So many giveaways on SouthernMamas.com. So little time to post the winners. So here we go playing catch-up

• Suzy Cail wins the $25 gift certificate to High Cotton Kids , a Savannah seasonal children’s consignment show specializing in gently-used boutique and trunk show brand fall and winter clothes. Sale dates are: Thurs. Aug. 19-Sat. Aug. 21 at 6700 Waters Ave., next to Byrd Cookie Company, in the former spot of Carole’s Boutique.
• Deanna Lamadrid-Jensen wins a free kid’s Fall session of  Savannah Celtic Soccer . The giveaway is for child who’s eligible for either Savannah Celtic’s U6 program — U6: born on or after 8-1-04 to 7-31-06 or a child who’s eligible for Savannah Celtic’s Early Goals toddler program 3 to 4 (born before the U6 dates)
• Lori Alvarez wins a $25 gift certificate to Savannah Inflatables , your go-to spot for children’s birthday parties, pool parties, community and corporate fund-raisers.

Congratulations, SouthernMamas readers!

KOOLSCIENCE4KIDZ is a Saturday morning Hands-on Science Program for elementary and middle grades students designed to improve and excite your child’s curiosity in the physical sciences.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS: 1 hour of science fun/week; 2-3 hands-on experiments/week; different themes each month; monthly sign up; no registration fee. It’s held at Southwest Middle School. 6030 Ogeechee Road, Savannah.

PROGRAM TOPICS 2010-2011
AUG 7, 14, 21 Does it Matter? (3 states of matter). Dry Ice.
SEPT 4,11, 18 Wow! It’s Chemical Excitement
OCT 2, 9, 16 Where did it go? Dissolving/melting/ temperature
NOV 6, 13, 20 Amazing Slime and Polymers; Separations
NO DEC SESSIONS
JAN 8, 15, 22 So what’s with acid rain? Making indicators.
FEB 5, 12, 19 Awesome machines; pressure, density
MAR 5, 12, 19 Sounds and making music.
APR 2, 9, 16 Light, Colors & Optical Illusions.
MAY 7,14, 21 All about Magnetic Attractions.
JUNE 4,11, 18 So WATT’S this about? (electricity)
NO JULY SESSIONS

TIMES: 9 AM- 10 AM (ELEMENTARY)
10:15 AM- 11:15 AM (MIDDLE GRADES)

PROGRAM DIRECTOR: Dr Sabitra Brush
COST: $48/month- there are 3 one hour sessions/month
TO REGISTER & FOR MORE DETAILS, click here. Call 912-660-3442 or email: Mathscmatters@aol.com

Back to school means homework, projects and lots of independent research.

Of course, the Internet is one of the best resources, but is bursting with over 100 million sites. How do you find the best? Do you really want your children randomly using Google? With Usborne Internet-Linked (IL) books, the searching has been done for you.

Usborne’s IL books make recommendations about carefully selected, screened, and regularly updated websites where readers can find out more about a subject. All the websites can be located via links at www.usborne-quicklinks.com. The link is available at the website of Melissa Mallory, a local Usborne Educational Consultant, at www.EsteemReading.com in the Parent Resources section.

Many of the IL books are also approved Accelerated Reader titles. Internet links are either found on the back of the book (Internet Referenced-IR) or links throughout the book (Internet Linked-IL). View our selection of Internet-Linked books here. What can you discover with Usborne’s IL titles?
• Puzzles
• Quizzes
• Coloring sheets
• Maps
• Templates
• Parent/teacher resources
• Language pronunciation guides
• Much more with over 15,000 websites

Enter Usborne’s monthly drawing for a chance to win $50 in FREE BOOKS at www.EsteemReading.com. Check back each month and re-enter! Get Double Hostess Dollars, plus an additional $50 in FREE BOOKS (with a qualifying show) by having an Educational Home Show in August! Contact Melissa Mallory at mmallory@myubah.com for more details.

Follow Usborne on Facebook at Esteem Reading-Usborne Books and More for literacy tidbits, event information, contests, and specials!

Remember, read aloud to your child EVERYDAY!

You, your kids and your husband have a golden beach glow. What better time to book a photo session so you can be so-very ahead of the game with a sun-drenched family portrait when the holidays roll around.

Lucky for you, one of our top local shutterbugs, Savannah photographer Britt Anderson , is offering a holiday special.

Holiday sessions are held between now and Nov 21. Receive 10 percent off your selected package if you schedule a session and pay a deposit before Aug. 31. All packages receive a set of 25 5×7, flat custom holiday cards.

Schedule your special today by contacting Britt by email, contact@brittandersonphotography, or phone 912-966-0498
To keep up to date on Britt’s regular photography specials, become a fan of Britt Anderson photography on Facebook here or visit her Web site

This week’s giveaway: boutique bargains at High Cotton Kids . Win a $25 gift certificate to  High Cotton Kids , Savannah’s newest seasonal children’s consignment show specializing in gently-used boutique and trunk show brand fall and winter clothes. Sale dates are: Thurs. Aug. 19-Sat. Aug. 21.

The High Cotton Kids sale will be at 6700 Waters Ave., next to Byrd Cookie Company, in the former spot of Carole’s Boutique.

The sale features upscale brands of childrens’ clothing as well as shoes, accessories, bedding, art work, baby necessities, toys, maternity clothing and more. New merchandise will be available from local vendors.

To find out more about the show or how to become a consignor, click here. You don’t have to be a consignor or volunteer to attend the preview party on Thurs. Aug. 19. Send an email to at least 10 of your friends and copy High Cotton Kids on it at info@highcottonkids.com. Tell them about the show, when and where it is and you’ll receive a preview party ticket to shop early!

Here are the rules on how to win the $25 gift certificate.

High Cotton Kids fine children’s clothing consignment sale, Aug. 19-21;  6700 Waters Ave., next to Byrd Cookie Company, in the former spot of Carole’s Boutique.  Contact Paige Cook or Ashley Lewis at info@highcottonkids.com

You’ve been so busy teaching her to walk and talk, it never entered your mind to show her how to relax and breathe.

Now’s your chance.

Savannah Yoga Center not only offers mommy-and-infant and mommy-and-toddlers yoga classes, the Bull Street yoga center and boutique also now carries Quite Contrary Baby, a new line of yoga inspired clothing for babies that inspire. The baby yoga clothing includes sets like the one pictured: an organic cotton onesie or tee and 100 percent cotton coordinating pants with screen printed original graphics.

SYC’s Mommy-and-me baby yoga classes help itsy-bitsy yogis learn breathing techniques that promote healthy digestion, wellness, and even sleep regulation.

Classes also provide a golden opportunity for mothers and their babies to bond and to receive both physical and spiritual nurturing from practicing yoga and of course, having fun together! Classes are relaxed and informal, with stories and songs as well as yoga. Look for a schedule of SYC’s baby yoga classes in next week’s SouthernMamas e-letter or click here.

So you’ll have a little breathing room of your own.

Available at Savannah Yoga Center, 1319 Bull St. Boutique hours are 10 AM-2 PM Mondays – Fridays and also open before and after all yoga classes. (912) 232-2994 or email: kelley (at) savannahyoga (dot) com, www.savannahyoga.com

Reduce! Reuse! Recycle – including your children’s outgrown items. And make some money, too!

The Wee Ones Seasonal Children’s Consignment Sale in Rincon can help you clean out your closets. Don’t hassle with a yard sale. Sell children’s clothing, shoes, toys, baby gear, books, even hairbows at this upscale sale and they’ll do the work for you. Even better, at this sale, consignors (i.e. you!) earn 70 percent profit.

Plus, consignors get first dibs on the sale items. The Wee Ones sale is Aug. 19-21 and includes a SPECIAL pre-shop/pre-sale time for consignors ONLY4-8 PM Thurs Aug. 19. To find out how to prepare your items for sale and to learn more about becoming a consignor, click here or email weeonessale@windstream.net.

At the sale, expect to find speciality boutique items at discount prices, upscale, boutique gently loved children’s clothing sizes newborn-14 , shoes, toys, equipment, books, etc. No wonder the sale’s slogan is “Great finds for great kids at GREAT prices!”

Sale dates:
Consignor only presale: 4-8 PM Thurs Aug. 19
Public sale: 6-8 PM Thurs. Aug. 19
Public Sale: 9 AM-7 PM Fri. Aug. 20
Public Sale: 9 AM-4 PM Sat. Aug. 21 when select items will be 1/2 off

Wee Ones Resale, 135 Goshen Road in the Goshen Road Shopping Plaza between Verizon and Baibry’s, off Hwy. 21, Rincon.  Just minutes from I-95, exit 109. For directions, click here. 912-826-7019, email weeonessale@windstream.net

Attention Families of children ages 0-7.

Kindermusik parent-and-me music in Savannah welcomes new teacher Caitlin Whitaker, who has an expertise in leading your children in music and movement.

Kindermusik will offer 16 classes (at least!) per week, with plenty of variety to choose from! Remember: all class sizes are SMALL so register soon. Classes include:
Mondays: Southside Savannah will offer Village for newborns to 20 month olds, Our Time for 1.5-3.5 year old toddlers, and Sign and Sing (2 Units) for hearing babies ages 6-36 months.

Tuesdays: Wilmington Island will offer FAMILY TIME. This class is for 2 or more siblings, any ages between 0 and 7. There will also be infant and toddler classes on Wilmington Island.

Wednesdays: Richmond Hill will offer Our Time class at 9:15 AM and a Village class at 10:40 AM

Saturdays: Southside Savannah will offer classes for babies.

Kindermusik is also offering something completely NEW: ABC Music and Me, a shorter course running only one month long. Classes for 2-4 year olds, and 4-6 year olds. Sign up for just one month to get your feet wet into Kindermusik, or commit to all 3 months at a time. ABC Music & Me will feature such themes as “Carnival of Music”, “Animals a Dancing”, “Around the Farm”, “Jumping Beans”, “Join the Parade”, and “All Keyed Up!”. Classes will be taught on Saturday mornings.

Online registration is available NOW for all classes listed above. For more info, including class “themes”, and to register for classes, click here. 

Questions about classes at The Landings. Since 2005, Kindermusik has offered classes at The Landings on Skidaway Island. This year, Kindermusik was told there’s no longer room for Kindermusik at The Landings. Kindermusik is hoping their faithful Skidaway Island residents can help by either 1) letting your Landings community know that you WANT Kindermusik in your back in your backyard and would like to see them find room for us somewhere, or 2) if you have any other ideas for a location space on Skidaway Island, please pass along any contact information Kindermusik by emailing music@instrumentalinks.com.

With all of you getting those school calendars right about now, time to start thinking about how  you want to spend those coveted school holidays! Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break are right around the corner and now is the time to start visualizing your family vacation.

But planning a trip today can be confusing and time consuming. Edgewood Travel in Savannah not only arranges the various modes of transportation, but also may be able to save you money with early booking discounts, special fares, accommodations details and travel advisories.

Edgewood Travel – which has been in Savannah for over 15 years – has more than than eight agents that are skilled in a variety of destinations including but not limited to Cruising, Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, Honeymoons and Family Vacations.

Edgewood would love to assist you in planning your dream vacation and has a wealth of experience to help you do so.

Edgewood is open Monday through Friday 9 AM-5:30 PM. Visit is www.edgewoodtravel.com or call 912 -351-0570. Please take a look at Edgewood’s website and send an email or pick up the phone, they’d love to hear from you!

Classic Kids , a locally-owned children’s clothing company specializing in classic and funky styles for both boys and girls, will  debut their adorable new fabrics and designs at a fall and winter show at Just for Babies & More, 7701 Waters Ave. 

The Classic Kids show  – which is open to the public – will be 10 AM-2 PM Wed Aug. 11.

Classic Kids is giving away a $50 gift certificate. To enter to win, become a fan of CK on Facebook by clicking here and write a post about your favorite new fall item. You can also enter to win the gift certificate by simply attending the show at Just For Babies & More on Aug. 11. The winner will be announced at the show and on the Classic Kids Facebook page.

Check out the new fall and winter fabric and designs on the Classic Kids Web site by clicking here. Classic Kids will continue to add new designs for Thanksgiving and Christmas periodically to their website and to their Facebook page.

Robyn Palmer with Stella and Dot will also be joining the show to debut their new fall jewelry line and the 2010 little girls’ line. You can visit her site by clicking here.

You can order online at Classic Kids, via email especially for custom orders or through one of their fall and winter shows. Show your team pride with one of Classic Kids’ Team Spirit designs. They can easily design an outfit for your team.

Classic Kids loves creating top-notch custom-made outfits from upscale fabrics. Designs range from time-honored standards to custom-made. CK will work with you to create your perfect outfit. Just drop CK a line at classickids@hargray.com.

To see more examples of Classic Kids,  click here. Order online at the Classic Kids Web shop. The new fall and winter Classic Kids line can also be found La Dee Da boutique in Rincon and Miss Elizabeth’s Children’s Boutique in Bluffton.

Classic Kids, Classic Clothes for Everyday Kids!, www.ClassicKidsGA.com. Email classickids@hargray.com

Here’s a way to boost your back-to-school budget: Go to High Cotton Kids, Savannah’s newest seasonal children’s consignment show specializing in gently used boutique and trunk show brand fall and winter clothes.

This seasonal sale is VERY centrally located in Savannah. The two-day High Cotton Kids sale will be at 6700 Waters Ave., next to Byrd Cookie Company, in the former location of Carole’s Boutique, Fri. Aug. 20-Sat. Aug. 21.

Expect to find upscale brands such Kelly Kids, Chez Ami, Hannah Kate, Just Ducky, Orient Expressed, Lilly Pulitzer, and Mini Boden to just name a few. The sale will also include shoes, accessories, bedding, art work, baby necessities, toys, strollers, maternity clothing and more. New merchandise will also be available from local vendors. Click here to learn more about the vendors.

To find out more about the show or how to becoame a consignor, click here. You don’t have to be a consignor or volunteer to attend the preview party on Thurs. Aug. 19. Send an email to at least 10 of your friends and copy High Cotton Kids on it at info@highcottonkids.com. Tell them about the show, when and where it is and you’ll receive a preview party ticket to shop early!

High Cotton Kids fine children’s clothing consignment sale, August 20-21; 6700 Waters Avenue, next to Byrd Cookie Company, in the former spot of Carole’s Boutique. Contact Paige Cook or Ashley Lewis at info@highcottonkids.com

AuPairCare is happy to make, cross-cultural, live-in care an option in Savannah and surrounding areas.

Have you ever looked at a successful couple and wonder how they do it? Both husband and wife work full time jobs, run a family business, work as politicians or in philanthropy? It’s quite possible that they have a family member that lives in their home, but it’s more likely that they have live-in childcare.

For years, au pairs have been the secret of success for families in cosmopolitan areas like New York and Los Angeles and now that option is available to you. Your children will be exposed to different languages and cultures without having to leave the comfort of your very own home.

AuPairCare is the only au pair agency with an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. AuPairCare provides live-in childcare in the Savannah, Hinesville, Richmond Hill, Statesboro, Bluffton, Beaufort and Hilton Head Island areas.

Au pairs from more than 40 countries are screened overseas and, as a family, you are able to interview and select your own au pair for the best possible match. In the best cases, au pairs save families money while providing a rich cross-cultural experience.

Most host families find that the young adult they host becomes a member of their family and a life-long friend to their children. Read essays from participating families and find out more about the program by clicking here.

NO APPLICATION FEE FOR SOUTHERNMAMAS READERS! AuPairCare’s $350 application fee is being waived for SouthernMamas readers from Aug. 2 – Aug. 9. Apply at www.aupaircare.com with promo code: AUPAIR$

To find out more information about live-in childcare starting at $340 per week, call 912.844.8487 or log onto AuPairCare.com.

This week, Savannah Celtic Soccer is giving away a free fall season of soccer for a lucky child. The giveaway is for child who’s eligible for either Savannah Celtic’s U6 program — U6: born on or after 8-1-04 to 7-31-06 or a child who’s eligible for Savannah Celtic’s Early Goals toddler program 3 to 4 (born before the U6 dates)

If your child is 4, ready to go to the next level, play on a team and play in Saturday games then the U6 program is for you. If you feel your child is not ready then Early Goals is the program for them.  The giveaway is for the fall soccer season.

Normally, registration costs range between $50-$60, depending on the program.  But you can win a free soccer program for your child.  Check out the rules below to enter to win:

To enter to win, tell us the best thing you’ve done this summer with your kids. Comment below this post or on our  SouthernMamas Facebook Fan Page . Be sure to become a fan while you’re there.  Entry deadline is Aug. 8

The soccer programs will start in August/September and sign ups are being taken now online at Savannah Celtic. Follow the online registration link.

The U6 fee is $60, which includes a state registration policy, 1 practice t-shirt and 1 game t-shirt. U6 teams practice once a week and play games on Saturdays. The fee for Early Goals is $50, which includes 1 practice T-shirt.
 
If you have any questions about our U6 program, call 912-495-9996 and talk to Keith or email David davidmlaing@gmail.com.

Michelle L Morris photography is a husband and wife team recently transplanted to the Savannah area from Orlando, FL.

Michelle’s style is in a word… different. It is fresh, unique, always totally custom, and geared toward capturing emotion, personality, and truth. Michelle is not one to capture the perfect posed family portrait, but rather your child or your family engaged in one another, in laughter, in imagination, in the moments that you want to remember, but are often missed.

Michelle is an on location (or in your home with studio equipment), exclusively natural light photographer. Michelle and her husband spend a great deal of time finding the best and most unique locations for your session. Michelle L Morris photography offers an array of custom boutique portrait products that are nearly unmatched in the industry. They would love to connect with you and your family this summer!

Please take some time to check out the published PORTFOLIO showcasing maternity, infancy, childhood, families, high school seniors, and birth photography, by clicking HERE.

August special includes 20 percent off the standard booking fee! Please reference discount code SMAMA to receive this offer, exclusive for Southern Mamas readers.

Offer ends on Aug. 30, 2010. Session must be secured by this date, not necessarily conducted before this time. To keep up with the work of Michelle L Morris Photography, follow the blog by clicking here.

Email for MORE INFORMATION info@michellelmorrisphotography.com

On Sat. Aug. 7, families will have  a unique opportunity to attend a public Puppet People children’s show. The beloved Puppet People rarely have performances that are open to the public.

Angela Beasely’s Puppet People No. 1 Family Show – called “Monkey Bubbles Takes A Train Ride”  – will be performed Sat. Aug. 7 at the Savannah History Museum, 303 MLK Jr. Blvd.  The performance times are: 10AM and 11 AM.

The first hour is free parking at the Visitors’ Center! Show tickets cost is $6, but mention you read about the show on SouthernMama’s and receive a $1 discount. Come early so kids can play with the puppet trains.

This interactive show features puppet trains. Children hold the marionette controls and “drive” the trains before the shows. The kids have a ball making the train puppets work all by themselves, and it makes really cute photos!This is a unique opportunity for children as the beloved Puppet People rarely have performances that are open to the public, so this is a great chance to see their No. 1 Family Show!