Super Saturday

For many this Labor Day weekend, Saturday was all about the kickoff to college football, but for The Robertsons it was all about F-U-N (not that football isn't fun- I don't want any hate mail flooding my inbox! :) ).  If you happen to have read my previous post, B and I were committed to providing our Little Ms with a weekend just for them; one full of plenty of excitment.  You also may know (from "Family Game Night") I am constantly in search of things to do around Atlanta that would prove to be entertaining for the girls.  In my search earlier last week, I happened upon Callaway Gardens' 12th Annual Hot Air Balloon Festival.  Well, you know I jumped all over this- I have always wanted to take the hour and a half drive to Callaway Gardens and since my childhood, I have been in awe of hot air balloons.  After sharing this seemingly perfect event with B, we decided this is how we would spend our Saturday.  


At 5:00 a.m. we loaded the girls into the car in the hopes of making it to the gardens' entrance in time to see the hot air balloons lift off (which was to take place around 7:00).  In my "plan", the girls would sleep the whole ride there so they would not be tired for the big day ahead of them.  Well, you know what happens to plans when kids are involved...instead the girls spent this hour and a half eagerly anticipating our arrival to "Cawaway Gardens"- Miaese. :) 

We did manage to pull through the gates around our proposed ETA, only to find out that the hot air balloons were not going to be able to lift off due to weather conditions (apparently the wind was blowing in the wrong direction).  Nonetheless, a couple of the balloons made an effort to tether themselves to the ground, so all their disappointed onlookers could get a glimpse of these beauties in the sky. 

Hot air balloons were not the only "hot" thing going on at the gardens this weekend- there was plenty of fun for the girls to find themselves in. 


We walked through a car show where Mia found lots of "Annie cars" or "Miss Hannigan cars" (no denying she is my daughter- a lover of the movie Annie, just like her mommy :)).  We then made our way to the first of the variety of activities we undertook this day: 

Shuffleboard- our first time!!  And my, oh my, did they both LOVE it!

I think Mia found her new favorite pastime! 

Anywhere her sister is, Macie is happy! 

And, in Macie fashion...reinvented how things are to be done...

It was waay more fun!

We then headed down to the beach.  I think we've all missed having the sand in our toes...

...and building sand castles...

...and of course, racing around in the sand. 

Once we brushed our tooties off, had a little snack break, it was off to play some miniature golf- another first for both girls. 

Mia learned the "How-Tos" of Put-Put from Dad as Macie listened with eager ears. 

Macie cheered on her sis as she got the ball in the hole. 

As the girls played, I marveled in the simplicity and calmness of this moment.  I loved watching as Mia many times opted to pick up the ball to get it towards the hole, instead of hitting it time and time again (that's my girl), and as Macie chose to throw the ball instead of use "some stick" to hit it (what fun is that anyway?!).  My girls were having a great time and I was relishing in this uncomplicated, carefree moment of time while cheering on the best darn miniture golfers I have EVER seen :).

Macie led us to our next stop...

The train! 

This train may not have gone anywhere, but that didn't seem to bother these little ones.  

Mia even took a crack at being a condutor!  She rang her bell as she shouted back to her passengers, "Where would you like to go?"  Our reply, "To the North Pole to see Santa!".  Her rebuttle, "We're going to Daddy's work!"  And off we went, on Mia's train, all the way to Daddy's work...it took us "4 minutes, which is a short time" (words spoken by our precious conductor).  

After a long journey to Daddy's work, we made our way to the beach pavillion for a yummy lunch, a little cat nap for our youngest adventure seeker, and face painting (or arm painting rather, but who's being techincal)?!  

Mia had been waiting all morning for this booth to open...

so when it did, you can rest assured, we were first in line!

Both Mia and Macie were very proud of their designs! 

Our final adventure of the day was to head out on the lake for a little paddleboating!

In every sense of the word, it was a SUPER FUN Saturday, one that was filled with many "firsts" for our little smunchers.  The memories made today were many, and as much as I enjoy a good game a college football, I end my day confident- and in love- with the decision we made to spend it at Callaway Gardens!