Movie Night

This Saturday night, we planned to stay in and have a family movie night.  We made popcorn on the stove and cued up The Lion King, one of Elizabeth's Christmas gifts.  Elizabeth was really excited about movie night... until about twenty minutes into the movie, when Mufasa died and Elizabeth began sobbing.  She either cried or had her little bottom lip out for most of the rest of the movie.  She wanted to keep watching, and we wanted her to see that it has a happy ending, so we soldiered through.  I hope no permanent psychological damage has been done.  Ironically, when she got up this morning, Elizabeth asked to watch it again.  Today she didn't cry, but when asked if she liked the movie better this time, she said "not really." 

Making popcorn the old fashioned way

Happier times (first two minutes of the movie)

 
We have had a lot of cold and rainy weather here over the past two months.  We had to resort to the play area in the mall the other day for entertainment. 






















































 Elizabeth brought home this drawing from school on Friday.  I had to laugh when I saw that her cousin Jack has been named an honorary member of our immediate family.  Also, I am twice the size of John.

 Enjoying a cake pop from Starbucks as we begin our Target shopping trip.



















 Finally!  A sunny, warmer day in Atlanta.  Post-lunch photo at "the restaurant with the green doors" (aka La Paz in Vinings).  Yes, we go there a lot.

Party Animals

After not one, but two, Valentine's Day parties at school (overachieving parents brought in too much food), Elizabeth helped John organize another party on Saturday morning - a birthday party for me!  We had cake, balloons and presents first thing on Saturday morning.  John had set Elizabeth loose in Target to choose a gift for me, and out of the entire store she came up with a water bottle and a can of tennis balls.  I couldn't love anything more!

Painting a birthday picture for Mom

Visitors and Tree Planting

Mimi and Grandpa stopped in Atlanta this weekend on their way down to Siesta Key.  We picked Elizabeth up at school on Friday so they could see her school and meet her teachers and friends.  On Saturday, we had a food tour of Atlanta: Souper Jenny for lunch (complete with Jane Fonda sighting in the parking lot) and Watershed for dinner (sweet potato creme brulee: OMG!). 

Elizabeth and Mimi reading Peter Rabbit

Last week, Elizabeth brought home from school what looked like a giant stick, but what was in fact a baby Persimmon tree.  Her class had an arborist come in to talk about trees and he gave everyone a little tree to take home.  John helped Elizabeth plant her tree in a pot today.  When it gets big enough, we will transfer it somewhere else in our yard. 

I never thought I'd say this about Atlanta, but I'm ready for the cold to move on and for spring to arrive.  I have already started purchasing Elizabeth's Spring 2013 wardrobe now that she is starting to grow out of all of her pants and shoes.  We are ready for shorts and sundresses!