Famous Footwear Opens Two New Atlanta Locations!

*I was provided a gift card to facilitate my review of the new Kennesaw location. All opinions are, as always, my own. 

If you are a parent, you know how quickly kids go through shoes. It seems like we are constantly buying the boys new sneakers for school and with warmer weather coming at us full speed its time to start stocking up on summer sandals! Right now, I am gearing up for summer. The boys are pretty much set for summer this year but that doesn't mean Mama doesn't have to look her best too! 

The good news is that Famous Footwear has two new stores in the Atlanta area, Kennesaw and Alpharetta, marking its 13th and 14th locations in the Atlanta market, meaning we now have more options, closer to home. Famous Footwear has a huge selection of shoes for Men, Women and Kids of all ages and has become my go to for stylish, reasonably priced shoes for our whole family.

I stopped in yesterday and browsed all the new spring styles. So much cute stuff to choose from! I finally settled on these for a casual, everyday option and I am so excited to show them off.

(Don't mind my giant man feet)

The Low Down:

The Kennesaw location:

• Opened on March 18 and will host eight Free Shoe Saturdays beginning March 28
• Located in Town Center at Cobb Mall at 400 Ernest Barrett Pkwy. (Its downstairs in the Sears wing.)
• Celebrating grand opening event on March 28 from noon to 5 p.m. with drawings every hour and an appearance from popular local radio station, WWPW-FM, 96.1, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Invites customers to come back weekly for Free Shoe Saturdays, every Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. until May 16

The Alpharetta location:

• Will open April 8 and will host eight Free Shoe Saturdays beginning April 18
• Located in North Point Mall at 1000 North Point Circle
• Celebrating grand opening event on April 18 from noon to 5 p.m. with drawings every hour and appearance from popular local radio station, WSB-FM 98.5, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
• Invites customers to come back weekly for Free Shoe Saturdays, every Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. until June 6 

My Favorite Part:

Both locations will host Free Shoe Saturdays for eight weeks. Meaning you have a shot at winning a free pair of shoes every hour, all day long!

Discounts:

• If you haven't joined the Famous Footwear Rewards program, you are seriously missing out. Its totally free to join and you earn $5 in rewards for every $100 you spend. Plus, exclusive discounts and free shipping if they don't have your size in store. Spend $200 and get upgraded to Gold Rewards for even better deals!
• Until April 5th, you can print out (or get the online code for) an extra 15% off coupon HERE. Perfect for us late minute Easter shoppers!

What are you waiting for? Get started in store or online at www.Famous.com!

LEGO Star Wars Episode 1 Comes to LEGOLand Discovery Center!

*I recieved complimentary passes to check out this new exhibit from LEGOLand Discover Center but all opinions are, as always, my own.*

Its no secret that my boys love LEGO. Any chance they get they dig into them and their creativity astounds me. They even like playing the LEGO video games. Stands to reason then that LEGOLand Discovery Center here in Atlanta is one of their places to visit. If we ask where they want to go on any given weekend, they generally always say there or the pool. Simple pleasures.

Of course something else they are crazy about is all things Star Wars. So, of course when we heard that LDC has a new Star Wars Episode 1 MiniLand display, they were crazy excited to check it out. This weekend we took a trip down to Lenox and did just that. 

The display was made up of three very detailed scenes like only LEGO can achieve. There was an interactive part of each display and we went from one to the other for a good long while before we moved on to the next area. The level of detail was just crazy cool!

Now for the details!

The Low Down:

Allow at least 2 - 3 hours for your visit, although you are welcome to stay as long as you like. The last admission to the attraction is 2 hours before closing. Last entrance to the admissions is 5 p.m. Sunday-Friday and 7 p.m. on Saturday.

Tickets start at $15/ each and are available on the website or at the front gate.

When:

LEGOLand Discovery Center is open:

Monday-Friday: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m.- 9 p.m.
Sunday: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

May the force be with you!

S.T.E.A.M. education: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math Camps In Atlanta!

Its the time of year where parents are in a rush to figure out what they are going to with their school aged children over the summer. At least you should be if you aren't! They fill up fast! 

Two camps coming to the Atlanta area this year are ROBOTS-4-U and Dynamic Art & Design.

Campers will have a BLAST, while learning and playing in a dynamic environment. Learning about Robotics and Science, in an independent and exciting way! (Visit www.ROBOTS-4-U.com and www.dynamic-art-design.com to see dates and locations for these day camps.)

The Low Down :

- Robot / Science / Engineering / Day Camp / Challenges

- Camps for Girls and Boys - Aged 7 to 14

- Robot Camps and Dynamic Art Camps offered during June, July and August

- Hands on Learning, Self-Paced. Beginners to Expert!

-Register early as camps do fill up quickly!

When:

- 1 week (5 days) long

- Days: Monday to Friday Times: 9:00-11:30a.m. and 12:30-3:00 p.m.


My Favorite Part:

- CAMPERS RATIO: 1 Instructor to 16 participants. (Thats crazy low!)

- Each Camper Individually uses a ROBOTICS or DYNAMIC ART Kit. (Robot kits do not go home with campers but are available for purchase!)

One Year: Gage Jason

My baby bear,

Every year I write a letter to my older boys on their birthday, telling them about the things that happened in their year and how much I love them and am proud of them. I guess this letter will be the only one for you and you're not even here. You'll never reat this. How could I not though? You're my son and I love you.

I only held you once while you lived. I held you close and I whispered to you. I told you I loved you and you were gonna be okay. You stopped squeaking and struggling like you were listening intently to what I said. I told you Mama and Daddy would be right there no matter what you needed. I kissed you square on the nose like I have all my boys and breathed in your smell. You smelled like heaven. It was so hard to let you go with the nurses but I thought they'd take care of you. I thought they'd make you better. I didn't know the next time I'd hold you close you'd have stopped breathing or I'd never have let you go.

I'm always thinking of you. What would you be like? Would you be a fireball like your daddy? Would you be quiet like me? What would you be doing? Saying? Would you still look like your Daddy?

Your big brothers talk about you a lot too. K is the matter of fact kid. He tells everyone he had a baby that died. He asks the pointed questions about what happened and why. He wants to know the facts about hospitals and funerals.

D is more soft. He wants to know what happens in Heaven. He wants to know why he didn't get to hold you and kiss you too. Hr wanted you so bad baby. He wants to know we'll get to keep "the next baby". It breaks my heart. I'll never forget him asking if Jesus took your car seat with him when he took you to Heaven.

D occasionally asks to go talk to your Jesus. There is a statue of Jesus standing a few feet from your new place. He asks it questions and asks him to take care of you. Not exactly prayer, he does that too, but more a physical representation of an idea I guess. Like some how he associates that statue with you more than your grave.

I do the best I can to explain everything as they ask. Sometimes its an easy answer. Sometimes I have to hold back the tears. For the most part the understand. Its a lesso. No kid should ever have to learn. They were so excited to meet you. So excited to hold you and teach you how to be a rambunctious little boy like them. The maturity and grace they have shown in the last year is astounding to me. They are amazing little men and I know you would have been too. We are lucky to have them.

I visit you every chance I get at your new place. It was once a week for about 8 months and then it got too cold. I got too busy. It made me sad but I still go see you often. Its peaceful to just sit and listen to the wind in the trees. Watch for the deer that wander through to eat the grass and flowers left by others missing their loved one. Its where I go when I need to center.

It's hard for your Daddy too. He doesn't wear his heart on the outside as much but he loved you and he needed you. He's been my rock. The last year has shown me what an amazing man he is. Even when his heart was shattered, he loved me and your brothers with his whole self.

Its been a long year for all of us but I won't say its been an all bad one either. Your brothers are growing up big and strong. Your Daddy and I were engaged and will be married soon. We had some fun vacations and experiences. They were just missing someone.

I miss you baby. I wish things were so different. I know they aren't and never will be the same. I know you are better off than us. I know you loved us and I'm pretty sure you knew we love you. Its hard though. I wouldn't say its gotten easier but its more like its gotten easier to hide. People don't ask how we are and we don't offer. I still cry a lot and I will never understand but then I am thankful to have known you. To be able to carry you in my heart.

I love you baby. Mama always will. Happy Birthday and Angel Day all in one.

ICYMI: Gage's Birth Story and Gage's Life Story.

Georgia Renaissance Festival Returns for its 30th Year!

If you have been in the state of Georgia for long, you've heard of the Georgia Renaissance Festival (RenFest). If you're smart, you've been! I have always loved attending RenFest but I'll admit to not having been since D was little. Which, of course, means this live theater lover is looking forward to joining them for their 30th anniversary this season more than ever!

The Low Down:

Every weekend and Memorial Day, April 18 thru June 7, 2015 The 30th Annual Georgia Renaissance Festival is a family-friendly event, and a different kind of theme park. Inside this 32-acre recreation of a 16th Century English Village you'll find hundreds of costumed characters, the Queen and her Court, endless circus-style entertainment on 10 stages, shopping in over 130 artisan shoppes, food fit for Royalty, games and rides for kids of all ages, and the spectacular Jousting Knights on horseback. Patrons are invited to wear costumes and join in the fun too.

When:

Every weekend (Saturday and Sunday) and Memorial Day, April 18 thru June 7, 2015. The fair is open from 10:30am until 6:00. Rain or Shine!

My Favorite Part:

The jousting is a don't miss but the food is really where its at for me! Come hungry and bring a fat wallet.

Discounts:

Get $4 off Adult and $3 off Child (6-12) tickets by using promo code "castle" when purchasing discount tickets on the secure website at www.garenfest.com. Tickets good any day of the 2015 Season (Weekends and Memorial Day Apr 18-June 7). Online discount only. Not good with any other offers.