Art in the Gardens

Good Thursday morning!

NOTE TO CAM - I would just like to tell my walking buddy, Cam, "Happy Birthday." I thought and thought about something special to do for your birthday, Cam, and I think I came up with the perfect gift...

HAPPY 32ND BIRTHDAY, CAM! There! As far as anyone on this blog is concerned, you are, and will ever be, 32 years old. (I think that is a VERY thoughtful gift. I may be wrong, but it wouldn't bother me AT ALL for someone to wish me a happy 32nd birthday! Have a great day!)

CAM... HAVE ONE OF YOUR MANY CHILDREN GO TO THE MAILBOX! THERE'S A SURPRISE FOR YOU!

NOTE TO LEANNA - Saw it! Loved it! I felt so sorry for Will Ferrell. By the time Man vs. Wild was over, MY legs were exhausted. More on Man vs. Wild Friday. (Oh, and as far as having the pool to ourselves... you were exactly right. Only kids can survive in water that cold. Mikie and I didn't even stick a toe in!)

NOTE TO ROBIN - OH, MY WORD! Your summer isn't going to be relaxing as much as it is going to be EXCITING! (Except for the porch painting.) Would you have time to watch movies if you won the rental card? Or do I need to put your name in twice since you need the down time? Hmmm. To be fair, your name will go in once, but you have got a huge summer ahead of you, don't you, my friend? (And give Dad of "bandofbrothers" a belated "Happy Birthday" for me, please.)

Typical Week in Summer - Day 4

One of our favorite activities is dinner on the deck. Love it! The three weeks after we got our new deck, it was very difficult to eat outside because of the RAIN that would NOT stop. But we're ready now... except for waiting for Mikie to finish his summer deadline. His work schedule will be much better after this weekend, and we'll return to candlelight dinners on our beautiful new deck. (NOTE: I bought Tiki torches, twinkly lights, a new umbrella for our table, etc. It's going to look marvelous! I just love Tiki torches and twinkly lights, don't you? Simple things, simple things.) No picture today... but still a weekly activity during the summer.

Since I don't have a picture of dinner on the deck, I decided to add a little pic of some ducks we found in the parking lot of our hotel in Nashville. And while sharing the picture of the ducks, I also want to remind you of this little hotel chain and what they offer if you travel with your family.

Nooo... it isn't the Peabody in Memphis. We have stayed at Homewood Suites on our Memphis and our Nashville trips. The rooms have two queens or two doubles, a living room area with a sofa (bed) and a chair and ottoman, a small kitchen with a dining room table, a very nice pool and a hot tub. They serve a large complimentary breakfast (lots of choices). But get this... Monday through Thursday, they serve a "light dinner" FREE, also. If you plan your day right, you get two FREE meals at the hotel. (One night they had chicken pot pie, English peas and a salad bar. The next night of our stay they had low mien noodles and egg rolls... and a salad bar. The salad bar is there every night.) They have monthly menus, so if you do stay there, you can ask what they will be serving for dinner Monday through Thursday of your stay.

Also, the three Homewood Suites hotels in Nashville ranged in prices from $149 a night (downtown), $129 a night (other side of town) and $89 a night (outskirts of town). However, when I checked, the $89 a night hotel was only 8 to 15 minutes from all the places we were visiting, which ain't bad.

The two we have visited have been very clean and nice. (Are they comparable to the Peabody? Uh, no. But does the Peabody give you FREE breakfast and FREE dinner? I don't think so.) Just a little something to help during these hard economic times.

NOTE: I wish they would read my blog and give me FREE rooms for my next trip! Is that wrong to say?

CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST!

Only two more days to enter the Contest! What are you waiting for? There's not a wrong answer to the question, "What is a typical summer week in your household?" (I'm not going to ride by your house for a week to make sure you're really doing what you said in your answer. Well, I might. But I will still give you the prize if I draw your name out of the "Magic Bowl." I promise!)

Weekend Family Fun

Okay. Let's get busy planning, shall we?

Argo Drive-In - It's a great deal this weekend. Friday and Saturday (for only $10 a carload), you can see UP AND Hannah Montana. YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT, FOLKS! Sunday night is $5 night, but they are only showing UP. Movies begin around 7:45. You can take your own food and beverages in (or they have a concession stand there, also). Always call before you make the trek. It doesn't happen often, but every now and then, they change the movie at the last minute. (I don't see that happening this weekend.) 467-3434

Bass Pro Shop Summer Camp - Don't forget to check out the Bass Pro Shop Summer Camp website (www.basspro.com). The camp is every Saturday and Sunday through July 5, and all the activities are listed... and all the activities are FREE!

Kids Bowl Free - This information came from my friend, Karmen, but when I checked the website I gave you earlier in the week from my friend, Jennifer (www.blog.al.com/bargain-mom), they had also listed this information.

Kids ages 4 to 15 can bowl two games free Monday through Friday (11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) at Vestavia Bowl. You will have to pay $1.25 for shoe rental. Also, you must fill in an online registration (www.kidsbowlfree.com) and they will send you weekly coupons. I don't know about you, but I'm leaving A Simple Life right now and going to register. What a wonderful deal!

Once again, before you head out with kids in the car, a good rule of thumb is to ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS call ahead and just make sure. Their number is 979-4420.

Art in the Gardens

I was going to use a different date for today, but this came to my attention, and since it is only this Saturday and Sunday, I knew I had to bump my original pick and share this date with you and your teenager or spouse. (Don't worry. Today's original seasonal date will pop up next Thursday!)

On Saturday and Sunday, June 6 and 7, Aldridge Gardens will host the 7th Annual "Art in the Gardens" Juried Art Show from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Admission is FREE. At this event, you can buy an original piece of art from an Alabama artist, or stroll and shop the works of more than 75 talented painters, potters, wood carvers, jewelry makers and other fine craftsmen who will exhibit during this two-day juried open-air art show. Food vendors will be available so you can either take a picnic, or enjoy what they have at the Gardens.

While this may not be a good date for you and your young child, it could be a great date for a teenage daughter or a spouse. (And if for some reason you get finished a little early, always remember the Galleria is just three minutes down the road.) What more do you want??? FREE admission... food on the premises... clean bathrooms (I know. I checked.)... and just a hop, skip and a jump to the Galleria.

This is a good one, folks. Take advantage of it! (Mikie and I would, but I'm going to be nursing a wisdom-toothless 18 year-old back to health!)

Have the best Thursday yet! Tomorrow's book can also be used as a Seasonal Tradition. Hmmm. Worth checking back? I THINK SO! I also have a teeny, tiny TV Review (Jon & Kate and Man vs. Wild with Will Ferrell). Good stuff... good stuff!

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow!