Staton Chics Hit Atlanta!

On Saturday, June 27, Mom and I boarded a 6:25am flight to Atlanta, Georgia for a girls getaway weekend! We had a ball and some great Mother-Daughter time together. Many thanks to a very cool Sandy for making this trip possible. I love ya Mom!!

Marriot at Peachtree Plaza

The awesome Marriot hotel at Peachtree Plaza, in the heart of downtown, was our home from Saturday until Monday. The hotel has 30 floors and Mom and I were on the 20th. The hotel itself is absolutely amazing, with glass elevators that speed up and down between floors, great restaurants, gift shops, and gorgeous architecture.

Mom in the cocktail area of "Sear", the main restaurant in the Marriot.

A shot from inside the hotel, from our breezeway on the 20th floor.

The front area of the hotel, which boasts a beautiful round fountain.

The view from our room of downtown Atlanta.

Centennial Olympic Park

In 1996 Atlanta hosted the Olympics. This park is the site of many of the events, and is dedicated to the athletes, spectators, and all who contributed to the games. It is unreal.

The spurts of water are shot out of circles that form the olympic symbol. Many children and even some adults enjoyed the refreshing water as we walked through the park. Temperatures were in the 90s the entire time we were there!

This piece of art in the park is one of many. The three people represent the early Olympics, the later games, and the most modern of events. The sculpure is 3-D in that you can see the other side of each person if you walk to the other side of the sculpure.

Lots and lots of water in Centennial Olympic Park.

Coca-Cola Museum

The Coca-Cola Museum was a blast! We learned about the history of Coke, how it is made, and the impact it has had all over the world for many years.

Mom and I with the Coke bear, the official mascot. He was so cute and a bit of a flirt!

Coca-Cola bottles from all around the world.

Memorabilia room.

At the end of the tour everyone gets a free Coke to take with them from this rotating sphere. Very refreshing on a hot day!

CNN

Touring CNN was an awesome experience. We actually got to see inside the newsroom and watched the anchor doing the news. We learned about how CNN operates and when we got back to the hotel that afternoon and turned on the TV, we saw the anchor reporting on Michael Jackson's death and other news...the same anchor we had seen live! The closest I will ever get to Anderson Cooper, I guess. I love him!!

Flags from all over the world hang in the CNN building, which also houses some shops, the Omni Hotel, and a food court larger than I have ever seen.

The tour begins as you ride up this escalator and into the globe. The escalator is only attached at the top and bottom, with no supporting beams in between. Originally there was an amusement park inside this building, which was the Omni. Ted Turner purchased it as it was going downhill and the rest is history.

Atlanta Aquarium

There are no words that will accurately describe the largest aquarium in the world. Anyone who gets the opportunity should pay a visit. The animals are amazing and there is an additional exhibit dedicated to the Titanic, with artifacts pulled from the wreckage and lots of interesting information.

Note the size of the visitors compared to the fish display.

Sea turtle waving to the crowd.

Dolphins. Need I say more?

Coral reef exhibit....pictures do not even begin to display the beauty.
My Mother is Awesome!!!! Thank you so much, Mom, for making this trip possible. All the attractions were great, but the time we spent together was the greatest part of our journey. I love you !

Mam-Maw

There are really no words to express the wonderful woman Mam-Maw was. She taught us all about goodness, hard work, growing flowers and vegetables, and so much more. She will be so greatly missed in our family.

Mam-Maw's cooking was wonderful, but especially her desserts. She always had a smile and was dressed to the nines, no matter what the occasion.

Mam-Maw loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren like only a grandmother can.

Thank you, Mam-Maw, for all your love over the years. Everytime I water my flowers or pick a vegetable off the plants on my deck you will be with me. I am so blessed to have had you for 41 years.