The Mommy and Me program Tuesdays and Thursdays @ UGA’s Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island is just one of the local educational programs at risk of being cut.

Because of the state’s potential $1.1 billion shortfall, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents is at risk of undergoing severe cuts include closing half of the state’s Cooperative Extension offices and eliminating its widely popular 4-H youth program.

This month, the University System of Georgia proposed $300 million in cuts to higher education, including 4,000 layoffs and dozens of program cutbacks. Locally, that would mean closing the Burton 4-H Center at Tybee Island and cutting other educational centers that provide invaluable information to thousands of area youth.

You can help save our local education centers and keep the doors open at @ UGA’s Marine Education Center and Aquarium and other kid-friendly spots. Let the Board know you disagree with these proposed closures by signing this petition

Those of you who’ve shopped at Coastal Kids Market, a seasonal, upscale children’s consignment sale in Pooler just outside Savannah, already know the amazing deals you can find there when it comes to high-end, gently-used boutique & trunk show clothing.

But did you know that Coastal Kids will accept CREDIT CARDS at this month’s upcoming spring sale March 11-13 @ The Shops at Godley Station, Pooler Parkway? No more dashing to the ATM or hitting your friend up for cash because you didn’t plan on finding so many quality brand bargains.

Brands you can expect to come across at Coastal Kids Market include Hannah Kate, Orient Expressed, Chez Ami, Kelly’s Kids, Bailey Boys, Ragsland, Strasburg, Matilda Jane, Lilly Pulitzer, Hannah Andersson, Potato Saks, and lots of NEW L’amour shoes.

Plus, the sale will be teeming with NEW overstocks from some local boutiques and designers.

Eight local vendors will be at the sale including: Miles of Crafts, Stella and Dot, Arts-Anne-Crafts, Bella Reece, Touchstone Crystal, Kris’ Krinkles, Thirty-One and Babe Sak.

Be sure to arrive early. Because the first 200 customers will receive goody bags filled with promotions and valuable coupons from 20-plus local businesses. So it pays to be first in line!

More than 75 consignors are already registered, with room for more. Hurry, registration ends this Sat. March 6.

Happy bargain-buying, SouthernMamas.

SPRING 2010 Sale Dates:
Thurs., March 11 6-8 PM
Fri., March 12, 9 AM – 5 PM
Sat., March 13, 9 AM– noon
*Select items will be half price on Saturday

Coastal Kids Market, March 11-13, The Shops at Godley Station, Pooler Parkway, Suite 202; 912.312.5800 or email contact@coastalkidsmarket.com

Get ready to swoon over Classic Kids clothing.

Classic Kids is a locally-owned children’s clothing company made up of moms that have a passion for creating unique and captivating clothing for their children and yours.

Each custom-made outfit is made from top quality fabrics with special attention to detail.

Lucky girls will get decked out in wrap skirts in bright colors or sweet ribbon-top and pillow case dresses. For boys: madras shorts, personalized crab tees, and timeless preppy JonJons.

Classic Kids specializes in classic and funky styles for both boys and girls.

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.

Scheduling for CK home shows is under way though out the southeast.

All home show guests will receive up to 20 percent off their home show order.

All hosts will receive up to 50 percent off their home show order and a continuous 20-percent off for the remainder of the season.

To see more examples of Classic Kids,  click here. Order online at the Classic Kids Web shop. Classic Clothes can also be found La Dee Da boutique in Rincon.

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

“La Dee Da” is an upscale children’s consignment boutique located in the heart of Rincon, Georgia, specializing in brands such as Kate Mack, Gymboree, Ralph Lauren, Feltman Bros and many more!

In addition to children’s consignment apparel, La Dee Da supports our local women in business by showcasing and carrying their beautiful and unique work. Custom boutique clothing, hairbows, diaper bags, quilts, tutu’s, diaper cakes, purses, tutu bow holders, headbands etc; created by local artisans such as Classic Kids, 4 Angels Boutique, The Polka Dot Lady, Pretty Please Quilts,and Wild Olive Kids, just to name a few!

Whether you are a consigning mom or grand mom, or simply shopping, La Dee Da welcomes you to stop in for a visit or visit La Dee Da’s Web site: www.ladeedakids.com or find La Dee Da on Facebook.

La Dee Da looks forward to serving you and your child! La Dee Da – where consignment shopping is anything but typical! Proud retailers of Mudpie, Jewelry by Lorena and The Fizzy Baker.

La Dee Da upscale children’s consignment boutique , 912-295-5470. Tues- Fri 9:30am – 5:30pm and Saturday 10 am – 3:30 pm
Hwy 21 North, Rincon. Located in Burns Station next to the Bank of America and across from The Curiosity Shoppe

EmmAva Photography is offering special spring mini-sessions.

The 30-minute sessions are $35. You will receive 15-20 pictures on disc with the copyrights. The sessions are March 20 and March 28.

To book your session, email  EmmAva Photography at EmmAvaPhotography@yahoo.com or call 912.429.7454.

Click here to view more photos by EmmAva Photography, which also is available for newborn, children, family, engagement, bridal shoots and weddings.

To celebrate the start of March, Petite Feet – Savannah’s newest children shoe store and a SouthernMamas sponsor – is giving away your choice of a pair of Tsukihoshi (pronounced Skee Ho She) children’s or babies shoe that is stock at Petite Feet.

That’s right, you get to pick out the free Tsukihoshi shoe for your child while visiting Petite Feet, Savannah’s newest shoe store for children. Petite Feet’s location at  5521 Abercorn next to Fresh Market and across from Publix has easy  in-and-out parking.

Here are the rules on how to win this month long contest.

 Shopping at Petite Feet  is a relaxed and enjoyable experience, thanks largely to the fact that it’s a child-friendly store with a comfortable atmosphere.  Puzzles, TV, children’s book and toys keep the tots busy while you shop.

Petite Feet’s knowledgeable personal service ensures that each child is fitted correctly. And you don’ t have to fight for parking spot. 

But best of all are the popular brands Petite Feet carries – all the ones you’ve been searching for, but have a tough time finding in our area.

Visit their website at www.petitefeetsavannah.com for more brands and information

Your March is already filling up with activities, and the month hasn’t even started yet.

Don’t forget to make plans to attend the children’s concerts at the Savannah Music Festival.

THE AMAZING MUSICAL RESCUE: RJ & THE UPBEATS will be at 12:30 PM Sat. March 20 at CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER
Tickets: $10 adult 18 and older, $5 age 6 and older, under 6 are free. Buy tickets by clicking here.
Open your imagination and enter the wonderful world of The UpBeats. Mischievous forces have sabotaged the creativity of music and it’s up to RJ & The UpBeats to save music.

SHAKE UP YOUR BRAIN: ROGER DAY, 12:30 PM Sat. March 27 at CHARLES H. MORRIS CENTER
Tickets: $10 adult 18 and older, $5 age 6 and older, under 6 free.
Two-time Parents’ Choice award-winning singer/songwriter Roger Day urges kids to reach their potential by using “body and brain, mind and muscle.” In this program for the entire family, he performs songs from his new album “Why Does Gray Matter? And Other Brainy Songs for Kids.” Buy tickets by clicking here.

Mud Runs – military-style obstacle course races in mud – have become popular with adults.

Now kids are joining in. The “MS Mud Run Jacksonville” at at Cecil Commerce Center in Jacksonville will also include a Mud Fun Run for Kids. The children’s event will at 2 PM March 20.

Boys and girls ages 7-12 will run a three-quarter of a mile course featuring three to five obstacles, including the large Slip ‘n’ Slide. Registration fee: $30 per child and a signed notarized waiver by a parent/guardian will be required.

Teens 13-18 may run the full-course 10K course if accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times; they will also be required to submit a signed, notarized waiver by a parent or guardian. The full course consists most of the obstacles surrounded by (or consisting entirely of) mud. Individuals, teams of two and teams of five will compete for prizes and the satisfaction of a doing a dirty job very well. It will be 9 AM – 3 PM Sat. March 20.

For more info, click here, where you may also register for the event. Registration closes at midnight on March 18. One hundred percent of fundraising contributions are donated to the North Florida Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Sister Mary Alvin Seubott of Saint Mary's Home with two of her resident boys Royce, left, and Quevon, and their pet dog Millie. (John Carrington/Savannah Morning News)

You can help keep seven children in their home.

St. Mary’s Home, a legacy in Savannah for the nurturing and development of children for 135 years, will be closing their doors. For the seven children who currently live at St. Mary’s on Victory Drive this means a change to their whole lives.

They will now have to move from their home, their care-givers, and the other children that have become their family and friends. It’s likely that they will have to change schools and their lives all together.

Over time, St. Mary’s, which was opened in 1877 by three Sisters of Mercy to help children who were abandoned or orphaned, has cared for children from many different circumstances- orphans, one-parent homes, abandoned children and dysfunctional homes.

Because of changes in federal and state laws, there have been a reduced number of placements of children in the home and with that a reduced amount of funding. These laws are affecting child care agencies that place children in-need into a new environment, focusing on foster homes and single family homes instead of group homes. While this does mean that St. Mary’s will not have any new children placed in their care, it does not mean that the children who currently reside there have to leave.

Of the seven children who live at St. Mary’s it will take approximately seven years for them all to graduate from high school. Seven more years of St. Mary’s Home existing in its current form and these children, who have found their safe haven, can continue on their paths uninterrupted.

Email savestmaryshome@gmail.com to find out how you can help prevent St. Mary’s from closing their doors on June 30.

Thanks to Casey Welsh of Just for Baby & More for providing this info.

Meagan Mangelsdorf wins a $25 gift certificate and two tickets to the preview party for High Cotton Kids , Savannah’s newest seasonal children’s consignment show specializing in gently-used boutique and trunk show brand spring and summer clothes.

The two-day High Cotton Kids sale will be at 6700 Waters Ave., next to Byrd Cookie Company, in the former spot of Carole’s Boutique, March 5 & 6. Congratulations, Meagan!

High Cotton Kids fine children’s clothing consignment sale, March 5-6;  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

SouthernMamas reader Amanda Williams wins the child’s Stars & Stripes hat from Konjono, a Brunswick-based mom-owned company that designs and manufactures children’s hats. Congratulations and thanks for entering, Amanda!

Of the top 10 things that make parents anxious, the search for reliable childcare is No. 1.

Your model babysitter or nanny is a mix of Jo Frost and Mary Poppins, with a dash of Julie Andrews’ Maria von Trapp for levity.

For a blend of all of the above, check out Babysitters & Nannies, serving Savannah, Tybee Is., Wilmington Island, Bluffton, Hilton Head Is., Beaufort, Charleston and surroundng areas.

 Babysitters & Nannies pairs families with child care providers for babysitting, part-time nanny or live-in nanny jobs. Babysitters & Nannies has an arsenal of vetted candidates who are CPR certified and have undergone DMV checks and extensive criminal records checks.

After you pay a membership fee that comes out to less than $1 a day, you can request a babysitter 24 hours-a-day via phone, email or by filling out a Babysitter Request Form through the Babysitters & Nannies website.

Babysitters & Nannies offer a variety of enticing discounts – of which the best is 10 percent off to SouthernMamas readers! Make sure you mention SouthernMamas sent you.

Babysitters & Nannies Give Back Program allows you the option of donating 10 percent of your membership fee back to a participating school or charity of your choice.

Even Mary Poppins can’t beat that.

Babysitters & Nannies, Owner/Operator Jenna Lucas, Phone: 843-384-4317; Fax: 843-757-8294; email info@babysittersandnannies.com  or jenna@babysittersandnannies.com ; www.babysittersandnannies.com, 6 Victory Point Circle, Bluffton, SC 29910

Stacy and Michelle run Spoiled Rotten Pet Care Services in Savannah

Happy as a dog’s tail. That’s how your Fido and Fifi are supposed to be.

But with your busy schedule, do you feel like your pets aren’t getting that tail-wagging attention you would like to give them?

Meet pet sitter extraordinaire Michelle Stevens, mom of four dogs of her own.

Michelle often felt that her dogs never received enough attention or exercise due to her late working hours. So, after 14 years as a professional chef, Michelle and her sister, Stacy, decided to turn their enthusiasm for animals into a business: Spoiled Rotten Pet Care Services.

Spoiled Rotten Pet Care offers a variety of services for pet owners, ranging from 30-40 minute walks to overnight stays at Michelle’s home or yours.

For cats, Spoiled Rotten offers a “look-in” service to make sure your favorite feline is fed and watered. They also provide, on a limited basis, a doggie day care, usually from 9-5.

Michelle and Stacy are both pet CPR certified, have excellent references and are competitively priced. These two dog lovers even bake their own peanut butter dog treats which can be purchased directly from them or at Polk’s Fresh Market.

Now that’s certain to give your pets something to wag about.

Spoiled Rotten Pet Care Services. Email m.stevenspetcare@yahoo.com or call 912.257.6644

Spring Break is closer than you think. How fun does a week-long camp at the museum sound?

After exploring the Telfair’s permanent collection, special exhibitions, and ArtZeum, participants will complete related art projects in the education studios.

Throughout the week, campers will work with accomplished, local artists who will help them process and apply their ideas and responses to the artwork in the galleries. The course will touch upon a variety of media including collage, painting, and 3-D sculpture.
March 29-April 2
10am-4 pm
Session A: Ages 6-8
Session B: Ages 9-11
$150/member, $175/non-member
Limited Space!

790-8823 or email kistt@telfair.org to register

The Telfair will also offer SPRING STUDIO ART CLASS for ages 10-14.

The class, Portfolio Builder: Youth Drawing III, is designed to help upper-elementary and middle school students improve their drawing skills. New students welcome!
Thursdays / 4:30-6 pm
April 8-May 13
$100/member, $125/non-member
5 students minimum / 12 maximum

Chances are you’re going to like Eliza Welch, a former fiction writer-turned-mom-blogger played by Uma Thurman in MOTHERHOOD.

The comedy, co-starring Anthony Edwards and Minnie Driver, comes out on DVD and Blu-Ray today (Feb. 23) We’re giving away TWO of the DVDs this week. But you have to read this post to the end to find out how to win.

Thurman’s Eliza, an urban, stay-at-home mother of two, makes me want to emulate her, at least a little. I appreciate her lists, her humor and especially her honesty about the paradox of motherhood – that desire to savor every minute of our kids’ fleeting youth while also longing to carve out time for our other ambitions. In Eliza’s case, she wants to be a hands-on mom but she also wants to return to her pre-mom passion: writing.

This film, that premiered at Sundance Film Festival premiere last year,  is perfect to watch after a long week of toddler tantrums and household budget fiascos. You’ll enjoy Eliza’s take on what it really means to be a mother. With the exception of the prince-to-the-rescue ending, MOTHERHOOD is worth watching.  And even more worth winning. 

To win a copy this week, comment below. Just tell us how many kids you have. That alone deserves winning something, right? We’ll pick a name at random and announce the winner Fri. Feb. 26.

This week’s giveaway: boutique bargains at High Cotton Kids . Win a $25 gift certificate and two tickets to the preview party for High Cotton Kids , Savannah’s newest seasonal children’s consignment show specializing in gently-used boutique and trunk show brand spring and summer clothes.

The two-day High Cotton Kids sale will be at 6700 Waters Ave., next to Byrd Cookie Company, in the former spot of Carole’s Boutique, March 5 & 6.

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.

Here are the rules on how to win the $25 gift certificate and two tickets to the sale preview party 5-7 PM Thurs., March 4.

High Cotton Kids fine children’s clothing consignment sale, March 5-6;  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

Win this hat this week!

Here’s fun, spirited giveaway to honor the Winter Olympics.

This week, a SouthernMamas reader will win this child’s Stars & Stripes hat from Konjono, a Brunswick-based mom-owned company that designs and manufactures children’s hats.

See more of the adorable Konjono hats here.

The $26.50 Stars and Stripes hat features striking ribbons in stars and stripes joined with more red, white and blue ribbons on cozy navy fleece.

Win by commenting on this post. Tell us which Olympic sport you’d love to see your child compete in someday. We’ll pick a winner at the end of this week and announce it here.

Now get back to cheering for the USA.

You can learn how to share the benefits of yoga with children in a two-day Savannah Yoga Center workshop.

The Childrens Yoga Teacher Training Certification Workshop, taught by Joanne Spence, is open to all yoga practitioners who desire to share the benefits of yoga with kids -yoga teachers, parents, classroom/PE teachers, counselors and para-professionals.

The workshop is Sat. March 27, 10 AM-5 PM and Sun. March 28, 10 AM-5 PM. Cost: $185 if registered before Feb. 22 and $210 after Feb. 22.

You do not have to be a yoga teacher or even have the desire to be one to participate in this workshop. The Yoga Playgrounds Workshop is about discovering how to live your yoga in your professional and parental life. For more info on Yoga PlayGrounds, click here.

To pre-register, click here or call (912) 232-2994 or email kelley@savannahyoga.com.

Savannah financial advisor Marsha Woelber

Savannah financial advisor Marsha Woelber knows money. Which is why we love her frequent guest posts on SouthernMamas about  becoming financially savvy. To read her previous posts, click here.

Marsha Woelber will respond to your financial questions. Email/call with your questions: Marsha Woelber; marsha@iissav.com, 912-650-2852. Here’s a recent question she received from a SouthernMamas reader: How do college savings accounts impact financial aid eligibility?

Below Marsha Woelber’s response:

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form used by the U.S. Department of Education to determine eligibility for federal, state, and college-sponsored financial aid, including grants, work-study, and loans. The Department of Education conducts an analysis based on financial information, such as income, assets and other household information.

It is important to know the implications of your children’s savings accounts on any financial aid they may need in the future.

Need-based financial aid depends on whether an asset is owned by the student or the parent. College savings plans such as a 529 plan are reported on the FAFSA as an asset of the account owner (usually the child is the beneficiary, not the owner). When the parent is the account owner, these plans have a low impact on financial aid eligibility. If the 529 is owned by a third party (ex: a grandparent), it is not reported on the FAFSA at all.

If you’ve saved money for your child using a traditional custodial UGMA or UTMA, you may want to consider rolling the money over into the custodial version of a 529 college savings plan. For financial aid purposes, custodial accounts (UGMA/UTMA) are considered assets of the student. This means that custodial bank and brokerage accounts have a high impact on financial aid eligibility.

*This answer addresses federal, state and college-sponsored financial aid only; private loans or scholarships will have different guidelines.

Marsha Woelber is a Partner at Independent Investment Services, LLC/Securities Offered through LPL Financial, Member FINRA/SIPC. She can be reached @ marsha@iissav.com or 912-650-2852.
The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

You’ve heard that seasonal kids consignment sales have become THE places to shop. Especially in this economy.

You’ve been meaning to check one out. Now you can. High Cotton Kids is Savannah’s newest seasonal children’s consignment show specializing in gently used boutique and trunk show brand spring and summer clothes.

Even better. This sale is going to be 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 spot of Carole’s Boutique, March 5 & 6.

Expect to find upscale brands such as Kelly Kids, Chez Ami, Hannah Kate, Just Ducky, Daisies and Doodlebugs, Orient Expressed, Hannah Anderson, Lilly Pulitzer. The sale will also include shoes, accessories, bedding, art work, baby necessities, toys, maternity clothing and more. New merchandise will be available from local vendors. Click here to learn more about the 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. 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 two preview party tickets to shop early!

High Cotton Kids fine children’s clothing consignment sale, March 5-6;  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

SouthernMamas loves Tickle Bellies’ fun and whimsical stationery, birth announcements, stickers, notepads, labels, luggage tags, invitations and bookmarks.

You will too. From now until March 1, you have a chance to win a Tickle Bellies personalized bookmark of your choice  and a variety pack of personalized labels of your choice. (See the adorable examples pictured above)

To enter to win, sign up as a Tickle Bellies Facebook fan by clicking here and write a Facebook wall post telling Tickle Bellies you read about Tickle Bellies on SouthernMamas and which bookmark and labels you’d select if you won.

Tickle Bellies will pick a random entry and we’ll announce the winner March 2.

WaterBabies classes for infants ages 6 weeks to 3 years will be offered in March at the Candler Wellness Center Pool , 5353 Reynolds St. , Savannah.

The session runs for six classes and costs $30 for the course. The course teaches infants to become accustomed to being in and surrounded by water, practicing floating on their backs, reaching for toys, jumping into the water, going under, and blowing bubbles.

The next WaterBabies session will be 10-10:30 AM, Saturdays beginning March 20. To pre-register, call 912-819-6463. Because this class is brand new, 8 to 10 participants are needed in order to hold the class.