A Weekend in Atlanta

Mary Varner asked Jim and I and all her grandparents for a trip to Atlanta to the American Girl Doll store for her birthday this year. We had talked about going at some point, and when she asked if she could ask for that for her birthday from all of us I started looking into it, and the planning began!  Mary Varner and I decided that going before school started back would be better because we could combine it with a trip to Mississippi to visit a few days with family.  We ended up going the weekend of July 31st.  B'B' met us in Atlanta to join the fun.

All their dolls are packed and ready for the weekend.

We stayed at a Marriot close to the mall where the American girl store and bistro are located.  The hotel went all out for our girls and their dolls.  They had their own check in which included a pink carpet walk, a personalized welcome letter, and a V.I.G card (Very Important Girl) that they could use to pick out a snack from the snack bar.

After we checked in the hotel, I had to figure out how to get to the Georgia Aquarium.  Papa Doc and KK had given us the tickets for 5:00 on Friday evening, and we did not get finished with check in until 4 o'clock.  Well, I was not thinking about the horrible Atlanta traffic when they purchased the tickets online.  We left the hotel at 4:30 knowing that I might be a little late.  Well, the traffic was the worst I have ever seen in my life, and we did not get to the Aquarium until 6:00.  By the time we got into the Aquarium from the parking garage, the last dolphin show had already started and we could not go in. I felt really bad because we all had been looking forward to seeing the dolphin show, but we still had a great time for the remainder of the evening looking at all the amazing things at the Aquarium. 

One of our favorite parts was the Aquarium tunnel.  It felt like you were walking through the middle of the ocean.  Sharks, sting rays, and all types of sea life were swimming all around and above us!

Another awesome huge aquarium.  The girls were mesmerized by the big whale shark with all the other fish swimming around it.

Another big shark- those are children sitting on the floor on the left.  

The Beluga whales are all white, and very playful.  

When we got back to our hotel, they had delivered milk and cookies for the girls and their dolls. Thank you BB for booking this awesome hotel!!

A big buffet breakfast that was all decorated in pink for the girls was part of the hotel package too.  

After breakfast, we drove to the American Girl Store and Bistro.  

Both girls got their doll's hair styled at the doll hair salon.

Showing off  her doll's hair style

New hair style for her doll too!

While we were walking around the mall we saw Anna and Elsa!!  They were taking pictures with whoever wanted one.  Well, of course we had to have a picture with them!

Mary Varner really wanted to eat at the American Girl Bistro for her birthday.  This was mine and Jim's part of Mary Varner's gift for her birthday.  By the way, Jim asked Mary Varner if she wanted him to come on this trip, and she told him that it was a girl thing and that he probably shouldn't come.  He agreed, and that is when B'B' decided to join us.

MV with her dolls ready for supper

Janey and her doll Jane are excited too

For dessert, they brought out cupcakes for the girls to decorate for themselves and their dolls.  As they brought out the cupcakes they also sang, "Happy Birthday", to Mary Varner.

Mary Varner used her gift card from Grandaddy and  Nana to buy one of the historical dolls named Julie (1974).   At first she picked out accessories for the dolls that she already has, but then put it all back and decided on Julie.  Janey had some money still leftover from her birthday and other things that she had been saving and used it to buy a doll outfit, and doll pet kitty.  We really had a great weekend, and Mary Varner said she loved her birthday gift from her family!!