Free Pinkberry this Thursday - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms | Examiner.com

This franchise can be pretty expensive so check out this free offering to celebrate the newest Pinkberry in Buckhead! Free Pinkberry this Thursday - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms Examiner.com

Win 4 tickets to Parents Palooza this weekend

Hey Mom...Dad...do you feel lucky? Then you need to enter this giveaway to win four free tickets to Parents Palooza, the most entertaining and informational, fun for the whole family event this weekend.

Parents Palooza will be held at Atlanta's Cobb Galleria Centre on February 26 and 27. This family-friendly event will include bounce houses, talent exhibitions, video game challenges, spa treatments, taste testing booths, and family competitions. In addition there will be incredible giveaways, coupons, samples, and a chance to win great prizes. There will also be a Meet the Blogger area where attendees can meet the bloggers they read daily. (Meet me Sunday, February 27 at 2pm!)

This event is for families with toddlers to teens and they will have information on everything from potty training to college applications. If you don't win this giveaway, tickets are $10.99 for adults, $5.99 for kids (children 5 and under are free) and can be bought online or at the door on the day of the event.
The winner of FOUR free tickets to Parents Palooza will be picked from all entries using Random.org. The contest ends at 5pm on Thursday, February 24, 2011.

To enter this giveaway, just leave a comment below. For extra entries (one for each item) do the following:
1.Follow me on twitter (@mariarsmith) and tweet "Win 4 tickets to @ParentsPalooza from @mariarsmith: http://t.co/ZQVom79 "
2.Leave a comment on the "Parents Palooza" post on the Atlanta Stay at Home Moms Examiner column: http://t.co/ZQVom79
3.Follow Parents Palooza on twitter (@ParentsPalooza)

Good luck!

McGhee sextuplets receive $250K from Wal-Mart, Oprah - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms | Examiner.com

McGhee sextuplets receive $250K from Wal-Mart, Oprah - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms Examiner.com

McGhee sextuplets to appear on Oprah - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms | Examiner.com

McGhee sextuplets to appear on Oprah - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms Examiner.com

LEGOLAND Discovery Center to open at Phipps Plaza - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms | Examiner.com

LEGOLAND Discovery Center to open at Phipps Plaza - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms Examiner.com

Check out Applebee’s new healthy entrees and cocktails - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms | Examiner.com

Check out Applebee’s new healthy entrees and cocktails - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms Examiner.com

Product review: Athena’s Lavender Twist - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms | Examiner.com

Product review: Athena’s Lavender Twist - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms Examiner.com

Affordable birthday parties: Sweet Pockets Cupcakes - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms | Examiner.com

Check this place out. They are super cute and this looks like a great way to have a small but unique birthday party. Affordable birthday parties: Sweet Pockets Cupcakes - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms Examiner.com

Meet the characters from the upcoming movie HOP! at Parents Palooza - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms | Examiner.com

I'm super excited about this new movie from Universal Pictures. It opens on my daughter's 4th birthday so that may be a great way to celebrate with her. It's made by the same people who made Alvin & the Chipmunks, another great movie. Come and check out the characters at Parents Palooza in 2 weeks! Meet the characters from the upcoming movie HOP! at Parents Palooza - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms Examiner.com

How to get tickets to the Oprah show

 I had the privilege of working on the production team for The Oprah Winfrey Show from 200 to 2004. It was a wonderful, stressful, crazy fun time in my life but I left to find a little more balance in my life. Fast forward almost seven years, and I'm a married stay-at-home mother to three kids...a complete 180 degree transition from my TV producer life. However, I just had the opportunity to go back to Chicago, back to Harpo, and see a taping of the Oprah show this week.

 

I was able to get tickets from a friend and former co-worker. The show was fabulous (with Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds airing February 15) and it was really fun to see my old stomping grounds and bid adieu to the show in person. After updating Facebook and Twitter about the show, I received many replies, mostly saying "how can I get tickets?". So, I thought I'd answer that question and give my favorite readers some insight into how to get the hottest ticket anywhere.

First of all, check the Oprah website for audience reservations. It sounds silly and obvious but tickets for the show are released at random times and there can be last minute slots that open up. (As of the writing of this article they are looking for audience members for three separate shows.) Also check the Be on the Show page on Oprah.com to see if you would be a good guest for any show they are working on. It is a long shot but you never know when there will be a fit.
 

 

The second step would be to go to Chicago. It may be another long shot and could be expensive, but if you have tried everything else and are desperate to see a show before the last one is taped (reportedly at the end of May) head on out to the Windy City. Both Delta and Airtran often have specials from Atlanta to Chicago, sometimes as low as $49 each way. Be sure to bring your winter weather gear (Atlanta's winter feels like summer to Chicagoans) and be smart about your trip by following these guidelines:

 

1. Be there when the show tapes (Tuesday through Friday).
2. Stay at a nice (luxury) hotel and make very good friends with the concierge. Tell them you are looking for tickets and they may be able to work wonders. Especially check out the all-suite Omni Hotel as well as the Four Seasons as their concierge may have an "in" to any last minute show openings.
3. Go to Harpo Studios (1058 W. Washington Blvd) when the show audience is being loaded in (7 AM and 11 AM) and look for the "last minute" standby sign. If you don't see it, look for a usher and ask if there are any last minute openings. Be very, VERY nice to anyone you talk to even if they don't give you the response you are looking for. This is another long shot but if the weather is bad and people with reservations had travel problems, you may get lucky.
4. Check out The Oprah Winfrey Store across the street from the studio. Buy some fun (and surprisingly very cute and useful) Oprah gear and ask the employees if they know about last minute openings. Again, be really, REALLY nice but do not be a crazy, semi-stalking fan. There's a fine line. Don't cross it.
5. Eat at Table 52, owned by Art Smith, Oprah's personal chef. A reservation there is almost as hard as a ticket to the show, but if you can get in, you may get to see Art himself and sneak in the fact that you're dying to see a show. You never know what he can do.

Getting tickets to The Oprah Winfrey Show is difficult but have a positive mindset and even if you don't get into the show, you can still have a fabulous "Oprah'fied" Chicago adventure. And remember, you always catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, so be extra nice! Good luck and Godspeed!

Simon Malls host Valentine’s Day parties - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms | Examiner.com

I HEART Valentine's Day! What a great holiday! Candy, flowers, wearing pink and red, and everyone tells you they love you. What could be better? (Especially the candy part.) Two area malls are letting kids in on the fun with special V-Day parties just for them. These malls are a bit far for me (in Duluth and Buford) but if you're in the area I highly suggest checking them out. Maybe you and the kids can go to the party and Daddy can go buy Mommy a "real" Valentine. :)
Simon Malls host Valentine’s Day parties - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms Examiner.com

Valentine’s Day is not just for lovers anymore...it’s for families too - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms | Examiner.com

While I love a special gift for myself on V-Day, it has been a nice tradition for my husband to give gifts to our kids as well. Not sure why I leave it to him but it just seems like a Daddy thing to do. As for me, a bottle of Chocovino and some boxed chocolates would make mommy really happy. I'll save the big stuff for my birthday...or our anniversary...or Christmas...
Valentine’s Day is not just for lovers anymore...it’s for families too - Atlanta Stay-at-Home Moms Examiner.com