The Bluebird Patch

“The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective. Unless a man starts on the strange assumption that he has never existed before, it is quite certain that he will never exist afterwards.”  ―  G.K. Chesterton

These fairy tale spoofs will amuse kids and adults, alike! WHAT :      The Stinky Cheese Man  by Paul Mesner Puppets of Kansas City, MO Based on the wildly popular book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith, Jack (of Beanstalk fame) guides us through this humorous collection of twisted fairy tale parodies, including Chicken Licken, Cinderumpelstiltskin, a duckling who really is just ugly, and a man made of stinky cheese instead of gingerbread! An audience favorite, Paul Mesner Puppets has previously performed several popular productions at the Center, including “The Dinosaur Show” and “The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by A. Wolf.” To learn more about the company, click here .

The Fox Theatre presents The State Ballet Theatre of Russia's production of Swan Lake on Sunday, Jan. 11 at 3:00 p.m. Tickets range from $25-$55 and will be on sale at 10 a.m., Friday, Dec. 12 at  www.FoxTheatre.org , by calling 855-285-8499 , or at the Fox Theatre Ticket Office. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more at (404) 881-2000 . This full-scale production, based on Russian folklore and German legend, is about a prince named Siegfried who falls in love with the Swan princess, Odette. She is a swan by day, but a young woman at night. She is under a magic spell which can only be broken by a man who will promise to love her for eternity; Siegfried makes the promise. However, he is tricked by the magician who cast the spell. The State Ballet Theatre of Russia presents 50 of Russia’s brightest ballet stars to bring this romantic tale of true love to glorious life. Founded by legendary dancer and former Prima Ballerina of The Bolshoi Th...

This is a sponsored post on behalf of  X Out™. X Out™ is the next big thing from the makers of Proactiv® X Out™ is a new one-step anti-hassle, anti-breakout wash-in treatment designed specifically for teens. X Out™ helps banish existing pimples while nourishing skin with a unique moisturizing complex that helps leave the skin feeling smooth and looking healthy.  No more hassle, no more drama – X Out™ incorporates a built-in compliance measure to help teens recognize the recommended two minute wash time for best results and to achieve clear skin. Each bottle of X Out™ Wash-In Treatment has a QR code that teens can scan with their Smartphones to be automatically directed to the X Out™ Daily Distraction (dd.xout.com), where a new two-minute video will be available each day.  Whether it’s a video full of fashion tips, sports tricks or straight-up comedy, X Out™ teens will be ahead of the class, with continuously updated video con...

For the fifth year, Atlanta-based Carter’s Babies and Kids is proud to partner with the Pajama Program’s “One Million Good Nights” campaign to donate 100,000 pairs of pajamas to children in need.  The Carter’s pajama donation drive comes at a critical time as December marks “Danger Season,” the time of year when temperatures begin to drop leaving underserved children in need of warm sleepwear and comfort.   Many of these children have been abused, abandoned or neglected and live in group homes, shelters or temporary housing without adequate heat. The gift of a new pair of pajamas can provide children in need with a glimmer of hope and a feeling that someone cares about their well-being.  Every child deserves to sleep in their own pjs every night!  Did You Know? ·         1 in 5 American children live in poverty – a higher rate than any other developed country except for Romania. (2013) ·  ...

With more than one million LED lights Six Flags Over Georgia is the latest attraction in Atlanta to debut this holiday season. “Holiday in the Park®” is an all-new holiday event at Six Flags Over Georgia with Santa waiting at the North Pole. The park is beautifully t ransform  into a winter wonderland with dazzling Christmas trees, exclusive holiday shows and many of the park’s most popular rides now through January 4, 2015 on select days. “ Our Six Flags Over Georgia family is proud to present a holiday spectacular sure to create memories for guests of all ages for years to come,” said Six Flags Atlanta Properties park president Dale Kaetzel. “Holiday in the Park, coupled with the largest expansion in park history with the all-new Hurricane Harbor water park, has made for a special 2014 season, with many more special celebrations to come.” If you have been thinking to visit Holiday in the Park at Six Flags Over Georgian here's out top 10 favorite things a...

Humans are, at heart, altruistic - or at least we are according to psychology Professor Dacher Keltner, of the University of California at Berkeley who has produced a cheering video to explain why.    "Most people think that Darwin had this idea of survival of the fittest and that it’s really the most ruthless and bloodthirsty who really thrive and survive. That is not Darwin’s view of human evolution at all. He really felt that sympathy is the strongest instinct that humans have".     Dacher Keltner Greed is good. War is inevitable. Whether in political theory or popular culture, human nature is often portrayed as selfish and power hungry. UC Berkeley psychologist Dacher Keltner challenges this notion of human nature and seeks to better understand why we evolved pro-social emotions like empathy, compassion and gratitude. We've all heard the phrase 'survival of the fittest', born from the Darwinian theory of natural selection. Keltner adds nua...

We are so excited about the the unveil of a new Hour of Code tutorial that girls will love.  Thanks to   Disney Interactive , Code.org’s signature tutorial for the 2014 Hour of Code features   Disney Infinity  versions of Disney’s “ Frozen” heroines Anna and Elsa! In this one-hour activity, you will learn to write code to help Anna and Elsa create snowflakes and magical “ice craft,” while also learning logic, math and cultivating creative confidence. Then, you can share your creations online or with friends.  Try a preview now, at Code Studio! Celebrities and technologists, including Polyvore CEO  Jess Lee , app developer and model  Lyndsey Scott , Microsoft engineer  Paola Mejia , and model  Karlie Kloss  (a beginner who’s learning to code herself), will provide short video lectures to guide students. The girl-power theme of the tutorial is a continuation of their efforts to expand diversity in computer ...

Looking for a new holiday tradition to start with your family this year? Here is a wonderful idea that will lift the spirits of all the sick and injured patients at Animal Emergency Center of North Fulton. Make a holiday card for sick and critical pets at their hospital. They will hang these thoughtful cards in the hospital during the holiday season, as well as post them on their social media pages. Animal Emergency Center of North Fulton are caring and compassionate with every pet that comes into their hospital. Here is your chance to show a little TLC to each sick pet they have hospitalized. Partner with your church, classroom or scouts group to show the love you have for pets. They have even provided a little template for you ; make sure they know who created each card so they can give a shout out on their Facebook page! Going on now until the end of the year! The Animal Emergency Center of North Fulton is located at 900 Mansell Road, ...

The holiday season begins with the return of Atlanta Ballet's Nutcracker  The Fox Theatre. Bring the whole family for an enchanting and memorable event that keeps the spirit of the holiday season alive, starting at only $115 per person! The Melting Pot have the best seats for highly anticipated shows at The Fox Theatre, including THE NUTCRACKER and MICHAEL W. SMITH & AMY GRANT CHRISTMAS! If you're looking for a date night, family outing or Girls Night Out, The Melting Pot have amazing dinner-and-show packages including a three-course fondue experience and premium seats at The Fox Theatre! ONLY A FEW SEATS LEFT! UPCOMING DINNER & SHOW PACKAGES Space is very limited! The Nutcracker Saturday, Dec. 13 at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. Dinner is immediately following the show Seating is within the first 15 rows of the Orchestra Section Package is priced at $115 per person

SINGLE TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2014 AT 12:00P.M. ASO Presents welcomes Idina Menzel to Delta Classic Chastain on Friday, July 24, 2015 Idina Menzel Tickets Are the Perfect Holiday Gift! Her voice can be heard as Elsa in Disney’s global box office smash Frozen, in which she sings the film’s multi-platinum song “Let It Go.” She performed the song at the 86th Annual Academy Awards and the song went on to win the Oscar that night. Idina made history as the first person with both a Billboard Top 10 hit and a Tony Award for acting.    She currently stars as “Elizabeth” in the original Broadway production If/Then , by Pulitzer Prize-winning team Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey. Of her performance, New York Magazine affirmed “Idina Menzel sings beyond anyone’s idea of reasonable vocal or emotional limits. She blows the roof off of the theatre,” while Variety described her “tear-the-house-down voice and commanding personality.” Menzel received her...

Our friends at IKEA Atlanta are hosting a toy/donation drive for CHOSEN ABILITIES in the month of December in their exit/lobby area. This local organization is a 501c3 that provides educational and training services to individuals residing in low-income communities ! Toys collected will be used to provide a new unwrapped toy at their annual Christmas program. The Soft Toys for Education campaign aims to provide quality education to vulnerable children living in poverty in developing countries. Since the campaign started, donations from the annual IKEA Soft Toy Campaign have totaled $ 90.4 million** (€67 million), helping more than 11 million children in 46 countries enjoy their right to a quality education. The donations help UNICEF and Save the Children train teachers in childfriendly teaching methods, improve child protection systems, supply education materials, and increase school attendance rates. “ All children should have access to a quality, basic educat...