ABC’s EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION is searching for deserving families in Savannah.

To be eligible, a family must own their own single family home and be able to show producers how a makeover will make a huge difference in their lives. Deadline for nominations is this Fri. Aug. 14.

For more information on the application process click here. Good luck!

You’ve loved Petunia Pickle Bottom (PPB) products for years. Who can resist their distinct, unique and decidedly fashionable fabrics and cuts?

Take for instance their new line of organic gift sets that SouthernMamas is giving away this week– a 3-pack of onesies and a 3-pack socks each available in 3 different color schemes that I won’t be able to do justice trying to describe. Instead, the giveaway goodies are pictured here.

My 2-year-old’s new favorite spot is the Savannah Bee Co. Honey House, which has a kid-friendly play area in the back of the honey-and-bee themed Broughton Street boutique.

There’s a large a bee hive – called the bee skep – filled with books and toys and bee-themed flicks. There’s also a theater section showing documentaries on bees and honey, as well as a honeycomb playhouse, complete with doors and windows. Mom and dad can sip honey-lattes while the kids play.

The Honey House kids’ area is perfect when you need a break while shopping downtown with the kids. Or if you’re just looking for something different on a thunderstormy afternoon: the Savannah Bee Co. Honey House, 104 W. Broughton St.

Here are some safety tips from SafeKids when it comes to leaving kids in vehicles.

As temperatures increase and family schedules change, parents and caregivers should avoid leaving children unsupervised in or near vehicles.

Children in vehicles under extreme heat conditions are vulnerable. Heat stroke, a life-threatening emergency, can occur in temperatures as low as 80 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on humidity levels. Body temperatures higher than 105 degrees Fahrenheit can cause permanent brain damage or even death, especially among children.

Other serious injuries occur when children get entrapped in trunks or when they set a vehicle in motion leading to crashes.  Recommendations include:

 Make your car safer. Always keep car doors and trunks locked, even in the garage or driveway, to keep kids out. Treat it as the multi-ton, fast-moving enclosure and piece of machinery that it is. Keep the rear fold-down seats closed to prevent kids from getting into the trunk from inside the car

 Supervision is key. Even if the windows are down, never leave your child unattended in a car. Never leave your car keys where children can get them. Teach children not to play in or around cars. If a child is missing at home, check the car first, including the trunk

 Adopt safety-focused behaviors. Consider placing your purse or briefcase in the back seat as a reminder that you have your child in the car. Be sure everyone leaves the vehicle when you reach your destination

 Notification plan. Consider having your child’s teacher or childcare provider call you if your child does not arrive when expected

 Get involved if you see a child alone in a vehicle. If they are hot or seem sick, get them out as quickly as possible and call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

Another important aspect of car safety is making sure that your car itself is safe. If it’s older and might not be the most up to date vehicle you should consider selling your car to Ecology Cash For Cars. They are a company that will purchase your car from you even if it’s old.

Catherine Edmonds!

Congratulations. Catherine wins a photo session from Savannah-based photographer LeeAnn Ritch (a $225 value) and online proofing . The CD and prints are not included.

Examples of LeeAnn’s work are pictured in her blog and her Web site.  Click here to contact LeeAnn. Or call 912.308.9327 or email leeann@leeannritchphotography.com

Thanks to everyone who entered last week’s giveaway. Check out the comments section below the initial giveaway announcement post for 40 ideas from SouthernMamas readers on how to savor the last days of summer.

Coming soon to Savannah: a new indoor playground and birthday spot.

Monkey Joe’s – which offers bouncing, sliding, and jumping fun for kids 12 years-old and younger – will open a Savannah location at 309 Eisenhower Drive next to Dr. Ramon Ramos’ office.

The exact opening date is not confirmed yet, but a spokesperson said the estimated opening time is the end of September/early October.

Monkey Joe’s features an inflatable play center including inflatable slides, jumps, and obstacle courses where kids can bounce, jump, slide, and have fun. Kids 3 years-old and younger have their own play area.

Read more here.

Your idea of music (twirling to Tchaikovsky, moving to Mozart) isn’t quite the same as your little one’s (using the toy piano as a tap dance stage).

Get everyone in perfect harmony with Make A Joyful Noise early childhood music classes. Think singing, dancing, and instrument playing, plus activities that improve motor skills and rhythm.

Attend the Make A Joyful Noise open house Sat. Aug. 8 for a free preview of a class (babies to 6 years) at 10:30 AM as well as drawings for FREE CLASSES; and an 11:30 AM audition for the Sounds of Praise Children’s Choir

Contact Vicki to pre-register for the preview class. 912-920-6542. Click here for more info.

Sending a child off to school can be scary. Sure moms joke about back-to-school being “the most wonderful time of the year” but that doesn’t mean it’s not also anxiety provoking.

Will the teacher like my child? Who will be the new classmates? Will they be good influences — or bad? Will my child struggle to make friends or deal with bullies or endure teasing? And most of all, will my child be safe?

What 175,000+ moms around the world have discovered is that back-to-school anxiety and fear can be replaced with peace and hope. And yes, even joy. Moms In Touch International impacts children and schools worldwide for Christ by gathering mothers and other interested women to pray. Learn more how you can become involved by visiting www.momsintouch.org or contacting Stacy Cerone at 228-4270, scerPM@comcast.net.

Your kids are sun-kissed. You’re rested. And your husband’s rocking his beach bronze. 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, this week on SouthernMamas, Savannah-based photographer and natural-light aficionado LeeAnn Ritch is giving away a photo session (a $225 value) and online proofing to a lucky SouthernMamas subscriber. The CD and prints are not included.

 Examples of LeeAnn’s work are pictured here and in her blog and her Web site.

Click here to contact LeeAnn. Or call 912.308.9327 or email leeann@leeannritchphotography.com

Tired of assembly line invites and stationery? Just your luck: Savannah-based graphic designer Emily McCarthy gives new moms and baby shower-throwers alike a fresh take on the old baby announcement and invitation.

Emily has been in the invitation and stationery industry for more than eight years. While still employed as Senior Designer for one the largest invitation retailers in the country, Emily has created emma j design – an exclusive offering of custom invitations and stationery. Mixing modern and traditional, Emily adds her flair to any event.

A firm believer in setting the mood of your event with the invitation, Emily works one-on-one with each client to create a unique invitation that can only be found at emma j design. All of her illustrations and artwork are completely custom and are drawn specifically by the artist. Emily, originally from the Atlanta area, was a newcomer to Savannah three years ago and is excited to offer her talents and services to the South.

emma j design offers custom invitations {couture wedding and letterpress, birthday parties, dinner parties, baby and bridal showers}, baby and moving announcements, custom stationery and monograms, wedding styling {logos, invitations, programs, favor tags}, corporate branding and logos, business cards, catalogs and product design.

Contact Emily McCarthy today to set up an appointment or to place an order. Email inquiries to emily@emmajdesign.com .

Visit www.emmajdesign.com for an online gallery of work and to visit her popular blog: A Savannah Redtop.

Sometimes we all need to be reminded to appreciate how fortunate we are to have healthy children.

Which is why you should check out my newspaper column this week about a Savannah baby who needs a new heart to survive.

Amy and Brad Stewart have to miss out on so many joys of first-time parenthood as they try to help their 7-month old son while he waits for a donated heart. But the worst part is having to see their son, Cabell, sick, hooked up to tubes and confined to a hospital.

Read Cabell’s story here and follow his progress on by going to CarePages.com where Cabell’s site is IHeartCab.

Help is available for Savannah-area women struggling with infertility.

A new infertility support group is starting this month at Savannah Christian Church. The first meeting will be 6:30 PM Aug. 8. Meetings will be every month.

The goal is to provide support and resources for women in the Savannah area struggling with infertility or pursuing/or have been through adoption.

Denise Perry.

Denise wins a $50 gift certificate to The Melting Pot!, a fondue restaurant opening in September on Broughton Street in downtown Savannah.

Thanks to everyone who entered to win by signing up to become Club Fondue members. Members receive free chocolate fondue for two on your birthday and wedding anniversary. You will also receive monthly emails about The Melting Pot’s grand opening, ladies night out, wine tastings and other fun events.

Look for another giveaway from a different business to be announced here Monday.

First Saturday for Kids at Telfair’s Jepson Center for Arts
Studio art workshop “Counter Photography: Japan’s Artists Today”; storytelling; children activities in the ArtZeum; an 11 am classic family film.
Free admission. No registration required.
10 am -1 pm Sat. Aug. 1
207 W. York St., downtown Savannah
912.790.8800

Last Chance to Ride the Roundhouse Railroad Museum Train Until Fall!
The popular train rides at the Roundhouse Railroad Museum will go on a roughly one-month hiatus after this Sun. Aug. 2.
Passengers can ride behind the steam locomotive 11am, 2pm and 4pm Sat. August 1
and behind one of the diesel locomotives on Sun. Aug. 2. Regular admission rates apply.
Rides will return on Saturdays and Sundays September through November at 11am, 2pm, and 4pm, with a special Fall “Steam Days” event featuring daily rides November 6-15.
(912) 651-6823.

End-of-Camp Savannah Childrens’ Choir concert in the Jelks Auditorium at Savannah Country Day School
7 PM Fri. July 31. Free and open to the public.
Featuring music the children have learned and will also debut music some of the kids have composed, performed by professional artists.
912. 228.4758

Saturday Explorations at The Aquarium (SEA) Program at the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium on Skidaway Island
This week’s theme: Horseshoe Crabs. Kids can experience horseshoe crabs and get all their questions about them answered.
10 AM-noon Sat. Aug. 1
Cost: $10 per person.
Must be 8 years old or older
30 Ocean Science Circle.
To register, contact 912.598.3474 or e-mail fish@uga.edu.

Movie & a game
Watch the movie in air-conditioned Lucas Theatre and get a ride to Historic Grayson Stadium to a Sand Gnats Game
THIS WEEK’S MOVIES:
“Field of Dreams” 3:30 PM Fri. July 31, “Angels in the Outfield (1951), 4 PM Sat. Aug. 1
Both preceded by family-friendly animated movie “How to Play Baseball” starring Goofy
Package includes movie ticket, roundtrip transportation and baseball game ticket: $17
Discounts available for military seniors and with a SCAD id
912.525.5050

Faith Night at Grayson Stadium
Sat. Aug. 1
5 PM Fish Eyed Fools concert before the Sand Gnats game. Players and coaches will give personal testimonials.
912.351.9150

Home Depot Kids Workshop
Free how-to clinics designed for children ages 5-12, available on the first Saturday of the month. Children accompanied by an adult create useful objects
9 am-noon @ all Home Depot stores.

First Saturday on the River
9 AM-7 PM Sat. Aug. 1 on River Street.
Featuring 60 regional arts and crafts exhibitors, music, food and drink. The U.S. Coast Guard does live demos.

Adult activity, but worth mentioning anyway
Open house at Savannah Mall to introduce THE MARKETPLACE AT SAVANNAH MALL to prospective shopkeepers.
The new marketplace is ideal for moms to locate their businesses at affordable rates, whether your business is jewelry, photography, yoga, gourmet food or more.
Visit customer service Fri. July 31-Aug. 2
The first 50 businesses to sign a one-year lease will receive the first month’s rent FREE.
Contact Chardell Steves chardell.steves@savannahmall.com or 912.927.7467.

Wanted: volunteers to help transform a vacant plot into a Pooler community-built park.

The aim is to build a 17,000-square-foot park that is the largest and most unique playground in the area, custom-designed by children and built entirely through volunteer efforts.

The West Chatham YMCA in Pooler donated the land adjacent to Pooler Parkway between the YMCA and the new Pooler Recreation Park.

Volunteers will be needed to do most of the work – organization, fundraising, procurement and volunteer recruitment, even meal preparation and child care for the workers. Design, drafting, project management and construction supervision will be left to playground developers Leathers and Associates of New York.

The estimated $500,000 project will be funded in part by donations and fundraisers.

The proposed playground will be free and open to everyone, providing play opportunities for children of all abilities.

For more info, click here or call (912) 748-9622.

Looking for a fabulous date night? How about a fun night out with the girls? Coming soon to Broughton Street in downtown Savannah is The Melting Pot! At The Melting Pot, fondue becomes a memorable four-course dining experience where you can truly dip into something different. Come discover The Melting Pot’s relaxed atmosphere, private tables, fine wines, attentive service and exceptional fondue dinners.

Start with a creamy cheese fondue. Then choose from four flavorful fondue cooking styles and a variety of entrées including filet mignon, lobster, blackened chicken, duck, shrimp, salmon and more. For dessert, enjoy mouthwatering chocolate fondue served with dipping items including fresh strawberries, cheesecake, marshmallows, pound cake and brownies.

To enter to win, sign up here for Club Fondue. Club Fondue members receive free chocolate fondue for two on your birthday and wedding anniversary. You will also receive monthly emails about The Melting Pot’s grand opening, ladies night out, wine tastings and other fun events.

You have to be a SouthernMamas subscriber to enter. Subscribing is free. Click here to do so.

You have until 9 pm this Thurs. July 30 to enter and then The Melting Pot will choose a name. SouthernMamas will announce the winner here Fri. July 31.

The Melting Pot will be opening soon in September. Come and enjoy a night of fondue!

Daily Candy offered a fun tip this week for summer garden fun: Nature Bingo.

Here’s how it works.

Step One: Select 24 objects that can be easily found in your backyard or local park (or not so easily found, depending on how much of a break you need). Think seasonal flowers, plants, trees, bugs, even rocks.

Step Two: Have kids draw a grid (five across, five down, with a free space in the middle) depicting these objects using crayons or markers.

Step Three: Send your child out and about to find five in a row. Once mastered, mix things up by choosing new items to hunt for.

Step Four: Repeat as necessary.

Amie Huse!

Amie’s child wins free tuition to a kids’ sculpture class for children 4 and older. Value is $50.

The class is @ Tiffany Drabek Studio 215 E. 64th St. in Savannah. Here are the details if you want to sign up your child:
Just For Kids Clay Workshop: July 27-30
Kids 4 and up will learn hand building techniques as they create beautiful sculptures. They will paint
their masterpieces in brilliant underglaze colors.  Mon.-Thurs. from 9:30-10:30 AM

Tiffany Drabek also offers other kids summer classes and camps including pottery.

To sign up, contact Tiffany Drabek (912) 692-0659 or tiffanydrabek @gmail.com.

Call Fun Faces Face Painting Services for your child’s next birthday party.

Fun Faces is available for all types of events; private parties, corporate events, grand openings, festivals and more. Service area includes Savannah, Statesboro, Jacksonville.

Fun Faces uses only water-based FDA compliant as a cosmetic face paints and cosmetic glitters that wash off with mild soap and water. No craft glitter. No acrylic paints or other paints which are not meant for the skin.

Fun Faces can paint about 10 faces an hour, depending on the complexity of the design.

Get in touch early for the best selection of available dates. Call 912.674.1830 or email sherrys.funfaces@gmail.com. Learn more here.

The Savannah Children’s Choir will present a free, End-of-Camp concert 7 PM Fri. July 31 in the Jelks Auditorium at Savannah Country Day School.  The concert is free and open to the public.

The event is the culmination of a two-week Summer Choral Camp program, now in its fourth year. This year’s theme is “Rhythm”, and daily classes in music history, sight singing, composition  and percussion reinforced the campers’ abilities to read and understand rhythmic concepts in music.

Camp instructors include interns from top music educational colleges such as Florida State and the University of Georgia along with professionals in the field, assisted by local high school interns. 

The concert will feature music the children have learned and will also debut music some of the kids have composed, performed by professional artists. For more info, click here or call 912. 228.4758.

The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society (LDSS) has created Savannah’s first Summer Camp for children with Down Syndrome.

The six day program will be held 9 AM-12:30 PM on July 27, 29, and 31 and August 3, 5 and 7.

Camps are funded in part by the money the organization raises through their annual Down Syndrome Buddy Walk each October-requiring participants to pay just $30 for the three day camp. Educational and recreational activities are scheduled for children ages 3 to 6. Speech, physical and occupational therapists are on board to assist the children in their continued growth and development, while having fun.

For more information or to register, contact John Bogardus at (912) 728-8505 or click here.

For more local summer camps, click here.

This week, a lucky SouthernMamas subscriber will win free tuition to a kids’ sculpture class for children 4 and older that will meet July 27-30. Value is $50.

The class is @ Tiffany Drabek Studio 215 E. 64th St. in Savannah. Here are the details:
Just For Kids Clay Workshop: July 27-30
Kids 4 and up will learn hand building techniques as they create beautiful sculptures. They will paint
their masterpieces in brilliant underglaze colors. The class will meet Mon.-Thurs. from 9:30-10:30 AM
All the winner’s costs are covered including materials.

Tiffany Drabek also offers other kids summer classes and camps including pottery. That “Kids on the Wheel” class is Aug. 10-13 It’s an introductory workshop for kids 8 and up to pottery making on the wheel. This may include one day of hand building.

Kids will learn how to center the clay on the wheel and make plates and bowls. They will also paint their work in underglazes. The class is 9-11 AM Mon-Thurs. Fee: $85, includes materials. Parents are welcome to take the class with their children if they desire.

To sign up, contact Tiffany Drabek (912) 692-0659 or tiffanydrabek @gmail.com. Also available: adult classes, birthday parties and other custom workshops for special celebrations and events.

Are you looking to grow your home-based business? Open another? Move to a location with heavy foot traffic? Expand to the Savannah market?

Discover the Coastal Empire’s largest, year-round indoor Marketplace: THE MARKETPLACE AT SAVANNAH MALL.

It’s a new indoor shopping destination that convenes neighborhood-style shops with dazzling and curious wares. This is a great opportunity for all of you creative moms with a cottage industry – aromatherapy, yoga, quilting, scrapbooking, gourmet foods, or monogramming. Think of this forthcoming marketplace as a live, in-person version of Etsy.

Beginning with 90,000 square feet, which formerly housed Steve and Barry’s, THE MARKETPLACE AT SAVANNAH redefines will be the Coastal Empire’s largest, year-round indoor marketplace. Your shop can be in place just in time for the holidays.

The goal is to have a shopping village, a retail square inside the mall, small shops with relatively small budgets next to a big department store.

On Fri. July 31, Savannah Mall is hosting an open house to introduce THE MARKETPLACE AT SAVANNAH MALL to prospective shopkeepers. For more info, contact Chardell Steves at Savannah Mall: chardell.steves@ savannahmall.com or 912.927.7467. Tell them SouthernMamas sent you!

All aboard.

The Roundhouse Railroad Museum has a summer special: pay one price for a full day of fun.

The museum’s offering 45-minute rides in the vintage steam locomotive at 11am, 2pm, and 4pm through July 31. Rides on the museum’s human-powered handcar are available throughout the day. There also are guided tours of restored office cars at 10:30am, 1:30pm, and 3:30pm.

Admission: $10 for adults and $4 for kids 6 and younger, and includes all of the activities listed. Admission to the Savannah History Museum next door may be added for an additional $3 for adults/no extra charge for kids 6 and under.

Call (912) 651-6823 for more information, or click here.