Nothing could have prepared me for this ritual they call the school carpool line. It was long and slow and intimidating, and yet the well-oiled PTO had it running like a front-loading washing machine. Our car was fed into a carousel of other vehicles, each stopping at a different color-coded column as a woman on a bullhorn ordered cryptic commands to the teachers hovering over the mass of kids ready to depart. “Number 35, Kindergarten, to green. Number 48, Kindergarten, to Yellow.” As if by magic, my son appeared, standing at red just as I pulled up to him. An …read more

It’s officially unofficially summer here in Birmingham, and what better time for the smothering, humid 90-plus-degree temperatures to hit than during the annual music festival City Stages? Rick usually has to work the TV station booth and sign autographs for the few people who actually want a signed photo of him. (One would be Truman and the other, me.)
While Rick put in time at the TV station’s booth, Truman and I explored the festival. We found the drum circle immediately and since Truman is destined to be the next drummer for Kiss, we stayed there for a long while. When …read more

The best thing about warmer weather in Birmingham is that Pepper Place Farmers Market opens. We go every Saturday we’re in town, and this weekend was no exception.

The market just opened for the season. Years ago we were just one of a few folks who headed out there every Saturday, but it’s since become hugely popular here. Which is a good thing for the farmers.
 
Today we bought a bunch of strawberries, because Truman would choose to eat strawberries over any other food on earth. We also bought tomatoes from one of the few vendors who had ripe ones to choose from. …read more

We took advantage of the fabulous weather this weekend by going to Magic City Art Connection, an annual art festival in downtown Birmingham. We love everything about the event, but now that we have a little boy, we see the festival in a whole new light. Yesterday, we spent almost the entire time making crafts in the kids area. This year, we learned how to make a toy guitar out of a box. Thanks to the friendly event volunteers, here’s a step-by-step guide how to make one of your own using common office supplies:

 
1. Locate a box. Most any box will …read more

I live in a state where people prize their guns. Where gun laws are lax by choice and any idiot can walk into a gun store and choose his pleasure. Here in Alabama, we enjoy the fifth-highest gun death rate (that translates to intentional and accidental shootings) in America, including the third-highest rate of gun homicide.
Earlier this week Michael K. McLendon, armed with a Bushmaster AR-15 and an SKS – both military-bred assault rifles developed for the specific purpose of killing humans quickly and efficiently, went on a shooting spree in a small, south Alabama community. Because of him, two …read more

My family had lunch with my friend Suzanne and her crew the other day. The last time I saw her was two years ago, when Truman and I drove two hours to her small town to visit with her and her two boys. Truman was barely 3 then and he tornadoed through their house, destroying a lamp and nearly giving her 2-year-old a concussion when he lobbed a toy across the room, narrowly missing the little tike. That was bad enough, but when Truman threw one of his stellar temper tantrums and swung his arms at me, actually making contact …read more

My husband has been with the TV station so long that the only time they call him in on weekends is if there is a big story, like when Birmingham abortion clinic bomber Eric Robert Rudolph was finally captured. So when the station called him Saturday and asked him to co-anchor the Sunday morning news, I knew big news was expected. Mother Nature didn’t let us down.
When Truman and I finally rolled out of our beds Sunday morning (Rick had to be at the station at 6 a.m.) the yard was covered with snow! I haven’t seen snow in so …read more

My friend Penny bought me a Lululemon. It’s some sort of fab gym wear. She’s from New Jersey and far more in tune to what’s hot than we in Alabama. She just gifted this to me for no reason, as sort of a motivation tool for me to get off this weight that’s slapped on to my body after birthing my baby (who, yes, is now 5) and my last milestone birthday and changing some basic habits like switching from margarine to butter and from water to wine.
I’m going somewhat regularly to my small, all-girl gym and – though I’m …read more

Hi, I’m Jennifer, or Jen to my friends. I’m your new Inside Motherhood blogger. I’m excited to be here, and thrilled to have the opportunity to write about a subject I’m passionate about – motherhood.
First, let me tell you a bit about me. I was born in California but my hippy/academia parents moved me away from there as a baby. We ultimately ended up in Memphis, Tennessee when I was 5. After college, I moved deeper South and eventually settled in Birmingham, Alabama. I married the absolute love of my life, who I met in a bar and married a year later. He is a longtime …read more

Have you heard about Space Camp?
I get motion sick on the carousel, but I’d still want to do this once in my lifetime. And since my little guy already owns his own pumpkin suit, you know he’s going to be first in line when he turns seven. They have weekend parent/child camps for kids that young, and in-classroom presentations for children as young as five. Beginning at age nine, children can go unattended. A six-day camp experience, with lodging, activities and meals included, is currently $899, and the organization offers scholarships.
I just think that’s too cool. And lest you get …read more