Water Park Fun

Two things I know about Atlanta.  First, they have horrible drivers...it's a combination of very aggressive and very non-aggressive people that gets very dangerous.  Second, they have great recreational options.  All kinds of parks, pools, and playgrounds.

About 20 minutes away from Buckhead, we headed to an indoor waterpark for the evening.  It was pretty tame for Kevin and I (only one big slide), but Camden had a ball. 

Kevin got the whistle blown at him for going down the kids slide.  Camden was fine after the first attempt with Daddy anyway...she also made other younger pals while there, so we only had to watch most of the evening.

We all enjoyed the "lazy river" pictured above.  It actually moved quick fast and was more of a rapid river.

Imagine It! Children's Museum

Monday was our first day without Kevin while he was at class (reminds me of my honeymoon).  We headed to the Atlanta Children's Museum.   Unfortunately, I didn't discover my camera was on the wrong setting for several pictures, so please excuse the blur.

The special exhibit is Clifford The Big Red Dog.  The whole island was recreated with each character having a special section. 

And Clifford himself made an appearance.

I loved the moon sand exhibit.  I'd seen this stuff in many stores, but had never played with it.  We both enjoyed it and I think a new purchase will be on the horizon in the near future.  We need some of this stuff for play time at home.

Camden was fascinated by the moving contraptions that allowed her to make plastic balls go up conveyors or be dumped by huge bulldozers.  More than an hour was spent between the moon sand and the wheels and cranks of the balls.

There was a cool "Paint the Wall" section.

Ta-da!  What a masterpiece!

This train exhibit didn't keep her attention but a few moments...sorry Yardmaster Daddy!

We stayed for a brief program.  Camden even got a small "role" in the production.

Finally, we found the water section and she fished and played for the rest of the time.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Haliana!

Fun and games (plus cake!) at cowgirl Hali's 2nd birthday party.

Bubble Gum

While Daddy was away, Camden acquired a new "skill."  For good or bad, she now can chew bubble gum.  There was a big bubble gum machine at the top of Stone Mountain and she showed off for Kevin.



Stone Mountain

About 15 minutes East of downtown Atlanta is Stone Mountain.  We headed there after the Zoo on Sunday.  This park is a beautiful recreation spot.  All kinds of bikers, runners, and families were enjoying the beautiful weather around this small mountain.

It is most known for the sculptured etched in one face of the mountain.  It was smaller than I expected (both the mountain and the sculpture), but still very impressive.



We drove around the loop at the base of the mountain and stopped at a terrific playground for a bit of exercise and stretching.



I had read in a tourist magazine that we were right in between "seasons" at the mountain.  The "snow mountain" activities had ended the week before and all the other main attractions weren't scheduled to start again for another few weeks.  However when we got back to the front of the mountain, we saw that the tram that took visitors to the top was running.  We had discussed hiking to the top (just over a mile), but didn't figure Camden would handle the trip (and neither of us really wanted to carry her), so we decided to enjoy the ride.

Camden handed in her ticket and boarded the tram.

Up, up, and away we went.  It was actually very quick and smooth.

We all loved exploring and climbing on the rocky top.

Downtown Atlanta (and another neighborhood - Buckhead) are in the distance.  Kevin's "home" is in Buckhead these 4 weeks.

We grabbed the prime, front seat on the trip down for good views and tried to snap a picture of the sculpture, but the sun caused a pretty good glare.

Camden showed, once again, that she is game for most things and has little fear of things like heights, speed, etc.



Zoo Atlanta

For one day, I will like Walmart.  They hosted $5 day at Zoo Atlanta...perfect timing!  On Sunday, we headed out early to catch this deal on the usual $21 entrance fee.  It was super crowded, but not miserable.  Because the entrance fee was so little, we rented a stroller for Camden.  Best.decision.ever.  It sure made negotiating the crowds so much easier.

My favorite stop of the day was the Parakeet exhibit.  We bought a food stick for Camden to give to the birds.

Another spot that gave us all the giggles was the kangaroos.  They were all sleeping, but doing so in the strangest positions.  These two lounged; others were sprawled on their back.

The playground in the children's area was also top notch.  It was probably the most crowded area, but Camden got a turn on the 4-seater teeter totter, which she loved.

The weather was sunny and beautiful in the high 60's - low 70's.  It was a wonderful visit.



Daddy!

Best thing about arriving in Atlanta...DADDY!

Getting good gelato in one of my favorite Atlanta neighborhoods, not too shabby either (although my top vote is still Daddy!).