The Bluebird Patch Joins The Strong 4 Life Campaign Against Childhood Obesity

  

In case you have been living under a rock nearly 1 million kids in Georgia are overweight or obese. The state of Georgia has the second worst rate of childhood obesity in the United States, falling just behind Mississippi. What's even worst 75% of parents in Georgia who have overweight or obese children do not recognize the problem.

Excuses such as my child is not fat or obese, he or she is just big-boned, or it's baby weight it will pass, are common and extremely damaging. Obese children are at risk for developing heart disease, hypertension, liver and kidney disease and type 2 diabetes.

 

I always wondered, why do parents even though they are perfectly aware of the devastating consequences of childhood obesity, still choose to passively accept it, and don't do anything about it? If we are able to solve this mystery, maybe we could win the fight against childhood obesity.

One thing I learned from my meeting with the Strong 4 Life team at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta is that we, as parents, need to regain control of our children's food choices. When kids are younger they only eat, what we as parents provide them.
 

 
The problem is, as they grow up, we let them eat what they choose. This is were we loose the battle. Unless, we regain this control of the food choices our kids are able to have, the fight against childhood obesity will never seek an end.

Responsible parenting is a very controversial term when it comes to childhood obesity. Many people believe this is a way of blaming parents for their child's weight. The reality is “responsible parenting” is more about being smart, and regaining control of the type of food that makes it to our table. Think about it., if you only have fruits and healthy snacks at home when your kids are hungry, they will eventually eat it. Is really that simple...

So today's lesson is: Shop smart and regain control of the food that makes it to your table. Remember, the goal should never be to loose the weight, but to make permanent changes to your diet and lifestyle. Don't get overwhelmed. Start with one goal, maybe choose grilled foods over fry foods, maybe you can start by walking every day, or maybe you might want to start by reducing the amount of sugar your child consumes. It really doesn't matter where you want to start as long as you start and commits to it.

If you need recipes or ideas of what to cook for your child,  we will periodically tweet healthy recipes so you might want to follow us on twitter so you can pin it, print it or bookmark them. http://twitter.com/bluebirdptchatl

For more information about the Strong 4 Life program at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta please visit: http://www.strong4life.com

My Day of Beauty: Turning Passion Into a Mission

On Monday, April 23rd, the Paul Mitchell School, at  the The King Plow Arts Center was filled with giggles, hugs, love and happiness. It was the 9th annual "Day of Beauty" benefiting special needs kids. 

 

 On  this day, volunteers from various salons offered haircuts, color services, up do's, facial waxing, make-up, manicures and chair massages to children with Down’s syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Autism at no cost. 

 

The children were all from schools from the DeKalb County as well as the Special Olympics swim team. For most of these kids, this was their first visit to a professional hair salon. 

 

My Day of Beauty, was founded by Gloria Owczarski, an altruist with a mission. As a Special Olympics swim coach, and as a sibling of a special needs sister, Gloria is a passionate advocate for the rights of those with disabilities. She believes special needs  kids are somewhat forgotten. "They have a voice that is not heard. They may be "special" but if they had their choice, they wouldn't be any different from their peers. They so want to fit in and be normal. I started this event because I felt several things. But the main reason, was to help those who couldn't help themselves feel, if only for one day that they were like everyone else in their school, pretty. Such a weird seemingly small thing but we all strive for that feeling. You know?"

 

  

This year, My Day of Beauty serviced over 300 kids and teachers. A great achievement, considering this was all possible due to the vision of one person and the generosity of a small group of people.

 

 

  

 

 

When you work for the cause not the applause, and you are genuinely concerned about the well-being of others you immediately get our deepest respect. Character counts. Kindness, compassion, and generosity seems to be a lost art these days. Is people like Gloria that reminds us that we all share a personal responsibility to service others. When you seek happiness for others, you find it for yourself. Thank you Gloria for letting us join you on this incredible journey. We can't wait to see what the next year it's going to be.

 

 

 

 

 

A Pilot Program to Help Military Reconnect with Families Launches at Callaway Gardens

The Callaway Homecoming Initiative (CHI) is a Joint Partnership with Emory University, Fort Benning and Callaway Gardens

The Callaway Homecoming Initiative (CHI), a program a year-long in planning between Emory University, Callaway Gardens and Fort Benning’s Maneuver Operations Center for Excellence, becomes a reality.

The CHI is designed to help members of the U.S. Military reconnect with their families and assimilate into a peacetime home environment upon return from combat deployment.  Set in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in west-central Georgia at Callaway Gardens, this program brings soldiers and families together – at no personal expense – in a spectacular and serene setting, far from the stress and anxiety of war.

A series of classes, developed in partnership with Emory University’s School of Medicine Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit, features experts from around Georgia, who have volunteered their service, providing information to soldiers and families about unique aspects of military family life and transition from the combat theater.  

 

 

Military families also participate in a regimen of outdoor team challenges including a timed adventure race, a zipline course, a laser tag competition and more. Ample time is built in for recreational activities as well, including golf, tennis, fishing, bicycling and hiking.  When the day’s activities end, CHI participants unwind in Callaway Gardens’ Southern Pine Cottages, set in a secluded woodland environment and equipped with screened porches, full kitchens and fireplaces.

The program is directed by J. Douglas Bremner, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry and Radiology, and Director of the Emory Center for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. Dr. Bremner also serves as Director of Mental Health Research at the Atlanta VAMC in Decatur, Georgia.

“With all expenses paid and a comprehensive program that addresses all aspects of the combat-to-peacetime transition, CHI is a win-win prospect for everyone – soldier, family and society at large,” said Dr. Bremner.

“Callaway Gardens was created to provide a place of nourishment for the soul, consolation for the heart, and inspiration for the mind,” said Edward Callaway, Callaway Gardens’ chairman of the board.  “What better group of people to engage in this environment so that they can benefit from its beauty at such an important and critical time in their lives to re-connect with themselves, their family and their homeland after providing such an incredible service to our country.”

Follow the program on Facebook at Callaway Homecoming Initiative and on twitter using @CHI_Georgia.  For more information on the Callaway Gardens Homecoming Initiative, please write to P.O. Box 2000, Pine Mountain, GA 31822 or email info@callawaygardens.com.

 

Callaway Gardens^®, is in Pine Mountain, Ga., 60 minutes southwest of Atlanta and 30 minutes north of Columbus.  For additional information, visit www.callawaygardens.com or call 1-800-CALLAWAY (225-5292).

Through My Lens: Fernbank Museum of Natural History

 

 

 About Fernbank Museum

Fernbank Museum of Natural History, in Atlanta, is a museum in that presents exhibitions and programming about natural history that are meant to entertain as well as educate the public. Its mission is to encourage a greater appreciation of the planet and its people. Fernbank Museum has a number of permanent exhibitions and regularly hosts temporary exhibitions in its expansive facility, designed by Graham Gund Architects. Giants of the Mesozoic, on display in the atrium of Fernbank Museum, features a 123-foot (37 m) long Argentinosaurus (the largest dinosaur ever classified) as well as a Giganotosaurus. The permanent exhibition, A Walk Through Time in Georgia, tells the twofold story of Georgia's natural history and the development of the planet. The nearby Fernbank Science Center, operated by the DeKalb County Board of Education, hosts additional exhibits and educational activities, as well as a planetarium, telescope, and Fernbank Forest, a 65-acre (260,000 m²) natural forest.

 http://www.fernbankmuseum.org/

Happy Earth Day - To The Arctic We Go To Save The World From Global Warming

 "To the Arctic is the type of film everyone should see. The film aims to bring awareness to the plight of climate change and global warming around the world. The threat of global warming among the Arctic animals is an increasing concern, and new studies speculate that Polar Bears may face possible extinction. Unless we teach our children how to live environmentally friendly, we will never be able to help our planet counteract the effects of climate change and  global warming. A healthy planet starts at home, and it's critical that we, as parents, lead our children by example. After all, this little earth is all we got. ” 

Liza Cardona

Today is Earth Day  and to celebrate, the Fernbank Museum debuted this week the IMAX film “To The Artic.” Through the power of IMAX^®, audiences will be transported to one of the most remote and spectacularly beautiful places in the world in the new IMAX® film To the Arctic, sponsored locally, in part, by GE Energy, opening in conjunction with Earth Day at Fernbank Museum of Natural History on April 20. Incredible footage allows audiences to experience an emotional story of love, family and hope through the touching story of a mother polar bear and her twin cubs.

An extraordinary journey to the top of the world as few people have ever seen it, To The Arctic tells a compelling tale of survival in a dramatic habitat, with global implications. Narrated by Oscar® winner Meryl Streep, the film takes audiences on a never-before-experienced journey into the lives of a polar bear and her seven-month-old cubs as they navigate the changing Arctic wilderness they call home. 

Captivating and intimate footage brings moviegoers up close and personal with this family’s struggle to survive in a frigid environment of melting ice, immense glaciers, spectacular waterfalls, and majestic snow-bound peaks. The film also reveals how all global ecosystems are connected---a message made even more significant as the world celebrates Earth Day on April 22.

 

IMAX tickets are $13 for adults, $12 for students and seniors, $11 for children ages 12 and under, and $8 for Museum Members. Value Pass tickets, which include both Museum and IMAX admission, are $23 for adults, $21 for students and seniors, $19 for children, and $8 for Museum members. For tickets and visitor information, visit fernbankmuseum.org or call 404.929.6300.

First Look: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s 2012 Decorators’ Show House

The Decorators' Show House & Gardens is one of several fund-raising events of the Atlanta Symphony Associates. One hundred and fifty designers competed to be among the final 25 firms selected for this year’s show house.The annual event has garnered $1 million for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in the past five years, with proceeds supporting a wide range of programs, including the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Concerts for Young People series and the Talent Development Program that nurtures promising young Latino and African-American musicians pursuing careers in classical music. 

The Atlanta Symphony Associates has announced a series of special events as part of the Show House this year. Special presentations — including lectures, book signings, wine tastings, and cooking demonstrations will be held at Knollwood, see below and mark your calendar.  Of course we would love you to include any in post coverage as well!

·         Wednesday, April 25, 2012 – 11:30 a.m.

Three Aspects of Southern Style - In this special “Meet the Author” event, Susan Sully explores three aspects of Southern style — a love of the past, a passion for the new, and an abiding fascination with the exotic. Together, these enduring attitudes have shaped the South’s regional style from the 18th century to the present. Ms. Sully is a leading authority on Southern architecture and design and a connoisseur of all things Southern and sophisticated.

·         Thursday, April 26, 2012 – 10:30 a.m.

The Life, Legacy and Architecture of Philip Trammell Shutze - Join Norman Askins and Jonathan LaCrosse for breakfast and an informal conversation regarding Shutze’s amazing life and work, including his design of Knollwood Estate. Mr. Askins’s own Atlanta-based architecture firm specializes in historic preservation, restoration, and residential design. Additionally, he has been active in several arts/preservation organizations.

·         Saturday, April 28, 2012 – 2:00 p.m.

Boutique Wine Tasting - Join us for a boutique vineyard wine tasting and commentary from Master Sommelier Perrine Prieur of Perrine’s Wine Shop. Having emigrated from France in 2006, Ms. Prieur has been studying the culinary arts since the age of 14 and is a graduate of the highly regarded Le Castel sommelier school in Dijon, France.

·         Wednesday, May 2, 2012 – 11:30 a.m.

Cooking Seasonal, Fresh & Healthy - Gena Knox will present a cooking demonstration, tasting, and lecture based on her new cookbook, Southern My Way: Simple Recipes, Fresh Flavors. Ms. Knox grew up in the South and learned everything she knows about Southern cooking from her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. In her book, she shares her passion for fresh ingredients and rich seasonings.

·         Thursday, May 3, 2012 – 11:30 a.m.

Farmer to Table - James Farmer presents “Farmer To Table: Food and Flowers,” a discussion of his unique approach to farming and living that combines gardening, entertaining, decorating, and cooking. Mr. Farmer will discuss the farm-to-table lifestyle and how you can use locally-available ingredients to entertain with style sophistication.

·         Wednesday, May 9, 2012 – 12:30 p.m.

Coming Home - James Strickland and Andrew Cogar of Historical Concepts, an Atlanta-based traditional architecture firm, will present “America’s Love Affair with Southern Architecture.”

           

 

 

 

 

BUY TICKETS

DATES April 21–May 13, 2011 HOURS OF OPERATION Monday–Closed Tuesday–Wednesday 10am–3:30pm (last entry) Thursday 10am–7:30pm (last entry) Friday–Saturday 10am–3:30pm (last entry) Sunday 12pm-4:30pm (last entry) SHOW HOUSE LOCATION Knollwood 3351 Woodhaven Road Atlanta, GA 30305

ORDER TICKETS ONLINE ticketalternative.com TICKET LOCATIONS Click here to find a ticket location near you. The Show House Committee wishes to thank all participating venues for their help. FOR MORE INFORMATION (404) 733-4935

Website: http://decoratorsshowhouse.org/

-Sorry, no children under the age of eight are allowed at the Show House.
-No Photography, backpacks, strollers or bulky shoulder bags.
-Please wear flat shoes. Thank you.