A - Camping We Will Go

A few weeks ago we went camping with our Sunday School class.  Have I ever mentioned how good for my soul these people are?  Life savers, I tell ya.  So we planned this AWHILE ago just so we could get everyone there since there are probably about 10-12 families.  That's a lot of people to coordinate - especially when some families have 4 kiddos.  We chose Stone Mountain as our camping location of choice.  Have I ever mentioned how much I love that place?  So though we planned this forever ago, we didn't anticipate the FREEZING cold temperatures.  And I'm not exaggerating.  It was literally below 32 degrees.  Doesn't matter.  It was so much fun.  Want to act like you were there?  Here you are!

 The view from our campsite during the day.

Dusk.

Sunrise.  Clearly, I didn't take this picture.

Do you see the cuteness we were camping with?! I had a conversation with Matt a few weeks ago that if I were to steal a child it would be one of these two.  I mean, seriously.  Look at the cheeks.  They're even cuter in person because their voices are all cute and they chubby and they want to hold your hand.  Adorbs.  P.S. I'm not stealing any children.  

Of course we had to go to the top of the mountain!

Bucket List

Matt had us create a Bucket List of things we wanted to do before we move.  Then I accidentally threw the list away in the trash can at the Kroger parking lot.  So we recreated the list to the best of our knowledge. Anyways, this was an addition of Matt's - it will be apparently in a minute.  There are is an Etowah Indian Burial ground near us and Matt wanted to see what it would be like.  It was like giant piles of dirt.  That you had to climb up.  At least there were stairs and at least I counted this as my exercise for the day.  I think Matt really liked it, I'll have it one thumbs up.

This is a replica of what the huts would have looked like back in the day.

 The mounds from a distance.

 The little mound as seen from the big mound (which I think was 9 stories tall).  It was used as the cemetery, but then also people lived on top of it.

 This is where I imagined them playing football.  Matt tells me this is in fact where the other people in the village lived.

The middle-sized mound.  

Shockingly enough, apparently the tallest Etowah Burial ground is in Illinois.  Who would've thought the tallest anything was in Illinois!

Color Run!

The first weekend of April I participated in the Color Run with my friends Rebekah and Amanda.  If you haven't heard of the Color Run before here's the run down (pun intended).  You run a 5K and at each color station (every 1K) you get covered in a powder of different colors.  The first one is blue, then orange, pink and then yellow.  Before the race begins everyone is given a color packet and you save it for the very end.  Once you cross the finish line you immediately head over to this on-going dance party and throw your color packet up into the air - kinda like your hat at graduation.  Now the race isn't timed and there's so many people there that you can't REALLY get an awesome time - it's more about getting off your butt and having a good time.  We were able to jog the whole time, but had to dodge people and slow down a big until we could maneuver around them.  Also, you have to slow down at the color stations, too, if you want to get a good coating on you.  It's kinda funny because as you're coming up to each color station you see a cloud of powder looming around it.  Super fun and I recommend it - even if you're not a seasoned runner.

Christmas at the Happiest Place on Earth

We continued our tradition of going to Stone Mountain for Christmas again this year.  I love this tradition.  So many Christmas lights!  And it doesn't matter what your age - you can get excited about Christmas being just around the corner.  We tried to do the things this year that we weren't able to last year.  And here they are!


First was the Holly Jolly Caberet.  It was a little sing-a-long show.  It was funny and you got to sing Christmas carols.  Perfection.

This is the play The Christmas Story - Stone Mountain-style.   It was HILARIOUS.  Worth being drizzled on during it.

There were a few famous figures there, too.  Only half of us were excited about getting our picture taken with them:

 Matt does this every year.  He's very predictable:

 Here's a picture of Stone Mountain with some of the twinkle lights!

Are you ready for some football?!

Heck, yes, I was!  Matt and Nigel chipped in on some football tickets for me for my birthday.  Yup, I got to see Peyton play.  Best. Day. Ever.  Matt said he had never seen me so excited about anything in my life.  I talked about it for days.  Weeks, really.  Too bad they didn't win.  But guess what?  Didn't care.  SO MUCH FUN!

 Right on the 50 yard line!

 Oh man, oh man!

THERE HE IS! 

The Greatest Place on Earth

I've got two words for you.  Stone Mountain.  Best place on Earth.  Might be a stretch, but it's Georgia's version of Disneyland.  And while we were there it had a Christmas theme to it.  Doesn't get much better than that.  Except that it does.  Matt said we could go back when it's dark so we can REALLY see all the pretty lights.  I'm starting to think we might not now because of all the house stuff, but one can only hope.

There's other stuff to do besides all the Christmas things.  The South won't let go of the Civil War so it's basically a theme park-type facility dedicated to that era.  There's the carving (pictured above), a plantation house, museum, some sort of boat.  You can hike to the top of the mountain which gives you this splendid view of the city:

Our batteries died while we were there so I don't have many pictures, but next time we go, I'll make up for it!

Katy and Josh Head South

JOSH AND KATY CAME TO VISIT!

Yup, I just shouted that because, yup, I was super, stinkin' excited for them to visit.  So was Matt.  So was Nigel.  This was the first time that all the siblings had gone on vacation/staycation together.  No adults allowed.  I mean technically we're all adults, but I don't think we are when we're together.  Based on the pictures below, I will assume you'll agree.

Katy and Josh arrived Friday night.  We took it easy and had dinner at home and took Nigel to the dog park.  It was a little warm so the little guy wasn't super crazy, but he still got some good runs in.  Here he is getting some camera love.  P.S. Nigel got a lot of lovin' over the weekend.  Josh and Katy can't get enough of him.  Neither can I. 



Saturday morning Matt and I had already signed up for a 5K before we knew Josh and Katy were coming down.  Off we went to that bright dark and early.  My time wasn't my greatest, but it was the hilliest course I'd run so Josh and Matt assured me that my time was respectable.  After the race we came home to a sleeping house.  Which was fine because it was 8:30 in the morning.  We decided that Saturday we'd go to an outlet mall about 30 minutes away.  The boys would later regret this decision.

Josh looks stoned in this picture.  Mom, I assure you that he is not.

That night we took Josh and Katy to Matt's favorite restaurant - Taco Mac.  Josh was equally in love with the place.  Katy and I went as a thank you for going shopping with us.  At least that's what we thought.  Until we ordered this.

It was the best chips and queso we'd ever had.  So good that we had to order it twice.  See those tortillas on the left.  Genius. 

That night we stayed in and this is what happened until 2 a.m.:

So we were told.  Katy, Nigel and I went to be at midnight.  The boys took it upon themselves to practice their "sniping skills" should they ever need them in real life.  So noble of them.

We didn't get up until 11 a.m. Sunday morning.  That would've never happened if there were any adults in the place.  But since we're not adults we're allowed to sleep in to almost the afternoon.  And since Josh and Matt aren't adults they proceeded to do this. 

Please note that this is where they stayed for the next 5 hours.  Also, this picture was taken at 1:30 p.m.  Matt was still unshowered and in his pajamas.  See, no adults here.

Katy and I went to another mall that afternoon.  We had planned on going to a movie that evening, but I think the boys decided they were content enough with Call of Duty.  So Katy and I decided to make it a bit more tolerable to watch them play their game.  Enter these beauties:

A portion of our CD collection from back in the day.  You'd be surprised how much you can tune out (gun shots and boys shouting, "I've got your back, brother!" "Dang it, I just got sniped" and "They're playing like a bunch of girls") when singing at the top of your lungs while holding remote controls up to your mouth as a microphone. 

The boys said they were going to cut off the video games at midnight.  Please remember that Matt had to go to work the next morning and Josh and Katy were going to be driving 10 hours.  At 12:45 they were still playing.  Needless to say, Matt skipped his morning run and Josh and Katy didn't get on the road until 10:45 since I couldn't get them out of bed until 9:30 a.m. 

Such a fun trip and we never even made it into Atlanta!  Maybe next time we can do more touristy things.  Or you can just play XBOX and Katy and I can sing to Celine, Britney, Mariah and Disney songs.  I'm down with either.

Skeeter Bites Bite

I've found the one thing I hate about Atlanta.  Mosquitos.  It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that I get at least one new bite each time I go outside.  I just got done counting and I'm at 11 bites.  Ask Matt how many he has.  Zero.  Zilch.  Nada.  So I looked up why some people are more susceptible to them than others.  According to all the research I've done here are the more "at risk": men, those who are overweight, those with type 0 blood, sweet smelling sweat and hairlessness.  Seriously?  I can't change my blood type.  Maybe I'll stop shaving.

Loves.

It's been nearly two weeks since arriving to the Peach State and here are our favorite things about the area so far:

1) The Big 90's Weekend - We heard it when we were down here last time apartment hunting.  It's a radio station that plays only 90's music on the weekend.  Yes, that means BSB and *NSYNC.  I bet you can guess what I'm listening to right now.  I included the link so you can listen online.  You're welcome.

2) The Roswell Dog Park - literally a 10 minute walk from our front door step.  Super-convenient.  In fact, we have a date there with the neighbor's dog in about two hours.

3) House hunting - No, it's not ALWAYS a kick in the pants to look at all the houses and they sometimes run together.  But when you stumble across the most delicious house that is within your price point AND only a 20 minute drive to work AND has an updated kitchen AND a porch (that possibly wraps around) AND has a fireplace in the kitchen?  Where do I sign?

4) My sleeping buddy - Nigel has always slept with us.  But we have a new routine now.  Matt gets up around 7:30-8:00 in the morning, walks Nigel, and Nigel gets back in bed with me.  And we snuggle.  It's a win-win situation.  I get to sleep in and Nigel gets pure snuggles.  We were made for each other.

A Tour of Our New Home!

Hi all!
     We've made a video tour of our new apartment for everyone.  This is so you have a good idea of what our little piece of Georgia looks like.  Can't wait for everyone to come see us!

Love,
Matt, Jenn & Nigel

The Lawsons Went Down to Georgia

Moving is exhausting.  I don't remember any of my previous moves being so tiring.  Of course, I have more than twice the stuff I used to have thanks to May 15, 2010.  However exhausted we are were, we made it to Georgia and are settling into our apartment.  A video tour of our humble abode will follow, but for the time being, here is the sequence of events for the move. 

1)  We loaded up our containers.  It was a tough one, but we squeezed it all in.  Seriously.  We've gotta lotta stuff.

2) We packed up the last of our things during our last few days - toiletries, clothes, cleaning supplies.  Nigel.  Yup, we found him like this.  Apparently he thought we'd leave him behind. 

3) Matt threw out his back the last day.  Sometimes I wonder if he was just trying to get out of packing.  He's smiling in the picture, but not out of happiness.  Out of embarrassment that he could sit up any further than the position he is in the photo.  My poor, old husband.

4)  We said good-bye to Charlottesville...

5)  ... and hello to Georgia!



Home Sweet Home (for now)

 

We've signed a lease!  We will be renting for 6 months - and less than that if I have my way - from Autumn Ridge before buying our first home in Georgia.  During the trip to Atlanta we narrowed it down to three different complexes.  None of them would have been bad choices, but since we went more the 60 days before moving they weren't sure of their availability.  So we checked back in with them this week and made our decision.  For anyone who is familiar with my past apartments, the complex itself reminds me of the one I had in Indy (very nautical feeling), but the individual unit reminds me of my apartment in Savoy as well as the residential feel.  This one will be much more spacious, though - two bedrooms and two bathrooms.  That's right... for any of you who wish to visit, you'll have your very own suite.  Just don't expect wake-up calls or mints on the pillow.  :)

P.S. Yes, you're right.  The apartment's website is a bit dated.  It's a smaller outfit so I doubt they have a huge marketing department.  But that's why we liked it so much.  Much smaller complex means much more personal.  I mean, have you ever heard of an apartment having a community breakfast?  I didn't think so.

Move Update

So this is what was decided on the trip to Atlanta this past week:


1) We're renting in Roswell.  Alpharetta is much more expensive, not any closer to work and the apartments are the same size.

2) We're going to do a 6 month lease on an apartment to give us time to find a house and then move into said house.  Three months seemed like we'd be cutting it close.  I will be a grouchy girl if I am not in a house by Christmas.  Mark my words.

3) Charlottesville's apartments are way over-priced and we're excited about paying less for more. 

4) Neither one of us are baseball fans, but after going on a PRIVATE tour (we got lucky) of Turner Field we are excited about attending our first Braves game!

Hot-Lanta

You'd have thought we were moving to the sun.  Pull yourself together, Nigel, it was 52 degrees!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow?

Am I the only one who gets giddy after seeing this report from The Weather Channel (which, by the way, is headquartered in Atlanta, GA)?  Let's do some math.  To-date-snowfall equals 5.9".  This is 4.1" over the norm.  Assuming I know how to subtract (you know what happens when one assumes) this means that generally at this time of the year Hot-lanta-ites should only get about 1.8".  Heck to the yeah.