UPDATE: Winners are: Everett Tarver, Mindy Galbreath & Julie Dykes. Congratulations ladies!
The Southern Women’s Show is returning to February 17-19 to the Savannah International Trade & Convention Center.

There’s so much for busy moms – from makeovers to pampering to (free) health testing to cooking demos to seminars on balancing life…

This week, SouthernMamas.com is giving away a total of 12 tickets to the Southern Women’s Show in Savannah – to three winners.

Three SouthernMamas.com readers will each win four tickets!

To enter to win, visit the Southern Women’s Show Facebook page here, “like” the page and post to your own wall. In other words, share this post on your wall. How easy is that?

Deadline to enter to win is Sun. Feb. 12.

We’ll pick our three winners Sun. Feb. 12 & announce them here.

Southern Women’s Show brings three days of shopping, fashion shows, celebrity appearances, food sampling, pampering, and more to Savannah International Trade & Convention Center.

From savvy shopping to creative cooking ideas, healthy lifestyle tips. Plus, you won’t want to miss the trendy fashion shows, celebrity guests & fabulous prizes.

Southern Womens Show,  One International Drive, Savannah, 31402,  1.800.849.0248 www.SouthernWomensShow.com Hours Fri: 10 AM-8 PM, Sat 10 AM-7 PM, Sun 11 AM-5 PM

Skidaway Island Preschool Open House 2012
10-11 AM Friday February 10, 10:A.M.-11:00 A.M.
For new and returning children
Skidaway Is. Preschool has been providing early childhood learning in a loving Christian environment for over 25 years
Visit www.skidawaypres.org and click Preschool tab at top of the home page
For more information contact Maria Rogers, Director, at 912 598-0151

For more school open houses in the Savannah area, click here.

You’re always looking for good books for your kids. Check out these recent Newbery, Caldecott winners:

“Dead End in Norvelt” by Jack Gantos won the John Newbery Medal for the best children’s book of 2011. Chris Raschka’s “A Ball for Daisy” won the Randolph Caldecott award for best illustrated story.

The Newbery and Caldecott prizes, the most prestigious in children’s literature, were announced earlier this year by the American Library Association. Previous winners include Louis Sachar’s “Holes” and Brian Selznick’s “The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” the basis for Martin Scorsese’s film “Hugo.”

Kadir Nelson’s “Heart and Soul,” won the Coretta Scott King Book Award 2011 for best African-American story. The King prize for best illustrated book went to Shane W. Evans’ “Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom.”

Hubbard’s Maid Service in Savannah has an enticing discount for SouthernMamas.com readers: during the month of February, receive a cleaning and get a voucher for 2 hours of cleaning for free.

Click here to read a recent guest post from Nicole Hubbard, owner of Hubbard’s Maid Service: “Everything You Never Wanted To Know About Dust Mites”  The guest post will make you want to sterilize your sheets immediately!

Call 912.961.9131 for a free house cleaning quote. Be sure to tell them SouthernMamas.com sent you to receive your February discount!.

Serving Savannah & the Lowcountry since 2004, Hubbard’s Maid Service has been keeping thousands of houses and offices spotless. You can be assured that Hubbard’s licensed, bonded, and insured team has one goal: your complete satisfaction! No office, house, store, or construction site is too small or large for Hubbard’s cleaning crews.

Hubbard’s Maid Service, 912.961.9131, www.hubbardsmaidservice.com Hubbard’s Maid Service is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

To applaud Savannah native Juliette “Daisy” Gordon Low & celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouts this year, Savannah businesses and residents are encouraged to add daisies to landscapes and bouquets. Low went by the nickname “Daisy” even as an adult.

To learn more about daisies, which bloom in late spring and early summer, including where to purchase them locally, follow along in Twitter @DaisiesforDaisy or contact Sandy Traub or 912/398-9828 or email straub@spatior.com

You’re invited to watch the FREE annual Georgia Day Parade, which kicks off at 10:30 AM Fri. Feb. 10 and follows Bull Street from Forsyth Park to City Hall, in Historic Savannah.

Thousands of costumed local elementary school children march behind their hand-made banners in commemoration of Georgia’s founding in 1733. A colorful parade of students, musicians, local dignitaries, and costumed characters is preceded by a military color guard and marching band. Beginning at Forsyth Park and continuing around all five squares of Bull Street, the procession culminates with a program in front of City Hall, where the mayor and other officials bring greetings and present awards for the annual Banner Competition.

For more kid-friendly events happening in Savannah & the Lowcountry, visit the SouthernMamas.com Events Calendar by clicking here.

Below is a guest post from Nicole Hubbard, owner of Hubbard’s Maid Service, a SouthernMamas.com advertiser. The post will make you want to sterilize your sheets immediately!

Everything You Never Wanted To Know About Dust Mites
By Nicole Hubbard, owner, Hubbard’s Maid Service

Dust Mites are some gross critters that you never can see but they can pack a punch in your home on the annoyance scale. The old style cleaning of taking rugs and household furnishings outside to smack with a broom are actually quite effective in reducing dust mites. Think of all those microscopic carcasses, feces, hair, and dead skin floating through the atmosphere, away from where you live!

“Frequent vacuuming is the key to reducing dust mites,” states local Oreck Store manager, Steve Bussius. “You can’t totally get rid of them, but vacuuming behind the headboard of beds, behind furniture, and between the mattress and bedsprings is a good way to reduce dust mites.” Steve also recommends using Oreck vacuum cleaners and their green HEPA filter vacuum bags as well as mattress & pillow protection covers, all of which Oreck sells. Steve also noted that typically when you purchase a brand new mattress, 5 years later it is 30% heavier due to the carcass and feces residue that dust mites leave behind. Yummy!

The feces of dust mites is what causes allergic reactions in human beings…To read the entire guest post, click here

Hubbard’s Maid Service, 912.961.9131, www.hubbardsmaidservice.com Hubbard’s Maid Service is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

Here’s a list of children’s books on astronomy provided by Live Oak Public Libraries & distributed by the Oglethorpe Astronomical Association at the gazing in the garden January family event at The Bamboo Farm and Coastal Gardens . (Who knew that Curious George author H.A. Rey also wrote books on the stars? See below.)

If you’re interested in taking your kids to other star-gazing events check out the Feb. 25 Dark Sky Star Party at the Okefenokee Swamp listed in SouthernMamas February 2012 events happening at state parks and historic spots .

“Night Sky Atlas” by Robin Seagell
“Astronomy” by Kristen Lippincott
“Black Holes & Other Space Oddities” by Alex Barnett
“Space” by Simon Holland
“The Solar System: An A-Z Guide” by Christina Wilsdon
“Cosmic Light Shows” by Bobbie Kalman & April Fast
“Find the Constellations” by H.A. Rey
“The Stars: A New Way to See Them” by H.A. Rey

Make It & Take It: Valentine’s Day at various Live Oak public library branches
Celebrate Valentine’s Day by making a Heart Art Card! Ages 4 and up.

Bull Street Library, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 4:30 p.m.
Port City Library, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 4:30 p.m.

Scent of a Magnolia: A tribute to Billie Holliday, Her Life and Music
Southwest Chatham Library, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 6 p.m.
Actress/singer Nickki Rich, author Trisha Sugarek, and project manager Ronald Hazzard present a tribute to Billie Holiday. This one-woman show portrays the life of a black jazz singer in America during the 1930’s. As Billie tells us not only her story, but the nation’s story, she injects her tale with her most famous music as well as some of her more obscure songs. Her triumph was her music and her songs that will live on forever.

Time to explore Georgia State Parks.

Start planning your it’s-almost-spring getaway by checking out the SouthernMamas February 2012 events happening at state parks and historic spots across the state. Nearby events include Dinner with General James E. Oglethorpe at Fort King George Historic Site, Darien & Dark Sky Star Party at the Okefenokee Swamp.

The events are listed on the SouthernMamas.com Georgia State Parks Events page by clicking here.

The pink Backus site at Victory Drive & Truman Parkway in Midtown Savannah will be undergoing renovations. We hope the high-end grocery store that is supposed to be housed in the former Cadillac dealership spot will be Whole Foods, as rumored.

The prospective buyers of the Backus property, Atlanta-area development firms Knightwood and S.J. Collins Enterprises, plan to convert the Victory Drive frontage to parking and construct three new buildings to house retail on the site.

The Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission approved the redevelopment plan last week. The largest building planned for the site will measure 35,000 square feet. The developers have been in negotiations with a “high-end retail grocer” to lease the spot.

Word on the street that high-end grocer is Whole Foods. Keep those fingers crossed. Stay tuned here for updates.

Savannah Black Heritage Festival Grand Festival Day, Saturday, February 11, 2012
a family fun day of top entertainment, Grand Festival Day is one of the highlighted events. It will be held in the Savannah Civic Center’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Arena from morning into the evening. In addition to the variety of activities for youth and performances by nationally famous recording artists, food and retail vendors will also be on hand with a wide variety of food, goods and services.

On Sat. Feb. 18, there will be a Mardi Gras parade at 3pm down Butler Avenue and a street party with music and festivities on Tybrisa Street. Join the fun, listen to authentic Zydeco music featuring Brad Randell and the Zydeco Ballers, All American All Star Dixieland Review and Jeff Beasley Band. The music starts already at noon. Admission to the street party and parade viewing is free. www.mardigrastybee.com

Armstrong Atlantic Youth Orchestra Benefit Concert
AASU Fine Arts Auditorium
11935 Abercorn Street at Science Drive
3 PM Sun. March 4, 2012
Featuring Soloist
Julia Sellman, winner of the AAYO Jr. Division Concerto Competition Concert and Gallery Reception
$25 per person
Tickets: available at the door
Advance reservations for the Reception requested.
Please email: savaayo@yahoo.com (RE:RESERVE)

“Lego Day” at the Hilton Head Branch Library, 4-5:30 p.m. 11 Beach City Rd. (843) 255-6529 or www.beaufortcountylibrary.org.

Children’s Movie Day for ages 3 and up with their families at the Hilton Head Branch Library, 1 p.m. Refreshments are served. Call for details and movie title.
(843) 255-6529 or www.beaufortcountylibrary.org.

Bedtime Storytime for ages 3 and up with their families at the Hilton Head Branch Library, 6:45 p.m. Wear your PJs and bring your favorite stuffed friend to enjoy stories, songs and surprises.

276th Anniversary of Fort Frederica Living History Encampment
Saturday, February 18, 2012, 10 A.M. – 4 P.M.
Fort Frederica, St. Simons Island
The National Park Service commemorates the 1736 founding of Frederica. Living history activities including historic weapons demonstrations, 18th century trades and crafts will bring the history of this British fort and town to life. Call Ft. Frederica at 912.638.3639 or visit www.nps.gov/fofr  for more information. Free and open to the public.

If you need a new heating & air system, there’s never been a better time to buy.

Be one of the next 25 residential customers to change out your system & be entered to win $5K in cash.

Galbreath & Sons Heating and Air is proud to announce that they will be giving away $5,000.00 to one of the next 25 customers that replaces their residential air conditioning system.

The next 25 change out customers will be entered into a drawing for up to a $5,000.00 cash prize!!! Call Galbreath for more info or a free quote.

Call Galbreath & Sons today for more information or a free quote. 843.200.0012. www.GalbreathAndSons.com.

Galbreath & Sons is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser.

We love Super Museum Sunday when museums & other organizations are FREE. This year, Super Museum Sunday is 12-4 PM Sunday Feb 5. The new SCAD Museum of Art will be among those local museums offering free admission this Sunday! 

From Statesboro to Darien, over 40 cultural institutions throughout coastal Georgia participate in this popular annual family event. Free and open to the public.

Click here for a list of some participating local museums, so you can plan your day and take advantage of free admissions.

MetalPressions.com is the quintessential American small business success story of Savannah Jewelry Designer and Artist, Elisha Argentinis and her husband Andreas.

The two teamed up three years ago to take Elisha’s jewelry designs to the next level and make huge waves in the online personalized jewelry market. Over the past three years while growing the jewelry business, they have developed a revolutionary online jewelry design tool that will change the way people shop for personalized custom jewelry.

The software is user friendly, highly intuitive and provides each customer the ability to design, online, the exact piece of jewelry they envision in their own mind. With no limitations and no restrictions, the online jewelry design tool goes wherever the customers’ imagination leads them.

At Metal Pressions you can add text, diamonds, and other embellishments to necklaces, bracelets, rings, cufflinks, tie clips and more.

Exceptionally designed & handcrafted gold and silver jewelry with an exclusive online design tool have set MetalPressions.com apart from their competition.

Visit or contact them today to get your one of a kind Metal Pressions original jewelry design.

For a limited time – Save 20% with coupon code SM20
1 use per customer – Expires February 6th – Cannot be combined with other offers.

MetalPressions.com is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser, www.metalpressions.com /

Consign with Kids 2 Kids Consignment seasonal sale at Savannah Mall in March and receive 70% commission.

Consign more to make more. Consign 100 items and receive 75% commission on all items. Registration is now open. kids2Kids Consignment is taking ALL Seasons of gently used clothing, toys, books, furniture, baby and maternity items. For more information, click here. 

 Kids 2 Kids seasonal consignment sale is set for March 8-11 2012 at Savannah Mall.

Sale Dates:
Thurs. March 8 3p-7p
Frid. March 9 10a-7p
Sat. March 10 10a-7p
Sun. Mar.11 11a-2p (Select Items will be 40% off)

Want to Shop Early? Volunteer and shop March 8 10a-3p

Drop Off is March 6 & 7.

Kids 2 Kids easy tagging system is NOW available. Click here to Register/ Start Tagging/ or Sign up for Volunteer Shifts.

The advantages to seasonal consignment sales are numerous:
•shoppers find better prices at seasonal consignment sales than at consignment shops
•the variety and quality is better than garage sales
•consignors keep a larger percentage
•it is fun and easy

Kids 2 Kids Consignment Sale, http://kids2kidsconsign.net/, March 8-11 2012, Kids 2 Kids Consignment Sale is a SouthernMamas.com advertiser