoga, Water Aerobics and Expectant Mother Exercise classes through the Snook Family YMCA. The fee is $5 a class. There is a $3 fee for child care. There is no fee if you are already a member of the YMCA. All classes are located at South Baldwin Regional Medical Center–1613 North McKenzie Street Foley. Tuesday evenings 6:30 8:30 p.m. Classroom A.
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SupportGroups • Please plan to attend the Healthy Pregnancy Class during your first trimester and the Prepared Childbirth Classes anytime after your 24th week of pregnancy. For more information or to enroll please call the OB Educator at 949-3676 to schedule. Gift of Life The Gift of Life is a required maternity care program for Medicaid patients or Medicaid-eligible patients. The Gift of Life Program provides a caring system of prenatal services; education and care coordination for expectant moms and their babies. For info contact 949-3781. Thomas Hospital offers the following classes: Breastfeeding Class Thomas Fitness Center (Fairhope). Monthly, first Tuesday, 6 - 8 p.m. Free. Infant CPR and Safety Class Thomas Fitness Center (Fairhope). Pre-registration required. To register call 279-1373. Saturdays, 4 - 6 p.m. Moving Through Labor Childbirth Classes Three or four-week prepared childbirth class series which prepares the mother-to-be and her support partner for the labor and delivery experience. $30 fee for the class series. Thomas Fitness Center, (Fairhope) Mondays, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thomas Fitness Center (Fairhope) Saturdays, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thomas Medical Center (Daphne) Tuesdays, 6-8:30 p.m. Thomas Medical Center (Daphne) Thursdays, 6-8 p.m. Pre-registration required. Call 251- 279-1373 or visit www.thomashospital.com for upcoming classes and registration.
Natural Childbirth Classes, Fertility Awareness, Mother’s Comfort, Exercise and Nutrition For class schedule or information call Geralyn Piizzotti, 251- 928-9396. Yourbodyyourbirth@bellsouth.net. Newborn Basics Class Held on the second Monday of every month from 6 – 8 p.m. at Thomas Medical Center in Daphne. Free. No Pre-registration required. Pre-admission Sessions 6 p.m. at Thomas Medical Center in Daphne. Sibling Class Thomas Hospital Fitness Center (Fairhope). Preregistration required. Call 279-1373. 10-11 a.m. Thomas Hospital offers the following support groups for the community: Alanon (Alcoholics Anonymous)
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Meetings are held every Wednesday from 7 to 8 p.m. at The Harbor at Thomas Hospital. Call 800-477-1104. Alateen Meetings are held every Wednesday from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Morphy Conference Room East Tower meeting room at Thomas Hospital. Call 391-1152 for more information. ALS Support Group Meetings are held on the second Thursday of every month from 11 a.m. to noon at Thomas Medical Center. Call 205-937-4415 for more information. Bosom Buddies Breast Cancer Support Group Meetings are held on the second Monday of each month from noon to 1 p.m. at the Thomas Hospital Health Resource Center located at: 308 S. Greeno Road, Fairhope. Call 928-8650 for more information. Cancer Support Group for Women Meetings are held the first Thursday of every month from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Morphy Conference Room. For more information, call Patti Huval at 209-1229.
Please send your calendar events to lynn@ easternshoreparents.com! We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of these calendar events. However, you should call ahead to confirm dates, times, location, and other information.
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The Grinch
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
MPAA Rating: PG Overall: AViolence: B+ Sexual Content: B+ Profanity: A Alcohol / Drug Use: A Remaking a beloved classic is always a risky proposition. The 1966 television adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ timeless “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” has been an annual seasonal tradition for generations of children. With its faithful retelling of the original story, whimsical mid-century aesthetic, unforgettable soundtrack, and flawless character animation (who can forget the Grinch’s evil grin?), it’s hard to beat. The big question in 2018 is: Does this year’s animated version live up to the original TV special? The answer is: Not quite, but it comes very, very close. The plot differs from the book at a few points but holds few surprises for older viewers. It also feels bloated, a natural result of stretching a children’s book to feature film length. That being said, this film shines in its visuals and animation. The sets are all beautifully rendered – from the Grinch’s lonely home to his friend’s over-decorated house, to the town of Whoville, which is a bright, festive, child’s fantasy – so popping with colorful decorations that it looks good enough to eat. The animation is also superior, with the Grinch’s fur depicted in exacting detail: you can see individual hairs blowing in the wind. The animators have managed to project the Grinch’s personality, even adding a touch of vulnerability and self-doubt that was missing in previous versions. Parents looking for a new family Christmas tradition could do worse than this cheerful, upbeat movie. It has very few content issues aside from slapstick violence which will only scare the most sensitive children. And it has wonderful messages about caring for others, treasuring family, reaching out to those who are alone, letting go of past hurts, changing for the better, and forgiving others.
MPAA Rating: PG Overall: BViolence: BSexual Content: AProfanity: AAlcohol / Drug Use: A Watching a ballet performance of The Nutcracker has become a holiday tradition for many families. This 19th century fairy tale about a girl whose toy nutcracker comes to life is most famous for its unmistakable music and whimsical characters. It’s also gone through countless film and stage adaptations-something Disney is clearly mindful of in this latest installment. If you’re looking for a faithful retelling of the classic, you can forget it. This version is deliberately different. Parents with sensitive little ones might want to note that giant, squirmy mouse-monsters aren’t the only frightening visuals. The land of carnival amusements has seen better days, and features plenty of leering sculptures and broken fair rides that emerge eerily from the fog. It’s also home to a host of hyperactive clowns who spring from one another’s rotund bodies like Russian nesting dolls. This nightmarish imagery is too dark for younger kids. Though the movie attempts the heartwarming messages of self confidence and cherishing family relationships, these moments don’t have the support of the script to make them meaningful. With the film’s “believe in yourself” themes and strong dose of girl power, Clara proves an almost identical character to Disney’s other recent leading ladies, such as Moana or Frozen’s Anna or Elsa. The film is visually stunning, and while this adds to the experience, it can’t salvage the poor pacing and weak characters. Like a mouthful of cotton candy, this particular take on The Nutcracker is pretty and sugary sweet, but ultimately hollow.
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Creed ll MPAA Rating: PG-13 Overall: B+ Violence: B Sexual Content: C Profanity: C+ Alcohol / Drug Use: BA sequel to 2015’s Creed, this film continues to follow the life and career of Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan), son of the famous champion Apollo Creed (originally played by Carl Weathers). With none other than Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) in his corner, coaching him through his fights, Creed takes the Heavyweight Champion title. However, Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) returns with his son Victor (Florian Munteanu) and challenges Creed to a fight. Now Creed must balance his new family, his personal pride, and his Championship title against his desire for revenge against the son of the man who killed his father in a fight more than 30 years ago. The primary content issue parents will have with this film is the language. That said, the language in this film is primarily limited to one word (everyone’s favourite scatological term) repeated maybe a dozen times. Creed seems determined to limit all violence to the ring, and outside of that context, people are largely courteous. This being said, the story is too intense for children and the PG-13 rating is appropriate. With an exceptional cast turning in amazing performances, the highlight of the film is Sylvester Stallone: he plays the aging Rocky Balboa with class and charm and gives the picture a lot of heart. He is conflicted and scared, but through it all brings a sense of thoughtfulness and care to everything he does.
MPAA Rating: PG Overall: B+ Violence: BSexual Content: A Profanity: A Alcohol / Drug Use: A Six years after the conclusion of Wreck-It-Ralph, arcade game characters Ralph (John C. Reilly) and Vanellope (Sarah Silverman) have established a routine: they work in their games all day and hang out and grab a root beer at “Tapper” (a classic arcade game). While this suits Ralph just fine, Vanellope finds herself wishing for a life with more a few more unexpected turns in the road. Even her racing game has become too predictable! But when Ralph tries to help her by modifying the track, a frustrated player breaks the arcade cabinet for Vanellope’s game, and the arcade owner can’t afford to replace the part. The only place the part is available is on the internet, and it looks like Ralph and Vanellope will be able to sneak in to the worldwide web, but how will they find it once they’re there? And will they be able to pay for it? The movie’s only real problem is excessive and blatant product and corporate logo placement. By my count, there are no fewer than 24 instances of major product placement, from companies like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Amazon, eBay, and Google, etc. This kind of saturation marketing is more than a little irritating. Children growing up in the digital age are especially vulnerable to this kind of near-subliminal marketing. Cynical and all-consuming advertising aside, “Ralph Breaks the Internet” has a nice message about the values of friendship and the importance of maintaining healthy relationships. Eastern Shore Parents I December 2018
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ONE POD = 1 PACK OF CIGARETTES = A PROBLEM
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