The Georgia Aquarium

This was our spring break so I decided we needed to do something fun so, we went to the Georgia Aquarium and met up with the Athertons.  Here are some pictures from our trip of the animals we saw.

Baluga Whale

     

Jelly Fish

     

Sharks

    

Whale Shark

And a multitude of others.....

Reminds me of Pirates of the Carribean

Cute Otters

Piranha

These were Garden something or others. I can't remember the name, they make me think of snakes...uugghh.

Stingrays ~ Nolan using the "two finger" rule to touch.

 
  

And of course...our kids. Nolan and Emma Craig. Emily Atherton.

We headed home with all the kids riding in the Athertons car (they have a DVD player) and met up at a Cracker Barrel for dinner. We packed the kids in our car and had Emily spend the night. She was with Emma for moral support the next morning as Emma got her ears pierced. But that, is the next blog entry.

Hello...DHR???

I'm sure this is what my kids were thinking Saturday! Todd got them outside to tackle the rest of the leaves from the back yard. I came out near the end and used my wonderful new backpack blower to round up the last of the leaves so that they could bag them. Todd opened up a new box of 50 55 gallon bags and we had one left when all was said and done. I took a picture of the stack of bags for posterity. There were about 12 that belonged to our neighbors but the rest was ours. The bags really looked impressive when they were all on top of each other, I spread them out so that it would be easier for the garbage men (don't know the politically correct way to say that).

On friday Nolan had a party at Game Zone, the local laser tag place. Emma and I went shopping and Todd picked Nolan up. Saturday...they bagged. Emma then had a party saturday afternoon. The theme was a "backwards" theme. Emma had a great time and then we went shopping again after the party. On Sunday after church, Todd took the kids to his dad's farm in Calera. Nolan loves to get on the riding lawn mower. He's going to have a rude awakening when he starts mowing this summer for me, my mower is horrible and hard to push! I think Emma was also going to try out the riding mower. They often get $$ for helping out G-pa Dan so they love to go to the farm. 

Anyway, we had great weather and a very productive weekend!

Winter Storm of '09

The weatherman is calling for snow, in Alabama ... that can mean many things. Perhaps a light "dusting" where you look like you have dandruff. Maybe enough snow will fall to cover the grass blanketing your yard in a sea of white. On the other hand, it could mean that you get 17 inches of snow with 5' drifts! You never can be sure exactly which one will hit, this is why everyone runs out to buy milk and break when snowflakes are mentioned. Well, this last storm was actually what was expected... 2-4 inches and gone by early the next morning.

It just happened to start falling late Sunday morning. A few flurries fell as I made my way to work early, 6:00 a.m. The snow steadily fell throughout the day and was really falling by 10:00. I only had 100 kids throughout the morning and a handful of workers. 

Knowing I wouldn't make it home in time to see the "pretty" snow in my own yard (the kids were out playing in it) I took pictures at work to memorialize the day.

The building as I drove up to work.                   

One of the courtyards.

 

The tree outside my office door.

The drive down Briarwood Way.

Callaway Gardens~Fireproof your Marriage

This weekend Todd and I went on a couple's retreat through our Church to Callaway Gardens. We were supposed to be there by 7:00 on Friday night but because of a wreck on the interstate, I was more than an hour late getting the kids home from school. Emma also needed a site change for her pump so that put us at another 45 mins behind. We gave Big Jer the run down on how to handle everything, all of our numbers, and a basketball practice to get to.

By the time we arrived at Callaway that night, all the fun festivities were over. We missed the "who is your twin" game and the "Newlywed game". Since we were a part of the Newlywed game last year (and lost), we were not eligible to play this year. I did however help come up with a few of the questions that were asked. See how well you and your spouse would have done.

1. Name one other song played at your wedding, other than the wedding march.

2. If your spouse could chose one food to have over the weekend, what would it be.

3. What is your spouses' favorite catch phrase.

4. What one piece of furniture or item did your spouse bring from his bachelor days that you would want to see gone.

5. If you won $5,000 what would your spouse want to spend it on? (It can't be retirement or college)

6. What is the last book your spouse read?

7. How many years did you and your spouse date before you got married.

I can't remember any more...there were about 30 or so that they had to chose from.

Saturday we all met together and Bobby and Jan Parks talked with us about communication in a marriage. We had break out sessions where the men met with Bobby and the women met with Jan. This was an opportunity to ask any question that you needed help with. We also had notes that you could anonymously write questions on. Bobby then met with the women and Jan met with the men. We were able to ask him how men think and how we can communicate more effectively with them.

Near Callaway there is a place called Georgia Safari. A couple had gone before with their grandchildren and talked a group of us into checking it out. We had lunch on the park and then rented a van from them to tour the safari in.

All the vans are white with black zebra stripes. The windows have been taken out and bars put across. You could drive your own vehicle in the park and save the $15 for a van, but when you got a good look at the horn scrapes, drool, and general nastiness of the vans, I'm not sure why you would want to take your own car.

I think you can see a scrape on this van...

Most of the animals you were allowed to feed, we bought food in the store but some you were warned about them "pecking". 

This guy followed Dana for quite a while begging food...

All the animals get up close and personal...

this seemed to be the favorite pose of many, guess they thought it got them more food?

Someone was smart enough to bring towels, a lot of snot comes flying in when they are that close!

After the Safari, we went back to Callaway and watched Fireproof. We then went off the grounds to a restaurant for a nice dinner and more speaking time with Benny Parks.

We finished up Sunday with some worship time and then closing comments from Benny on what is good communication, how to have it, and how to practice it.

We came home a little after lunch time to find my dad packed and out the door within minutes. He said the kids were good but the fear in his eyes told me something else. We may have to chose our next outing a long time from now!  I ended up taking a 3 hour nap once I got home.

Until the next marriage conference...

Emma's B'day at Omas

We went to Todd's moms house on Saturday to celebrate Emma's B'day and Uncle Mamu's B'day. They were both born on January 15th. We had carrot cake for the grownups and cup cakes for the kids. 

Emma got the Wii Active Outdoor life thingy..

This is Todd and Emma taking on the Mine car racing game.

Nolan absorbed in his PSP.

Todd and Emma doing the Waterfall Challenge.

Uncle Mamu takes on Bart...

Emma at B'Ball

Emma is playing upward again this year. She has had a pretty good season and her shooting is improving. Todd is doing the Assistant Coach thing this year with Emma's Team.

Coach Craig with some of the girls.

This was a busy weekend. After the basketball game Emma was a part of Entertainment night.
I didn't get any good pics during the performance so here are some at the gathering in the fellowship hall afterwards.

Emma with Cecil Martin (she is the woman who does the Summer Showoffs and Holiday Showoffs)

Emma and her friend Emily

Emma and Caroline ~ she came to see her friends preform.

Emma is 10!

Today is Emma's Birthday. We are saving all the special stuff for Saturday when we do a ceramic painting party...but she did get to pick the place for dinner, so to the ihop we went.

Emma with the Smiley Face pancakes...

Goofing off with dad...

Nolan eating the leftovers...

My fam...