Dinner with Friends

Last night we went out to dinner with our good friends, Ashley and Gregg.  We have been friends for about five years and have gotten to know each other really well.  Gregg was promoted at work, and they are  moving soon. We are going to miss them!

                     Matt(his wife was home with sick kids), Raphael, Gregg, Ashley and me

We went to dinner at a restaurant called Local Republic. They don't take reservations, so we put our name on the list and went across the street to McCray's Tavern and had some drinks and appetizers.

The restaurant used to be a gas station, so it is really tiny and not many tables. It was crazy busy, but we finally got a table and food was amazing!

Gregg and Ashley

After dinner we went to Gregg and Ashley's for cake and to play some games. Ashley had the cake made in the shape of a cactus because they are moving to Arizona. It was so cute and tasted really good too.

We talked and played dominos until almost two in the morning. We had a wonderful night out with friends .

Sparks-A-Rama

Rachel goes to AWANA at a nearby church each Wednesday and loves it. She has made lots of friends, has had wonderful teachers and has learned many Bible verses.  Each week at AWANA they have a game time and play all sorts of crazy team games. 

In January, Rachel was asked to be on a team representing the second grade at an AWANA competion that involves several local churches.  Her team practiced all of February and this past Saturday was the big Spark-A-Rama. 

                                  Rachel and  her team waiting for the games to begin.

                         It made me laugh to see these boys all on their DS playing games.

      The church had two AWANA teams and both of them won first place! Rachel was so happy and very proud of herself and team mates.  After the games we went out to dinner to celebrate the big win.

A Day at the Zoo

Last Monday Rachel was out of school for President's Day, so we took the girls to the zoo.

We saw lots of pretty birds.

Rachel tried the rock climbing wall and we also rode the merry-go-round.

Rebecca loved brushing the goats in the petting zoo.

Rachel and Raphael on the train.

                                                        Fun day with the girls!

39 and Holding

Yesterday we celebrated my birthday. I turned 39 and still can't quite believe this is my last year of being in my thirties.  I can remember being eighteen and just wanting to be twenty one-- the time does go by really fast!

Raphael brought home two of the cutest little cakes ever. We had chocolate and carrot cake, which is one of my favorites. Rebecca put the candles on the cake and "helped" me blow them out too.  She kept telling me it was her birthday.

I decided for my birthday that I wanted to go out for dinner, so tonight we went to a fun Italian restaurant called Bucas.  I went to one in Minnesota last spring and have been wanting to take Raphael there ever since.  The food in really good and the restaurant decor is unique. All sorts of lights and pictures of Italy, anything Catholic, pasta, etc....very entertaining!

Going out to dinner with a two year old is a challenge and we don't go out very often with the girls. Rebecca started having a little melt down right when dinner arrived. I had the Kindle in my purse and we let her play with it while we ate. Thank goodness for technology!

I had a wonderful birthday. Lost of calls, emails and cards from friends and family and some wonderful gifts too.  My thirties have been good to me and I am looking forward to what my 39th year will bring for me and my family.  

Road Trip

Rachel was out of school on Friday, so I decided that I would take the girls and get out of town for awhile. We haven't been further than Atlanta since July and I am starting to have a case of cabin fever and needed to go somewhere.  We went to Macon, GA to visit the children's musuem for the afternoon.

I was hoping it wouldn't be too busy and we ended up being the only people there! It was a nice place and the girls had fun checking out everything.

                                     Rebecca loved playing with the cash register.

                                                                  Bubble station.

 There was an area to dig for dinosaur bones and a display about Leonardo DiVinci and his experiments.

         In the basement they had houses to show life in different countries around the world.

                                                               An outfit from Russia.

                                                                 Ghana, Africa

                          This sign was next to the restroom area- made me laugh.

After the museum we went to Dairy Queen for ice cream and I told the girls we were going to spend the night at a hotel. Rachel was so excited and couldn't wait to get to the hotel and go swimming.

                           

  We swam for about two hours and the girls had a great time.We went for dinner and then watched a little TV before bed.

 I was nervous about bedtime, because Rebecca still sleeps in a crib and I was going to have her sleep in a bed with me.  She did alright in the beginning and fell asleep quick.  Around midnight she rolled out of bed and it took till about three thirty or so for her to fall back asleep. She is a wiggle worm and was all over the bed.  This is how she was sleeping when Rachel and I woke up.

The girls wanted Ihop for breakfast and Mickey Mouse was there. Not sure why? Rebecca was scared of Mickey, but Rachel wanted her picture with Mickey.

It was a fun little trip and the girls did great. Hopefully we can take more trips around Georgia soon.

Number 23

                              Rachel with her teammate--the FireCrackers-- and coach.
A few months ago, Rachel decided that she wanted to play basketball, so I signed her up to play at a nearby church.  Rachel's only experience with basketball has been in P.E. class at school and I wasn't too sure how she would do.  She was the shortest and least experienced on her team. But she had fun and guess that is what matters.

When the coach handed out the uniforms and I saw that Rachel had number twenty three, I was hoping some of the "Michael Jordan magic" would rub off on her, but no such luck. Rachel didn't know who Michael was, so we looked at some videos on YouTube and hoped it would insprie her.

Rachel's favorite part of the game, talking with the other girls on the bench. She is a social butterfly!

      Last Saturday, they had their last official game and then a little party with trophies.