Time to head to North Georgia to pick apples. Or, at least, partake in apple picking festivities.

The annual Apple Pickin Jubliee at Hillcrest Orchards in Ellijay – happening this upcoming weekend Sept. 19 &  20 and next weekend Sept. 26 & 27 –  has everything that you associate with autumn and farms: apple bobbing and corn shelling, cloggers and country bands, mule-drawn wagon rides, homemade fried apple pies and caramel apples, and, of course, pippin-picking from dwarf trees.

Kids can milk Buttercup, the farm’s milk cow; meet Barney the Talking Bull; watch a live bee demo; cheer on pigs racing toward an Oreo cookie; and compete in the John Deere Derby pedal tractor trike track. The farm is open all day, 9 am-6 pm Saturdays and Sundays. Click here for directions and more info.

Admission: $5. Separate $3 admission to petting farm.

All activities are available every weekend in October, too.

This week two SouthernMamas subscribers will each win a ticket to The 62nd annual Junior League of Savannah Thrift Sale. The sale is 10 AM-2 PM Fri., Oct. 2 and 10 AM-3 PM Sat. Oct 3 at the Savannah Civic Center.

The giveaway is for tickets to the Fri. Oct. 2 sale.

Check out the rules below to enter to win:

Admission to the sale $5 on Friday and $3 on Saturday. Items sold on Saturday are half-price. Parking is free.

Can’t wait for the giveaway? Tickets can be purchased at the Civic Center box office or online here.

Merchandise include appliances, children’s clothes and toys, holiday decorations, books, CDs, housewares, linens, exercise equipment and furniture. In addition, a limited number of tickets are being sold to the community for the Preview Party and Auction on Thurs. Oct. 1 at 5:30 pm. Guests have the opportunity to shop before the sale opens to the public. Cost is $35 and includes hors d’oeuvres. Items are sold at twice the price.

Throughout the two day sale, the League raises thousands of dollars, all of which is returned to the community through various League projects. League sponsors are Publix Super Markets Charities, Levy Jewelers and SunTrust.

Registration is under way for Savannah Celtic‘s  Early Goals program which caters to players ages 2, 3 & 4. The session starts the week of Sept. 28 and runs through Nov. 2. Cost: $50

The fee includes a 6 week program, practice t-shirt, end of the season finale with a medal and certificate.

All session will be held at the Salvation Army fields on the corner of Washington and Bee Rd. (3000 Bee Rd). All practices are approx. 30-45 minutes.

Savannah Celtic already offers programs for older children. But also has a this fun, action-packed toddler program for players ages 2-3 & 4. There are no games. Instead, coaches work on simple motor skills and ball familiarity.

Next week, SouthernMamas will host a giveaway for free toddler soccer program. But don’t let that stop you from registering your child to play now. If you end up winning the SouthernMamas giveaway next week, Savannah Celtic will give you a refund and your tot will play for free.

Be sure to visit SouthernMamas next week, Sept 21 to enter to win the free soccer. .

Early Goal players will attend one practice session a week. Days to chose from:

5 PM Mondays
9 AM Tuesdays
5:30 PM Tuesdays
5:30 PM Thursdays

To register your toddler for Early Goals, contact Michell Laing michell@savannahceltic.com, call 912.495.9996
or click here.

My Sunday newspaper column this week is about Michelle Duggar’s 19th baby and big families over all.

Click here to read the column entitled “What’s wrong with just being a mom?” and share your take.

Melanie Connelly!

Congratulations. Melanie wins a family vacation at one of five Georgia State Parks Lodges plus a year of fun recreational activities outdoors with a Friends of Georgia State Parks Family Membership. Her name was chosen at random to win a two-night stay at her choice of five state park lodges including: Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge, Dawsonville, Ga., Red Top Mountain State Park & Lodge in Cartersville, Ga., Unicoi State Park & Lodge in Helen, Ga., George T. Bagby State Park & Lodge in Fort Gaines, Ga. And Little Ocmulgee State Park & Lodge in McRae, Ga., as well as a Friends of Georgia State Parks Family Membership.

Georgia’s State Parks just launched a new Lodge-ical rate with lodge rooms as low as $69 per night with breakfast and will be offering a free day in the parks on Saturday, Sept. 26. Click here for more info.

Thanks to readers for sharing their wonderful memories of their grandparents to be eligible for this giveaway. Click on this post to read those memories in the comments section.

The Lowcountry Down Syndrome Society Buddy Walk Festival will be held Saturday, October 3rd in Forsyth Park.

The fourth annual Buddy Walk is a one-mile walk in which anyone can participate without special training. Registration begins at 8 AM and costs $12 per person (which includes a t-shirt and a meal).

The walk kicks off at 10:30 AM, and the festival for the whole family is from 11 AM to 2 PM, offering rides, food, games, music and more.

For more information or if you would like to support families touched by down syndrome by registering to walk, please call John or Candy Bogardus at (912) 728-8505 or click here to register online.

Family picnic and carnival
Noon-3 PM Sun. Sept. 13
Hull Park in Ardsley Park
La Leche League of Savannah is celebrating World Breastfeeding Week with a family picnic and carnival, free to the public. A parade will kick off the event. Kids’ activities and a silent auction with many wonderful items donated by many generous companies and individuals.
912-658-9202 or e-mail WendyCohenLLL@aim.com for more info.

Cloth Diapering 101 will be 10 AM-noon Sat., September 12 @ Just for Baby & More, 7701 Waters Ave.

Cloth Diapering 101 class is free and open to the public. Register by calling 912-355-4455 or email welshcasey@gmail.com. First 20 registrants will receive a $15 gift card.

Animal Care Day at Oatland Island Wildlife Center
11 AM-2 PM Sat. Sept 12
Find out about all of the hard work and dedication that goes into caring for the over 150 animals at Oatland Island on this special day. Oatland Island’s staff will lead presentations, activities and demonstrations and the Friends of Oatland will host a concessions stand.
912.395.1212

“Butterfly Gardening and Bee Keeping” at the Savannah-Ogeechee Canal Museum & Nature Center,
10 AM-noon Sat. Sept. 12
681 Ft. Argyle Rd. (Rt. 204)2.3 miles past I-95.
Enjoy the Butterfly Garden and get practical tips on growing your own. Learn about what”s involved in bee keeping and harvesting the honey.
Plants, honey and candles for sale.
$2 for adults, $1 for children 4-12.
912.748.8068
info@savannahogeecheecanal.com

New Exhibit Grand Opening at The Aquarium (the UGA Marine Education Center and Aquarium) on Skidaway Island
The theme: “Catching On To Sustainability” exhibit opens. Showcasing coastal Georgia marine species currently being studied for sustainable recreational fisheries and habitat.
10 AM-5 PM Sat. Sept. 12
General admission
Sat. Sept. 12
30 Ocean Science Circle.
912.598.3474

Bluffton area

County-Wide Tailgate and Blues Concert at Jasper County Farmer’s Market, Ridgeland
Sat. Sept 12.
The event will air the University of South Carolina vs. Georgia game at 7:30 PM in the north end of the market and the Alabama Blues Brothers, a Blues Brothers impersonators duo, at the south end at 8:30pm for a live concert.
Admission: $10 for adults and $5 for those 12 and younger.
Barbeque and seafood vendors will be on site and drink wristbands for beer are $10 (21 and over).
9935 South Jacob Smart Boulevard on Hwy 17 in South Ridgeland.
The retail Farmer’s Market is open to the public every Friday from 1-6pm.
The wholesale market is open Mondays at 3pm and Thursdays at 9am.
843.726.8126

Baby Yoga at The Sandbox, An Interactive Children’s Museum, Hilton Head Is.
10:30-11:30 AM Sat. Sept. 12
For babies 3 months of age through walking and their caregiver.
Cost: $14/class or $60 for a 5 class card and includes admission to the museum so you can stay and play. (1 adult per child.)
Advance reservations required: 843-842-7645

Bluffton Branch Library Saturday Do-Drop-In Story Time Program
10:30 AM Sat. Sept. 12
This weekly program is designed as a family story time and will include reading, rocking, singing and shaking for about 45 minutes of fun.
Registration NOT required.
Residents and visitors are welcome
120 Palmetto Way
912.757.1519

Women can be divided into two groups.

Those who know exactly when to yell “Hold that line” and “Flag on the play!” during a football game. And those who are more concerned with sampling the best dips at tailgaters than deciphering the ref’s mystifying sign language.

I’m ashamed to admit I am in the latter group. I’ve committed every football faux pas in the book, including cheering “Defense! Defense!” when my team’s quarterback was on the field.

And if the start of football has you dreading another season of pretending to know the difference between a safety and a snapper, then you should check out Nancy Remler’s blog, “Learning the Dawgs: A Sport Idiot’s Quest to Become a Football Fan.”

Nancy is a local Coastal Empire mom, wife, teacher, UGA graduate and hilarious writer.

When Nancy married in 1990, she knew her hubby was a football fan, but she underestimated the extent to his zest for the sport. For 17 years, she suffered football widowhood before realizing that she couldn’t fight the Dawgs.

She’s resolved not only to watch the games, but to actually ENJOY them.

But first she needs to learn the game. She’s documenting her progress on her blog, er, blawg, here.

If you’re already a football expert and know quite well that split ends are about more than bad hair days, you should still check out Nancy’s blog and comment on her posts.

If you’re like me and want to finally understand what the appeal of football is beyond plaid blankets and cute earth-tone sweaters, then definitely visit Nancy’s blog. The glossary of football terms alone is a must-read before attending your next game party.

Click here to start talking like you know what the players are really talking about the huddle.

Sun. Sept. 13 is Grandparents Day.

Share your favorite memory of Grandma and Grandpa in the comments section below this post and have a chance to win a family vacation at one of five Georgia State Parks Lodges plus a year of fun recreational activities outdoors with a Friends of Georgia State Parks Family Membership.
One winner will be chosen to win a two-night stay at choice of five state park lodges including: Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge, Dawsonville, Ga., Red Top Mountain State Park & Lodge in Cartersville, Ga., Unicoi State Park & Lodge in Helen, Ga., George T. Bagby State Park & Lodge in Fort Gaines, Ga. And Little Ocmulgee State Park & Lodge in McRae, Ga., as well as a Friends of Georgia State Parks Family Membership.

Amicalola Falls State Park Lodge

Friends of Georgia State Parks Annual Family Membership includes 2 Annual Park Passes, Historic Site Passes, 2 Free Rounds of Golf or 2 Camping Nights, (1) Adult/(1) Child SAM Shortline Tickets and special park discounts. Click here for more info on the membership.

Check out the rules below to enter to win:

Fall is here and Georgia State Parks & Lodges are challenging families to Get Out. Get Fit. Get Dirty as part of a state-wide campaign called Get Outdoors Georgia. Being active outdoors is a great way to stay or become healthy and fit. And, Georgia State Parks & Lodges offer a variety of comfortable hotel-style lodge rooms at affordable prices with their new “Lodge-ical” rates.

Unicoi State Park Lodge

Plus, there are tons of recreational offerings for the entire family, from hiking and biking trails, to canoeing, kayaking and golf, there is an activity to fit every lifestyle. And, best of all you can enjoy the tranquility of the great outdoors in style with a comfortable bed and hotel-style ammenities. There is even dining available at some lodges, if you so choose.

For more information on Georgia State Parks & Lodges, click here.

About Georgia State Park Lodges
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources operates seven state lodge parks across Georgia with meeting and banquet facilities, which are perfect for family reunions, retreats, Birthday parties, weddings and weekend getaways. The Georgia State Park Lodges feature hotel-style, comfortable accommodations with affordable rates year-round. And, the Georgia State Parks offer such diverse recreational activities as watersports, golf, fishing, hiking and nature trails.

Participating Georgia State Park Lodges include:

• Amicalola Falls State Park & Lodge, Dawsonville, Ga.: Only one and a half hours north of Atlanta, The Lodge at Amicalola Falls is a stunning 57-room hideaway, complete with a window-lined restaurant. Whether you want to visit the famous 729-foot cascading falls, go trout fishing or hike the park’s 12 miles of trails through towering forests, there is plenty to discover at Amicalola Falls. Amicalola Falls is one of Georgia’s most popular state parks.
• Red Top Mountain State Park & Lodge in Cartersville, Ga.: Just north of Atlanta are the sandy beaches of Lake Allatoona and the pine-scented nature trails of Red Top Mountain. At the Lodge at Red Top Mountain, you can choose one of the campsites, a secluded cottage with lakeshore views or a peaceful lodge room. Guests can enjoy 12 miles of hiking trails and water sport galore on Lake Alatoona Including boating, fishing, skiing and swimming. There’s also a miniature golf course.
• Unicoi State Park & Lodge in Helen, Ga.: In the midst of the Chattahoochee National Forest, located just two miles from the Alpine Village of Helen, the Lodge at Unicoi State Park is a beautiful setting for all of your family’s needs. Guests can enjoy the park’s 12 miles of nature and hiking trails, lake and trout stream fishing, four lighted tennis courts, softball and volleyball area, picnic facilities, world class mountain bike trail and year-round schedule of activities.
• George T. Bagby State Park & Lodge, Fort Gaines, Ga.: Head to Southwest Georgia for the pristine forests, championship golf and scenic dining. The Lodge at George T. Bagby is the perfect retreat, whether you choose a room at the lodge or a cottage in the woods. Guests can enjoy plenty of activities on beautiful Lake Walter George, from boat rentals and full-service marina to swimming, fishing, beach volleyball and tennis.
• Little Ocmulgee State Park & Lodge in McRae, Ga.: You can spend your days enjoying golf, tennis, hiking, swimming, boating or fishing at Ocmulgee’s state park and 265-acre lake. At the Lodge at Little Ocmulgee in south central Georgia, you camp out among the trees, choose a cottage or stay at the 60-room lodge. The lodge overlooks the park’s Wallace Adams Golf Course. Located near McRae, the 1,265 acres of high sandhills and pine forests at this middle Georgia park provide a beautiful setting for family getaways.

Debbie Barrett wins a family four-pack of tickets to Disney On Ice presents Disney/Pixar’s Finding Nemo, which will be playing at Savannah Civic Center November 5-8!

(The contest required readers to share tips to make children’s bedtimes sweet and successful. If y’all haven’t read the wonderful comments from our readers regarding children’s bedtime rituals, please do so by clicking here then click on comments below the post. The bedtime tips are priceless. What great parents y’all are!)

Join the ocean-sized adventure of the curious clownfish Nemo, his overprotective father Marlin and their absent-minded yet lovable pal Dory as Disney On Ice immerses you in a vibrant aquatic world in Disney On Ice presents Disney/Pixar’s Finding Nemo.

Follow alongside Marlin and Dory on a daring search of the big blue. Ride the current with “super-dude” turtle Crush and make waves with Nemo’s new friends – the Tank Gang – as they plot an escape from the dentist’s aquarium in this whale of a tale full of laughter and fun!

Tickets are on sale now and are available @ etix.com OR 1-800-351-7469

SouthernMamas reader Elizabeth St. Lawrence will offer an informative class to parents, grandparents and parents-to be on the basics of cloth diapering.

Elizabeth was featured in a SouthernMamas Q&A on cloth diapering here. Cloth Diapering 101 will be 10 AM-noon Sat., September 12 @ Just for Baby & More, 7701 Waters Ave.

Cloth Diapering 101 class is free and open to the public. Please register by calling 912-355-4455 or email welshcasey@gmail.com.

First 20 registrants will receive a $15 gift card.

Also, in honor of Grandparent’s Day, Sept. 13, grandparents can bring in their grandchild’s picture and receive a choice gift card from the “giving tree”.

Remember every Wednesday, grandparents receive a 15 percent discount on gift and clothing purchase.

By Ashley Waldvogel

You gotta appreciate moms who manage to create art while also dealing with the daily challenges of raising their young children.

Four Savannah artist-mothers – Ashley Waldvogel, Melinda Schawel, Linette Dubois and Atsuko Smith – are doing just that, balancing creativity and domesticity. This month, the moms will show their work in an exhibit called “Four Squared” at the University of North Florida Gallery of Art in Jacksonville.

Each of the four artists brings their own account of the themes of motherhood and the bonds between mother and child into their own work.

This exhibit would make a worthwhile roadtrip for moms groups interested in seeing artwork that explores all aspects of motherhood, such as the chaos of trying to be a mother while making sure everyone is taken care of or the joy of a child’s laugh.

The exhibit runs Sept. 14-Oct. 16 at the UNF Gallery of Art with an Artist’s Reception 5-7 PM Fri. Sept. 18. The newly renovated UNF Gallery is in Founders Hall, Building Two, 1 UNF Drive in Jacksonville. The gallery hours are: 10-4 M-F.

All events are free and open to the public. $3 for parking.

Learn more about the moms behind Four Squared by clicking here.