Alive! Expo 2015 (With Promo Code!)

*I am being provided passes to attend this years Expo and a portion of my ticket sales inexchange for this announcement. All opinions are my own. 

Alive! Expo is back at the Georgia World Congress Center and is poised to be the best one yet! Alive! Expo is a one weekend, two day event that is packed with interactive demos, live health lectures from industry leaders, workshops, and kids activities that the whole family can enjoy! 

Each year thousands of consumers attend Alive! Expo events to learn how to integrate health and wellness into environmentally responsible, green living and to create a positive impact on the world as a whole. Attendees get a chance to experience all the newest and best natural, organic, green and eco products for your home and their entire family, even the pets! 

The Low Down:
Drawing over 200 national and local companies representing many industries including: Natural & Organic Foods; Natural & Organic Personal Care/Natural Beauty; Vitamins & Supplements; Alternative & Herbal Medicines; Natural & Eco Pet Products; Green Home & Eco Household Products; Eco Fashion & Accessories; Books/Videos; Sportswear; Health/Fitness/Gyms and Yoga/Pilates Studios; Natural Spa Products & Services; Recycled Products & Environmentally Friendly Products; Hybrid & Electric Cars; and much, much more!

When & Where:

May 2 & 3, 2015
Saturday: 11:00am - 7:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am - 6:00pm

Georgia World Congress Center
Hall C4
Corner of Northside Drive & Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd.
235 Northside Drive
Atlanta, Georgia 30313

Ticket Info:

General admission for Saturday or Sunday is $10.00. General Admission ticket includes admission to the Expo Show floor, Exhibiting Companies, Educational Lectures from Industry Experts plus Demonstrations.

VIP admission for either Saturday or Sunday is $35.00 and includes admission to the Expo Show floor, Exhibiting Companies, Educational Lectures from Industry Experts, Demonstrations PLUS a VIP Gift Bag filled with full size natural & organic products from companies present and not present at the Alive! Expo — VIP Gift Bag valued at $100+.

Children 12 and under — FREE general admission
Military with a Valid ID — FREE general admission

My Favorite Part:

Being able to check out so many of the eco friendly companies and products in one place is huge for me! I love being able to talk to the reps and find out more about their philosophies and business practices as well as the products. Plus, proceeds from Alive! Expo benefit various local non-profits in Atlanta, GA including Project Green.

Discounts:

As a reader of RMM, you are lucky enough to be able to take advantage of a special discount offer! Use promo code: render to get $5 off your admission price! Thats half off a general admission ticket! You can purchase tickets HERE!

Our Adventure at the Georgia Renaissance Festival

*I was provided passes to visit and review the Georgia Renaissance Festival but all opinions are my own. Photo credit goes to Ga RenFest.

This past weekend we took a little trip down to Fairburn, Georgia to attend opening weekend of the Georgia Renaissance Festival! Of course we had not seen the sun in a little over a week, so it was a little soggy but it was business as usual around the festival


The first show we decided to check out was the Hypnotist show on the Half Wit Harbor stage. The certified hypnotherapist, stage hypnotist, and comedian, Rick Stratton has been traveling the United States for 15 years making people laugh while performing his comedy hypnosis show and this show was no exception! It was a little slow for the kids but was a lot of fun for all the adults in the audience. After that we were entertained by the infamous Ded Bob, The Washing Well Wenches, and of course the highlight of the day, the Jousting Tournament!


After that we wandered around checking out all of the artists booths and oogling the beautiful jewelry, glass blowing, leather crafting, and so much more. There is a little something for everyone in the artist market including the kids! The boys had a blast trying out all the soft, foam swords and I loved looking through the names at the Ancestors Family Name Histories booth.

There are also a lot of kid friendly activities for the kids to enjoy. Be sure to bring some extra cash for all the games and rides they have available. They all cost between $2 and $5 apiece. There is also a playground that is free in the King's Highland area for the kids to blow off a little steam between shows.

The part I was most looking forward to though was the food! Oh, the food! Michael enjoyed one of the legendary turkey legs and I had one of the sausage and pepperoni meat pies I remembered from the last time I went. You can get all kinds of foods "on a stick" also which makes exploring and eating at the same time a little easier. Then you can wash it down with a soda or beer! There are a couple of sit down type places to eat too but I've always found them to be too crowded.

If you are looking for something to do as a family this weekend (or any weekend between now and June 7th), you need to check out the Georgia Renaissance Festival. You can save a little money by purchasing a ticket combo pack online or at the gate and if you are a student, check out the student days activities for a little extra enrichment! Of course you can always buy your tickets at the gate the day of the festival too!

A New Addition

Yes, its official! We are expecting a new addition! We are excited but terrified after everything that happened with Gage but can't wait to meet our little "rainbow baby"! We meet with the high risk doctor soon to come up a labor game plan. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers!

Blue Man Group Takes Over the Fox Theater

*I was provided two tickets to opening night in order to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

Last night D and I headed down to the Fox Theater to check out opening night of the Blue Man Group! I had seen them once before and I just knew that D was going to absolutely love it. They did not disappoint! He was laughing so hard that the people around us started laughing at him laughing at the show. It was that infectious cackle that you only hear when someone is truly enjoying something.

The Low Down:

Its a show that is difficult to describe to someone that has never had the pleasure of seeing it live. Its part rock show, part sitcom, part dance party and never fails to have everyone in the audience moving in their seat and shaking their "sit-biscuit". The show is officially 3 and up but D is 7 and I would say he is probably the perfect age for his first Blue Man Group show. The show runs 90 minutes and there is no intermission. Of course its more than enjoyable for "kids" of all ages and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to let loose and have some fun!

When & Where:
Blue Man Group is in Atlanta April 7th - April 12th at the fabulous Fox Theater. Show times are generally 7:30pm but be sure to check the schedule and find the time and date that works best for you!

My Favorite Part:
Its hard to pick just one part that sticks out. I guess I would say the parts where they pull an audience member onstage for a little good hearted fun is pretty high up there though. The crowd favorite always seems to be the crazy dance party at the end. The whole show ramps up and gets you in gear to have some fun and rock out!

Our Scaly Slimy Spectacular Sleepover at Zoo Atlanta

Last weekend we had the chance to sleep at the Zoo! We went to check out the newest and the biggest exhibit in Zoo Atlanta’s history: Scaly Slimy Spectacular: The Amphibian and Reptile Experience.

We had a blast checking out the zoo after hours and getting a guided tour of both the old and new reptile exhibits. A lot of the animals are still in transition to their new homes so this way we got to see them all! We got to do a meet ad greet with an alligator and a snake and even got to use night vision goggles to check out the Red Panda sleeping in her nest! After our tour and a quick snack, we spent the night sleepover style and got up to explore the zoo the next morning.

The Low Down:

• Built to replace the old World of Reptiles exhibit, the Scaly Slimy Spectacular invites you to explore Earth’s magnificent natural wonders with an introduction to the creatures and ecosystems that make our planet’s wild places irreplaceable.
• The $18-million complex is the result of 18 months of construction. The old World of Reptiles building is the oldest building on Zoo grounds still used for public exhibits. Construction on the World of Reptiles began in 1964, and the venue opened to the public in 1967.
• The project is approximately 14,000 square feet in size. Featuring The aquatic animal habitats channel some 60,000 gallons of water and around 9,700 square feet of custom-designed rockwork. It will be home to more than 70 species!

When & Where:

• Zoo Atlanta hours vary by season and day. The best way to get up to date information is by clicking through to their website. The Scaly Slimy Spectacular opens to the public in April 2015 and will be open the same hours as the rest of the zoo.
• Zoo Atlanta is located at 800 Cherokee Avenue, S.E. Atlanta, GA 30315 and is easily accessible off I20 in the Grant Park area.

Admission:

• Admission is available in advance online or at the gate: 
Adult (ages 12+) - $22.99
Child (ages 3-11) - $17.99
Child ages two & Under - FREE
• There are varying discounts available including military, senior, and student but my favorite is the City Pass letting you choose to visit as many Atlanta attractions as your heart desires all at a great discount!