Georgia Aquarium

This past weekend we took a trip to Atlanta for the night and went to the Georgia Aquarium.

It was a big deal, because Matt was able to go with us.  With him farming, family trips are few and far between.  I savored every moment!!  The kids also enjoyed spending time with him.

The weather was supposed be yucky though!  It was flooding at home that morning, so it was about lunch time before we left.

We had a hailstorm along Forsyth, and that was scary.  The kids napped most of the way.

We checked in to our hotel (the Ritz!!) at about 4.  We let the kids run and play (yeah, we probably won't be allowed back....) and it started snow flurries outside.  NK was SO excited to see the snow.  We went for a walk downtown around 5.

Downtown Atlanta is a little scary.  The tall buildings are so neat, but there is homeless people that will come up and ask you for money.

We ate at the HardRock because it was right next to our hotel.  My sister met us for supper which was great because we don't get to see her very often now since she is living up there.  We were in a corner table and the kids were able to dance.  They loved the restaurant.  It was my sister's birthday and they sang happy birthday to her and Norah Kate.  NK's face was priceless!

G was dancing all over the place and was being quite the entertainer.

The next morning we got up to more snow!  We packed up and went and had breakfast at Waffle House.  (I know right, we go to Atlanta and eat at Waffle House?)  However, with the cold weather it was super yummy!!

In Atlanta, you have to park in public parking places (pay to park) and then walk to your destination.  Or at least that is how it is downtown.

Every where we went people talk about how cute G and NK are.  It never fails either, that my children are putting on some kind of entertainment for people.

Due to the weather, the aquarium didn't open until 11.  We got there right when it opened (again, parked and walked in the snow and freezing wind!!).  The kids were layered up with long sleeve shirts, sweaters, and then heavy jackets.  With a blanket!

I also learned that Matt is not a cold-weather man.  It was a wimp.  haha!!  I was prepared though with gloves, toboggan and heavy coat.

The kids LOVED the aquarium.  It wasn't very crowded at first, so that was nice.  We watched the dolphin show and then walked through the different tanks.  They have a tropical fish tank, a freshwater fish tank, a cold weather fish tank, and then a BIG fish tank with sharks, sting rays, etc.  They also had fish in with the sharks and I wondered why the sharks didn't eat the other fish?

It got super crowded, so we left without seeing a few of the activities.  The kids were also tired and hungry.  Overall, I would say it was a success.  On our way out we stopped in the gift shop.  They each had $10 to pick out a toy.  Grant and NK both got a sea otter.

We ate lunch at Johnny Rockets right by the aquarium.  It was SO good.  It was like an old-fashioned burger/shake dine-in.  We had a juke-box at the table.  My hamburger was yummy...or maybe I was just starving.  We also all shared a vanilla milk-shake.  I really think eating there was one of my favorite parts!

We walked back to the car and was trying to decide if we were going to go somewhere else and stay another night or just head back home.  While Matt and I were weighing "pros and cons," we looked back and the kids were sound asleep!  We decided just to drive on back home.

I know this trip may not sound like anything special, but I want to remember it forever.  Matt works so hard and we rarely get to spend weekends away with just our little family.  It was so nice.  The kids were also so well-behaved.  (which they usually are anyways).

NK can't wait to go back!

Pig Scramble

Do you ever have one of those weekends where you think, "wow, that was really a great weekend?"

Well, I had one last weekend.  I was off work, yay! I had finished my homework for school, yay!  So my schedule was pretty much open.

Saturday morning, I woke up quickly straightened up the house (I had already made up my mind that I wasn't cleaning all day Saturday) and got ready for a fun-filled day.  It was a beautiful day.  The sun was shining and the temperature was PERFECT!

I went to a friends house that morning at about 10:30 for a Shrimp and Grits kids clothes party.  I could have spent hundreds of dollars on all their cute clothes, but I didn't.  I just bought Norah Kate two outfits.  I am can not wait for them to come in the mail!  I am obsessed with bubbles for her this year for summer.  I made a mental note the other day not to buy her another bubble, but so far I am not following this rule very good.  I have bought 4 more since I told myself that.  It is kinda sad though because I know this will be the last summer that she can wear little outfits like that.  Probably by next summer she will be wearing toddler clothes and that stuff will be too "baby."

 

Then we went to Adel and ate at Hot Diggity Dogs.  I was craving a good, juicy hamburger and a Coke.  I got Norah Kate a "durger" which is ground hamburger meat on a hotdog bun.  I am not usually a big fan of her eating "fast food," but she got a treat Saturday! It was yummmmyy!

 

We got out lunch to go and went to my mama's for a little while.  We played out in the front yard in the sunshine and gave my brother's dog lots of loving.  NK smelt to high heavens when we were done, but the dog loved it and it wasn't anything a bath wouldn't fix.

 

Norah Kate layed down for nap and when she woke up we took her to the Pig Scramble.  The Pig Scramble takes place before the county livestock show.  It was a blast!  I really doesn't get much more country than this!  I didn't know how she would react to the pigs, but she LOVED them.

 

We took her to the pens where they were keeping them prior to the scramble and she wanted in the pen with them. She would pet them and talk to them.

 

 

 

I was going to "register" her for the pig scramble but she was too little.  She had a fit when they started.  She was climbing up the fence and squealing.  She was loving all the excitement.  Luckily, we knew several of the people that were managing the event and they took her into the pen.  She couldn't catch the pigs but she sure did try.  It was so much fun to watch her get excited about touching them!

 

 

After the pig scramble we went and saw Matt's mama.  We visiting with her for a while and then she watched Norah Kate so that I could go for a run.  I ran for about an hour and over 6 miles with my friend Amanda.

 

It really was a perfect day.  It is not very often that I feel like I get everything accomplished that I had planned for the day!  It was wonderful!

 

Sunday was just as great.  We went to church, then out to eat, and Matt stayed home with us that afternoon. I got to take a nap, and we watched a movie.  We rode around in his truck and checked fields.

 

We don't have to go anywhere special, or do anything spectacular, just good quality family time and watching my little girl grow up means the most to me!



Life Lately

I didn't think I would still have to do monthly blogs with updates of Baby Girl as much as before, but I believe I was wrong. She is still changing so fast! Here's what's been going on with her lately:

Dancing machine.  I always knew she liked music, but now she will really get down and groove.  It amazes me that she can really move to the beat. She will bounce up and down and sway her head from side to side.  When she really gets into it she will clap too.  It is funny to watch her playing and then suddenly top when a good song comes on a commercial on the TV.



Talking up a storm.  At first I was a little concerned that her speech wasn't quite on track, mainly because I couldn't get her to say very many words, but boy in the last week she has become a little copy cat.  I can say pig, she says "ig.". I say dog, she says "woof." The other day I was changing her diaper and was saying "stinky," and she started saying "tinky.". I have read where at her age she should be saying some words, understand the meaning of many words, and point at objects.  She points and "Mimms" at everything she wants.  I can also tell her to do pretty well anything and she understands so I think now we are right on track.

A few nights ago she picked up her toys and put them in her basket. She did it without asking and it freaked me out. I guess because she has seen me do it before bedtime since birth... Have I created an OCD clean freak too??

She brushes her own teeth everyday and most definitely doesn't want any help with it.  She can help undress for bath time, brushes her hair, and is attempting to fed herself with a spoon.  She gives the best kisses and will pat your back when she gives hugs. She got some baby dolls for Christmas and will carry those things around and "rock" them and pat them. It beats all I have ever seen.  They truly are like little sponges soaking in everything from birth. The other day she had her baby doll over her shoulder, her purse on her wrist and was pushing her shopping cart. Haha! Little mama.

  

With all this newfound independence has come some diva-esce temper tantrums. She will slap her hands and growl when you are taking something away from her that she wants or are trying to do something she don't want. She started crying today because she couldn't fit her shopping cart into her Pottery Barn chair with her. She also got frustrated the other day because she couldn't hold five different things in her hand at once. She would try to pick up something else and drop another thing and was getting very agitated.   Apparently one is the new two... Oh, Lord help.  Fortunately though, we don't have very many "bad" days.  She is still a sweet girl :)

Pumpkin Carvin' at Nana's

Sunday, October 28th, we ate at my mother-in-law's house for Matt's birthday.  His sister and brother-in-law bought all the kids a pumkin to carve.  It was a messy, but fun, project for all the kids.  Well, it ended up being more of a project for the daddys.... haha!  The kids got to pull all the yucky stuff out of the pumpkin though and pick a design.

 

 

 

My little punkin'

And the Father of the Year reward goes to...

Matt carved this pumpkin!  Free hand too!  I was impressed!

 

Five little pumpkins sittin' in the patch...

 

Thanks Aunt Ashley for the great memories!!



Blue Ridge, GA

October 13-16th my mama was on Fall Break so we started planning a few months ago to go north and see the leaves.  When I was younger we used to go to the mountains EVERY fall.  Fall is my absolutely my most favorite time of year.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE the colors, the weather, the food... everything about it.

 

The leaves were perfect!  So pretty!

Mama, Daddy, Norah Kate, and I all piled up in Daddy's truck and went north. This was Norah Kate's first road trip north. We went south all summer. We went to Blue Ridge, GA and the weather was perfect!

 

This was the bear at the cabin.  Norah Kate loved it!  She kept calling it a "dog" though!

 As always, my little road tripper traveled very well! We stopped once on the way up and once on the way back for her to stretch her legs and take a break from her car seat. About a week before the trip, I switched her carseat to a covertible car seat. It is much more cozy with more room for her to grow. She is still rear facing though!

 



As always, my little road tripper traveled very well!  We stopped once on the way up and once on the way back for her to stretch her legs and take a break from her car seat.  About a week before the trip, I switched her carseat to a covertible car seat.  It is much more cozy with more room for her to grow.  She is still rear facing though!

One of our little pit stops for some leg stretchin'

 

Blue Ridge is a small little town.  They have a cute downtown and is home to the best fudge I have ever eaten! Three Sister's Fudge is a small little fudge shop with about 12 different fudges to choose from.  But, oh. my. gosh. it was melt in your mouth good!  We stopped by Tuesday on our way out to buy more...(embarrased to admit this!)... but they were closed!

We had a great time!  I wish Matt could have came with us.  Norah Kate was an angel.  She slept with me from about 3:00 every morning and woke up earlier than normal... but overall was very good.

Our God is truly a wonderful artist!  Isn't this beautiful??

Panama City Beach, FL

August 16-19th we went with Matt's family to Panama City Beach, FL. I must admit, I was pretty nervous about this excursion. After the Steinhatchee trip back in July, I was praying that Norah Kate wouldn't be so out of sorts. Also, it is about a 3 1/2 hour drive to PCB which is the longest amount of time Miss Priss has been in the car. I couldn't have asked for a better behaved baby though!

Our chauffeur!

We left at about 6pm Thursday evening. She took her a little hour nap while we were driving and woke up when we stopped for a bite to eat. We got her out of her carseat while we were eating, then I fed her while we were driving down the road. She just talked and played for about another hour. When she got fussy (about 9pm) I pumped her a bottle and gave her the bottle while she was still in her seat. She went right to sleep and slept until we got to the house we were staying at. I was so proud!

Friday morning we got up and went to the beach. There was a storm rolling in so we only stayed at the beach until about 2pm. We all came in and got us a nap, then we went out to eat at the Shrimp Boat Friday night. I highly recommend eating at the Shrimp Boat when you are at Panama City! It was SOOO good. It is a nice place to eat, kid friendly, around $20-$30 a meal, and has a spectacular view! Because it had rained, it was so nice and cool outside.

Kisses from Daddy

Sweet baby girl

 



I was craving ice cream after my meal and was bound and determined to find a creamery. We went to Pier Park and ate at the Marble Slab creamery. My ice cream was HUGE but very tasty. It has chocolate ice cream, Reese cups, and chocolate chunks all mixed up in it! Talk about a chocolate fix!

We didn't stay at Pier Park very long, because it was late and we were all pretty tired. It was neat though, it has a carnival/fair in the center of this outdoor shopping mall. Lots of good eating places and cute shops.

 

 

Saturday morning we were on the beach by about 10 or so and stayed out until about 2pm. It was a BEAUTIFUL day to be on the beach! I absolutely love the Gulf. The water is so clear. Norah Kate loves the ocean too. She would kick her feet and try to stick her face in the water. She wasn't afraid at all! I went to Walmart and bought the kids a little blow up swimming pool and we filled it with a few inches of water and set it up under the umbrella. It was a nice cool spot for them to play.

We came back to the pool and swam some more. We were all a little big water logged, but I think the big kids (us) had just as much fun in the pool as the little kids. My husband has a big family, and we always have a blast when we all get together.

 

I love my little family!

 

Saturday night we went to eat at Boatyard. It was another good place to eat. I swear, I think that was the BEST grouper I have ever put in my mouth!! It was along the same price line as the Shrimp Boat, and just as tasty! After that we went to find go carts for the kids (big and little alike :)) to ride. They had so much fun!

I wasn't joking when I said a big family!

 

I got to see one of my best friends too!!

 

Mother-in-law and her "girls"!

 

 

I guess I was a bad parent during this trip because we kept NK out waaayyy past her bedtime every night. She would usually go to sleep in the carseat, then I would just push her around in the stroller. She was out! But, hey, we don't go on vacation all the time. Of course, she would not sleep in her pack and play. She would start out there every night, then about 1 or 2 she would end up in bed with us. Oh well... At home she sleeps by herself just fine!

Norah Kate slept great on the way home. She woke up around Tallahassee, so we stopped and did a little window shopping in the mall. Then she slept the rest of the way! My idea of a perfect car ride!

 

I love, love, love my in-laws and we had a grand time!! I hope we make it a yearly thing! We are already planning a winter time trip. :)

Steinhatchee, FL

For the past several years my family has been vacationing in the BIG town of Steinhatchee, FL (pronounced : STEEN-Hatch-EE).  Actually, Steinhatchee barely makes the map.  This town consists of a Hungry Howie's, a Dollar General, gas station/grocery store, two seafood restaurants, a couple of marinas and a few hotels and condos.  It is a very small scale vacationing spot that mostly consists of locals.  We love the place though.  It has this sort of peace and quiet about it that you can't get anywhere else.  There are really only two reasons to go to Steinhatchee: fishing and scalloping.  My family usually does both.  Scallops are small, clam/oyster like things that you snorkle and dive for and get out the grass.  There is a small ball of meat inside the shell that is good fried or with pasta.

I absolutely, love, love, love to fish.  Scalloping is fun but I freak myself out a little bit while snorkeling in the water.  I am a scaredy cat when it comes to sharks, stingrays and jellyfish.  This year I didn't do either, though.  Both Mom and Matt offered to watch Norah Kate while I went, but I felt pretty guilty about leaving her. 

Almost every day a thunderstorm would roll in.  One day it rained all day long!

Needless to say, I got stir crazy.  Norah Kate was not her normal self either.  She was incredibly fussy, did not sleep through the night any during the whole week we were there and pretty much refused to sleep in her pack and play.  She slept with me every night, which meant this mama didn't sleep.  I would try to put her in her pack and play but she would wake up and cry everytime I laid her down. I could hardly put her down during the day without her falling to pieces.  To top it all off, I think we went through a growth spurt because she was nursing throughout the night too.  Bless her heart, she was all out of sorts.

Matt came down later in the week and gave me some relief.  On Saturday, he watched her for me so I could get some much needed R&R.  I laid out by the pool and read The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks.  Matt would put her in her stroller and roll her around outside.  She would go to sleep every time!  I wish I could have found out that trick earlier in the week!

We cooked and ate a lot while we were there. I got addicted to the TV show Criminal Minds and watched The Vow. I fell in love with pluots (a cross between a plum and an apricot), and relearned to play the card game Speed. I went running one afternoon in the misting rain (which was much cooler than running in the blazing sun!) and almost got bit by a dog.

Saturday afternoon, me, Matt, and Norah Kate went for a ride to check out the local scenery.  Norah Kate got the best nap while riding in the truck; she slept the whole ride.  We stopped for ice cream, which has seemed to start up our new ice cream habit because I have had ice cream every day since then.  Saturday night, Mama and Daddy watched Norah Kate so that Matt, my brother, his girlfriend and myself could go to dinner.

Overall, it was nice to have some good quality time with my family and just to be somewhere with different scenery.  I am looking foward to vacation in August with Matt's family!

Amelia Island

Last summer, Mama and I discovered Amelia Island, FL.  It is one of those little beaches where I would LOVE to retire.  They have the cutest downtown, good food, and pretty beaches.  It is more of a quiet beach than PCB or Daytona.  We went for the day last year but we went Monday and stayed for the night.

Monday the weather was perfect.  It was hot, but breezy, so it was tolerable.

Napping on the beach Monday afternoon

Norah Kate loved the beach and the tide pools.  The tide pools were perfect for her because I could sit in them and hold her up.  She could stand in the water and not have to worry about waves knocking into us.

We looked like we were going for a week the way we packed, but I learned that's how all trips are with a baby.  Umbrellas, beach chairs, pack and play, stroller, cooler, over night bags, towels, snacks....

She smiled like this to almost everyone that walked by her while we were downtown.  She already loves being the center of attention!

Tuesday was a different story.  It was crazy hot!  The beach was starting to get crowded too, and there was NO breeze!  I don't think I have ever been to the beach and there be no breeze.  Even under the umbrella was miserable hot.  The only way to be comfortable was to be submerged in the water.  It was way too hot for Norah Kate. She was pretty ill and we were constantly taking her down to the water to cool off.  We stayed out for about an hour and then packed up and headed home.  She was so wore out she slept the whole way home (over a 3 hour drive!).

Next year I will be chasing her down the beach! :)