Spring FUN Break at Stone Mountain Park!

Stone Mountain Park , Georgia’s No. 1 attraction, extends its Spring FUN Break event to two weeks of family-friendly shows and entertaining attractions to accommodate metro Atlanta school Spring Break calendars.

Spring FUN Break (SFB) begins the adventure with Journey 2: The Mysterious Island – The 4-D Experience. The 12-minute sequel to Journey to the Center of the Earth engages guests through a 3-D film featuring spectacular 4-D special effects. Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) partners with his mom's husband (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) on a mission to find his grandfather (Michael Caine), who is thought to be missing on a mythical island. Together with a helicopter pilot (Luis Guzman) and his beautiful daughter (Vanessa Hudgens), they embark on an amazing voyage and find incredible beauty amidst grave danger.

Another new beginning at SFB is the opening of Campfire Grill. Half dining experience and half adventure, Campfire Grill embarks guests onto a camping trip where diners can hear the rustle of the woodland creatures, spot the soft glow of fireflies and almost feel the warmth from the campfire effects. At Campfire Grill, tables are called campsites, guests are campers and servers are camp counselors. “Campers” are tempted with signature menu items such as Campfire Skewers, Coca-Cola®Infused Ribs and warm Brownie S’Mores. The littlest campers can explore the paw prints on the tables and floors and create their own animal track crayon rubbings.

Returning to SFB is the popular Wildlife Wonders’ Animal Babies show. From a baby otter to kangaroo and bunnies, animal experts immerse guests in an educational and interactive animal encounter. After the show, kids can ask the animal experts questions and even touch some of the animals.

The Wake the Bear improv show also returns to SFB. Families in the audience steer the on-stage action when campers return to base camp only to realize it has become a favorite napping spot for a bear. The campers recruit the audience to help them drive the bear away and regain their campsite.

Plus, kids won’t want to miss April Fool’s Wacky Wonderland. The Easter Bunny and the April Fool teamed up to offer a dance party, crafts and other spring-time activities. The Easter Bunny will make appearances during the full two weeks of the SFB event. Also, younger spring breakers will love to clap and laugh along with a fearless adventurer as he tells of the remarkable expeditions during Adventure Tales storytelling.

Stone Mountain Park’s Adventure Pass guarantees a full day of fun with access to all of the Spring FUN Break activities plus all of Stone Mountain Park’s attractions such as the new Journey 2: The Mysterious Island – The 4-D Experience, Geyser Towers®, Sky Hike®, the Summit Skyride, the Great Locomotive Chase Adventure Golf, The Great Barn®, Scenic Railroad, the Antebellum Plantation & Farmyard and Memorial Hall Museum. Families may conclude the day with the Lasershow Spectacular in Mountainvision®. The Lasershow will be featured nightly during Spring FUN Break, March 30 - April 13 at 8:30 p.m.

Stone Mountain Park offers a variety of value-priced options for families to enjoy the park and the special SFB activities.

Adventure Pass

$28 Adults/$22 Children 3-11 (tax not included)

Includes all of the SFB activities and other popular attractions such as the new Journey 2: The

Mysterious Island – The 4-D Experience, Geyser Towers®, Sky Hike®, the Summit Skyride, the

Great Locomotive Chase Adventure Golf, The Great Barn®, Scenic Railroad, the Antebellum

Plantation & Farmyard and Memorial Hall Museum.

Mountain Membership Annual Pass

$56 Adults /$44 Children 3-11 (tax not included)

Pays for itself in two visits. An annual pass lets families come again and again throughout the

year to take advantage of the park’s attractions, special events and exclusive discounts.

Family Value Pass

$125 for a family of four (tax not included).

Saves families 30 percent. Sold exclusively online, pass includes Adventure Passes, meal tickets

and complimentary cups with unlimited refills all day.

Families may also enjoy great vacation and staycation accommodations right inside the Park at two Marriott hotels. Family Escape Packages, beginning at $189 a night, include a one-night stay at the Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort or Stone Mountain Inn, 2-day Adventure Passes and breakfast.

Listed in Frommer’s 500 Places to Visit with Your Kids Before They Grow Up and cited by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as one of “35 Natural Wonders in Georgia You Must See”, Stone Mountain Park is located 16 miles east of downtown Atlanta. To get to the park, take I-285 to Exit 39B, Hwy. 78 East. Stone Mountain Park is Exit 8 on Hwy. 78. More information on Spring FUN Break, Stone Mountain Park attractions and hours of operation is available at www.stonemountainpark.com or by calling 770-498-5690.

Sounds like a blast, doesn't it!! Hope to see you there over Spring Break!! 

Aimee

How to know if your student athlete is at risk for sudden heart failure

Have you seen those heartbreaking stories of teen athletes who suffer sudden heart failure during a game or match? The idea of seemingly healthy students who die playing a sport they love is terrifying. We've had several here in Atlanta, and as the mom of a little boy who has played soccer, basketball and other sports, I find myself worrying.

So when I received information about this free live Q and A to help active families understand the risk factors of sudden heart failure in student athletes, I wanted to share it with all of you too. This is a free, live, on-line Q and A where you can ask questions in real time. It’s a chance to talk to knowledgeable and experienced doctors and get answers right on the spot.

 The Q and A takes place April 9th from 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. EST with Jeffrey Towbin, MD and John Lynn Jefferies, MD from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

***Did you know?  If defibrillation is administered within one minute of collapse, the survival rate for sudden heart failure goes up 90 percent. “Timing is key to survival. Waiting even 10 minutes to defibrillate drops the chances of survival to 10 percent,” says John Lynn Jefferies, MD.***

Additional Facts: Top 5 risk factors for sudden heart failure in student athletes:
1. Family history of sudden death.
2. Fainting or family history of fainting.
3. Family history of arrhythmias or heart muscle disease.
4. Participation in sports (particularly sports that require a burst of activity like basketball, hockey and football).
5. Athlete has gone through puberty (an athlete’s body is stronger at this point and has power during the burst of activity).


Hope you will join us for this important, informative Q & A.  Let's learn how we can  keep our kids safe!  Please RSVP below.


 

CLOSED ~ Giveaway ~ The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Good morning, friends!  Here is another fabulous giveaway!!

 This week, up for grabs is a copy of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Blu-ray Combo Pack!

J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic adventure follows the journey of Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an amazing quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakenshield. Their journey will take them into the Wild; through treacherous lands swarming with Goblins and Orcs, deadly Wargs and Sorcerers.

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” the first of a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Check out the interactive app below!   There are several fun activities including: 

Are You 100% Hobbit Quiz! What has a tendency to be very brave, is around 4 ft. tall with sharp eyesight, little to no facial hair, and loves cake? If you thought we were talking about you, then you might be a Hobbit Indeed! Take the quiz to find out just how much of a Hobbit you are!

Creatures of Middle-earth! Hobbits, Elves and Dwarves are just a few of the magical creatures that call Middle-earth home. Check out vital stats and unique features about each one!

The Hobbit Handbook! Our Hobbit Handbook includes everything you need to throw the best viewing party in Middle-earth right at home!

If you don't see the contest entry form from Rafflecopter,  click the read more link....

ALSO, I have disabled anonymous comments due to a huge surge in spamming on my blog, so you will need to have (or make) a free google account when you leave a comment.   Choose google from the drop down box and it will prompt you from there. Remember,  leaving a blog comment is almost always a mandatory entry, and that means if you skip that, you are not eligible for the prize drawing.  So please make sure to do that!  Thanks for stopping by and entering the giveaway!!

2013 Georgia Renaissance Festival B1G1 deal!

The Georgia Renaissance Festival – Voted a Top 20 Event in the Southeast!  28 Years of Amazing Days and Crazy Knights!

Atlanta – For just great fun, immerse yourself in an old world adventure that’s just a stone’s throw away from your backyard!  It’s the 28th Anniversary of The Georgia Renaissance Festival, April 13 through June 2, 2013, Saturdays and Sundays plus Memorial Day, 10:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.  Opening Weekend, April 13 & 14, Buy One Adult Ticket and Get One FREE!  Offer valid at the gate or online now at http://www.garenfest.com/

You’ll be amazed by the sheer size of our magnificent 32-acre 16-Century Kingdom!  Here you’ll find Knights in shining armor and Maidens Faire, King Henry VIII and his Court, and a World Bazaar full of elaborate treasures created by over 150 artisans who perform demonstrations of their crafts.  Feast like royalty on hundreds of gourmet delights including our popular giant roasted turkey legs washed down with frothy ales served in 4 jolly pubs!

 Endless entertainment awaits with 150 thrilling shows daily featuring juggling, music, comedic storytelling and feats of incredible physical skills!  Your whole family will enjoy our Royal Petting Zoo and the thrilling rides in our unique medieval amusement park!  The original extreme sport – The Jousting Tournament of Kings, and the magnificent highflying Birds of Prey and Animal Show are not to be missed!Don’t miss a rollicking good time at The Georgia Renaissance Festival, where the good life is festive and the parking is FREE!

Click, purchase and print discount tickets on-line www.GARenfest.com. The Georgia Renaissance Festival is a Top 20 Event in the Southeast, located at I-85 and Exit 61- Peachtree City / Fairburn.  Regularly priced tickets include tax and are available at the festival box office.  Adults $19.95, senior 60 $17.95, Youth ages 6-12 $8.95, 5 years of age and under get in FREE.  For more information call the Festival Hot Line (770) 964-8575.


(Watch for my review coming in April after we attend the Festival!)

CLOSED ~ Giveaway: Return to Nim's Island Blu-ray Combo Pack!

 IMPORTANT UPDATE! If you couldn't access the app last week to take the quiz, so you didn't leave a comment below, you must do that now in order to be entered in the giveaway. That is a mandatory entry. App is working now, so please take the quiz and leave me a comment! : )

 Another fun giveaway for y'all!  I am SO behind on my giveaways, so there will be plenty of them coming up!  This week,  you can enter to win a Return to Nim's Island Blu-ray Combo Pack!

I'm excited to announce Return to Nim’s Island will be premiering on Hallmark Channel March 15th 2013 at 7/8C!

Return to Nim’s Island, the sequel to Walden Media’s 2008 box office hit Nim's Island, picks up the story a few years later with 14-year-old Nim (Bindi Irwin) more determined than ever to protect her island and the animals that call it home. With ruthless resort developers and greedy wildlife poachers threatening the existence she loves, Nim realizes she and her animal pals can’t defend their home alone. To save her island, she is forced to combine forces with an outsider: Edmund, a runaway from the mainland. Only with his help does she stand a chance of stopping the villains from dismantling her world.

Return to Nim’s Island marks the debut of Walden Family Theater, presented by Walmart and P&G: The new destination for family entertainment, exclusively on Hallmark Channel.  

PLUS! You can pick up your very own copy of Return to Nim’s Island on Blu-ray & DVD exclusively at Walmart Stores just 4 days after the premiere. (Or enter to win it here!)

Check out the fun app below to:

*Discover Which Adventurer You Are Quiz! Whether you’re a fearless explorer, a precocious castaway or an unexpected hero, Nim'’s Island is an adventurer’s paradise. Take the quiz to find out which Nim’ adventurer you are!

 *7 Awesome Family Activities! You don’t have to travel to an exotic island or faraway land because, adventures happen everywhere! Download and share these awesome family adventures that will transport you all to your next, unforgettable journey.

*Postcard from Nim’'s Island! Postcards from a faraway island! Share these funny postcards from Nim's Island with your friends & family!

Giveaway ~ Honey Bunches of Oats Tropical Blend

When it is cold, rainy and gloomy outside, there is something wonderful about having a little touch of the tropics in your day.  The tropical flavors of mango and coconut can make a total difference in your attitude, at least in my opinion! You take a bite, close your eyes and almost feel the sun on your face, the breeze in your hair... Ok, maybe not so much.  But going tropical sure helps beat the winter gloomies!  Seriously, that is why I love tropical flavors.  Exotic and unusual fruit flavors can transport you to a favorite vacation spot, or remind you of special memories at the beach with your family.  They are a treat amongst the usual flavors in your daily food plan.

Sooo....Honey Bunches of Oats just came out with the most delicious flavor combination - TROPICAL!  These are a wonderful addition to your winter-time breakfast menu!  This flavorful cereal has crispy mango-flavored flakes,  plus real coconut shavings and coconut-flavored granola clusters.  SO good!  Try it with some coconut milk or almond milk - it is heavenly!

Here are some great things to know about Honey Bunches of Oats:

• 10 g of whole Grain
• 120 calories
• 6 g of sugar, compared to 9 g in Honey Nut Cheerios
• 9 g Essential Vitamins & Minerals, including 60% daily value of iron
• 4 Wholesome Grains
• Heart Healthy - 0 g Trans Fat, 0.5 g Saturated Fat, 0 mg Cholesterol

This cereal is seriously good.  It tastes like you are eating something really decadent, not just a bowl of morning cereal! Do like me, and enjoy it as a snack in the evening while you watch tv! It's a wonderful change of taste for me and I'm thrilled to have been able to try it and share it with y'all!  My kids love the rich coconut flavor - it's a new favorite snack in our house. Try sprinkling the cereal on yogurt or ice cream for a delicious snack,  too.  There are lots of ways to enjoy this delicious cereal!

Now, on to the fun part - a giveway!

UPDATE ~  Congrats to Sarah W. and Donna C.  ~ y'all are my winners, and have both been notified by email! : )

How to make the Perfect Cold-Busting Vitamin C Drink

Well, we are fighting off the colds here at our home.  So yucky to be hacking away with a dry raspy cough,  you know, the kind that makes your head & chest hurt?!   So far,   just D & I have it - hoping the other two members of our family don't get it!  I made a most delicious, vitamin infused drink for us to fight this off and wanted to share it with you - both kids LOVED it!  And it is super easy to make - only 3 ingredients!

Sorry,  I didn't remember to take pictures before I made this!!  We love cranberry juice with Lime La Croix water, so I wanted something similar. I used one bottle of cranberry juice cocktail ( you can also use pure cranberry juice), one small bottle of fizzy sugar-free key lime flavored water, and an envelope of Emergen-C cranberry pomegranate drink mix.   I used a large plastic drink dispenser, and just shook it all up!  Then store it in fridge and let it get cold!

The water and Emergen-C will both make this drink fizzy (which makes it a little like soda - more tempting for kids!) That is why you see the bubbly/frothy stuff on the dispenser. 

It is really, really tasty!  And loads of vitamin C!  So if you've got colds or other bugs going around your house, give this drink a try!  Hope you love it like we did ~ yummmmm!

Giveaway ~ Purex Crystals for Baby

Happy New Year!!  I have really dropped the blogging ball these past six months,  but it's a new year, and I am recommitting to my blog duties.  I have a super-fun giveaway for you today!

 I LOVE being a Purex Insider, since they allow me the opportunity to test new products, then share them with y'all, and give them away!  This month, I am reviewing their brand new Purex Crystals for Baby.  I don't have a baby (mine are now 9 & 18!),  but I do have friends and readers with babies, right?! : )  So I applied to try these and got the box in the mail this week! 

I was surprised at how much I love the fresh fragrance of these new Purex Crystals for Baby.  They have a soft,  baby-inspired fragrance. And do they ever give your laundry long-lasting freshness! I haven't had it long enough to confirm their claim that it will last for weeks, but I can say that my freshly laundered towels & sheets still smell wonderful three days later.  You simply add the Crystals to your laundry at the beginning of the wash cycle.

Hypoallergenic & dye-free, they are safe for use on all clothes, including children's sleepwear.  When you have a little one, it is so nice to have sweet, baby-smelling laundry!  Purex Crystals for Baby is a wonderful baby fabric softener to use with baby detergent (including new Purex baby detergent!) that is made specifically for baby's sensitive skin.   The Crystals work well in both top loader and high efficiency washers.  I will definitely be using these for our laundry; the fragrance is just wonderful and I love not having to use dryer sheets! Crystal fabric softeners are my favorite new laundry product.

Purex Crystals for Baby will be available in Walmart starting in early February. According to my coupons, the price will be about $6 per bottle. 

So, onto the giveaway!  One lucky reader will win two coupons, each is good for a free bottle of Purex Crystals for Baby.   Entry is via rafflecopter,  so enter below! If you don't see the contest widget,  click the link that says read more..... good luck!

*** Disclaimer:  Purex provided me with a sample of Purex Baby Crystals in exchange for a review, and coupons to giveway.  However,  all opinions expressed above are my own. ***

How we spent our November....

The first week of November found us in Florida, where my son & I spent several wonderful days at the beach with my Aunt ~ it was relaxing, restorative, and perfect.  Exactly what we needed!

Early morning walks on the beach, searching for shells & watching the sun rise.  Then some pool time - the weather was perfect - mid to high 70 degree temps!  Spent our afternoons shopping or watching movies in the condo.  We ate breakfast one morning at our favorite place - Another Broken Egg.  And ate dinner out once - takeout from Tijuana Flats (for me & D), and The Crab Trap (Aunt Anne's pick!).  The rest of the time we ate things we brought from home or picked up at Publix down there.  Then it was time for more swimming at the pool, before D & I took a sunset walk on the beach.  We had so much fun!

Once we came home,  we celebrated D's 9th birthday.  Where has the time gone?   We had a small party at a local fun center - two of his best friends were able to come, but one other friend got sick and couldn't come play.  So the three boys played laser tag, made their way through the laser maze, and played lots of games.  Then we had queso & chips plus pepperoni pizza for dinner in the cafe.  Way too much fun!

Next up - David graduated from the first part of his Junior Master Gardener class.  He will finish the second part of the class next Spring & be a certified Jr. Master Gardener then! : ) 

Then it was time to get my canning groove on....

a small list of what I got done this Fall ~ blueberry cinnamon jam,  cherry almond preserves (won 2nd prize at the county fair this year!), carrot cake jam, pear butter, Christmas jam (Strawberry/Cranberry), and pickled cranberries.  Also canned some bananas and some butter!

I put up dozens of jars - but I'll probably give alot away for Christmas gifts!

So you can see that we stayed really busy this November.  Tomorrow we head to Stone Mountain to play in the Snow, then go tubing.  After a quick dinner we'll watch the nightly Christmas parade and check out the seasonal shows.  I'll have a full review up here later this week.  If you are in Atlanta, Christmas at Stone Mountain is not to be missed!

Glad to be back here blogging - and hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! (ours was quiet but nice!)


 

Giveaway ~ Safees Traffic Reflectors

First, my apologies to my sponsor, Safees Traffic Reflectors.  They sent me samples and reflectors to give away just before my Nana passed away, and I've been SO lax in getting this posted.  Blogging has been difficult to get back to, but I'm getting there.   Thanks for being patient with me, y'all!

Halloween is almost upon us.  Kids love to trick or treat in the dark, but parents worry! Even if you are out with your kids, you worry about the cars driving through your neighborhood.  Can they see your kids?  Or if you have little ones who get on the bus in the dark each morning - can the drivers headed out to work see them?  Does your family walk at night? How visible are you to the drivers on the road?  One more thing to worry about, right Moms?

Here is some information from Safees ~

On average, a pedestrian is killed in a traffic crash every 120 minutes. Almost two-thirds of pedestrian fatalities occur when the light condition is either dark or dark with street lights.

No matter how well a driver thinks he can drive, the fact is that visibility is severely impaired in the dark. Pedestrians, bicyclists, skaters and others not driving a vehicle are at great risk to be hurt simply because they are not clearly visible to traffic.  In order to reduce traffic accidents and make our children and ourselves safer on US roads, Safees is introducing hard prism traffic safety reflectors to the USA.

Safees are hard prism reflectors that are attached by a simple pin to your clothes at knee or thigh height. By letting the Safees swing freely, facing traffic, it will reflect oncoming cars’ headlights and increase your visibility, alerting drivers to your presence on the road and giving drivers more time to stop or steer clear,  avoiding accidents.  Check out this video to see Safees in action!  It is amazing to see how low visibility is without Safees.  Be prepared ~ you will be shocked at the difference they make!

Did you know that Scandinavian countries have the best traffic safety records in the whole world and reflectors are household staples?   In fact,  in Sweden every school child wears one and traffic fatalities involving children are the lowest in the world (WHO: Global Status report on Road Safety).  Why don't we in the US use them? 

Safees are super-easy to wear -as I mentioned before, you just clip or pin one on you or your child at knee or thigh height on the side facing traffic. That is where a car's headlight will hit, making them shine brightly in the night!  You can buy a clip for the reflector on the Safees site for only .75.   We will be wearing ours on Halloween and any other time we are out at night - it's such an easy way to stay visible and safe!  Your kids will love wearing them, because they come in a variety of shapes, colors and interests!  (I've chosen to show the soccer ball, bear and owl,  but there are plenty more on the website!)

Safees are manufactured in Finland and are CE and Lloyds certified.  Safees adheres to all relevant ISO standards as well as meeting the very high EU standards for environmental consideration; no waste is produced when manufacturing Safees and, naturally, Safees are themselves 100% recyclable.  :0)

Safees can be attached to anyone moving around in traffic: pedestrians, cyclists, horses, strollers, pets, skaters, etc.   This is one of my favorite products of 2012 - it's affordable, easy to use, and will help keep you and your kids safe!

Safees are available at www.safees.com. They are $6 each and come in wide variety of fun designs and colors, as I mentioned above.  Discounts are available for schools and nonprofit organizations.   Also,  for Just Kidding Around Atlanta readers, use code Safeesbacktoschool2012 for 15% off at www.safees.com.  

Now for my giveaway!  Safees has generously provided a pack of three assorted Safees plus clips for each. You only need one per person, so you will get enough for three people!  Since this is running late,  I can't guarantee they will arrive in time for Halloween, but the time change is coming up soon.  That means it will be getting darker earlier and these will be a great winter accessory for your family!  There are two mandatory entries via rafflecopter, and then several options to get extra entries.  I will draw the winner on Sunday night and notify them by email.  Thanks for stopping by, and good luck!