Some memorial day shots....

We had a great Memorial Day weekend.
We ate...and ate...and ate some more.
We got some running in (Carleton and I are beginning to conquer these hills!)and spent some time with family.

We went to the pool...and we took our kayak up to N GA and enjoyed some time floating in the river.

All is well....

More weather...

So....the third round of tornados hit GA on Tuesday night.
I've decided it is US...we are the bad mojo or something.
Seriously...when we lived in DFW...one hit downtown FTW AND one hit Arlington...the suburb we lived in.

Now, since we have moved...a tornado hit downtown Atlanta...and Tuesday night one hit WOODSTOCK. So...I'm starting to get a bit of a complex.

Anyhow, it was much easier to stomach. I put the kids in the basement with their bike helmets and a movie on my laptop. I stayed up in the kitchen cleaning up from dinner, listening to the news. Anyone who knew me in TX knows this is a distinct change from huddling around the powder bath toilet with all 3 babes...sweating under a mattress.

Lots of damaged homes, but no injuries with this storm. Thank goodness. And we ended up getting very little of the storm here at our house.

All is well this week. Justin has get-out-of-school-itis. Collin is excited about last day of school activities...and Blaire has a bit of a tummy bug. We have some minor house / yard projects this weekend...but are mainly excited about making turkey burgers and enjoying some lovely weather.

Here are the kids relaxing with a movie during the sirens. You can't see it in this photo, but our basement walls are covered with "art", courtesy of the previous children. It's hilarious..Numbers, letters, paintings...game instructions! When our home is an archeological dig in thousands of years, they will think they found hieroglyphics from an unknown civilization. Nope. Just your average suburbanites.

company and some hiking....

Anna and Rachel came to visit! Rachel turned 5 months while they were here. She's completely precious and I would say she has given me baby fever....but I seem to always have it anyhow! The kids really enjoyed her. Blaire did SO much better than the last time we saw them. Very little jealousy when I would hold Rachel.

Not only did I enjoy her company because she's Anna...but it was so fun to just visit with someone who knows me so well. I didn't have to start the conversation explaining...I'm kelly, I have three kids...7,4 and 1.
When you are new, you kind of feel like a broken record....telling the condensed version of who you are and why you moved here several times a week!!

We went and got treats at my sister's bakery, had lunch with my other sister and nephew...I drove her down West Paces, which I think is one of the most beautiful streets in our city! We spent plenty of time in adult "parallel play", LOL. Reading people magazines, watching tivo and playing with the babies. And eating brownies. Can't imagine a better way to spend some time with a friend!

Saturday we took our company and the family to Amicalola falls.

We didn't drag anna and the baby up, but we did have the boys (and Blaire, in the backpack) hike the WHOLE thing. From the visitors center, up to the reflection pool, then up all SIX HUNDRED steps to the top of the falls. It was beautiful. Collin was in awe when we were on the bridge that crosses the face of the falls. And what a trooper he was! 600 steps!! In a "just my luck" moment...the batteries I had so carefully remembered to bring (NEW, in package) must have been duds b/c my camera wouldn't work! The camera is fine (with newly recharged batteries)...but that is my last attempt at disposable rayovacs. So no pics of our hikers.

Anna and I got an unintentional free dinner Saturday night. We were dining on the patio of a restaurant in our (darling!)little downtown and asked the waiter to lower the awning a bit as the sun was in our eyes. Well, the 4ft long metal bar slipped out of his hands and hit me in the head. OUCH. So, 2 martinis and 2 chicken sandwich dinners were on the house. My head is fine, so we definitely got the better end of that deal!

Back to real life, making lunches and getting ready to return the hermit crab to his first grade classroom. We definitely had a full house this weekend!!
K

by the way....isn't the waterfall beautiful? Doesn't it make you want to come visit us?!?!
:)

Differences.......

Between the states......
GA:
Verdant
Hilly
Lower Property Taxes
Higher FOOD BILL (For real)
They TAX that higher food bill (really)...
Recycling is paltry compared to Arlington
The baggers @ Kroger think I'm a hippie b/c I bring my own bags. Really. They can't function. They put 1 box of cereal in each bag and I have to "help" them along...
Lots more PT cruisers on the road.
Still lots of Odysseys.
Everyone puts their kids on the bus. Even on the first day of Kindergarten.
There are traveling baseball teams in the FIRST grade. They have little "letter jackets" and all. Yikes.


In other news.....
I MISS MY FRIENDS!
:)
We are missing some Mexican food. We have found some that is good here, but you have to look a lot harder.

Just a little update!
Kids are great! Blaire is a big girl. 18 months! Talking a lot...in sentences. She runs really fast, but it's a girly, hoppy little run. Cute.
Collin is up to his usual. His newest love is bee catching. Seriously. We have lots of bumblebees and he likes to catch them in his insect habitat. Scientist in the making.
Justin is settling in to 1st grade. Attended his first birthday party today. Seems to be doing well. Just a few more weeks of school!!
K