The Suburban Newspaper for Mountain Brook, Homewood, Vestavia Hills, Hoover and North Shelby County
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THURSDAY, MAY 3, 2012
VOL. 21 #7 Family-friendly event features five food trucks and lots of fun ABOUT TOWN PAGE 4
MOTHER’S DAY 2012
Stars fell on Alabama at Red Mountain Theatre Gala
SOCIAL PAGE 16
Turning the Tables
Racing for Childrenʼs event brings celebs, Indy racers to town SOCIAL PAGE 18
Melinda Thompson, with her children, from left: Warner, Lily and Nat, has published her fourth book. “Iʼve Had It Up to Here with Teenagers,” discusses the Photo special to the Journal Homewood momʼs every day dealings with her three teenagers.
Melinda Thompson’s New Book Takes a Humorous Look at Teenagers BY LAURA MCALISTER
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JOURNAL EDITOR
Sue Murphy on What to Get Your Mom P. 2 Mother’s Day Gift Guide P. 10 Over the Mountain MOMS Club P. 10 Mother Inspired Sweet Family Business P. 11 Mother’s Day Fun Run In Crestline P. 15
he may refer to them as trolls and little wretches, but really she loves them as only a mother could. Melinda Rainey Thompson is referring to her teenagers, of course. She has three of them, and the chaotic lives they live is the topic of the Homewood resident’s newest book, “I’ve Had It Up to Here with Teenagers.” The book is Melinda’s fourth. Like her other three, the newest is a collection of humorous essays -- only instead of the humor being at her expense, Melinda admits this one also pokes a little fun at her teens. But, hey, after doing piles of their laundry, cooking their meals and waiting for them to
come home during the wee hours of the night – she’s earned it, she jokes. “It’s G-rated humor,” Melinda said. “It’s always been at my expense. This one is kind of at them. “My oldest son did write a rebuttal. The other two just couldn’t be bothered with it.” Warner, the 18-year-old son of Melinda and her husband, Judge William Thompson, wrote the final chapter in “I’ve Had It Up to Here with Teenagers.” The two who “couldn’t be bothered with it” are Nat, 16, and Lily, 13. This book, like her other ones, is based on her real-life stories. She said it’s not meant to be a parenting book, though it could serve as a warning to mothers with young children. “I was good with the little See TEENAGERS, page 15
BBG Glorious Gardens Tour to feature six OTM homes
HOME PAGE 24
Family style: Mother, daughters love working together
NEW BUSINESS PAGE 30
COOK-OFF KEEPS IT KOSHER P. 3 • HOOVER DRUMLINE WINS STATE TITLE P. 31 • SPARTAN GIRLS, REBEL BOYS REPEAT AS TENNIS CHAMPS P. 36