The Bluebird Patch

*This is a sponsored post by Straight Talk Wireless. With the average smart-phone plan costing nearly a one hundred dollars a month a lot of people are looking for ways to lower their bill, especially during the holiday season. This Christmas we are adding a touch of holiday cheer with Straight Talk’s holiday devices. I have been using a Straight Talk phone for the past couple of months and I am very impressed with how easy was for me to set it up. The coverage was my biggest fear since I'm always on the go covering events, but not once have this phone failed me. I can take pictures, videos, and post them  immediately  no matter where I am. Data in unlimited but I like to keep it off and only use it when I need it. This has always been a habit of mine, since I tend to be connected to WIFI most of the time. If your little ones asked “Santa” for a new phone this year,  Straight  Talk phones are your best option. Since they are pre...

On Monday November 10, Celebrity chef Paula Deen visited   Atlanta to promote her live cooking show, Paula Deen Live!, presented by Springer Mountain Farms Chicken. Paula Deen Live Holiday Edition! will be at the Atlanta Symphony Hall at Woodruff Arts Center this Sunday. I was so lucky to be invited the meet and greet event at the Guy Gunter Showroom House. I was so curious so see her cooking live and interacting with bloggers and media. I always wonder is she really that nice? Yes she is! Paula is such a beautiful spirit, as soon as she  enters  the room everyone smiles. She is very affectionate, kind, and a very down to earth person. She a cknowledges  every single person in the room and makes the effort to connects with them one by one. Her husband Michael was there too and it was so wonderful to see how much love they have for each other. They make a great couple, a nd I don't think Paula would be able to do all she does without his suppo...

“ And now," cried Max, "let the wild rumpus start!” Bring the whole family to the opening of the exhibition  Where The Wild Things Are: Maurice Sendak In His Own Words And Pictures   and stay for a day full of fun family activities! For over fifty years Maurice Sendak’s  Where the Wild Things Are  has delighted and captivated readers both young and old. This exhibition celebrates Sendak’s life and work by showcasing his most famous pieces through preliminary sketches, finished artwork, and interactive displays. All of this is told through the words of Sendak himself, intimately connecting artist to art.  The exhibition aims at promoting an appreciation of the creative genius of Maurice Sendak and his art by highlighting the importance of early childhood reading as it relates to language development and literacy. The exhibition also emphasizes art as an important and effective tool for children and adults alike in coping with stressful situation...

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Hallmark. All the myths and stories from your childhood are true ... NorthPole is real, and it's bigger than you think and more fun than you can imagine! This year, our friends at Hallmark are specially delivering products that help build anticipation for Christmas. They are doing several product tie-ins with it's new “Northpole” movie and has set up a separate NorthPole website with a fully loaded gift gallery. Products we love: 1. Cozy Coaster Set , 2. Cozy Mug 3.  Red Stitchery "Make Happy Happen" Magnetic Memo Pad with Pencil ,   4. Snowflake Hostess Set ,  5.   Little Elf Apron , 6. Sweet Treat Elf Nutcracker For the first time ever, kids can bring a little piece of Northpole home and enjoy the same products used by elves in Northpole, including: Santa Connections , Kitchen Magic , Family Fun , Kid Stuff & Books , Gifts to Go & Holiday Home . Northpole1820.com   offers a neve...

Historic Oakland Cemetery is proud to be a part of Georgia Gives Day this Thursday, November 13, and has a goal to raise $10,00 0 that will go toward preserving, restoring, enhancing and sharing the unique history within Oakland's 48 acres. Your contribution on Georgia Gives Day will help Historic Oakland Foundation continue its mission of preserving, restoring, enhancing and sharing Historic Oakland Cemetery, a beloved Atlanta landmark.To learn more and make a donation, please click here .

Operation Christmas Child is the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind. It uses gift-filled shoeboxes to share God’s love in a tangible way with needy children around the world. Since 1993, Samaritan’s Purse has collected and delivered more than 113 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in over 150 countries through Operation Christmas Child. How does it work? Individuals, families, churches, and groups fill empty shoeboxes with gifts of toys, school supplies, hygiene items, and notes of encouragement. During National Collection Week, Nov. 17-24 , Samaritan’s Purse will collect the gift-filled shoeboxes at more than 4,000 drop-off sites in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Operation Christmas Child also offers the opportunity year-round to pack personalized shoebox gifts online. Go to samaritanspurse.org and click on Operation Christmas Child to select toys and gift items, write a note of encouragement, and “pack” them in a shoebox. Shoebox gifts are pre...

Atlanta's Most Heartwarming  Christmas Celebration November 8 - January 4  Christmas at Stone Mountain Park is back with new shows, new 4D movies, festive music, snowflake funnel cakes, new holiday characters and over two million lights. S tart a new tradition and create memories that will last a lifetime for your kids...and you. My family had the chance to preview  all the new things the park has to offer and we were blown away with the attractions. Here's what to expect if you are visiting this year:

Come see Paula's live show at the Atlanta Symphony Hall in Atlanta, GA on Nov 16 and get a heaping helping of Paula's recipes, some good old-fashioned fun and lots of laughter. Join Paula as she demonstrates how to make her favorite seasonal dishes, shares family stories and plays cooking games with her fans. Some lucky audience members will even get to join Paula on stage! Want to win two tickets? Leave us a comment below and register your entry on our giveaway  widget . A random winner will be selected on November 13, 2014!

Did you  know  The World of Coca-Cola offers free admission to members of the Armed Forces (active duty, reserves and retirees) year-round.  In honor of Veterans Day, they are going one step further to show their gratitude and support for the men and women who serve our country. Starting Saturday, Nov. 8 through Sunday, Nov. 16, members of the Armed Forces may also purchase up to four half-price general admission tickets for their friends and family. To take advantage of this special offer , military members and retirees can present their valid Armed Forces ID cards at the World of Coca-Cola ticket windows. 

On November 13,  Fernbank Science Center is having a science teacher appreciation night. If you're a science teacher from anywhere, at any level, the center is welcoming you to come get a quick tour and presentation about what we have to offer. There will also be door prizes and giveaways of extra teaching materials and supplies.

This Saturday from 10 until 1, Fernbank Science Center master gardeners are having a composting event.  There are actually two separate events, one of them open to the public and kid friendly, from 10 to 1, and the other one a training workshop for gardeners interested in composting, which is also free but which needs to be RSVP'd via " signup genius " website  or you can also RSVP by calling the Science Center directly.

Bring in any 10 travel-sized toiletry items and receive $1 off each ticket to the Children's Museum of Atlanta . They will be collecting items all month long and donating them to teenage girls in shelters and group homes. Each box will be decorated in the Maker's Space and then filled with the items donated! The Museum is partnering with the non-profit Boxes of Beauty on this project. Learn more about them  here .

Marie Callender's creates homemade meals and desserts made with high-quality ingredients and signature special touches that your family can slow down and savor together. My retired airman loves eating Marie Calender's Chicken Pot Pie. I swear if you come to our house you will always find one or two in our freezer. This fall, Marie Callender's will launch the Comforts from Home Project by bringing the comforts of home to those who protect America's homes every day: the brave men and women of the U.S. Military. From September 1, 2014 through January 31, 2015, every time consumers look for one of the more than 51 million specially-marked Marie Callender's meals or desserts from their grocer's freezer case, they're invited to support U.S. troops by entering an eight-digit code from the package online at www.ComfortsFromHome.com . Each code entered online equals a $0.50 donation to the USO2GO program. Kits are designed to help soldie...

Annual celebration features FREE festive fun at The Village  Amphitheatre with Christmas parade, tree lighting,  “Elf” movie screening and more! Santa Claus is coming to town! Mall of Georgia invites local families and friends to ring in the holiday season with its annual Santabration event on Saturday, November 8 from 5-9 p.m. Presented by AutoNation Toyota and Fiat, this spectacular celebration welcomes the arrival of the man in red with plenty of fun and festive activities! Attendees can look forward to a Christmas Parade, performances by the Academy of Performing Arts Superstar Dancers, the 50-foot tree lighting and a special Movies Under the Stars screening of “Elf” on an impressive 55-foot screen. Guests are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Come early, grab a spot and experience this jolly holiday tradition with the entire family!

What is Cape Day? Some superheroes battle scary villains. At Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, our superheroes fight something much scarier—accidents and illnesses that create challenges most of us could never imagine. One superhero patient in particular,  DJPitts , has overcome near impossible obstacles, and when he dons a cape, nothing is out of reach. DJ wore many capes during his  six-month hospital stay  after accidentally swallowing a dangerous engine cleaning material. From Batman and Superman capes to a homemade cape that proudly said “Super DJ,” the capes helped power DJ through the toughest of days. Armed with his extraordinary powers and donning his signature cape, DJ is going to show the world just how strong he is by making a 19-story building crumble to the ground on Saturday, Nov. 8. To help build DJ’s superhero confidence the day before the implosion, people across Atlanta will show support for DJ by wearing capes on Cape Day. Who...

Learn how your closet can impact your favorite charity Lenox Square is teaming up with Fashion Project to offer mall guests the opportunity to donate their gently worn clothing to benefit charitable causes. Fashion Project is the premiere online clothing donation service committed to using fashion as a force for good. The program accepts women’s clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories from brands such as Free People, Tory Burch and Prada. Upon receipt of the Donation Bag at Fashion Project Headquarters, Fashion Project will sort and sell the items, donating 55% of the proceeds to the donor’s charity of choice. In addition, for every five qualifying items, the donor will earn a $20 Simon Giftcard. A complete list of brands is listed on Fashion Project’s ‘Qualifying Brands List’ at  fashionproject.com/brands . Our Story: How We're Changing the World through Clothing Donation from Fashion Project on Vimeo . Fashion Project, mission is to raise as m...

Georgia based nonprofit, Lift Up Atlanta, Inc. anno unces its Annual Christmas Extravaganza to benefit homeless women and children. The event will be held December 6th, noon – 6pm, at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall Building, 2405 Sugarloaf Parkway in Lawrenceville, GA. The Gwinnett County Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall will be transformed for the day into a 25,000 square foot Winter Wonderland filled with holiday activities for the entire community to participate in.   The Christmas Extravaganza will include:  An entertainment stage featuring live, home-grown local talent Holiday shopping at over 40 vendor booths, all selling unique, homemade crafts and treats Santa for the kids Face painting and games for the kids A free “Taste of Christmas” dessert bar, featuring holiday sweets

Spirited Solo Performance Captures the True Meaning of Holiday Season The annual holiday classic, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, is returning to Aurora Theatre for its eighth consecutive year, November 28-December 21. In true storytelling fashion, audiences travel back to 19th century England for an incredibly personal and moving one-man version of the cherished story that grasps the true meaning of the holiday season – the joy of giving. Starring Aurora veteran Anthony P. Rodriguez as the cold and bitter Ebenezer Scrooge with direction by Tony Brown, audiences are invited to rediscover Dickens’ oft-told tale that has touched hearts for more than 150 years. “ Many think of A Christmas Carol as a huge theatrical production, but the beauty of our version is the simplicity behind it,” said Anthony Rodriguez, Aurora Theatre Producing Artistic Director. “Before the novel was brought to stage, Dickens actually read the story at...

Join Santa’s lovely bride for a fun hour of storytelling and cupcake decorating! Children also will make a bag of reindeer food to take home for Rudolph’s Christmas Eve visit. This event is designed for children ages 12 and younger, and at least one accompanying adult. “ Story Time with Mrs. Claus” is available every Saturday and Sunday beginning Nov. 22 through Dec. 21, 2014.  There are two Saturday sessions to choose from:  1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and one Sunday session at 1 p.m. The cost is $11 per person ages 2 and older. Taxes and service fees are additional. Reservations are required for each person attending.  Children must be accompanied by an adult.  Ages 2 and younger are admitted for free but require a “free child’s ticket” when placing the order.  Father  Christmas , a.k.a. Santa, is available nightly for photos, 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.inside the Fantasy In Lights  Christmas  Village...