Registration must be made in advance for most camps and drop off hours.

Brickz for Kids 

• December 17th from 2pm to 5pm – Drop and Shop – $6 an hour per child
• December 19th and 20th from 10am to 1pm – Winter Wonderland – $30 per day or $50 for both days
• December 22 from 10am to 2pm – Drop and Shop – $6 an hour per child
• December 23 from 10am to 2pm – Drop and Shop – $6 an hour per child
• December 27 to 30th from 10am to 1pm – Christmas Holiday Camp – $30 per day with a discount if you sign up for all four days

Confetti Couture Events

• December 16th from 6pm to 8pm – Holiday Spa Party – For girls ages 7-12 - $25/guest– includes holiday treats, mud mask, and choice of man or pedi
• December 21st from 6pm to 9pm – Polar Express Pajama Party – $15/guest – includes holiday treats as well as a fun Polar Express craft/activity to take home

Flip Factory

• Dates: December 19-23
• Cost: $65 a week or $20 a day

On Thursday, December 8, head down to Seville Square for a great holiday concert.  Hear the McGuire’s Irish Bagpipe Band, Clark & Co,, and Kitt Lough.  Santa will be there and Jared Willets of Channel 3 in the Morning will read ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.

The concert is free and there is usually a vendor selling snacks.  We always pick up a quick dinner and pack a thermos full of hot chocolate.

In researching events to add to the December calendar (which will hopefully be done tomorrow…how is it already December?!?), I came across the Nights Before Christmas event across from Seville Quarter.  You can experience the spirit of Christmas Adventure with an interactive lighted walk-through adventure.  There is a sleigh ride spinning tunnel, candy cane maze, and pictures with Santa.

The event is open Friday and Saturday evenings from 6-9.  Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children.

We will finally be home after two months of constant weekend travel so I think we might have to go check this out!  We will let you know what we think afterwards! Have you been yet?  If so, leave us a comment with your thoughts.

The turkey is all put away and I am all ready to decorate our house this weekend.  We are hoping to put up the Christmas tree tomorrow and get it decorated.  I love watching the kids decorate the tree.  They go through each ornament and ask to hear stories about how we got them.  They like to claim the ornaments we have bought for each of them throughout the years.  We travel a lot and we always pick up an ornament in each city to remember our travels.  The kids play “remember when” with each ornament they take out of the box.

For the past few years, we have been putting up a fake tree.  I fought it for as long as I could but my husband finally talked me into it.  I am not going to lie…I love the convenience but I miss the excitement of picking out the perfect tree.  To compromise, we make a trip to a tree farm each year to visit, wander around the trees, and more.  Here are a few Christmas tree farms in the area.  If I missed one, please leave me a note or send me an email and I will update the list!

As always, confirm the hours of operations, price, etc because things might change.  Before you go, check the website because many tree farms only accept cash or check.

Fish River Trees (Summerdale, Alabama) – We visit Fish River Trees every year and it is one of our favorite holiday family outings.  It is not just a place to cut down your Christmas tree but you can visit Santa and his reindeer, get a cup of hot chocolate, and tour the farm.  New to the farm this year is a manger scene complete with live animals!  Open daily from 8am to 5pm until December 24th.  See the website for activity schedule.

The Christmas Forest (Pensacola, Florida) – Christmas trees range from 5 to 10 feet tall and they each cost $30 no matter what size.  They have potted Christmas trees for those of you that want to plant your tree after the holiday season is over.   They are open Monday through Friday from 1pm to 5pm and Saturday from 9am to 5pm until December 20.

Whispering Pines Christmas Tree Farm (Milton, Florida) – Christmas tree prices run $2-3 a foot.  There are staff members to assist you if you need help.  They are open Monday through Sunday from 9am to 5pm until December 18th.

Have you seen those beautiful orange and black butterflies flying around?  Those are the Monarch butterflies flying south for the winter from Canada to Mexico.

This weekend, visit the Panhandle Butterfly House in Navarre to learn more about these butterflies and their migration.  The Monarch Madness Festival is not only fun for kids but also educational.  Children can participate in tagging monarchs, visit the butterfly house, and make butterfly related crafts.  There will also be a bounce house.

You can also help track the monarch butterfly migration by reporting your observations at Journey North.

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!  The Great Pumpkin Patch list that is!  I don’t know about you, but we have had the Charlie Brown movie on replay since October 1!  It is time to pick up your pumpkins for fall!  Do you carve pumpkins?  Do you go the traditional route or do you create an intricate design?

Be sure to follow the links or phone ahead of time to confirm dates and times.  Many of the pumpkin patches only accept cash or check so call ahead to check.

Cokesbury United Methodist Church – Pumpkins arrive October 8 so watch their Facebook fan page for details on the hours of the pumpkin patch.  They are located at 5725 North 9th Avenue and their phone number is 850.476.5818.

Holland Farms (Milton, Florida) – Holland Farms is the closest (and I believe the only?) pick your own pumpkin patch in our area.  I was so thrilled when they opened last year.  They offer a hay ride, nature trails, boiled peanuts, and a chance to pick your own pumpkin out of the pumpkin patch.  The pumpkins are cut from the vine so that you know which ones are ready to be picked but they are still in the pumpkin patch.  They are open Mon-Sat from 8am to 6pm and Sun. from 1pm to 6pm.  They are located at 2055 Homer Holland Road in Milton.  Their phone number is 850.675.6876.

Sanders Pumpkin Patch (Fairhope, Alabama) – Sanders Pumpkin Patch is located held in a temporary location of 9556 County Road 34 Fairhope.  They will have crafts and treats available for sale as well as pumpkins.  These pumpkins have already been picked.

St. Luke United Methodist – As I was driving down 9mile Road the other day, I saw a sign that said the pumpkin patch will open up October 13th.  They are located at 1394 East Nine Mile Road in Pensacola and their phone number is 850.477.3145.

Woodbine United Methodist - If you know the dates and hours of operation, please drop us a note!  They are located at 5200 Woodbine Rd in Pace and their phone number is 850.995.0007.

Are we missing a pumpkin patch?  Please leave us a comment or send us an email and we will add it to the list!

October already?  Am I the only one saying this?  It seems like the kids just started school the other day and now it is time to start looking for Halloween costumes and holiday decorations.  One of our favorite things to do in October is visit the corn and hay mazes in the area.  We usually try to visit one a weekend.  The kids absolutely love it and my oldest has gotten quite good at getting out of the maze!

Be sure to follow the links or phone ahead of time to confirm dates and times.  Most of the corn mazes take cash or check only so be sure to check before you go.  They are listed in alphabetical order.

Beaver Creek Maze, Baker, Florida – Beaver Creek Maze offers a corn maze, a hay bale maze for the younger kids, and a pumpkin patch.  Beaver Creek Maze is open Saturdays 9 – 5 and Sundays 11 – 5 during the month of October. Admission is free for children 3 and under and $5.00 for everyone else.  They are located at 278 Dusty Trail in Baker, Florida and their phone number is 850-537-1981.

Dixon Primary’s Haystackular, Pace, Florida – Haystackular is the largest hay bale maze constructed in Northwest Florida!  There is a maze, food for sale, hay ride and more.  Haystackular is open during the month of October on Fridays from 4pm to 9pm, Saturdays from 12pm to 9pm, and Sundays from 12pm to 6pm.  Admission is $5 and some activities have an additional cost associated with them.  They are located at the field across from Dixon Primary in Pace.

Magnolia Corn Maze, Magnolia Springs, Alabama – Magnolia Corn Maze offers the maze, corn cannon, cow train, hayride, petting zoo, pony rides and more.  Magnolia Corn Maze is open during the month of October on Fridays from 5pm to 9pm, Saturdays 11am to 9pm, and Sundays 12pm to 5pm.  Admission is $10 and there are other activities with some additional cost associated with them.  They are located on CR49 in Magnolia Springs.  Directions are available on the website.  Their phone number is 251-605-7216.

Seward Farms, Lucedale, Mississippi – This corn maze is probably the furthest away but it came highly recommended last year so I thought that I would keep it on the list in case you were headed that direction!  Seward Farms offers a corn maze, pig races, hayride, farm animals, corn cannon, jumping “pillow”, and more.  Seward Farms is open Saturdays, Sept. 24-Nov. 5, from 10 am to 9 pm.  They are closed Sundays.  Admission prices begin at $12.  They are located at 10836 Tanner Williams Road in Lucedale, Mississippi.

Sweet Season Farms, Milton, Florida – Sweet Season Farms offers the corn maze, haybale maze, cow train, playground, corn cannon and more.  Sweet Season Farms is open October 1-November 6th on Saturdays from 9am to 5pm and Sundays from 1pm to 5pm.  Admission is $5 and there are additional activities available at an additional cost.  They are located at 2260 Horn Road in Milton and their phone number is 850-675-3573.  

Did we miss any fall mazes?  If we did, please leave us a comment or send us an email and we will add it to our list!  Also, last year we shared information for Maizing Family Fun Farm but their website has not been updated this year.  If you have any info as to whether they are open this year, please let us know!

For the past 20 years, the Jay Peanut Festival has grown to be a favorite fall festival among families!  Activities include the 1930s Farm Museum, food booths, dozens of arts and crafts vendors, games and fun.  There will be pony rides, horse rides, hay rides, wagon rides, inflatable rides, bungie jump, aqua bubbles, rock-climbing wal, mechanical bull riding, train ride, and more for the kids.  Also, kids ages 4 to 12 can participate in the pig chase at 2 p.m. on Saturday.  They might do it again 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. On Sunday there will also be a Pet Dress-up Parade and Contest at 2 p.m. All will have cash prizes.

There will be live music throughout the festival.  On Sunday, there will be a church service.  They recommend that you bring your own lawn chairs or a blanket if you would like to have a seat to listen!

Of course, while you are there don’t forget to try the peanuts!  You can try them green, boiled, roasted, fried, candied, and in baked goods!  I am hoping to locate a piece of peanut brittle!

The festival will be on October 1 and 2 from 9am to 6pm.  Admission and parking is free.

Have you been to the peanut festival?  What did you think?

**We have a couple of great giveaways going on right now!  If you haven’t already, be sure to enter to win tickets to Disney Live! Three Classic Fairy Tales and the Sweet Seasons Corn Maze tickets!

Photo Courtesy of Little Blue Hen via Flickr.

Beginning on October 1 and continuing through the month of October, Holland Farms will welcome people to their pumpkin patch for a fun family outing.  Last year, we were so excited to find a real pumpkin patch where you can go out and pick your own pumpkin!

Holland Farms is a family owned peanut, produce, and row crop farm.  It is located in Milton, Florida.  It isn’t located too far from Sweet Seasons Farm (which we will be talking about tomorrow!) so you could plan a whole day of farm visits!

All month long, Holland Farms will be offering visitors a chance to pick their own pumpkins from the pumpkin patch, take a hay ride, walk on the hiking trails and just relax and enjoy farm life!  Visitors receive a cup of boiled peanuts to eat on the front porch or take home for later.  For $8 a person, you will receive a wristband that will get you a hay ride, all other activities, and one pumpkin.  For $5 each, you can purchase a pumpkin.

On October 1, Holland Farms will hold their Customer Appreciation Day with live music and a cup of boiled peanuts.

See our review of our visit to Holland Farms last year.

Things to Know Before You Go:

• Holland Farms is a peanut farm.  They sell peanuts of all kinds.
• Pumpkins ready for harvest have been cut from the vine already.  This is to ensure that you are picking the ripe pumpkins.
• You might want to wear closed toed shoes as you will be walking around the farm
• A trip to the pumpkin patch is good for children of all ages.

To me, the 34th Annual Seafood Festival is a sign that fall is officially here even if it doesn’t feel like it.  The Seafood Festival is held every fall in September.  There are rows and rows of vendors selling their handcrafted goods.  We often pick up a few things to give as Christmas gifts while we are there.  Try some new seafood or stick to your tried and true favorites.  There will be live music throughout the festival as well.

There is a children’s area with arts and crafts, jump houses and a rock climbing wall.  There is a small cost associated with some of the activities so be prepared with cash on hand.  The children’s area will be open from Saturday at 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Seafood Festival hours are as follows:

Friday, September 23 11am to 11pm

Saturday, September 24 10am to 11pm

Sunday, September 25 11am to 5pm