Atlanta, GA

Last week, I headed to the Atlanta, GA area.  One of my goals this year (before I turn 40 in :gulp: a day) was to see both of my godchildren.  One lives in Fort Benning (1 1/2 from Atlanta), the other lives in Tampa (6 hours away).  Both mama's agreed to meet me so I could see the kiddos AND spend time with them.  Group one is my friend, Maurine and her 4 kiddos and mama.  This was the first time I got to meet Aurora (who turned 1 a few days later).  I held her, got to hang out with the boys, and explore the area a bit.  We stayed in an area about 30 minutes outside of Atlanta called Stone Mountain.  It's a state park (I think?) that's centerpiece is the largest slate rock in the world, only 10% is outside of the ground.  You can hike (no) or take a tram (yes) to the top and walk around and enjoy awesome views of Atlanta and the surrounding area.

There are all sorts of areas (suspended bridges, dinosaur themes, water play areas, there was a large bug exhibit this go 'round, in the winter there is a snow hill, and in the fall a pumpkin patch-ish area).  We spent some time in the 'historic' area where you could walk through old houses, churches, schools etc to see what life was like a hundred years ago, play with some games on the lawn etc.  

They had a petting zoo on site.

And we happened to be there when they had fireworks, though they have a laser show every night during the summer, and throughout the whole year.  

The next day we spent at the Atlanta Aquarium.  Get the early bird tickets (arrive before 11) online, we didn't (whoops) and they only have a set number that had sold out by the time we realized it was only online.  It said the aquarium takes 3-4 hours, and it's right next to the Coke museum (right across the lawn), but we actually took 7 hours.  There were several great shows, and my favorite was a tank you could ride a conveyor belt under while enormous sting rays, turtles, sharks, and whale sharks swam all around.  

This is the best picture I have to show how enormous those whale sharks are compared to the people.

They had a room where you could sit and just gaze at this enormous tank, and divers went down and did a talk every hour or more.  It was an amazing aquarium with so many things to see and do that are included in the ticket price, and a lot of 'extra's of behind the scenes with the animals you could also add on to your day.  They had a food court (pricey), but worth stopping for lunch for us.

Next up, my friend Regan and goddaughter, Micah picked me up and took me to their historic home on Fort Benning's army base where Regan's husband currently serves/works.  We spent time doing day to day things, but it was really fascinating b/c the base was a training base for airborne army men and women, so we got to see them practicing different 'jumps' and rappelling down lines to practice their form when exiting a helicopter.  Maybe it's more fascinating to me b/c jumping from anything is on my list of 'never.'

After a few days, we abandoned the nugget and Regan and I went to Atlanta to see the New Kids on the Block.  You either know, or you don't, but there is no concert like a NKOTB concert.  I've been before (and even went earlier this year), but it was Regan's first, though we have loved the band for 30 years and it's all we talked about the first 10 years of our friendship (and still could probably occupy too much time if we let it).

There was confetti, fireworks, 80's music, and lots of screaming women, we were two of them.