American Girl Atlanta!
Alexandria and I are huge fans of the American Girl collection. I adored them as a girl and she shares my passion. I love that the books are educational and teach her about history. She adores the dolls and has been asking for one for a long time. We don’t have an American Girl Store in Jacksonville, but there is one north of Atlanta in Alpharetta!
This was both of our first trips to the American Girl Store and we were very excited! Hubby went too because he didn’t want us to spend a living fortune. He practically had a heart attack every time he saw a price tag. He he he. They are a big pricey! The store was truly awesome. Every doll, accessory, and book imaginable lined their shelves. Alex and I were in girl heaven!
Alex poses next to the Kit Collection
Please, please, please?
How about Molly?
Well, I guess these will do!
We found a new book series to enjoy, a set of Kit paper dolls, and a few other small things. Hubby wouldn’t agree to a doll. “They’re just to expensive, Alex,” he said. She was a good sport about it and was happy for the books and paper dolls but a bit dejected she didn’t get a doll. She wanted one so badly.
We went to a lovely German restaurant in Stone Mountain Village for lunch and returned to the RV for rests. I told Alex I had one last birthday gift for her. When I handed her the long, wrapped box her eyes lit up with pure joy. She knew exactly what it was. She hurried to pull off the paper and screeched, “Rebecca!” Her very own doll looked back up at her with twinkling eyes. Alex was so happy she was almost crying. “This is the best birthday ever!” she cried with joy.
Alex and Rebecca
Alex and her doll are inseparable. They spent every second together the rest of the day. I hope she has some great memories in store with her doll. Every girl needs one. 
Mommy and Alex
Birthday Cake for our Snowflake Princess
Happy 7th Birthday!
I want some too!
Today was bitterly cold in the mountains, hovering in the 20′s and breezy. After our trip to the American Girl Store, we stayed in the warm RV until Hubby built us a roaring fire outside. It was blissful! When it got dark, we came inside for some birthday cake and bed time. Alex asked to stay up late because tomorrow’s her birthday and we agreed. She’s been busily playing with her Kit paper dolls and Rebecca doll for hours now. It’s been a very American Girl birthday and one she’ll not soon forget. I hope it was as special to her as she is to us.
January 3, 2012 | Categories: RV adventures! | Tags: Alpharetta, American Girl Dolls, Atlanta, homeschooling, Rv'aing | 2 Comments »
The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta’s Georgia Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the world, with over 60 exhibits, a musical, choreographed dolphin show called Dolphin Tales, and a 4-D Under-the-Sea presentation complete with splashing water and other effects. It opened in November 2005. There are more than 8.5 million gallons in its tanks and 120,000+ sea animals. Impressive, right? We couldn’t let our time in Northern Georgia pass without a trip to the famed Georgia Aquarium.
We drove to the aquarium first thing in the morning in hopes of beating the crowd. It was sooo cold! Barely above freezing and windy, we bundled up tight against the bitter winter air. The poor kids were frozen! We were shocked when we reached the aquarium and there were huge lines of people both waiting to buy tickets and waiting to get in with prepaid tickets. Our winding line had at least 100 people ahead of us. We stood out there for a good 30-45 minutes waiting to get tickets before proceeding through a purse check and a metal-detecting body scan. Interesting. If you go, keep in mind that the Georgia Aquarium is really, really expensive. Adult tickets are $29.95 each and children’s tickets are $23.95 each. Even after our military discount, we dropped a lot of money to get in. Ouch!
We were given specific times we could go to the shows, so we immediately headed upstairs for Dolphin Tales. The musical presentation opened earlier this year and is amazing. The story of the “Star Spinner,” a man who spins stories into the stars and whose ship was sunk by an evil sea monster. He must defeat the sea monster to raise his ship. Dolphins leap from the 1.3 million tank, dramatically flipping and magestically taking their trainers on high-speed rides across the tank. We were up close in the packed-auditorium and the show was truly amazing! The kids loved it. I think it was way better than Sea World!
Bella checks out the dolphin tanks before the showA dolphin!
Unfortunately, there was no photography allowed during the show. We’ll just have to keep it in our memories. I’m glad we went!
Next, we headed to our 12:00 show, “Deepo’s Undersea 3D Wondershow.” It was actually a 4-D presentation because there was splashing water, falling confetti, flashing lights, etc. “Deepo’s Undersea 3D Wondershow” was the story of Aquarium Guide Deepo, who knows nothing about the undersea life he teaches others about. He meets a orange fish and is magically turned into a fish as well. They go on an undersea adventure, meeting all sorts of sea life and learning all about living in the ocean. The moral of the story is cute and the characters are adorable. The kids loved it and it was just long enough to capture their attention.
After lunch in the aquarium (very expensive!!!), we began touring the exhibits. Cold Water Quest was first.
Derek and Alex check out an exhibit
The Beluga whales were fun to watch!
Cold Water Quest is home to four funny Beluga whales, two of which were competing for a play ring next to the exhibit’s glass. The large male, Beethoven, and the young Qinu both wanted the ring and stole it back and forth from each other. Beethoven loved swimming through his ring! A speaker also taught us all about the Beluga whales, their life cycles, habits, and needs. It was crowded but educational! We also saw penguins, lots of fish, an octopus, and more.
The Ocean Voyager Exhibit was absolutely awe-inspiring. We walked through an acrylic tunnel where we could see sea creatures all around us. These weren’t just your average fish! Giant Manta Rays soared overhead. Giant sharks and groupers amazed us. It was something you really have to see to believe! There were giant viewing windows all around the tank as we continued through the exhibit, allowing us to see a huge variety of creatures. The boys loved the sharks and shrieked every time one swam by. I liked the graceful spotted eagle ray. Alex liked the colorful fish and Bella fell asleep in her stroller. It must have been too much brain stimulation for a little girl! This was definitely my favorite part of the aquarium.
Ocean Voyager
Look at that!
Tropical Diver was so crowded, we didn’t enjoy it as much as we could have. Seriously, it was so thickly packed with people we had to wait a good 5-10 minutes just to get near to a display and then fight our way out. Some displays were so crowded we couldn’t even get near them! Of the things we did see, we enjoyed the jelly fish and the garden eels a lot! The colorful fish were fun too.
The River Scout exhibit was neat. I liked the intricate tree-like woodworking through the exhibit and the crawl-through portions for kids. The animals here weren’t much different from what we see at the zoos in Florida, including an albino alligator, a boa, otters, and fish.
Georgia Explorer offered lots of hands-on activities and a play area too. The kids touched horseshoe crabs, starfish, stingrays, and shrimp. We saw sea turtles and lionfish too. The play area was so cram-packed we didn’t even try it.
Overall, we loved the Georgia Aquarium. Although very expensive, the exhibits were well-kept and flush with sea life, the shows were world-class, and the facility was sparkling. It was an amazing experience! The only drawback was that the aquarium was sooooooo crowded. Looking at reviews on travel sites, this is a common complaint. I wish it had been less crowded because we would have had more time to enjoy the exhibits. We spent about 5 hours exploring the aquarium. By the time we left, the boys were tired and getting naughty. It was a good time to call it a day and head back to camp. Each of us had a great time.
If you’re ever in Atlanta, you should definitely check out the Georgia Aquarium! It’s something amazing, a true feast for the senses.
The temperature continued to drop throughout the day, and by evening it was below freezing. With hiking and outdoor play out of the question, we headed to Bass Pro Shops Atlanta after dinner. We love Bass Pro Shops and don’t have one in Jacksonville. It was a drive, but a fun way to spend a cold evening! After all, we needed something to do to keep the kids from driving us crazy in the RV all evening long! We explored, looked at some animals and fish, and had a shoot-out at the shooting arcade.
Alex warms up by a roaring fire!
Derek says, "Daddy, can we buy this?"
Daddy instructs the kids at the shooting arcade
I can’t believe how cold it was! The night was 22 degrees with a chance of snow. The kids slept snuggly in their beds, piled with blankets and tired out from an exciting day on the town. I think we made some great memories today! Atlanta is a great place for family fun! We’ve had an amazing vacation.
January 3, 2012 | Categories: Field Trips, RV adventures!, Uncategorized | Tags: Atlanta, Beluga, Beluga whale, Dolphin Tales, Georgia, Georgia Aquarium, homeschooling, Manta ray, RV'ing, Stone Mountain | Leave A Comment »
Happy New Year! I can’t believe 2012 is finally here! We’ve been talking about 2012 for years. Why? 2012 is the year we finally PCS out of Jacksonville. It’s been a far-off idea forever and now it’s here. Crazy! We celebrated New Year’s Eve by exploring Stone Mountain Park ALL day. Literally. Our first outing lasted over 5 hours! That’s huge with little kids! They all did awesome and each of us got quite a workout climbing these hills! Our legs are so not used to elevation (Florida is so flat!). We definitely got our 10,000 steps in today!
We started our morning at Summit Skyride, a steep ride in a Cable Car to the top of Stone Mountain, 825 feet above the rest of the park (there was a fence so we couldn’t fall off the mountain, don’t worry). The kids thought it was really cool to be up so high! We explored the rocky mountain top and saw Atlanta and the Appalachian mountains off in the distance. Stone Mountain is really tiny by Northwest standards, but it’s a neat mountain nonetheless. The Confederate carving in the side of the mountain was really neat! It was really, really cold up there, so we didn’t stay too terribly long. We caught the next cable car down the mountain and continued exploring the park.
Here's our cable car!
Arial view of Snow Mountain
Memorial Confederate Carving
The kids look out over the mountain
Shadow view of our mountain-top perch
The Kids Atop Stone Mountain
Atlanta Skyline
Next, we hiked down the mountainside to Winter Village, a city decked out with Christmas lights and selling all sorts of cool things. The hot chocolate was amazing and I found an adorable Father Christmas ornament for only 66 cents. We watched Polar Express in 4-D, complete with blowing wind, falling snow, spraying water, and shaking seats. Alex and Ethan loved it while Derek and Bella were a little overwhelmed.
The train tour was calling our name and we climbed aboard for a tour before lunch. We got adventure arm bands as part of our campground deal which allowed access to everything but the snow area (we had separate tickets for that). The kids love trains and really enjoyed the ride. I’m sure it’s gorgeous in the spring and summer when the trees have leaves. There wasn’t a whole lot to see in the winter. Bella fell soundly asleep in my arms for her morning nap. The older kids loved the bumpy ride.
Here comes the train!Weeee!
The boys love trains
Mommy and Bella
The winter landscape
After lunch, we headed to Snow Mountain! This was Ethan, Derek, and Bella’s first time with snow. Our passes gave us access to the sledding area from 1-3 pm and unlimited access to the free-play area. We hit up the free-play area first and the kids had fun making snowballs, sledding the small hill, and making piles of snow. It was kind of cool but when it’s 60 degrees out the coats and hats get very warm. Plus, the snow area was pretty small for the price (we got a great deal with the campground package but still). I hope next year we’ll be somewhere that has real snow.
Alex Loves Snow!
Hubby helps Bella walk through the snow
Ethan's snowballSnow!
Derek My Snow Baby
Derek had so much fun sledding!
The line for the giant sledding hill was huge and I wasn’t comfortable with Bella riding down it, so I kept Derek and Bella while Hubby took the older kids down Snow Mountain. They hadn’t been gone a minute when Derek said, “I done. Snow not fun.” Seriously? Bella agreed, holding out her cold, mitten-less hand, “Done.” Well, drat. We plodded out of the snowy area and back to the stroller. What would we do now? The conductor called, “Last call for Stone Mountain Scenic Train!” Derek’s face lit up and we ran to the train, dropped the stroller off in stroller parking, and jumped aboard just in time. Might as well! Derek was excited and it took up a good 30-40 minutes. We saw some deer this time too! Hubby and the big kids were waiting for us when we returned. They had so much fun on Snow Mountain!
We were all exhausted as we walked back up the mountain to the parking lot. My leg muscles were screaming! It felt so good to sit in the car and even better to collapse into bed in the RV. All the kids took a nice long rest. I slept too! I made the kids a quick dinner around 5:30 and got everyone ready to head back out to Winter Village for some evening festivities.
This time, the world was transformed into a winter wonderland. Everything was glowing with lights. The world twinkled brilliantly. It was truly the most amazing Christmas display I’ve ever seen and the perfect way to spend a New Year’s Eve. We watched a glassblower hard at work, drank hot chocolate, toured shops, and enjoyed the lights. We went on the train a third time to see the Christmas light displays adorning the mountain and listened to the Christmas story. When the train returned to Winter Village, the streets were packed with people. What was going on? We found a clearing and stopped for a moment. Music started playing and a Snow Angel flew down above the crowd! The kids’ mouths dropped open. She told a story and flew around a while….. and snow began to fall! Sure, it was artificial, but it was sure cool! The kids merrily jumped around catching snowflakes. Then a burst of colorful fireworks lit up the sky! The show lasted for several minutes and was spectacular. Derek was freaked out, “Mommy! Mommy! Save me!” I held him with my hands over his ears. Poor guy. For such a tough man, he’s sure scared of everything!
We got back to the RV hours past bedtime and with a car full of very tired kids. The evening was amazing. I unfortunately forgot the camera… but we’re going back again! January 1st is the last day and we’ll be there! This was the best New Year’s Eve we’ve ever had. Hubby and I were sound asleep by 10:30. No midnight revelries for us. We hiked for miles, chased kids through the snow, and had an absolute blast. Stone Mountain Park is an absolute treasure-trove of activities and family fun. I’m glad we made the trek.
Our Family in Winter Village
Stone Mountain Confederate Carving
January 1, 2012 | Categories: RV adventures!, Uncategorized | Tags: Atlanta, Georgia, homeschooling, New Year's Eve, RV, RV'ing, Snow Mountain Georgia, Stone Mountain, Stone Mountain Campground, Stone Mountain Skyride | 4 Comments »
After some running around to tire out the kids, some cleaning and storing stuff in the rv, and prepping for the road, we got back on the freeway around 10 am. Bella was sleepy and ready for her morning snooze (perfect!), Ethan quickly became absorbed in his coloring book, Alex played with a doodle pad, and Derek enjoyed his learning games on the iPad. We made good time and covered about 100 miles before Hubby made the mistake of mentioning food. You can’t tell a 1-year-old that we’re getting food “soon.” She doesn’t understand the passage of time and started crying for snacks. Thanks a ton. We drove past Macon (rhymes with bacon!) searching for someplace with parking big enough for RV’s and busses. That is really not an easy task. Anything too small and we can’t turn the behemoth around and get out. We finally spotted a Denny’s sign with “RV Islands” on the sign. Score! Unfortunately it was another 30 minutes down the road.. making it about 45 minutes after Hubby mentioned food. Bella screeched for snacks the entire time, which I kept feeding her, and the others complained they were “starving.” Maybe Hubby learned not to mention food until we physically see somewhere we can pull off? Let’s hope!
The terrain changed dramatically as we neared Atlanta, transforming from flat land covered in thin pines to rolling hills thick with firs. By the time we reached Stone Mountain, we were climbing hills so steep, I really didn’t think we’d make it with 5000 pounds attached to our rear. A vibrant lake peeked through the trees and Stone Mountain rose majestically overhead. We slowly climbed the hills and made it to the campground with about 1/4 tank of gas left (we had to refill in Metter… expensive!). The campground was gorgeous and nearly every lane was filled with RV’ers! Our site was a back-in next to the forest and within walking distance of a lake. Backing in was not fun and we almost hit a few trees but with a lot of patience and pulling forward and back we made it.
The kids immediately took off to explore the forest behind our spot, down a hill and next to a creek leading to the lake. It’s the perfect spot for a little exploration and imaginative play. Hubby and I hooked everything up (power, water, sewer), leveled the RV, and got out toys. We all walked to the lake, then plopped Bella into the stroller for some exploration. The hills were sure a challenge! We checked out the playground and went hiking. The kids ran themselves ragged but didn’t want to go in even when it was getting dark! Bella was so tired, Daddy carried her all the way back and Derek rode in the stroller to keep him from running off like a crazy man.
Campground Playground
Bella loved the slides!
Fun!
Mommy and Bella
Look how pretty the campground is!
Sassy Little Explorer
Hubby and I
The kids love running and playing outside!
We had hotdogs, beans, and corn for dinner in the RV and got ready for bed a bit early. Only Derek and Bella took naps on the drive and Ethan was quickly losing it. Hubby and Alex headed into town to get gas and pillows (we packed 4 and needed 6). I was happy to rest for a while too, going through pictures and reading a new book. A box of review books arrived in the mail the day before we left! Woohoo!
We’re excited to explore this great park. There looks like there’s so much to do! We’re going to have a blast playing in the Snow! Alex hasn’t seen snow since she was a baby and we lived in Kansas. The boys and Bella have never seen snow. This will be a real adventure!
December 31, 2011 | Categories: RV adventures! | Tags: Atlanta, Campsite, homeschooling, Recreational vehicle, RV, Rv'ing with kids, Stone Mountain, Stone Mountain Campground | 3 Comments »
Our kids are pretty rotten when it comes to road trips. Everything starts our fine and dandy. They’re happy, engaged with their books and activities, and talking merrily amongst themselves. After 2 hours, they begin to get restless. After three hours, they are beasts. The crying and screaming are annoying. The toys fly throughout the Armada and the tempers flare (ours and theirs). Our RV trips thus far have been close enough that we drive 3 hours max. Hubby wanted to take a trip to Stone Mountain, north of Atlanta, Georgia, this winter and I was skeptical. Stone Mountain sounded amazing, but it’s over 6 hours away from home. 6 hours! Ak! Bella screams in the car for a trip to the grocery store. The thought of 6 hours of her screaming really didn’t put me in the mood for camping.
We made a compromise: We would make a trip to Stone Mountain during Hubby’s Christmas leave AND drive 3 hours a day. How? We chose an overnight campgorund stop halfway through the trip in Metter, Georgia. It took exactly 3 hours to get from Jacksonville to Beaver Run Campground, a small but cozy campground in the middle of nowhere. There was a cotton field across the street and a dilapidated 1800s farm house on the property. The park was sparsly populated and was situated around a lovely pond. The kids and I enjoyed exploring and playing on the small playground. We chose the park because it got good reviews online, because it had a playground, and because of the open space to walk and stretch our legs. We were not disappointed.
Cutie Pie Plays With Mom' s Empty Coffee Cup on the Ride
Are we there yet? Are we there yet?
The kids were so happy to be out of the car, they could have ran and played anywhere. Derek was absolutely bursting with energy. We played and went on lots of walks that evening, then again in the morning before driving to Atlanta. Those kids have boundless energy! I also went for a nice run first thing in the morning, then took the kids on a walk. My legs get restless after sitting long as well.
Life is hilarious!
Who knew tires could be so fun?
Hubby at the pond
Happy Campers!
This RV trip is unique not only because of its final destination, but because we’ve never attempted a staggered trip before. We usually chose a campground, hookup, and stay there. This time we’re camping in Beaver Run for one night, heading up to Stone Mountain for 5 nights, and then returning to Beaver Run for 2 more nights so that we can visit Savannah. Our next two nights there will be free because Beaver Run participates in Tents for Troops, an awesome program offering free camping to military families. Woohoo! Considering the RV parks near Savannah got terrible reviews and Beaver Run is only 45 minutes from Savannah, it’ll be just fine. It was clean, friendly, and had great wi-fi!
My Little Explorers
Daddy and His Boys
Beaver Run Campground wasn’t the fanciest campground we’ve visited. Nor was it the largest, the most activity-filled, or and coolest. It did, however, meet our needs as a quick stop. It was well maintained and inexpensive and we felt safe staying there. There weren’t any creepy campers and it was quiet. We’d definitely recommend Beaver Run Campground if you need a quick stopover and are passing through Georgia.
The adventure to Stone Mountain, Georgia, continues!
December 31, 2011 | Categories: RV adventures!, Uncategorized | Tags: Atlanta, Beaver Run Campground, Campsite, Georgia, Metter, Recreational vehicle, RV, RV with kids, Stone Mountain | 4 Comments »
