Last day in Georgia...

Before I tell about my last day, I have to go back and tell about this picture...it is blurry because we were driving in the car...home from the aquarium...there were about 10 or 12 of these segway scooters.  The man in front had on a red t-shirt that said "Guide."  He was speaking into a microphone that I can only assume was transmitting to their helmets...a tour of Atlanta on a segway..crazy stuff!

 Monday morning David wasn't feeling too well, so he stayed home from school and played with Jacob...their mom made a car track on the carpet for them to play...and David organized the spot with lots of things from around the house...

He did a neat and tidy job don't you think? 

 We did take a little outing back to Charming Charlies for a couple of more gifts, and Wal Mart for some treats for the grandkids!  Then we came home and kept going on our sewing projects.  It was a fun and productive day.  Very enjoyable!  Dale and Amanda had a gift card to a nice restaurant so we sent them out to dinner so Grandma could babysit one more time...LOVE IT!  I had leftover Cafe Rio (still just as yummy!).  After dinner I let David play Mario Kart one more time before I take it home...he had fun!

 Jacob watched him play and cheered him on...but he still wouldn't look at me!  He must just be camera shy...

 Bath time...blurry picture sorry...but they have these little tablets they put in the water and it turns the water colors!  Just the water, not the babies.  What will they think of next?  David picked pink for that night's bath...they splashed and got clean...

then posed for me in their hooded towels...yes Sister Stringham, they still use them!  (They were baby gifts for each of them...she does great work!) 

Next was Grandma's favorite...reading time!  They both have their cute little rockers and they picked out some books to read.  After they looked at books for awhile, they each picked some for Grandma to read.  So fun!

 I am going to miss these cute little faces!!!

 David gave Grandma his room, so this is where he "camps" in Mommy's closet!  He has his pillows and some of his "friends" to camp with him.  Grandma really appreciated David giving up his bed for her.  I don't think she would have done so well "camping!"  I'm sure he was happy to get his own bed back...

And that is the end of my wonderful and fun Georgia trip!  Tuesday morning I kissed and hugged them all good bye and got on a plane bound for Fresno.  Amanda and Jacob too me to the airport. It was raining and raining but my flight left on time and I got home safe.  Thank you my Georgia babies for letting me come and visit...I loved every minute of it and can't wait until we can be together again!!!

Sunday in Georgia...August 26th

 

Church is EARLY in Georgia!  8:30!  But these boys were up and ready!  Don't they look so handsome in their bow ties?  Jacob does not want to smile for me (big surprise)...but at least he stood still for the picture!

He's trying to give me the stink eye in this next picture!  It was fun to go to church with them.  It is fun to listen to people conduct and speak in church that have that nice southern drawl!  I got to see Dale's Aunt Billie and Uncle Larry again...they were both very sweet and welcoming to me.

 I got to sit with David in his Sunbeam class in primary for a little bit and got to see him get "spotlighted."  He's a good singer and it was fun to see him in primary.  Amanda taught Relief Society so that was a special treat for me!  She did a GREAT job!  I did not get to hear her "finale" as Jacob had a dirty diaper and Grandma got to go change him!  But she got lots of compliments after her lesson...it was a sweet spirit there and I was happy to be there.   After church they had a hometeacher come by, he was really nice and we enjoyed his visit, and then Amanda's friend and little girl came over for dinner because her husband was out of town.  It was nice to meet her and can you tell by Jacob's plate what we had???  Cafe Rio!  Amanda makes a great meal!!

 David had his own little table on the piano bench!  The food was soooo yummy!!

 Our dinner guests made "Pizookie" for dessert.  YUM!  Warm chocolate chip cookie, not quite all the way cooked, and ice cream on top.  Jacob loved it!  We all did.  She had these cute little pans you make it in...I might want to get me some of those!

It was a lovely Sunday and I enjoyed every minute of it!  Even getting up early!  Can't believe only one more day being with these cute little kids!!!

 

On a side note...I thought about my mom a lot on this day...4 years ago on this date she passed away.  Love and miss her every day!

Saturday is for swimming!

Grandpa wanted to make sure I got David a giant jar of cheese balls!  So that was a fun surprise when he got home from school (on Friday I think).  Grandpa sure likes cheese balls and he was sure David would too...he was right! 

 Saturday after Amanda and I did a little bit of shopping (she was helping me pick out some new clothes for work)...we went for a swim!

 David is a little fish...but he didn't want to take off his vest and show me how he could swim.  He finally did it and I took a little movie of it...he is doing good!  Jacob likes to stay on the steps the whole time and play.  Maybe next year he will be more adventurous...I kind of prefer the steps myself!

 He does put his face in the water...so he demonstrated that for me several times...

 Amanda inching her way in...the water was a bit cool at first, but felt really nice one you got used to it...

 Jacob's wet face! 

 Lots of fun toys to keep him busy and happy...

 David liked to play with the toys too...

 This is their association pool, but there is hardly ever anyone in it!  We pretty much had the pool to ourselves.  Three girls eventually came and they stayed at the other end of the pool, so it was like our own personal pool!  Don't be too shocked, but Grandma even ventured into the water! Looks like I could use a little bit more sun...ha ha...don't we all look cool in our shades? 

It was a very fun afternoon...then that evening me and the boys had pizza and I got to babysit while Amanda and Dale went to a ward dinner and talent show.  It was fun to give the boys their baths and read them some stories before bed...they behaved very well for me and I loved getting to have that time with them.  It was a very fun day but my week was coming to a close too quickly!  Only two more days...

The Amazing Georiga Aquarium!

On Friday night (Aug. 24th) we picked Dale up at work (NCR) and we went to the Georgia Aquarium.  A friend in their ward volunteers there and was able to get us in FREE.  That in itself was such a wonderful thing!  He also got us tickets to the Dophin Tale show which was about to start when we got there.  I wish I would have taken pictures!  It was AMAZING!  The boys were mesmerized and it was an incredible show!  There was no flash photography, but I could have gotten some shots...oh well, you will have to take my word for it...it was spectacular!  The trainers and their dolphins and all the things they did...it was so fun to watch. 

 

 Then on to the rest of the aquarium...I took a ton of pictures, and tried to limit what I put on my blog, but there are just so many fun shots!  So be prepared...you have been warned...here we go...

 It was fun to watch the boys...so many things to see!

 All kinds of frogs...from all over the world, and so many bright colors too...

 Some were very big and some were teeny tiny, and hard to spot, but we found them!

 There is a tank where you can pet the stingrays (and some other kind of fish, but I can't remember now...)

 You use two fingers gently, instead of one finger where they think you might be trying to poke them...

 They just glide through the water and you try to pet them as they go by...and there is a hand sanitation place to wash up when you are done...

 One fish, two fish...

 So many fish!

 A very fun part of the aquarium is this tunnel...you walk (or ride the slow moving walkway) and look at all the fish, sharks, etc. in this huge tunnel around you...can you see the boys' lobster shirts?  They were dressed for the aquarium!

 Jacob giving me the stink eye again...but he really did have fun...

 We had fun watching for the big sharks to go by...

 After awhile the boys were ready to sit on the walkway...

 Proof that I was really there...ready to catch Jacob as I was feeling sure he would fall off that rock!

 Here's Amanda swimming with the fish!

 Dale, Jacob and David tried it too...what cute little fish!

 It's hard to see in this picture, but these little colorful striped worm things were sticking up out of the sand, just waving back and forth like grass...so weird and a little creepy...ya know, I do not like the water or being in the ocean...probably because of things like this! (and the movie Jaws...that totally destroyed me ever going in the water!)

 There were just so many tanks and so many beautiful things to see...and of course, always time for a little snack as David is demonstrating here...fruit snacks!

 The jellyfish are the strangest creatures...amazing to watch...they have colored lights on them so it kept changing colors...David wanted his picture when they were purple, so if you look hard, you can see him in the picture.  No flash photography...

 In one room is another huge aquarium...it had Finding Nemo type fish in it...very colorful!  We found Nemo and Dory and all those other fish that were in the tank at the dentist's office in that movie...fun place to sit down and rest our feet and watch the pretty fish...

 David touching the sea anemones...two finger touch again...he did a great job and wasn't afraid!  Grandma would not touch them...

Dale took the boys through the tunnel to be in the "pen" with the Penguins!



 Here's Jacob!  Look hard to see a penguin!

 And David!  The penguins were little and cute, but my little grand-penguins are cuter!

 We spent a long time here and had a wonderful time.  We thank the friend who got us in, that was a huge savings...and we will have fun memories of this for a very long time! 

 Outside ready to leave...Jacob was tired by this point, can you tell?

But David was happy to pose with Grandma...one more pic to prove I was really there having a grand time with the grands!!!  Our aquarium visit was over, but Grandma's visit to Georgia is not over yet...more to come!