Summer Arrives With a Birthday!

WOW!! I can't believe that it has been so long since I have blogged!! I honestly don't have a good reason for not keeping up with my blogging OR my reading of blogs. I guess I can only blame it on good 'ol "life" getting in the way! I am not sure why.... but, this month has been EXTREMELY busy!

I guess between it being the last month of school and then my deciding that it would be best if I quit my job and look for another one... time got away from me and I have not had blogging on my brain as much as I usually do!

When you are a teacher, you consider the day after school ends as the first day of Summer. So.... for me.... it is officially SUMMER!!!

This past Saturday was my baby girl's (Miranda) 20th birthday!! She has been asking begging for months to go to Atlanta and see "The Bodies Exhibition". So, I told her that I would take her for her birthday. She also asked to go to Lenox Square Mall and go shopping. -- I'm not sure why. We couldn't afford a thing! LOL! But, we had fun looking and "hob-nobbing" with those that can afford $500 purses. **Smile**

The Bodies Exhibit is at a place called Atlantic Station. I mentioned it in a previous blog post when David and I visited Atlanta a few months ago. When David and I went.... it was like a ghost town! So, I was surprised to find it bustling with people while Miranda and I were there! We had a great time!

The Bodies was VERY interesting!! Who knew that I would actually enjoy looking at dead bodies!! LOL!! Miranda is a pre-nursing student (she should find out soon if she makes it into the nursing program!! Keep your fingers crossed!!!) and for her Spring semester at school, she took Anatomy 1 & 2. She so enjoyed seeing these "bodies" and explaining all the parts to me! I learned a lot from her and was so proud of her and her knowledge that she now has.

We spent about an hour and a half touring the exhibit. After, it was time for lunch. She chose California Pizza Kitchen. Miranda chose the Jamaican Jerk Chicken Pizza. The pizza was SO GOOD!! I highly recommend it! We enjoyed our pizza while sitting on the patio and watching the people (Yes! PEOPLE!!) walk by. There was even a street magician doing magic tricks nearby.

After lunch, we walked around for a bit and then had our dessert at Cold Stone Creamery!! YUM!!!!!!!! This was SO not on my diet, but it was delicious!!!

Next, I really wanted to take her to the Ikea store because... #1 - I knew that she would love it!... and #2 - I love it!! **Smile**

I was right! She loved it! She bought a wire picture hanging "thingy" with clips to hang her photographs on her bedroom wall. (Sorry...Don't know how else to describe it!) I bought a blanket to drape across the end of my bed. It is navy blue. Unfortunately... I have learned that it is NOT the best color to use when you have two long-haired doggies, tho! **Oops!** Oh well.

We hurried home after "touring" Ikea so that we could be home in time for the "rapture". --- If you have no idea what I am talking about... let me know! -- We got safely home about 6:10pm. Whew!

No. I didn't take any pictures during our trip. I know that I should have, and I wish that I had. Miranda seems to think that I am a little too "camera happy", so I decided that I woud give her a break with the camera for her birthday!

My next adventure is tomorrow!!!! David and I will be traveling to Atlanta again with some friends to see JIMMY BUFFET in concert!!!! WAHOOO!! We will be traveling in a friends motorhome and tail-gating all day before the concert! It should be a BLAST!!! And yes..... I WILL take pictures!!! --- I promise!! **Smile**

Atlanta Trip - April 2011

Before all of the memories completely leave my brain... let me tell you a little bit about mine & David's trip escape to Atlanta last weekend.

We left the house on Saturday morning, about 8:00am. We arrived in downtown Atlanta right near 10:00am. Our first destination was Atlantic Station. (You can click on the link and go to the website.) It is an urban development where people can live, work & shop all in the same place. I had heard about it and wanted to check it out. Plus... Miranda really wants to go to an exhibit that they have there called... "The Bodies" and I wanted to FIND IT before I drove up there, myself.

David and I parked in the underground parking lot, under Dillard's. We took the escalator up to the ground level and made our way through the store to the street. The streets were basically empty! Hardly a soul in sight! We walked around for about an hour, checking the place out. There were mostly mall-type stores there and some restaurants. David is not much of a shopper, so we started looking for The Bodies exhibit so that I would know where it was when I brought Miranda. It took us FOREVER to find it! We finally found it UPSTAIRS on the second level!

Here are a few pictures that I took. You can see more if you go to the website. ---

The Cinema

Stores are on the street level and apartments are above. You can see Dillard's at the end of this street.

"The Bodies" was in an upstairs area.

We were rather disappointed with the area. We had planned to eat lunch there, but it was still only 11:00am and we were ready to go.

Our next stop was to the Ikea store nearby. It was REALLY neat! First of all... you have to park in the underground parking deck. Then, you have to make your way up to the store. It was like a maze trying to get there!

As we approach the store to look for parking.

Once we actually "entered" the store... it was like a shopping experience that I had never had before! It's hard to describe just how this store was displayed. You would have to see it in person to understand. Here are a few pics that I took inside the store of many of the kitchens that they have on display.

Here's David, checking out this beautiful kitchen! I really like this island!! Look at all of those drawers!

I liked the turquoise color choice for the cabinets and dishes in this one!

This "flowers" on this chandelier felt like they were made of paper! So different and so pretty!

I love the "country" feel of this kitchen.

I liked the color of cabinets in this one.

After wandered through Ikea, we headed for our hotel to see if we could check in, and we did! I wasn't very impressed with the hotel. The bed was quite comfy and it had a wonderful flat-screen TV, but I have gotten spoiled by the other MUCH nicer hotels that we have stayed at --- even tho this one was a 4-star hotel! Here are a few pics of the room that I took.

David and I have decided that we simply MUST have some "down" pillows for our own bed at home!

We were on the 11th floor, I think.

Yes. The TV was VERY NICE! -- Would love to have one of these in our bedroom at home, as well!

I love checking out the bathrooms at the hotels that we stay at. This one DID have a HUGE shower, which was nice.

The "lighting" in the bathroom was terrible!

Here are a few photos of the "view" from our room as well as some of the hall windows.

This was our view to the North.

Down below... right near our hotel... was THIS PLACE! -- It is a well-known, "Gentleman's Club" in Atlanta! LOL!

A view, south, towards the Georgia Dome where "my" Atlanta Falcon's play!

I took this picture for Miranda! --- She works for the Publix store, where we live!

Another view towards the Northeast. Somewhere over that way... past the buildings... is Piedmont Park. David and I walked there before we left on Sunday.

A nice view towards downtown Atlanta.

Once we checked into our hotel, we put on our walking shoes and exlpored the area... "Midtown Atlanta". We found a place to eat lunch and scouted out a place for dinner and drinks, later. We were in an area very close to the Georgia Tech campus, so there were LOTS of young, college students around. But, that was ok! I enjoyed chatting with some of them!

In the morning, we ate at Waffle House! YUM!! Their pecan waffles are the BEST!

We had a wonderful time pre-celebrating our 26th wedding anniversary (April 19th) and can't wait to go back again, soon!

A to Z Blog Challenge -- A & B

I saw this fun Blog Challenge on my friend Becca's Blog. I have done an A to Z Blog Challenge before, but this one is a little bit different. For this one... you have to name 5 things that start with the letter of the day and then write about them. If you care to play along... you can join in by clicking the link button on my side bar.

I am a day behind, so this posting will contain both letter A & B.

Letter A

Ashley

Ashley is my first-born daughter. She has a birthday this month and will be 24!! I am having a hard time accepting the fact that I have a child that is THIS OLD!! Of course..... I am not getting any older, myself! **Smile** It seems like yesterday that I was 24 years old!! Ashley was two years old when I was her age! WOW!

Anniversary

David and I will be celebrating our 26th wedding anniversary this month!! WOW! The years have flown by so very fast! We are planning on taking a weekend trip somewhere to celebrate. We haven't decided on just "where", yet.

Atlanta

This is the city that I grew up in -- Atlanta, Georgia. I was born in Columbus, Georgia... but when I was three years old, my Daddy was transferred to Atlanta by the finance company that he worked for at the time. I grew up on the east side of Atlanta in the county of Dekalb. It's funny.... David took a transfer 12 years ago with the company that he works for and now, I am right back to where I started from!! I love where I live now, but there are many things that I miss about Atlanta.

April

The month of April is a very special month to me. It is the month that I was married, bought my first house and my second, had my first child, and it is when nature comes back to life in all of it's beautiful Spring colors!!

All My Children

This was my mother's favorite soap opera. She never missed an episode! As I grew up, I became a fan of the show as well, and watched it as often as I could. Over the past few years, I have finally moved on and no longer watch it. My mother no longer watches it either. Since her stroke, she has a hard time focusing on TV shows and movies. I heard, just the other day, that All My Children's ratings were down and that the show may be canceled. This makes me sad, but I understand.

Letter B

Bananas

I have no idea why I am writing about banana's!! This is the one food on this planet that I do NOT like!! I can't stand the smell or the taste of them! Blech! Many people have tried to get me to "like" them, but I refuse! Yes... I KNOW that they are healthy and good for you! But... NO! I do NOT like them and will NOT eat them! You can't make me!

Books

I love books!! I would rather read a book about something than read about it online. Back before Christmas, I seriously thought about asking David to get me one of those electronic book "thingy's", like the Kindle or the Nook. But, I have thought about it since then, and have decided that I like actual books a whole lot better! Just yesterday, I purchased my very first copy of Tom Sawyer! I was at a little flea market near my house that I hadn't been to in a while and found a booth FULL of old books! I could have stayed there forever looking at all of them! (In fact... I may go back and look some more!) This is where I found the Tom Sawyer book. I can't find a "year" on it, but from looking online, I believe it is from the 1950's or 60's. If you take me to a book store, you will have a hard time getting me out!!

Bags

I have a "thing" for bags, too! I love them! I use them for everything. In stores, I am drawn to them. I certainly don't need any more, but if I see a cute one... you can almost bet that I will buy it!

Butterflies

My mother loves butterflies. I always think of her when I see one. She recently told me that she would love to have butterflies released at her funeral. I had never thought of this or heard of it, but isn't it a beautiful thought! I have no idea how I will carry out her wish, but it is something that I need to research.

Birds

Now that it is Spring, the birds are returning to my bird feeder! YAY! Yesterday, I saw a bright red cardinal and a chickadee! Birds are also something that my mother loves. All that I know about birds, I learned from her.