Museum Family Adventure – Win a COMPLETE Family Night Package from Nestle!
This giveaway has ended. Thank you to everyone who entered! Angela Bishop is the winner. Her comment was chosen at random through random.org. Angela, I’ve emailed you instructions on how to claim your prize! I look forward to many more giveaways with y’all! Gratefully, Christy
Folks have started to notice lately that we tend to “go places a lot”. By going places, I’m not talking about big trips or anything, most of our trips are just day trips within an hour or two from our home. Most are also budget trips – I even pack lunches on many of them. I had a friend ask me a few weeks back “Why do y’all go places all the time?”. Well, there is a good answer to that.
You see, with me working from home and my husband having his entire office with him within his laptop, we noticed a while back that when we’re home on the weekends, even though we’re all here together, we are not spending quality time together as a family. Work that needs to be done (both Southern Plate, Ricky’s Job, and household chores) stares back at us wherever we turn. The kids end up in their rooms watching television or vegging out somewhere and we can easily spend an entire weekend in the house together and not really spend any time together.
So we started “Family Adventure Days” back in September of last year and I’ve posted about a few of them. I have lots of ideas for inexpensive day trips that I plan on bringing you in the future but I try not to stray too far from recipes for too long so I spread Family Adventure Day posts out a bit. It’s a great deal of fun for us to get in the car, sing silly songs, talk, and just have fun doing something together. My hope when we started this was to grow a stronger family and help us stay connected and I have to say that since Family Adventure Days have begun they have proven to be the absolute best thing that ever happened to us.
We just got back from this weekend’s adventure and I thought I’d bring you some photos from it along with my giveaway. I’m really excited about this giveaway package so y’all be sure to enter!
The Burritt Museum is located in my hometown of Huntsville, Alabama but surprisingly, I’d never been until today. I think a lot of us are like that with our hometowns, you live among something all of your life and you tend to kind of overlook it.
One of the biggest attractions in Huntsville is the U.S. Space Museum and as a child growing up here we seemed to go there on just about every school field trip and every summer because my family couldn’t afford to travel. Having never really had that much of an interest in space travel myself (I’m good just discovering Alabama most days), I went mainly to see the monkeys. Well, the monkeys passed away and that left a bunch of space suits, shuttles and artifacts and such. Honestly y’all, I’ve probably been at least thirty times in my life. Well Glory be, I went and married someone whose fondest hope as a child had been to see the U.S. Space Museum.
We’ve been annual passholders since Brady was born. Lawd help me.
How did a post about the Burritt Museum turn to space travel? I have no idea, but completely random tangents are part of my charm, doncha think?
~grins~
So back to discovering great attractions in your hometown…
The thing is, there are lots of things around you that you may not have seen or that you may not realize are new to your kids. I really enjoyed getting to discover the Burritt with my kids and they are proud to have it right here where we live, but you know the cool thing about this Family Adventure? It was free! Today the Burritt hosted a free admission day. Can’t beat that with a stick!
We were all pretty darn happy. To make matters even more cool, they had Sacred Harp singers there as well.
I was so excited to have my kids experience this kind of singing. Nothing is more moving. Here is a short video for y’all.
I know they likely have this music everywhere but I feel it is also a strong part of the kid’s heritage and I really enjoyed introducing them to that today.
I thought this was a cute picture.
It’s fun to get out and interact with the world with your kids.
You get to know them so much better and have so many more opportunities to teach them about the fun little quirks of life….
Like how some people might decide to hang a giant moose head right in the middle of their kitchen wall.
~blinks~
Y’all know I have an obituary hanging in my kitchen but I think I may have been outdone here…
Hey I just had an idea. What if we got like a pig’s head, cow’s head, and then a stuffed chicken and hang them all up. Then we could have like a visual menu of whats for dinner? Yeah, I’m groping here. Just still trying to figure out the giant moose head (is that even a moose?). I’ll bet ya ninety to nothin’ it all started with some woman putting her hands on her hips and saying “If you’re planning on hanging that thing in my house…”
I just thought this was a pretty scene and got the kids to agree to pose so we had to strike while the iron was hot.
Getting two kids to pose for a photo is not always easy. of course, then again neither is getting one kid to pose-as Brady is about to show us.
Me and young Indiana…
He and I are going rounds about the hat in this photo…
~sighs~ I just love him. Still my baby.
The kids exploring one of the many cabins on the property. This one had several hand made rag dolls inside and in their own little bed. The cabin had a plaque outside of it requesting that you hug the rag dolls and then tuck them in nice and warm. 
Ricky looking out.
Some of my commentary lacks poetry at times and I apologize for this. Let me see if I can do better here.
Ricky gazed out into the fields and felt a stirring deep within. They had tread here, his ancestors-the men from which he descended. His mother’s people had once toiled upon this very soil where he now stood in his overpriced Nikes. His eyes narrowed, as if pressing the shutter button on his mind’s eye to memorize the scene and take it with him. Thanks to those who came before him, he could now walk away.
Dang, old gal can get dramatic, huh? I’m full of it and I can assure you my husband is the last person who’d look at a log cabin and feel any sort of a kinship to it.
That would be me
Something about these cabins just stirs my soul like they’re calling me to them.
This feels like home to me.
I just need electricity and wireless internet
The kids were hungry so I reckon they made a wish for some good Southern food and VOILA!
Next thing you know we were at the Blue Plate Cafe!
Oddly, I’d never been here before, either.
It’s neat when you’ve lived somewhere all of your life but can take a day and still discover new places.
The whole family loved the atmosphere and food.
It was very clean and had the feel of a fifties diner.
Christy, What’dya eat? I know y’all were wondering and if you weren’t I’m still gonna tell ya anyway!
I ordered boiled cabbage, Cucumber, onion, and tomato salad (which is the same thing as my Fire and Ice Salad, only more diced up), chicken and dressing, and a wee bit of cranberry sauce on the side. It was delicious.
We had another great family fun day and I hope you get to have one with your family soon! Remember, you don’t have to leave your hometown or even your home, you just have to set aside a special time to tune into each other.
An investment of time into your family will give you the greatest return you could ever hope for.
NOW FOR MY GIVEAWAY!
Thanks to the wonderful Nestle Family, one of our Southern Plate Families is going to win a FANTASTIC Family Night In in honor of Mother’s Day! I figured up how much all of this was worth and it ended up being over $150!
This prize package includes:
$25 Gift Card to Amazon.com
Use it to buy one or two of your favorite movies- Family movie night is a great way to snuggle up with the kidders on the couch, watch a great movie, save a ton of money, and have a lot more fun than you could in theaters!
Coupons for FREE products from:
- Stouffer’s
- Nesquick
- Ovaltine
- Nestle Toll House
- Coffee Mate
- Juicy Juice
- Rainsette
- 30 day kit of Glowelle, a nutrition drink for your skin (valued at over $100 alone!)
- You’ll even get a coupon you can put towards new Wonka Exceptionals.
So basically, they’re providing your supper, snacks, and drinks, too! The whole family gets to be treated!
To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post and I’ll draw a winner at random to announce next Saturday.
Would you like to enter my Family Night In giveaway from Nestle?
Simply leave a comment below to be entered!
I’ll announce the winner next Saturday, just in time for mother’s day. The winner will be posted here, on my facebook page, and emailed out to Southern Plate Subscribers!
Disclaimer: I was not financially compensated by Nestle for this post. They were kind enough to offer the prize package as a giveaway to one of my readers though. My positive opinion was not required, asked for, and is not for sale. Thank you, Nestle, for being such a great company to work with!
Posted by Christy Jordan
on May 1 2010. Filed under Family Adventure Day.
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My family used to have “Friday Family Fun Nights” when we were little. We usually didn’t go anywhere but did fun things at home. My favorite was backwards night. We would start by getting in bed, then putting on our pajamas. Mom and Dad would then get us up for dinner and we would eat dessert first (since everything was backwards). I think I loved it because we got to eat dessert first and veggies last instead of vice versa. Fun times!
What a great post and giveaway! Thank you!
you never dissapoint! your recipes are to die for and then, just to hear of some of your “journies”…..so inspirational. Thank you for sparking a fire under my tail end and getting me to realize all of the fun things we can do as a family!
Thanks for sharing your family time philosophy. It inspires me to come up with creative ways to spend time with my own family.
I read this the other day and was going to comment, but went to get info on coming events. Lawrence Co. Multicultural Indian Event May 13-16. (13th Elem-6th grade students;14 K-12 grade students; 15-16 public) Free.Opens 10-5 Sat; 12-5 Sun.
May 15th Jesse Owens Fun run(Lawrence Co. High School)10K-8am;2K 9:15; and 1K (0-6yrs)10am
While your at the Indian Event just down the road to Jesse Owens Museum-Free unless groups of 10 then a $2 per person fee. Open Mon.-Sat. 9-5
Check out school website for more info on Event & run. http://www.lawrenceal.org
As usual, a terrific post. I love it when you go off on a tangent. LOL. The pics were also spectacular! I hope to hear of more family adventures soon.
I love this idea! My hubby works so much and I work from home, too. We don’t have a lot of free weekends to take trips- even day trips, but we squeeze them in every chance we get.
I have just found your website and recipes through the article about Lincoln Elementary School. I will be a definite reader everyday! I to am a mother looking for “free” things to do in and around Huntsville. With the economy like it is, every penny counts. Keep up the good work.
Sounds like a cool give-a-way. Sign me up. I love your recipes and have made lots of them for my family. In fact, today I am about to look for something to make for snacks at work tomorrow.
Great giveaway! Thanks for sharing your wonderful story also.
Great ideas for bringing families back together!
I love your posts and recipes. My family calls these trips, “Making Memories”. When I was younger, we would get in the car and grab a map and take off. There wasn’t any place we couldn’t find. Now, I load up my 5 year old and we take the untraveled road toward our destination and discover all kinds of places. I love it! I hope that he does too! Love and appreciate you!
Can’t wait to get your new cookbook!! Making your strawberry cake tomorrow to take for Mother’s Day!
I love your posts and family night would be such a nice thing..
I love your site and I love reading all your stories!! The recipes are to die for too!! I can’t wait to try the cold brew coffee (brewing as we speak!!) thanks for a great site!!
This brought back memories from when I was little and traveling with my parents! Sometimes it seems like I get so busy doing “Life” that I forget to stop and enjoy these little day trips that really aren’t so “little” in the grand scheme of things. THANKS for getting me to stop and smell the roses.
I love family time…..I wish we could play all the time, and unlimited money to do it
Of course, some of the best are those trips that you manage with the little you have 
I’d love to win this. I’d be the most popular mom on the block!
I jus found your web site and just LOVE the step-by-step photos for the recipes! And it would be GREAT to win this! Thanks!
What a great giveaway! And I promise to use my $25 amazon.com gift card toward the purchase of a Southern Plate cookbook to give to my mama! lol
Seriously, a nice little package you put together here, Christy!
Have a great Mother’s Day!
Family Adventure Days are so much fun! We have to keep the things in life that make our kids happy fun!
I love time away with just our family. We are going to the beach this summer for the first time with our kids, looking forward to it.
I loved the pictures!! Especially the pic of the plate you ordered!! (yuuuummmyy!!) Makes me hungry just looking at it!! Thanks for this wonderful giveaway!
I love weekend family getaways! Gives a whole new perspective to life.
Family time is so important!
Count me in! And…Happy Mothers Day to you! Can’t wait to get your book. By the way – since you got all high and mighty… and left us Athens/Cullwell folks (ha ha ha!) – did you know that Sister Schubert (did I spell that right?) was in Athens around the square at Crawford’s? She was signing her new (big!) cookbook. There are pics online – I’ll try to send the link to you – in case you want to see them! (I think it was on the “Athens Now” website!) I didn’t get to go – (actually forgot…probably because of that laundry calling me again or Grayson was outside squirting the water gun, which was bigger than he was, down his pants! ha. and lots of other boy stuff, like putting stuff up his nose!) but my sister (Sissy) went and got a signed cookbook for our mother for mother’s day! See ya! …and yes, we will be getting our mother YOUR cookbook, too! probably for her birthday. Boy….that wore me out! ha.
Kim
Pick me Pick me Pick me! I can use the gift card towards your book for my cousin Jan. I’ve already pre-ordered mine, but I would love to give one as a gift. Jan and I live 65 miles apart but love to get together on weekends and cook. We learn so much from each other! When we’re not cooking…we grab our friend Serena and head out on some incredible “adventures”. (Our kids all are grown) We like to search for unusual kitchen gadgets, best food–particulary PIE and darn good chocolate!
I hope it’s not weird that a girl like me from Kansas loves southern cooking. What I wouldn’t give to be a southern belle.
christie’s site is just the greatest. I’ve cooked for over 50 years, but I’ve learned more in the last few months from her site than all the years put together, not to mention getting a lot of chuckles from her. Keep up the great work Christie
Next of your recipes I’m trying are the chewy oatmeal cookies. I think they qualify as a health food! Wishing you greatest success with your new cookbook, though that’s just an extra, as you won’t need any luck for it. Always fun to see your family pictures.
I love your recipes and interesting notes and great photos that go along with each recipe!
Happy Mother’s Day!
Christy I am loving all of your recipes, posts and stories. Thank you for sharing the Sacred Harp Singers, has been years since I have heard this type singing, takes me back to when I was a younger gal. Thanks for all that you do to share with us.
Christy, I don’t know that I qualify, since I live way out in Kansas. But it sure sounds like a great plan. I remember the first vacation we went on as a family, it was our 10th Wedding Ann., and all my husband could say was “Did you know Mary could do that” or ” Did you know Amy could say that”. Being a farmer he wasn’t around the kids a lot. It was quite an eye-opener for him and he has since realized how much of their childhood he was missing. Don’t Blink…it goes so.o.o fast !!!
Love hearing about your family trips, brings back memories and makes me want to take more family trips.
would love to win your give a way. love your web site
It’s great that you spend family time. More families should practice this !
I would love to win a family night package. Thanks for the good work on your blog.
Love! Love! Love! your website and all that it offers!!! I stumbled across it by chance awhile ago and have had the chance to enjoy several of your recipes! I absolutely love the emphasis that you show on family, making cooking fun for the kids, and making good, inexpensive food!(I’m a generic girl myself!!!) Thanks!
I cant wait for your cookbook to come out…just tried your oatmeal raisin cookies like Starbucks makes and I wish I could stop eating them! So Delish!! Love your family night package..it would make for a fun night at home! Thanks Christy for teaching us how to make all your yummy recipes!!
This would be a great way to kick off the summer when everyone will be home all day every day with nothing to do! Thanks for a sharing your life and heart with us all!
I have asked for your cookbook for Mother’s Day, Heck, i’ll even post the paper on the fridge till I get the actual book!
You have such a sweet family. My Sam is about to turn 9 and still cuddles with mommy. It’s better than sweet rolls girl! LOVE my boy.
Hope you have a great Mother’s day (and heck, mine’d be better if I get picked! LOL).
Enjoy them while they are small as they grow quickly. It is fun for me to hear what my grown children remember from the trips and fun we had when they were younger.
Loved the pictures! I have been collecting cookbooks for years and can’t wait to add yours to my collection.
What an excellent idea! We might have to start doing Family Adventure Day ourselves.
This sweepstakes prize is right up my ally! My husband and I share a love of cuddling up on the couch watching movies and snaking on sweets we made together from your fabulous recipes!! Recently giving birth to my son, three weeks ago today, a family night in our den would be perfect for our new little family!
We all need a little family adventure! Would love to win this! =)
Great giveaway! Thanks for all the yummy recipes you share!
hey – it is athensplus.com. wow. i thought sister schubert would be old. she’s not! i heard she was very nice! i do personally know the owner of the store/Crawford’s!–we’ll have to work on you doing a signing there – or at the bookstore around the square-Pablos. I know them, too!See ya!
Kim
Holy Cow, Christy!! 509 comments so far!? Every body wants a family night!
I think that’s pretty neat!
I love the pictures of your family at the Burritt Museum. This is the type of place my husband and I love to go see. Our kids are grown now; except for our youngest who will be forever 5 years old! (and what a sweet heart he is) He loves to go anywhere!! lol!
Thanks for all of the wonderful pictures, recipes and for the new cookbook peeks! I can’t wait to hold my very own copy.
Just caught up with my e-mail! Those log cabins have the same effect on me, wherever I see them. The ones in Arkansas, Tennessee, and Colorado are beautiful!
My family and I would love a family night package. We are moving soon and my kids are a little worried about making new friends. This might just help!!! Thanks so much and LOVE your website!
Happy Mother’s Day