HOT-lanta!

This weekend was the Hinman Dental Convention in Atlanta. Tom had to be there Wednesday, so we had girl's time with Daddy gone. The night before Tom left we were trying to get everything ready so we had a late dinner. The girls were entertaining themselves in their favorite place, the pantry, while we were finishing cooking. Ella calls the pantry her office. Audrey follows her everywhere so she loves to go in there too. I opened the door to find them raiding the Girl Scout Cookies. I couldn't help but laugh since it was our own fault they were starving!!

Early the next morning we had to take Tom to the airport really early. I went to grab my planner that has all my credit cards and my driver's license. I couldn't find it anywhere. We left for the airport and I searched the whole house and NOTHING. The girls and I were heading down to Atlanta to meet Tom on Friday and I had no money!! Or License!! I hurried and cancelled my cards so that I could get replacements overnighted, then hurried to get a replacement license. Thursday I had a training, but it gave me a day to get credit cards.

Friday morning we got up and headed to Atlanta. The girls did a remarkable job traveling. The girls started to get a little tired of the car about 2 hours into the drive (halfway) so I found a McDonald's sign thinking I would let them run around and get some food at the same time. Of course, I found the only McDonald's WITHOUT a playground. It was still rather early for lunch around 11, so they charmed all the old people also out traveling. They danced around the restaurant for a good half hour.....literally. Thank goodness they are cute and several of the other diners clapped for them. We got to Atlanta and I realized that I left the camera home! Oh well. Tom was still working, so we went across the street from our hotel over to Olympic Park. We played in the Ring fountains, trying to avoid the spouts of water. We didn't get wet besides mist but it sure was fun for the girls. They played for a couple hours.

Saturday we planned to go to the Aquarium. We were within easy walking distance. I got there and it was insane!!! There were Disney-like lines. It would have taken us an hour or more in line just to get tickets and then they were selling tickets for a few hours out. I should have planned ahead and bought online, but with young kids that tends to bite you later. Olympic Park has a great playground area though, so I took the girls there and we played for a few hours then they played with toys in the field area and just ran and ran. They were loving the great weather and being outside. After the show, we loaded up and headed home. It was a little harder drive home. Part of the freeway was shut down so Audrey was not having a great time. We sang lots of "Wheels on the Bus" and "Old McDonald". It settled her down pretty quickly. I think on a whole, the girls really did a great job traveling. It gives me hope for our long flights to Las Vegas in June and Utah in July.

Ella's imagination kept her entertained the entire trip. Lately Ella has her hands in fists almost constantly. She does everything with her thumb and first finger while keeping the other three clenched. She has imaginary things she is constantly holding. Sometimes it is a jaguar (thanks Diego), some type of food, etc. If you ask her to open her hand to hold your hand, she will take her imaginary item out of one hand and juggle it to the other hand. HILARIOUS! Today she was squatting down and I asked her if she was pooping. She told me "No mommy. I am sitting on a blue chair. Do you want to sit?" She stood up, turned around, picked up her "chair", walked it over to me and put it down in front of me. Her imagination is always running. Add that to her photographic memory and she is a crack up. Which brings us back to Ella's office in the pantry. I decided to clean it out today and in a corner I found my missing planner. I needed a new driver's license anyway. My other one had my old address. I guess she really was playing WORK this time.