Spring Break 2012 - Georgia Aquarium

The children and I drove to Atlanta to visit the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca Cola last week during Spring Break.  After getting ALL turned around trying to find the 'official' parking garage (for which I paid ahead of time online, so I was bound and determined to find it, doggoneit!), we finally made it to the aquarium.  Thankfully, it really wasn't as packed as it could have been.  We didn't arrive until noon (when you purchase tickets you have to reserve a time before which you cannot arrive) which may have helped our cause.  So, we started out with a bite to eat and then made our way to the exhibits.

It was pretty cool to be walking through this tank of saltwater fish.  We felt like we were IN the aquarium with them.

These bubble windows always make me dizzy, but Mac and Flat Fred didn't seem to mind.  Check out that shark!

Olivia was all about posing for a few pictures.

The kids crawled through the tunnel in the freshwater tank.

Trying to pet the stingrays.

The beluga whales were just magnificent.  It's hard to believe their itty bitty tales (see the very right hand side of the photo) can maneuver those massive bodies.

Love the anemone... so bright and colorful (which you cannot see from the picture).

Olivia and one of the many themed dolphins in the courtyard outside the aquarium.

Cub Scouts Field Trip

Will planned a field trip for the Cub Scout den to go to our local NBC station, WIS.  Only problem was that it was the Monday of our Spring Break, so only three boys could make it.  And, Will had surgery late in the day, so he couldn't even go.  I'm actually glad I went, though, because I was able to see the shocked look on their faces when the anchor told them they were going to be on television.

They were shocked when she asked them to come stand in front of her desk.

McIver kind of liked the idea of working behind-the-scenes at a television station ... lots of computers, switches, knobs and buttons.

Burch and McIver brought their Flat Friends to the television station.

Front Yard Soccer

Olivia and McIver have taken to playing soccer in the yard before school and after homework is done in the afternoons.  O actually asked me to come out and take some pictures; I was happy to oblige.

McIver is LOVING soccer!  (Will is loving NOT doing baseball.)

Love that sweet smile!

How's this for a shot?  Olivia kicked the ball RIGHT AT ME and this is what we got.

I am McIver ... hear me roar!

Showing off her moves; and, Daddy's home!

Mac's got some moves of his own, but this was just my chance to get another shot of him.

Spring Break 2012

The children and I loaded up the car yesterday morning to head to Atlanta for a day of sight seeing. We went to the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coke. Had a ball, but these are the only two pictures I took with my phone...

I'll add the others once I get back to the computer. Until then, happy spring break!

Waiting for the Dolphin Tales show to start.  The 'production' was a little corny, but we couldn't get enough of the dolphins and their tricks.

Mac with Flat Fred ...

Saturday in Austin

Saturday started with (sleeping in and then) breakfast at Juan in a Million (get it!?).  They have a breakfast burrito they will pay YOU to eat ... and it's a LOT of burrito.  Our server immediately brought out a basket of chips with salsa.  I never in a million years would have eaten chips and salsa with breakfast before living in Texas!  This place is totally in the barrio of Austin and was so authentic and DELICIOUS!!

After breakfast, we headed to the Hunger Games movie (for which I had bought tickets a week early just to be sure we had seats).  The movie was great, but I'm so glad that I had already read the book.  Olivia says she wants to read the book, but there's just so much violence that I'm not sure she's ready for it.  We'll see if she pushes the issue; I think she's just curious because of all the movie hype.

Wendy and Jim came from Houston to spend Saturday night with us.  We found the Old School Bar & Grill and headed upstairs to their outside patio.  It was great to catch up and hear everybody's latest news. 

The Guys at Olive and June

The Girls at Olive & June (someone figured out the flash!)

Our dinner at Olive and June may be one of the best meals I've ever eaten.  We ate on the outside deck, under a giant oak tree filled with little white lights; the weather was perfect; our waitress knew the menu and had great suggestions, but she wasn't all up in our business; and the food was TO DIE FOR.  I had the Escarole salad with pancetta and a fresh farm egg, the Suppli (a small bite of saffron risotto mozzarella), and Mezzalune (butternut squash,mostarda,sage).

         

Like their menu says:

One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one hasn't eaten well.

(Virginia Wolf)

And we ate well that night!!

"Keeping It Weird" in Austin

Okay, so we didn't exactly 'Keep It Weird' (Austin's city motto), but we did have a great visit with dear friends from Houston.  Gay & Don picked us up from the airport and, after checking in at the hotel, we walked to dinner at La Condesa.  

Our waiter really seemed to know the menu and even convinced us to try sweetbreads.  Gay won for best meal of the night.

After dinner, we walked back to the hotel via 6th Street, which wasn't exactly hopping quite yet.  I'm afraid we were on the way older/tamer side of things in Austin.  But, we did stop for a beer on the rooftop bar at the Iron Cactus.

R&R at the Lake

I bought McIver a tub of worms so he could go fishing.  Olivia shocked me by saying she wanted to fish, too.  (The caveat was that Will was studying and I was doing stuff inside so they had to handle the whole process by themselves.)

Okay, so I stopped what I was doing long enough to take some pictures.

Olivia caught the first (two) fish!

McIver took it off the hook for her.

Then, the crazy fools decided to get out the kayaks.  The weather was warm, but I thought they had lost their minds ... that water was still freeeeezing!

They weren't the least bit concerned.

McIver 

Olivia

Cruising at sunset.  I do wonder what they were talking about.

Will is studying for his oral GynOnc boards ... if you've got to study, you might as well study at the lake.

Work Day at the Lake

Once the grands cleared out, we got to work on tearing down the wall surrounding the air conditioning unit at the lake.  We've got a plan for some landscaping and felt like putting shrubbery around the unit would hide it better than the wall.

BEFORE:

McIver was WAY into slinging the sledgehammer and pushing the wall down.

My girl can tear down a wall.  She was so excited to help on these projects.

A ton of bricks.

AFTER:

Still doesn't look good, but it will!

The basement ended up being a project for Olivia and me.  She worked so hard scrubbing and rinsing the floor down there.  It was covered in red clay from the water softener overflow.  We managed to get it all cleaned up and were so proud of our effort.  Now that we have a new water softener, the floor should remain clean.

Bummer ... I forgot to take an 'after' picture.

First Weekend at the Lake

Both children had byes this week for soccer AND Will's not on call AND the weather is gorgeous so we decided to head to the lake for the weekend.  GranGran, GranDaddy and Mamoo came up for lunch on Saturday.  

Mamoo, Mac & O enjoying lunch on the deck.

Will and Mamoo

A few quick pictures before we say good-bye to everyone.

Grandparents' Day

GranGran and GranDaddy made the trek to Columbia for Granparents' Day at school on Friday.  I was subbing in the Lower School library last week so I was able to crash the party.  A few years ago there were so many grands that the school asked parents (kindly) to stay home (unless, of course, a grand needs help getting around, etc.).

I spotted the bag piper on my way to the gym for the festivities.  We had the dedication of our new Dining Commons just prior to the Grandparents Day program and he lead the procession from the Dining Commons to the new gym.  I'm always reminded of Sewanee when I hear bagpipes!

Because of the Dining Commons dedication, the theme for most of the songs for Grandparents' Day were food-related.  Olivia's grade sang "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast.  (If Olivia had looked my way, she would have seen me miming for her to stand up straight!)

Can you see McIver's blond mop top on the next-to-top row?  His grade sang "I'll Never Grow Up" from the 2nd grade play, Peter Pan.  They didn't really have time to learn a new song for Grandparents' Day since they had spent the last two months working on the play.  He cracked me up during the 5th-6ht grade jazz band performance.  He was snapping his fingers and grooving to the beat in his seat.  

We met the grands for lunch at Thirsty Fellow (my new FAVE!) after the Grandparents' Day fun.

My loves!

McIver's turn behind the camera.

Open your eyes, GranDaddy!

McIver

Last night McIver came bounding out of the bathroom, hair all wet and dripping, and announced to me:

I'm just in such a good mood.  I don't really know why, but I'm just so happy!

If that doesn't make a mama's heart happy, I don't know what will.