IT HAD BEEN IN MY NETFLIX INSTANT QUE FOR OVER A MONTH. For a month I had attempted to watch the documentary called “Being Elmo” because it looked interesting. Each time I was met with resistance from my ten year old son. William would declare that anything with Elmo would not be appropriate for his mature age. He would bolster himself up, making me miss the toddler who once ran this house like a speedway. I tried to explain that the movie was about more than just ‘kid stuff’, but he was having none of my mother logic.

About two weeks ago William came down with the strep virus and became my daytime buddy while he recovered. It was just the two of us as his fever fought the battle. By day 3 he was looking for books to read and television to watch. I decided that I would take a morning off and sit with him for a movie. We browsed our selection and I finally convinced William to take a look at the documentary. From the moment  it began, he was hooked on the human story of Kevin Clash. Several times he rewound the film to look at a detail or discuss a development in the story as it unfolded.

When “Being Elmo” finished William immediately began looking for the movies which Kevin Clash had considered pivotal in his learning or career. These were the movies which were visions of the talented Jim Henson, and each represented technical innovations or breakthroughs in special effects and storytelling. William first watched Labyrinth, which was released in 1986. He then moved onto The Storyteller and The Storyteller: Greek Myths. He became more and more engrossed in the beauty of storytelling and the technical skill which make this appear seamless.

Fast forward a week later. William is back to himself. I was still smiling about the connections he made as a result of Kevin Clash’s determination and thirst for learning. We visited the High Museum in Atlanta for a parenting blogger event. My kids got tired of waiting for me so they went around introducing themselves at the various tables and asking a million questions. As I finally made my way to the table hosted by the Center for Puppetry Arts, I heard William excitedly discussing “Being Elmo” and Kevin Clash by name with the staff member.

I was rendered speechless. It was obvious he had been mulling things over in his mind since those sick days and had come up with his own conclusions about the human journey and opportunities made for a young man, not unlike himself. The movie is not at all about Elmo, but about making a dream happen with hard work.

To say I recommend this movie is an understatement. It’s inspiring to see a body of work displayed with the long journey required. It’s important to show this to our children.
{I would only caution those with small children to consider the fact that seeing this might take away some of the magic.}

BY NOW YOU KNOW THAT WE REALLY ENJOYED THE NEWEST ATTRACTION IN ATLANTA. I’m posting more details this afternoon, but I wanted you to have a peek at what was one of my favorite details in the whole Discovery Center:

Turner Field, Home of the Braves was in the mineature cityscape as a pinball machine…

and it included the Chick-Fil-A cow and Coca-Cola’s famous green bottle design on the upper deck!

The LEGO gurus have certainly taken notice of the details!

A SUNDAY AFTERNOON OF LEGOS? SOUNDS PERFECT TO MY GANG! We were invited to visit the latest family attraction in Atlanta — the LEGOLAND Discovery Center. I’m in the midst of the full write-up, but wanted to share a few pictures with you. LEGOLAND is located inside Phipps Plaza, one of the nicest malls in Atlanta. So nice that my kids had never been there since they have a cheap Mom. It’s awesome to look up inside the atrium area while waiting for an elevator. The kids were already excited:

After going through the main entrance and seeing how legos are made, we weighed Grace and found out that her little ballerina body weighed the same as 21,000 LEGO bricks. I thought that was a neat comparison for families to see.

Annual passes will allow you to do the early preview days on Tuesday, March 13th and Wednesday, March 14th. If you are considering a nice indoor headquarters for this summer’s sweltering heat, you might want to purchase and see the fun earlier than the rest.

LEGOLAND Discovery Center of Atlanta

I’ll have a full recap article tomorrow with details from our experience and advice. Let me know if you have any questions. There are so many more features including rides and a miniature model of Atlanta…can’t wait to show you our fun!

HOW DO YOU TEACH YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT THE WORLD’S PROBLEMS? Teaching children to understand the issues of need in our world seems like an overwhelming topic. As our children grew, we were able to participate in ‘hands on” projects here in our local community. The nights where we serve dinner at a recovery facility have become pivotal to our family discussions. Often when we get in the car – hot and messy from cooking and serving the meal – a question will rise from the backseat about someone they have met or a situation they had never realized was possible.

I’ll admit that those discussions are on the reasons I keep coming back to the commitment we’ve made with our small group. That and the fact that I get to look broken people in the eye and understand how we are all broken at some point in our life. I like doing something concrete and palpable on a regular basis. We don’t do it perfectly, but we do get involved. That’s half the battle – making a construbite to participate and then following through.

Recently I was asked to join the Clever Girls Collective campaign for Members Unite, in part because of our family involvement in community service. After doing my research I thought this was a great opportunity to share a bit of the concept with you. The concept of world need is not new, but the way information has been gathered to build a group consensus on projects is sincerely fresh and new. It’s based on these steps:

Each month a collection of projects…really well run, well developed ideas…are loaded onto the Members Unite site. You choose the site which has the greatest meaning to your family. The project your family decides can help in their eyes. Behind each topic are links, resources, and personal stories which help you understand and explain the concepts and intention of each project.

So I’ve signed up our family for the first month. ($5 plus the yearly admin fee of $25 / 100% of the donation goes to the chosen project and the admin fee covers all other costs involved for the organizers.) William stood by my side as we discussed the process. Initially he may have been waiting for me to finish so he could log onto a favorite game…but then he became involved in the ideas presented on the site. William is a big strong athlete, but he has a heart of gold. He smiles at babies and bends down to pet everyone’s dog. When we serve at The Extension, he sits at a table with strangers and asks what kind of job they are working. And now…he’s concerned about providing service dogs for returning military members which need support for mental and physical effects of the deployments which happened 7000+ miles away.

William moved me aside and began to read through each project. In the end he felt a pull towards the needs of our returning soldiers. We’ve watched as our military friends have had service dogs trained in their honor, so perhaps that swayed him. Now we wait and see what the crowdsourcing of everyone else’s money will influence. We’ll have our answer within the month. The goal is to have $5000 to donate to the chosen cause each month. It’s a do-able goal done together.

There are “lobbies” where you can discuss the projects with others or lobby for their support. You are allowed to give ratings to all the projects listed and offer comments to have your voice heard. In addition there are opportunities to offer ideas for next month’s projects. I love the involvement level despite the fact we are online, we are drawn into the details of serving. If you decide to join, please leave me a comment below so I know.

Members Unite is a great opportunity to donate to bigger causes…but even more important, it’s an opportunity to speak with your kids about helping others. Kindness is something this world could use more. Taking actions like these make good things happen. Let me know what you think about Members Unite.

About Members Unite:
Members Unite is a simple, interactive, fun way to fund amazing projects. We find the most interesting, impactful, meaningful projects and then let our members figure out which ones get funded. This is possible because the projects are funded through member contributions. And the members ultimately control the outcome each month. We’re all in this together. There’s a saying we love… One person giving $20 is a drop in the ocean. One thousand people giving $20 brings clean water to a village for a lifetime. Members Unite helps us all do more than we could do on our own.

As part of the Members Unite blog team I have been compensated to review their ideas and try the program with my family. I always speak my mind and you can be guaranteed that I will only write the truth here on Mundane Magic. 

“ATLANTA IS ABOUT TO BE ELECTRIFIED BY BROADWAY’S “BEST MUSICAL OF THE DECADE.”  says Time Magazine. Thrilling audiences worldwide and winning ten 2009 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, “THE BEST SHOW YOU WILL EVER SEE” (New York Post) is coming to Atlanta!

BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL is a joyous celebration of one young boy’s triumph against the odds. Called “THE MOST INSPIRING SHOW I’VE SEEN IN YEARS” by Ben Brantley of The New York Times, the story follows Billy’s journey as he stumbles out of the boxing ring, into a ballet class and discovers his dream to dance.

BILLY ELLIOT is brought to life by the Tony-winning creative team — director Stephen Daldry, choreographer Peter Darling and writer Lee Hall — along with music legend Elton John, who has written what the New York Post calls “HIS BEST SCORE YET!”.  BILLY ELLIOT will enchant the dreamer in all of us.

BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL

March 13-18

The Fabulous Fox Theatre

I would love for you to win 2 Tickets to see Billy Elliot at Atlanta’s historic Fox Theatre for Opening Night! (03/13/12) Enter below in the Rafflecopter box and collect more chances by revisiting daily.

 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

I CHEATED. Bertolli offered me the opportunity to try a new soup with my family and I cheated. For starters, when I discovered that the soup was intended as the main dish for a family meal, I became interested. Cooking dinner each night is a joy, but sometimes our schedule gets a bit manic. It’s nice to have an emergency option in the freezer to help me avoid the fast food temptation. And then I saw the list of flavors:

• Chicken Minestrone

• Roasted Chicken & Rotini Pasta

• Tuscan-Style Beef & Vegetable

• Tomato Florentine & Tortellini with Chicken

I found the soups in my freezer section at Kroger. I knew my family would eat all of the chicken flavors. I had intended to purchase the Rosted Chicken and Rotini Pasta flavor. Turns out that everyone got there before me and there was only one bag available. So, I simply picked up the last bag and added the Chicken Minestrone flavor with the intention of serving these to my family as a taste test one night. (The soups are meant to serve 2-3 easily.)

The next day I was finishing an article and those soups just called my name from the freezer. It was a hard choice, but I decided to cook a bag and use it for two lunches. When you work at home things like this make you very happy. It’s the little things, right? I added the frozen ingredients to one cup water and went to check emails. Within a few minutes a soup full of vegetables and meat appeared. I had anticipated the veggies to be mussy and tasteless, but instead the zucchini was still al dente’, the greens added a great deal of flavor, and the tomatoes were full of texture and flavor. Extremely fresh tasting.

My lunch was divine. The next day as well. I ended up using the Roasted Chicken and Rotini Pasta flavor to feed my teenager one cold night after a drama practice and never told the family about the lunch cheat. They’ll be getting their own share  of this soup soon anyway. Such a nice alternative to pizza and other quick items. Healthier, too.

Find and follow Bertolli for information on their Meal Soups, Ideas, and Discounts.

Facebook: facebook.com/Bertolli
Twitter: twitter.com/Bertolli
Website: villabertolli.com 

I was compensated byBertolli to participate in the Weeknight Meal Special Challenge, but as always I give my own opinion on products and reviews.

LAST SATURDAY WE ENJOYED THE LAUGHING PIZZA RED CARPET CONCERT MOVIE EVENT AT THE GEORGIA AQUARIUM. It was an awesome event for families. We all walked the red carpet entry, but Grace was the most excited to get her picture made by the papparazi. As you can see, she was very – very – excited. Jumping for joy in fact. Jordan and I just stepped away and let her do her thing. I didn’t have enough coffee in me to jump like that.

And we were surrounded by these beautiful creatures in the Oceans Ballroom of the Aquarium. What an amazing glimpse from the other side of the huge tanks inside the public areas of the Georgia Aquarium. On one side there were the whale sharks and all of the other creatures from the Ocean Voyager tank. The baluga whales were in another window. Simply magical.

After the circus performance and the movie premiere there was a short concert with all the Laughing Pizza classics in celebration of the DVD movie release. If you have little kids you may have seen this family band on PBS Kids in between the educational programming. It’s so refreshing to have good music and wholesome lyrics…and still be entertained. I don’t know about you, but it makes me happy to see the chance for kids to explore more than just the Barney Song <no offense, Barney, but your song is annoying when sung a million times by a kidlet> or London Bridge. Kids are able to digest more than we give them credit for intellectually. Laughing Pizza sings about families, but doesn’t hold back on the rock and rhythm.

At one point during the concert, Lisa asked for answers to several questions…then she used those answers to fill in the blanks for a mad lib type song. It was an enjoyable moment. After the concert, Grace ran behind the stage to wait for the band to exit.

I was able to catch this quick photo with Emily after they hugged. (Grace has a butterfly painted on her face.)

Fast Forward to last night. I emptied Grace’s backpack and found this school library book:

So if you see a jumping butterfly on YouTube, please let me know!

AH, THE CIRCUS…IT’S ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORIES. Ringling Brothers and Barnum Bailey has just released a new show theme called “Fully Charged” to begin touring and Atlanta is the next city to experience the electrifying energy and beautifully kept animals. I can’t wait to take my crew to enjoy the newly redesigned show and take advantage of the preshow activities. I am also excited to announce that  I have 4 ticket vouchers to give away which will cover the complete ticket price for four people. This is a quick giveaway since a winner will be drawn on Thursday, February 9th at 12:01 am.

The winner will be able to exchange the winning vouchers for the seat dates of his choice from either Phillips Arena in Atlanta or Gwinnett Center. The date options are:
Wed. Feb. 15 at Philips Arena 7:30 show

Thursday, Feb. 16 at Philips Arena 7:30 show

Friday, Feb. 17 at Philips arena 10:30 show (there is no pre-show for this performance)

Thurs. Feb. 23 at Gwinnett Arena 7:30 show

Friday, Feb. 24 at Gwinnett Arena 10:30 show (there is no pre-show for this performance)

Ticket vouchers must be redeemed by the recipient at the box office for hard tickets. They can be redeemed upon receipt, they do not need to wait until the day of the show.

 Follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter widget at the bottom of this article to enter. The more items you complete, the more chances you have to win.

Ready to enjoy the circus with your family? Here we go!

Disclaimer: Feld Entertainment provided my family with tickets to attend the circus and also 4 tickets to give away to my readers. As always, I present you with the facts and my own opinion in any situation on the Mundane Magic blog. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

HAVE YOU SEEN “MEMPHIS” YET? Tuesday night my husband and I shaw the Broadway hit, Memphis, at the Fox Theatre. The singing was incredible – big full voices who captured your ear from the very moment they began singing. Somehow the play takes a difficult subject and manages to show a slice of segregated reality in the fifties.

It was a fantastic date night to celebrate my birthday! Sushi plus a Broadway hit equals a superb night out.

MAMMA MIA, HERE I GO AGAIN. MY, MY – HOW COULD I FORGET YOU? This weekend is an ABBA You Can Dance weekend at our house. Everything is almost ready to go.

Mirror Ball? Check!

Funky Glasses? Check!

ABBA You Can Dance game from UbiSoft? A must! {Run immediately and buy your wife one of these games right away…so. much. fun!}

You know how the holidays bring together all kinds of people? How being together is part of the deal? Well, I’m probably one of the most social people you’ll meet…but I have to admit that it gets a little busy around the holidays. I absolutely love having family and friends come through my door, but what happens when they crowd into the kitchen? I’m prepared this time…it’s time to have a dance party while I am cooking them food. This weekend I’ll be hosting some 70′s fun and I can’t wait. In fact, the party may go on all weekend. I hope my dog doesn’t howl too loud when I sing “Dancing Queen”.

I’ll keep posting updates all weekend if you’ll promise to laugh and dance along with me. Growing up in the 70′s did have it’s benefits…

How about you? What do you love about the 70′s?

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this blog post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.

FROM THE MOMENT I RECEIVED THE BAKING KIT FROM BETTY CROCKER MY KIDS WERE BEGGING TO MAKE THE NEW MOLASSES COOKIE MIX. And it didn’t disappoint. As soon as the warm smell hit the air there were mouths waiting to eat them. Of course, my kids love being in the kitchen if they can cook. {No one wants to empty the dishwasher or take out the trash, but they will cook.} And they love cookies. No problem with those nice cookies disappearing here!

Take advantage of a 75 cent coupon off the purchase of one Betty Crocker Molasses Cookie pouch mix today!

Now you can have a chance to win one of these prize baking kits on my blog. The kits Betty Crocker Molasses Cookie Mix prize pack includes a Betty Crocker apron, non-stick baking pan, and a mixing spoon. Since it is the holidays we are going to keep it simple. Today is Wednesday so I’ll take entries until Thursday at midnight. I will announce the winner on Friday. That way you can use the baking kit over the holidays and enjoy these cookies in your household.

What do you have to do for an entry? I’ll give an entry credit for each:

• Comment on this post below. Tell me if you bake for the holidays or just buy the goodies you take to parties.
• OR “Like” Mundane Magic’s page on Facebook. {If you are already a FB follower simply leave me a comment saying so.}

So, hurry and enter the contest so I can get the goodie box out to you. It’s a quick one so just take a moment to leave a comment.

DISCLOSURE: The product, information and prize pack has been provided by Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark.

HOW DO YOU GET INTO THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT? Our family travelled to Pine Mountain, Georgia recently to experience a few special family moments together at Callaway Gardens. The weeks following Thanksgiving are sure to fly by in a big rush. Lots of scheduled plans usually find our family exhausted by the time the new year arrives.

We met my parents and immediately enjoyed a lunch (and incredible views) at The Country Store. We had time to visit the Day Butterfly Pavilion mid afternoon. The best time is actually around midday when the sun is at it’s highest, but we  got a glimpse at some wonderful butterflies in their habitat anyway. My kids were fascinated at the larger butterflies eating the fruit which is placed up in the trees.

Although they are all familiar with the life cycle of the butterfly, there is something special about seeing the crysalids actually moving and working to become a beautiful butterfly. Even my teenager, Jordan, was enamored with the different stages displayed in the pavilion.

As the sun went down we donned our jackets and excitedly prepared for the main event – Callaway’s Fantasy in Lights. As we arrived at the Beachside area we first saw the Nativity Story being portrayed in lights with a full narrative. Up in the food and concession area there were fires glowing, smores, kettle corn, and even heartier goodies to enjoy. Soon we boarded the trolley set to take us on the nighttime tour of the gardens. I had brought blankets to share, but the weather was moderate and we needed only jackets. Gotta love the weather in Georgia!

The initial part of the ride allows you to ease into the nighttime sky and then you begin to see the entryway to the lights and their glow. And then the oohing and aahing begins:

The kids had a great time because so many of the animated lights were delightful. I loved how the new additions to the exhibit included the butterflies we had enjoyed earlier in the day. It was just the right experience to put us in the Christmas mood.

After the ride we made our way to the  heated, indoor Christmas Village and visited with a really authentic looking Santa (or as we call it – a good Santa) for pictures at a reasonable price. There were so many specialized gift items inside and also opportunities for children to make glazed pieces as personalized gifts or memories for your family. We had a fabulous night together.

We stayed at the Cottages at Callaway Gardens and found them perfect for our needs. 4 queen sized bed made sleeping our family plus grandparents simple. There is a full kitchen inside the cottage and a living area complete with a already stocked fireplace. That’s what we enjoyed best of all…the fireplace. We all gathered around late at night and enjoyed some much needed conversation and down time with no television (through there were three available in the cottage).

The next day we awoke refreshed and after enjoying an early morning fire with coffee we headed off on our next adventure. Callaway has a full site of information about their 20th anniversary year of the Fantasy in Lights event. I’d be happy to answer any questions you have about the experience.

DISCLOSURE: I was provided with Callaway Gardens Holiday in Lights tickets, admission to the Gardens, and a night’s stay in one of their lovely 2-bedroom Cottages so I could experience this event and give you my honest feedback in this review.

YESTERDAY WAS WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAYS ARE CRAZY AT OUR HOUSE. I spent most of the afternoon running people where they needed to be and then picking them up. It seemed like everyone had to be picked up at the same moment. Mom cloning could be a b-i-g business!

This afternoon we are going to do something a little fun. After the homework and chores I am going to bake cookies with my kids. Not homemade since it is a school night, but still…who doesn’t love a warm cookie out of the oven? I could read all the ingredients…rare in most mixes, as you know.

I received a little bundle on my doorstep from Betty Crocker with their new Molasses Cookie Mix and I am anxious to try it. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

Another thing I am excited about?

Tomorrow is the TEDx Peachtree conference here in Atlanta. I had to be selected from a list and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to listen to innovators in their respective fields. I’ll have more information about the conference later, but you might want to go to their site and listen to the talks from the last few years. Really special moments in a world that seems very chaotic at times.

See you this afternoon.

A WEEK AGO, DAVE AND I SPENT SOME TIME AT THE FIRST HARVEST MOON FESTIVAL IN PEACEFUL CALLAWAY GARDENS. We had been there just weeks before for the Multiple Sclerosis 150 cycling event so we weren’t quite sure what to expect from the festival. The minute we saw the music lineup we were intrigued though. Several of the artists we had been following  for years and also some new independent artists in the mix. Once the mention of delicious food was added into the weekend, we were hooked.

I’ve always enjoyed having an eclectic mix of artists in my personal library. Digital music has allowed independent artists to gain attention even more so. I love the fact that I can hear a song on a television show like Grey’s Anatomy and then have it downloaded onto my ipod within minutes of completing the show. That’s where I first heard Mat Kearney. His music has been handpicked more than once by the Grey’s Anatomy producers to color a pivotal scene in the show. It is a visual and musical pairing which makes the scene haunt you long after you’ve deleted it on your DVR.  I *had* to have “Nothing Left to Lose” and “Breathe In Breathe Out” once I had been haunted by their strains.

Kearney’s new album, Young Love is not only full of wonderful singles which will capture your ear, but it’s presentation as a whole will capture your heart. This is an album you will want to purchase in it’s entirety. The acoustic sounds of Mat’s guitar line blends so beautifully with the Hammond Organ which adds it’s soulful thoughts in the background.

As soon as Mat started his set people rose up out of their chairs and headed toward the stage area on the sand. Boyfriends took their girlfriends by the hand and kids were dancing along in the sand. it was clear that some in the crowd had come to see him specifically, but I am sure he won some new fans that day. Callaway’s beach was the perfect setting for Kearney’s well-written words and heartfelt singing. As the set transitioned through both familiar and new pieces, Mat Kearney delivered a crowd-pleasing performance at the Harvest Moon Festival.

I have been blessed to hear Mat play in various situations. In Nashville he played a concert at the Opryland Hotel for the Blissdom 2011 concert. That was an intimate nightclub situation just for attendees. It was a special night filled with great music. To hear Mat Kearney again in an outdoor venue simply cemented my appreciation for his true musician’s soul and singer/songwriter quality. Though the setting was different, the quality of performance was equally as special. It fit the mood of the Harvest Moon Festival perfectly.

I feel grateful to have had the opportunity to experience this festival’s inaugural year and cannot wait to attend next year’s music and food event. It was so worth orchestrating three children to their respective friends and relatives so that Dave and I could enjoy some uninterrupted conversation. The funny thing is that the festival was so family friendly that they could have actually come along easily. Maybe next time we’ll let them!

Mat Kearney is currently on tour in more than 40 cities.

DISCLOSURE: Mat Kearney’s Young Love concert at Callaway Garden’s 2011 Harvest Moon Festival was a review assignment by the One2One Network. I am a member of One2One Network. They provided me with two festival tickets to facilitate the review and share my honest impressions with you. This in no way influenced my ability to discern good music, nor would I lie to you. Mat Kearney is more than worthy of a date night with your husband. Go get your tickets!

THANKS TO SOME AWESOME RELATIVES AND FRIENDS, DAVE AND I GOT TO HANG OUT AT CALLAWAY GARDENS LISTENING TO SOME GREAT MUSIC. I’m filing my “this is how i spent my weekend report” for you. I have a more detailed post coming later this week, but I just had to give a Monday morning shout out to Mat Kearney for the rockin’ performance he gave during the Harvest Moon Festival at Callaway Gardens this weekend. It was a day filled with talented performers and Mat really got people dancing in the sand.

Callaway is beautiful in the Fall. The leaves were beginning to turn and the temperatures we just right for hanging out in our chairs and soaking in the sun by the beach. It was a very good weekend. We are so appreciative to those who loved on our three kiddos while we escaped in the name of a work trip…I feel so fortunate to have been choosen to do this concert review by One2One Network. They are awesome by the way. If you are a blogger you should really check them out and become part of the community. I’m off to write my articles for the week and prepare our small group’s meal for The Extension.

It should be a good Monday despite the rain — hope your Monday goes well, too.

IT’S THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK AND SOMETIMES A GOOD SONG CAN HELP YOU MAKE IT THROUGH THE WEEK. I wanted to share one of my new favorites. I am loving “Hey Mama” by Mat Kearney. I actually got to hear some of the new songs on this album while in Nashville last January. We were fortunate enough to have Mat Kearney and Michelle Branch to entertain us during the Blissdom conference. The most amazing thing was to see them up close and personal in a club atmosphere. It was uncrowded and a unique chance to listen to these talented singer/songwriters. Afterwards we got to meet them briefly:

Honesty, I hope Mat and Michelle don’t remember this photo. I think it was just before this photo that I got nervous and asked Michelle Branch where she lived. Then I realized how stalker-ish it sounded. And then it was time to take the photo. Can you say “awkward”?!? That’s probably why I am wearing that silly smile on my face. I guess I’ve had worse photos made.

It was a great night of music though. I already liked both artists, but there is nothing like live music to make you love an artist. I was so thrilled when Mat’s new album came out in August. “Hey Mama” is one of the more fun cuts on the album, but I love the dreamy rhythm of “Sooner or Later”. Mat Kearney is difficult to classify, but honestly I like it that way. Every song on the album flows so easily and you will not regret purchasing the entire album.

If you like the singer / songwriter originality then this will feel like a fresh addition to your music. By the way, Mat is going on tour and he just might be visiting your favorite venue. Click on the VIP ticket hanging off of Mat’s waistline to link to his concert information. In fact, this image is filled with all the contact information you need to purchase his music or find out more about the album process.

Have a great Wednesday!

SERVING WITH YOUR FAMILY AS A TRIBUTE I wanted to share with you an act of service our family has purposefully been doing for six months now. We share the duty with our small group at church and we took the opportunity with the intention of teaching our children how to serve others. Our congregation has been serving a long term addiction recovery center for almost 20 years. One of the primary commitments we have made to this facility is that there will be a meal provided each Monday night by our church. Our recent participation is only a continuation of that long running commitment. There are small groups and families who have participated in this effort from the very beginning of the effort.

Our small group took the third Monday night assignment from a group of individuals who raised their children by doing this regular service. A few months ago as we shared the last turnover night with them, I saw a tear or two in their eyes. The moments they had shared with the residents of the center and the memories of serving with their children through the years were full and wonderful. They were handing it over to those of us who have young children and busy families in hopes that we could enjoy the opportunity as much as they had.

Each third Monday we show up at The Extension with a carload of food ready to be finished and served in the kitchen there. The task is to prepare food for approximately 50 men. We took on this duty knowing that we wanted to do more than just serve them a piece of pizza with a nod. As we planned the first few meals we set a goal to serve good healthy meals that would satisfy their stomachs after a hard day of work.

The addiction treatment lasts for a year. In the beginning there is intensive therapy and change, but as a resident becomes used to the expectations of the program they are then tasked with finding a job which will fulfill the schedule of the center and allow them to do their therapy and counseling each night. Many of the men come in from jobs exhausted each night and then clean up for dinner ready to take on their inner demons. The dinner becomes the free moment between work and counseling.

I’m not sure what we expected when we did the first night, but the truth is we got so much more than what we gave to those 50 men. Simply by having our children there to set the table and serve the men their meal, they began to see how a meal means more than just food.

Initially I was concerned about the safety of my kids. After all, some of the residents have been to some very dark places in their life. We do still have rules about where they are to be during our visit, but I’m not worried anymore.

The last time we visited we had been blessed with a donation of chicken from Zaycon Foods. (They gave 80 pounds of chicken breasts as a donation to our local cause!) I decided that the summertime menu should have one night of chicken off of the grill to be enjoyed. We offered a plate full of vegetables with the grilled chicken and some kettle cooked BBQ chips which were on sale that week. One of the women in our small group made two beautiful homemade from scratch pound cakes.

These men are at a broken point in their lives. They are some of the most polite and humble people I have ever met. When you look them in the eye and actually talk to them they appreciate the gesture. The mere handshake or recognition that you have returned like you promised means something to them. We are at the point where we are beginning to see and remember individuals on each visit. That’s a great reward and chance to encourage them…but it is a connection that I did not anticipate.

So, back to the meal. The moment they saw that the chicken in the warmer was fresh off the grill their eyes lit up. We began to get comments like, “Wow, is that a grilled chicken breast?” and “You may have just topped last month’s casserole. That chicken looks great!” I don’t know about your household, but grilled chicken is a staple in our weekly meals. It’s fast, healthy, and tasty. But these guys don’t usually get it each week. They are well fed, but the grilled chicken was truly a treat. I took approximately 25 pounds of the chicken breast meat and cut it into evenly portioned servings. The meat was antibiotic/additive free and included the rib meat so one official breast actually made at least two servings. I had brushed olive oil and a quick dry rub on the meat and then grilled it. I then transferred it to the warming roaster pan to keep it at the correct temperature for transport.

After serving the meal we usually sit down and eat with them if there is enough food. There was plenty of chicken that night so we all dined together. I always learn something new from these men each time I dine with them. We try to scatter out among them and get to know them better. It will not surprise you to know that my Grace has spoken to the most residents and knows their names. She sat with one of the counselors and others and participated in a lively conversation. I took note that one of the youngest children had no problem feeding the resident’s heart with human kindness.

My friend Amanda’s cakes were similarly received. They were so delicious and it was obvious from the first bite that these men had mothers and grandmothers who used to cook pound cakes because their comments were about the memories that dessert brought back for them.

Some men took the extra chicken breasts and wrapped them for their lunch the next day. One man, who was diabetic mentioned how difficult it was to find a healthy lunch from the lunch trucks that went to his work site. He was thrilled to have something appropriate for his special diet. Again, something we all take for granted.

The best part of the meal is cleanup…that’s because we are not expected to do cleanup. It is part of the job duties that the men complete each night. We simply pick up our items and go with a wave. After that I find myself in a car with my three answering questions about life and love. It’s a really great opportunity for our family to grow together.

About the 9/11 Tribute

Our family would like to dedicate this service in honor of our friend and my husband’s shipmate, CAPT Robert E. Dolan who died in the 9/11 Pentagon tragedy. His wife Lisa had led a life of service even after the loss of her husband. Her children have taken on that spirit of service and used it in their own lives as they have matured from the children of a 9/11 victim into wonderful adults.

If you would like to take action and dedicate an act of service to Bob or other 9/11 victims please document it at the 9/11 Tribute page through 911day.org and My Good Deed. I know that the 9/11 victims would encourage you to participate. What better tribute on this Day of National Remembrance?

Disclosure: Zaycon Foods contributed 80 pounds of chicken breast meat to our cause and I choose to give them recognition in this post because of this kind gift. Their generosity made the 50 men of The Extension very happy.

I’M A CHILD OF THE 70′S AND I DO REMEMBER THE ORIGINAL SMURFS, DO YOU? That’s why I couldn’t believe it when I saw the comeback trend cycle back this year. And then I was reminded why the smurfs were so popular – besides the fact they were blue. Each of the smurfs had a distinct personality and everyone could pick their favorite. How many of you liked Papa Smurf? Smurfette? Clumsy? Did you have the little plastic versions from your happy meals?

About two weeks ago I got a package from UbiSoft asking our family to review the Wii version of The Smurfs Dance Party. It was still Summer and the moment the game made it’s appearance it headed straight to our Wii and was in active use. I knew my two younger ones (ages 7 and 9.5) would enjoy the game, but even my 14 year old gave it a whirl. This is a game which is definitely perfect for active family play. The idea is very much like Dance Party and Dance Party 2, but there is a story woven into the dance fun. The Summer heat was really abnormal this summer and many days the kids were stuck inside more often than outside. That was a real change for my kids who love to play outside. I was thrilled when I saw them actively moving for several hours. I could barely get them to stop for lunch that day.

There were very basic choices to be made on the menu and then the kids were up and running…or dancing. Choose Storymode if you want to have the Smurf story woven throughout the game or Game mode if you would like to go straight to the dancing only. Children are able to hand off wiimotes easily without restarting the game (yes!) and if a player needs to leave the game it continues onward without hesitation. I thought that was a great feature. If you’ve ever played games with small children I think you’ll be applauding that feature also. (4 players are supported)

Grace (age 7) said the only thing she disliked was the way Papa Smurf shook his behind. I agree with her, yet having seen other games and kid television I would say this is a very mild issue. There were several questions when the kids began to wonder who Barbara Streisand was and why Papa Smurf was obsessed with her. (Papa Smurf makes a hula hooping motion with his hips while saying this.) I had to explain who Barbara Streisand was to all three kids. Finally my teenager said, “Oh yeah, I think I’ve seen her.” {So, Barbara, we all know you are a genius. How are you going to reach out to this new media savvy generation?} Head smack!

We have really enjoyed playing the game since as a family. It’s a fun one to enjoy with all ages. If you are looking for something active for your children to enjoy on a snow day then this is the perfect game. I guarantee you will get one meal peacefully cooked and then the kids will drag you into the fun.

The Smurf Dance Party official site by UbiSoft

Disclosure: Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this UbiChamps blog post. Please click here to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. All opinions are my own.

I’VE NOT ALWAYS BEEN A GIRLY GIRL. I spent my playtime outdoors growing up. I did not choose the “MRS. Degree” when going to college because I was stubborn like that. When my college sweetheart (ironic, no?) and I got married I was determined to pick out china that represented “me”. (Hmmm, not sure why I wasn’t thinking “we” at that point, but this is what I remember.) So, when I found the Greek Key pattern called Palatia, I was in love with it. I loved that more than any flower pattern the wedding specialists tried to show me. I studied architecture and I thought (still do) that columns are awesome.

That’s why it shocked me so when my first daughter fell head over heels in love with Disney Princesses. Let the record show that she had four Arial halloween costumes over the years. I just heard about this Disney on Ice special from my friend Sue and she offered to share it with other Atlanta bloggers also. I wanted to pass it along to you in case your little girl loves Princesses as much as mine have. It should be a great show and I am looking forward to it.

Get tangled up in the newest thrilling show to hit the ice, at Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream playing Philips Arena October 12-16, 2011.

Experience Disney’s hilarious hair-raising escapade,Tangled; as Rapunzel, her unlikely companion, Flynn, and Maximus, embark on an uproarious journey that takes adventure to new lengths!  Boogie to the beat of the bayou with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen in a magical, musical journey that all begins with a fateful kiss.  And fanciful dreams become reality as Cinderella meets her Prince Charming, with a glass slipper fit for an unforgettable fantasy come true. All your favorite princesses take to the ice in a spectacular finale at the ultimate Disney Princess event of a lifetime!  Experience the beauty, sparkle, and spirit when Disney On Icepresents Dare to Dream comes to Atlanta!

SPECIAL OPENING NIGHT TICKET OFFER

Purchase tickets to opening night, Wed. Oct. 12^th at 7:30pm for only $15*

*Valid on the regularly priced $30, and $22 seats. Additional fees may apply.

Or

SAVE 20% on all other performances by entering customer code “ZXD”

Valid on the regularly priced $30, $22 and $14 seats. Additional fees may apply. Enter customer code in the advance and promotion ticket offer box on ticketmaster.com to redeem the offer.

Hurry offer ends, August 25^th.

Click here to purchase tickets (http://www.ticketmaster.com/venueartist/114689/1599972)

Offers are not valid on Rinkside and VIP seats.  Additional service charges and handling fees may apply.

For show information, visit www.DisneyonIce.com

AND NOW THE MARINADE RECIPE… So now that I’ve made you hungry, I thought I’d better give you the recipe for the marinade I used on the fresh chicken breasts. I picked this marinade because it was a quick one. The recipe comes from “the bon appetit fast easy fresh cookbook” by Barbara Fairchild. The recipe for Cilantro-lime chicken fajitas with grilled onions” specifically mentions that the marination time required is only 30 minutes to an hour. Quick…that’s the recipe for me. I made a few modifications based upon what I had on hand here and those are noted inside the brackets.

CILANTRO-LIME CHICKEN FAJITA MARINADE

1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh cilantro [I used five of the frozen cilantro herb cubes from Trader Joe's.]

3/4 cup olive oil

5 tablespoons fresh lime juice [I used some Meyer Lemon juice I had on hand from my favorite Greek Fish Market.]

2 1/2 teaspoonsground cumin

1 1/4 teaspoons ancho chile powder

skinless boneless chicken breast halves

tortillas [I used whole wheat ones.]

guacamole or avacado slices

tomatoes

lettuce

grilled or stir-fried green pepers and onions

black beans

salsa

Puree or hand mix first five ingredients, then add a little salt and pepper.Put chicken in bowl or dish and coat on both sides. It will look like this:

Prepare the rest of the meal and then begin grilling chicken and veggies. Once chicken comes off the grill, cut crosswise into thin strips and assemble fajitas with favorite ingredients. This is a great recipe for picky eaters since they can put in the individual ingredients they wish. I put most everything in mine, however.

I wanted to explain that I had been given 40 pounds of beautiful chicken breasts from Zaycon Foods because they were expanding their food delivery services here in the SouthEast. Since they were working with bloggers they had a main pick up site, but if you signed up for their service it would be delivered to your door. I was very nervous about how much chicken 40 pounds would actually be, but it turned out to be a managable size. I had about 48 breasts once I had split and stored everything. I was surprised at how large the breasts initially looked, but then realized that the ones I purchase in the store have had a good bit trimmed off for other uses. (I imagine this would be the meat they used for the easy pickup kabobs and other specialities.)

I was thrilled to know that I had that much quality meat packed away in my freezer to feed our family. The fact that the chicken doesn’t have antibiotics or fillers is really reassuring. The freshness of this chicken was extraordinary. We received chicken straight from the processing plant which was only two days old and had never been frozen. Once I started adding up how many days pass until I am able to purchase chicken at the grocery it amazed me. (Not to mention the fact that often that chicken seems to be frozen before I ever get to use it.

I’ll be featuring a few more simple ideas for family dinners as the weeks pass. I’ve been inspired to actually document some of our favorites.

What do you do with your chicken?