Help: Alabama relocation ASAP!

[Megan's Mom]

Oh yes. We didn't have too much bad weather this spring and I think he was disappointed. We did have several hail storms and just about everyone in Southeast Huntsville is getting new roofs. I love Dan but I know a lot of people don't like him because he enjoys what he does so much. Channel 31 even does commercials about how calm their guy is compared to the other guy.

 

[sumrmist]

ROOOOOOLLLLLLLL TIDE ROLL !!!

 

[sumrmist]

Guess maybe I should have added in my cheer post .....

If they even hint at snow or ice...GO GET MILK AND BREAD right then...
usually within 2 hours of the weatherman mentioning the chance of snow or bad weather, there will not be batteries, milk, or bread left on the store shelves. Funny how the news people always go out and film the bare shelves and coolers....like its new news.....heck we all knew it wasnt going to be on the shelves

oh and BTW Welcome to Bammy.....

 

[laurie31]

Well, I'm coming late to this party (I was on vacation with you first posted) but I must add my own Welcome to Alabama

I live just east of Birmingham. The weather is nice, the traffic isn't too horrible, and the beaches and the mountains are within a day's drive.

When I was nine, people from Michigan moved next door to us. I used to go play with their kids and come home with thier accent. Mom would tell me to "stop talking like a d. yankee." LOL 30 years later, they still live next door to my parents and are their dear friends. I'm sure you will like it here.

Without repeating too much what others have said...

Snow - My younger dd is 8 and has seen snow only twice in her lifetime. "Snow" being some scattered flurries that you can see if you turn on your porch lights. Sometimes it will stick in the grass. If it sticks on the road, then yes...everything will be closed. Sometimes just the PREDICTION of accumulation will result in closures. The true problem is that it can get warm enough during the day for it to melt a bit, then it freezes over again and you have ice. Nasty stuff. And don't go out driving in the snow if by some miracle it actually snows, because you may know how to drive in it but we do not!

My kids never wore their winter coats last year. Some years it does get cold, though.

Make sure you keep milk and bread (or whatever you need to eat and drink) around and when snow is predicted don't go NEAR a store! Yikes! You'd think people were stocking up for Y2K again

Speaking of grocery stores, we have buggies not carts

Gulf Shores/Orange Beach is a wonderful family vacation spot. No one has mentioned the awesome outlet mall just inland. Great deals!

Lots of houses have basements. I don't think Montgomery is a big tornado-prone area but basements are good to have

Y'all slice your watermelons differently than we do.

We don't drive the speed limit, we drive the temperature.

You're only about 60-90 mins away from Birmingham (depending on which side of Montgomery you are on) if you want to visit here. The zoo is nice (Montgomery has one too, but I've not been there) and the McWane Center (children's science museum) is really fun. They have a separate area for kids under 5 that my girls both LOVED as preschoolers. They have an IMAX theater as well. The Birmingham Museum of Art is quite a decent museum if you like such things, and a little further north, the Space Center in Huntsville is also very cool.

If you like outdoorsy stuff, there's plenty to choose from there too. Most of the State Parks are very nice. http://www.alapark.com/

There are also world-class golf courses, if you're into golf

You won't be that far from Atlanta either, if you need a "big city" for shopping or theater. The Aquarium in Atlanta is supposed to be really incredible (I get to find out first hand soon - older DD is going there for a field trip in April )

Once again, welcome to our fair state, and


WAR EAGLE!!!

 

[hentob]

Just wondering:

OP--Did you move yet? Hope all is going well

 

[Poohnatic]

I don't much advice. I spent a week in Montgomery training a new store manager for a previous employer and wanted to share. The people in Montgomery are VERY nice!!!!! Everywhere I went (mostly restaurants) and all the people I encountered in the store I was working in, peoplewere polite and sweet. (worked in Montgomery Mall, not nearly as nice as Eastdale though)

You've got an airport right there in town if you decide to FLY to WDW, but my coworkers were telling me it was a 7-8 hour drive. They were begging me to move down and telling me I'd love it. That was right around the time that my family decided to move to Florida.

BTW, I hear the zoo is really good. Alas, I spent so much time in the store, I never saw it!

Congrats on escaping the snow and cold. We did that two years ago!

Suzanne

 

[laurie31]

Oooh, you have to see this!! Even if you're not an Auburn fan

http://www.auburn.edu/student_info/student_life/aubie/videos/nationals2006_low.wmv


Aubie is cool! He won an unprecedented 6th national mascot championship this year

http://www.ocm.auburn.edu/ecommons/January2006/story4.html

 

[Amlee]

I also wonder if the OP has moved yet. I bet all of those Auburn fans that rushed her, scared her off. To which I say Ramma Jamma!

 

[figment52]

Well, I'm coming late to this party (I was on vacation with you first posted) but I must add my own Welcome to Alabama


Y'all slice your watermelons differently than we do.



WAR EAGLE!!!

OK , I'm curious - how do you all slice your watermelon?

 

[LuvN~Travel]

Oooh, you have to see this!! Even if you're not an Auburn fan

http://www.auburn.edu/student_info/student_life/aubie/videos/nationals2006_low.wmv


Aubie is cool! He won an unprecedented 6th national mascot championship this year

http://www.ocm.auburn.edu/ecommons/January2006/story4.html

Not to hijack the thread or anything, but I've got a funny on Aubie. The fellow (or possible one of them, don't know how many they use), just got married to the daughter of one of our church members.
Our youth at church had their annual Auburn/Alabama night about a month or so ago, and 'Aubie' was a visitor.
They had told the kids to turn off their cell phones, since they had a big program planned that night. Well our daughter turned her's off, but our son, who had his Dad's, didn't. I called to see how long they would be (not knowing about the cell phone issue), and when it rang, well here came Aubie after my son wanting the phone! Nothing like getting your kid into trouble is it?
Well after the program was over and some of the kids were getting ready to leave, my son headed to the bathroom. Well I or his sister called him on the cell phone, while he was in the stall. The next thing he knew Aubie had his hand over the wall reaching for the phone, again! Then he proceeded to rag my son the whole time he was in the bathroom!
Of course after he told us this we had to pick our selves up from the floor from laughing so hard!

At least we know how to have a good time down here. lol
Kim

Okay, back to the regularly scheduled thread.

 

[laurie31]

OK , I'm curious - how do you all slice your watermelon?

We slice them in half lengthwise, and then in half again, to make big wedges. Like this:

Our neighbors from Michigan sliced theirs in cirles and then in half, like this:

I thought their way was less messy, but Mom said it was the "yankee" way to slice a watermelon and wouldn't slice ours like that - lol.

 

[dizfam4]

Hi everyone!

I am sorry I haven't replied to your responses. I haven't been on the DisBoards in awhile. I am glad to see you have replied to this post after so long everyone. Thanks.

Now, to answer your questions...Yes....we are in Alabama. We moved to Millbrook, just outside of Montgomery in mid-September. I love the weather and the people here.

Right now, I am homeschooling my 5 1/2 year old kindergarten son (DDis only 2 1/2) until we decide on a private school for next year. I've visited a few schools trying to decide where to send him.

By the way.....we DO slice our watermelons different Thanks for the pictures to show us the difference. I wonder why we do it different??

Culturally, the biggest thing I have noticed is that my children seem "rude" compared to our southern neighbor children. These children even call their moms and dads "sir" or "ma'am". I'm lucky if my munchkins look my way when I call their name! HaHa! In Michigan, my kids were very well-behaved. It's just different here with regards to respect. I, too, have been called Ma'am hundreds of times since we've been here and I am only 32! I am trying to teach my kids the "new" way so we aren't social outcasts It will be good for them.

Other differences: Everybody is "fixin' to do something. Things are much more laid back. For example, we are waiting for a landscaper to do some more work on our backyard and he will stop by to do it "in the next few weeks"! Huh???? There isn't much urgency down here.

No flames ..... I bought my little boy an Auburn sweatshirt a couple of weeks ago. He has decided he wants to be a War Eagle because he aspires to be an astonaut. I guess Auburn had many astronauts graduate from their program. He is looking forward to going to space camp when he turns 9! (only 3 1/2 years away).

We went to the Montgomery Zoo a couple of days ago and loved it. It was very impressive for a smaller city zoo. Very clean and educational. I was extremely pleased. We are going to go to "Old Alabama Town" in downtown Montgomery next week to learn more about Alabama history. Anybody been there before?

Everybody here is sooooooooo nice and sweet. I can't tell you how nice it has been to experience a new part of the country. I will miss Michigan for many reasons and maybe we'll still go back someday, but for now, this has been a great experience.

Thanks ya'll (I know...I'm still a damn Yankee, but I'm trying to fit in !)

 

[sumrmist]

I'm glad you liked the Montgomery Zoo. It is much better IMO than the Birmingham one. I just really like the lay out and wide open spaces of it. You will enjoy Old Alabama Town. We took our daughters when they were younger and they really seemed to enjoy it. We also went last march when my DD was in 4th grade and she enjoyed it more as we were with a tour guide. Make sure you see the one room school house. The gentleman that plays the schoolmaster is really into his part. He took time to come out and speak to me and my three year old as we didnt get in line to go in with the school group .

The montgomery visitors center is located in the old train depot. Its a beautiful building in itself and there is an around the town trolley ride that leaves from there that I believe is less than 2 dollars to ride around. There are two routes so you could see alot of the city. Eastdale Mall has an ice skating rink inside. Do a check on attractions for Montgomery. There are alot of great family oriented and affordable options in that town. I live in Tuscaloosa about 90 miles northwest of you and despite being home to the University of Alabama, there just aren't that many things to do around here. I almost envy you living that close to Montgomery and all it has to offer....once again welcome to Alabama ma'am.

 

[laurie31]

Hey! Glad to hear you're enjoying it here!

Yeah, I guess we're so used to the manners thing none of us thought to mention it. Parents are the most important people to be called "ma'am" and "sir" but we prefer EVERYONE be called that. It's not about age, it's about respect

Older dd answers "ma'am?" when she's called, but younger one still slips and says "yeah?" (which is like fingernails on the blackboard to me!)

I have no idea how the different watermelon slicing methods originated - lol
It was just one of the things that I remembered being "different" about our neighbors.

The Alabama/Auburn game is coming up next month, on November 18th.

I hope you enjoy your first green Christmas!

ps - LuvN~Travel - great story!!

 

[minkydog]

Other differences: Everybody is "fixin' to do something. Things are much more laid back. For example, we are waiting for a landscaper to do some more work on our backyard and he will stop by to do it "in the next few weeks"! Huh???? There isn't much urgency down here.

Just wait until next summer and you'll understand Glad you're liking Alabama. I grew up in Mobile County and went to college & married in Livingston,AL. Although we have lived in Georgia for nezarly 25yrs, I still love my Sweet Home Alabama.

 

[Amlee]

Welcome!! I'm in Cullman, which is straight up 65 from you, between Birmingham and Huntsville.

While we may not get the cold and snow that your use to. I think in the past few months we are making up for it with the rain.

As for the Bama/Auburn thing, most of it is taken in good fun. Yes there are the few who take it to the extreme, but for most it's just a good fun.

 

[laurie31]

Welcome!! I'm in Cullman, which is straight up 65 from you, between Birmingham and Huntsville.

Amlee! I'm from Cullman! I went to Cullman High School I didn't want to move away but life happens and here I am in Leeds. I like it here too

 

[Amlee]

Amlee! I'm from Cullman! I went to Cullman High School I didn't want to move away but life happens and here I am in Leeds. I like it here too

Really? Small World!!! I have 2 cousins that went to CHS, but I'm a country girl. I went to Cold Springs. But I now live in town. Wow! You managed to leave the town that time forgot? I'm impressed! All kidding aside, I love being able to come home to Cullman. There isn't any place in the world like it.


It's been a few years, but I've been to Leeds.

 

[bamajill]

Another Cullman girl here (CHS 86)!

To the OP, I hope you enjoy living in Alabama! I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. I hope this will be a great move for your family!

 

[Amlee]

w00t! Cullman rules!!