The Bluebird Patch

The Pay It Forward Expo Connects Shoppers to the Community Northlake Mall invites shoppers to join them Saturday, March 2, 2013 from 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. to experience the Pay It Forward Non-Profit Expo . Sponsored by The Children’s Wish Foundation and The Gwinnett Children’s Shelter , this expo is designed to give shoppers a look inside the local non-profit organizations which serve their community. Many local 501- C registered non-profit organizations will be located throughout the Food Court and adjacent areas in the mall to speak with shoppers. Designed to educate the community on how to “pay it forward,” each organization will speak about volunteer opportunities and how to donate to its cause. Participating organizations include Variety of Georgia , FOCUS , Big Brothers Big Sisters of Atlanta and Girl Scouts of America. WHAT:                       ...

    Many of the hottest and newest gluten-free foods, including products from more than 25 metro Atlanta vendors, will fill the exhibit hall at the Gwinnett Center on Sunday, May 5, 2013 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the Gluten & Allergen Free Wellness Event.   Organized by ECHO Event Solutions (ECHO), the event is sponsored by Udi’s Gluten Free, Glutino Food Group, Enjoy Life Foods, and Penta Water. This is the first event in Atlanta organized by ECHO, but it marks the sixth time Atlanta has hosted a gluten-free event.   The event is open to the community, and it caters to those who avoid multiple allergens, such as gluten, dairy, soy, nuts, grains, etc. The event features an Allergen Free Zone sponsored by Enjoy Life Foods, where all products will be free of nuts. Companies with Kosher/gluten-free products will also be in attendance as this is the first year the event is being held on Sunday.   Admission is $10 per adult; kids 13 an...

As a family blogger we often receive many opportunities to attend new exhibits, or preview new attractions. Last year we had the wonderful opportunity to meet face the face the incredibly talented Harlem Globetrotters. This was a dream come true for my kids, who have been a "Globie" fan for as long as I can remember.  The beauty about the Globetrotters , besides their ability to combine athleticism with comedy, is their outstanding commitment to improve the lives of children by establishing their own c ommunity outreach programs such as:   S.P.I.N.™ - Some Playtime Is Necessary – a program designed to make fitness fun for kids, while promoting and encouraging an active lifestyle.   C.H.E.E.R.™ - The program targets 6-12 year-old students and involves Globetrotter players incorporating their signature ball handling skills with a “C.H.E.E.R.”™ basketball. The basketball includes each of the character traits printed on the outside of the ball and i...

" To This Day Project is a project based on a spoken word poem written by Shane Koyczan called “To This Day”, to further explore the profound and lasting impact that bullying can have on an individual. Schools and families are in desperate need of proper tools to confront this problem. We can give them a starting point… A message that will have a far reaching and long lasting effect in confronting bullying. Animators and motion artists brought their unique styles to 20 second segments that will thread into one fluid voice. This collaborative volunteer effort will demonstrate what a community of caring individuals are capable of when they come together. " To This Day from To This Day on Vimeo . http://www.tothisdayproject.com http://www.shanekoyczan.com/ http://www.bullying.org http://www.giantant.ca

PAWS Atlanta is rolling out the red carpet in celebration of the "Acatemy" Awards! Adoption fees are waived for all black and black and white tuxedo cats one year and older February 23-24. Meet their adoptable cats and take home your own classy, cat companion.  http://www.pawsatlanta.org/IWantToAdopt/Pets/BrowseCats.aspx

Thirteen-year-old Logan LaPlante is a very talented, curious and creative teen that is taking a different path in his education.  He combines the “hacker mindset” with a network of do-it-yourself friends, family, and community organizations to optimize for health, happiness, creativity, and wisdom. He calls it “hackschooling” or "unschooling". On his free time Logan enjoys skiing and public speaking. He has been watching TED videos for as long as he can remember and hopes that with his opportunity to speak at TEDx he can inspire some kids, parents, and educators to think differently about education and to make health, happiness, creativity, and wisdom a priority.   

A new study conducted by scientists at the University of Vermont has used Twitter to establish that Hawaii is the happiest state in the union and Louisiana, Georgia, Missisipi and Maryland the saddest.   "Looking at 10 million tweets posted from 373 different sites across the country, the team ranked the saddest and happiest states and cities based on the frequency of happy and sad words posted onto the social networking site.   Dubbing the mathematical formula created to collate the information as a 'hedonometer', the scientists discovered that Napa, California was the happiest city, while Beaumont in Texas ranked as the most miserable".

Simon malls are encouraging children across the country to develop a love for literature and learning with books.     On February 23, Simon Kidgits Club at Mall of Georgia is hosting its free annual Book Blast event and inviting families to participate and be inspired to read together at home. and beyond. Simon Kidgits Club’s Book Blast is offering an assortment of fun book-based activities to ultimately help kids reap the many benefits of reading. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a division of the U.S. Department of Education, children who are read to at home enjoy substantial advantages over children who are not.   Book Blast event offerings include a read-aloud session presented by Atlanta Falcon’s Cheerleaders and the Gwinnett County Fire Department, set to take place from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.  Books to be read at this event include Jack and the Beanstalk , Ladybug Girl , Little Critter's The New F...

When: March 23, 2013 Fun Run: 8:30 a 5K Race: 9:15 a Where: Suwanee Town Center   Strut your Mutt at the Georgia SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) 3rd Annual Run for the Rescues 5K, Fun Run and Festival. This event will take place in the beautiful Suwanee Town Center Park in the Heart of Suwanee. We encourage everyone to bring their dogs for this run to benefit homeless pets.  In addition to the race, there will be a Festival at the Suwanee Town Center from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Enjoy food and beverage, arts and crafts, inflatables for the kids and treats for dogs, cats and runners alike. Vendors of all kinds will have samples and products for sale. The Gwinnett PD is presenting a demonstration with a K-9 unit, and Smart Critters is doing an agility/frisbee demo. Many local rescues will be there with dogs for adoption. Enjoy demonstrations and pet contests - biggest, smallest, pet trick etc. Win prizes t...

This 8 x 10 free printable by Three Little Monkey Studio will look so cute in your laundry room. Life passes in a blink of an eye and we need to appreciate every single moment, including laundry time ;) For more "pinteresting" printables please follow us on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/bluebirdpatch/

A book with a positive message about bullying written for kids (and adults too) by a kid!   Emily is the new girl at school. She learns quickly that her first day at a new school isn't going to go the way she expected. She gets teased about her appearance among other things. At first, Emily thinks that there is something wrong with her, and wonders if there is something she can fix about herself to get the other kids to stop teasing. She soon learns that the problem isn't her, it's them. Together with some new friends that she initially overlooks due to her worries, they bring about change at their school with confidence, communication and teamwork.  This book is written by Jessica Arnold, the author of "I am Good at Lots of Things" and "Hello My Name is Rose and this is My Christmas Story" "Nobody Can Take My Happy Away" is inspired by her own real experiences. Jessica communicates her feelings with this story about...

Don't mind criticism. If it is untrue, disregard it; if unfair, keep from irritation; if it is ignorant, smile; if it is justified it is not criticism, learn from it.   Unknown, Source

  Along with school lunches and wardrobes, kids also have to worry about being bullied at school. According to the  U.S. National Institute of Health, SAFE, every 30 minutes a teenager attempts suicide due to bullying. About 47 teens are bullied every five minutes and 71 percent of students report bullying as an ongoing problem.  To some people, bullying may seem like no big deal but to others it is. 1 out of every 10 students who drops out of school does so because of repeated bullying. No Bullying Signs or Stop Bullying Signs can help prevent the mental, physical and emotional damage caused by bullying could last a lifetime. Let students know that bullying is not welcome at your school or community center with no bullying signs from SafetySign.com.    Their no bullying signs and labels are available with a variety of messages and some signs are even customizable. These stop bullying signs are also available in materials like adhesive back...

Personalize and Send a Variety of Valentine’s Day, Birthday and Everyday Cards with the Touch of a Button Send happy thoughts and glittery gorgeousness with the new Taylor Swift Greeting Card Mobile App by American Greetings Corporation available now in the iTunes store and on Google Play . These digital greeting cards feature ambient music from RED , and are for sharing a little happiness with all the awesome people in your life…on their birthday, a holiday, or any day you’re feeling especially grateful and want to let them know right now that you’re thinking of them. This app helps you find the perfect card, and then make it all your own. Add your own message, a favorite photo…you can even sign it on your touch screen. Then send it on its way via text, email, Facebook, or Twitter.  The app includes a jukebox that plays snippets of the RED CD that can easily be turned on while browsing the mobile card rack, as well as a reminder service that lets users conne...

Kindness comes in all shapes and forms, and in celebration of Random Acts of Kindness Day on Sunday, Feb. 17 , Michaels hopes to inspire customers to participate by giving away more than $100,000 in gift cards at its nearly 1,100 U.S. and Canada stores.   This is the second year Michaels will randomly hand out free gift cards in its stores in observance of the international holiday. Gift card recipients will be encouraged to "craft it forward" and exhibit their own random act of kindness towards another person.   This year, the craft store is celebrating throughout Random Acts of Kindness Week , Feb. 11-17 , by asking customers to share their own random acts of kindness on the Michaels Facebook page and to use the hashtag #RAOKDIY when sharing on Twitter and Instagram. "We've heard wonderful stories from our customer...

C amp Sunshine Presents Charlotte's Web, Sunday, February 24 at the Alliance Theatre. Come check out an amazing family spectacle with the kids of Camp Sunshine! All proceeds from this private charity event benefit Camp Sunshine's year round programs for children with cancer and their families. A portion of each ticket is tax deductible. Show times at 1pm and 3:30pm. To purchase tickets: http://mycampsunshine.givezooks.com/events/camp-sunshine-presents-charlotte-s-web Camp Sunshine is giving our readers the chance to win 4 tickets. All you have to do is share the above flyer on your facebook wall. You must leave us a copy or your URL in order for your entry to count. You can also go to our fabebook page and share this link: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=555612224458215&set=a.124161917603250.17208.124159477603494&type=1 Camp Sunshine enriches the lives of Georgia’s children with cancer and their families through free recreational, education...

This Saturday, February 16, Atlanta’s own Box Heroes will swoop into the Center for Puppetry Arts to meet fellow superhero Mighty Bug .   Dress up in your superhero best, and join the Box Heroes at the Center, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.  Take photos with these cardboard crusaders and watch The Adventures of Mighty Bug . Adventures of Mighty Bug at Center for Puppetry Arts takes audiences on a trip to Bugville, a jumpin’ little insect community that swings to the Bugville Boogie and the sweet sounds of WBUG Radio star Morpha Butterfly. Watching over the ants, fleas, crickets, water spiders, beetles and bees is the one and only Mighty Bug, a superhero with super strength, smelling, hearing and flying abilities. But the evil arachnid, Scorpiana, also has her eye on Bugville, and she has assembled a group to attack the crawling city.  Filled with plenty of insect trivia and facts, this comic book style adventure story will give audiences the...

Social media marketing is taking off in 2013 as one of the top marketing tactics. Understanding the powerful influence of the blogging phenomenon, and the unstoppable rise of mommy bloggers,  the Attractions Task Force of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACVB) hosted the second annual Experience Atlanta Parent Blogger event on Saturday, February 9, 2013 at CNN Center. This interactive, trade show-style event allow ed parent bloggers from across the nation and their families to learn more about Atlanta’s family-friendly attractions and activities.  Venues and marketing companies are embracing change from viral marketing to sharable marketing strategies , by building relationships with key influencers in their  niche, and reward them for influencing their consumers  from sharing their own experiences.   In 2011,  NetProspex , a sales and marketing database company, named Atlanta one of the 13 most social media ...