Atlanta ~ Day 8

Saturday, December 27. Our Atlanta trip had come to a close. Our flight didn't leave until 9:20 PM. We flew on Delta for the first time ever and possibly the last time ever. I will avoid, at all costs, having to fly Delta Airlines in the future. Our flight back to Denver was worse than the flight out ~ but, Ben didn't get sick this time. The flight was delayed 1 1/2 hours out of Atlanta, not because of weather, but because one of the flight attendants had an "accident" and they were waiting for a replacement. Huh? That's a first. Then it took us 1 hour and 15 minutes to get our luggage after we landed in Denver. I realize this time of year is always difficult, but it was midnight in Denver and the airport was nearly empty except for the few Delta flights stuck waiting around at the baggage claim. Holly came to pick us up from the airport and had to wait all that time, too ~ sorry, Hol. We didn't get home until 1:30 AM. I was very tired and very angry. We did not have a good experience on Delta Airlines for either flight.

On another note, I was thinking of all the fun things from our Atlanta trip. I know there are many more, but these are a few that stick out in my mind:

• Playing Wii ~ Lily and Cailey kicked butt in bowling!
• Eating TONS of good food ~ It was "calorie free" week :o) But, somehow I think I gained 10 pounds :o)
• Carne Asada!!!!
• Ugly Christmas Sweater party ~ Juli and Robert's friends are really fun!
• Hearing Lily and Ben say they are "best friends"
• All four kids playing so nicely ~ I still can't believe how well they all got along! Ben says his favorite part was, "Playing nicely with Lily" ~ I swear, his words totally! That is cute.
• Playing "cooking" with Ben and Lily
• Playing "school" with Ben, Cailey, and Lily ~ Lily was the teacher and boy did she take her job serious :o) I joke that Cailey and Lily compete for high-ranking diva-dom in our family :o) They are such girls.
• Lily's reaction when she opened gifts, "OH MY GOSH, OH MY GOSH. IT'S JUST WHAT I WANTED. What is it?"
• Being there to see Dane learn to say "CHHHEEEESSSSE" with a big cheesy grin!
• Christmas morning! ~ Cailey's favorite part
• All 10 of us packed into the truck for our drive around Lake Linear to look at all the light displays!
• The Christmas Village and the live Nativity scene at Lake Linear, plus the hot cocoa (BONUS!) and cotton candy (Ben informed us that that is his favorite part about the carnival!)
• The sudden Georgia DOWN POUR OF RAIN at the Christmas Village ~ it was the craziest thing I have ever seen
• The funny face camera program on Robert's computer ~ Cailey and Lily laughed so hard playing with this program; making bug eyes, big chins, pink hair...
• Matching PJs
• The MARTA ride from the airport ~ we get a five year cap on talking/complaining/bringing up this topic...yes, Juli...Scott and I decided five years would be sufficient! HEE HEE :o) :o)
• Driving around the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights ~ hearing Ben get really excited about the palm tree light display in front of one house.
• Listening to music in the kitchen while we cooked ~ how many songs are there about Julie's? :o)
• Our "European" style Christmas dinner ~ we had a three hour delicious dinner of salad, steak, mushrooms, potatoes, asparagus with hollandaise sauce and, or course, lots of wine :o)
• Friday night at the Irish pub ~ playing pool and listening to live music by a young guy that sounded a lot like Grandpa Rich...ahhhh, memories.
• The Georgia Aquarium ~ we went early only to find a huge line...but the line was much, much, much longer when we left later in the afternoon.
• Skype-ing
• Noodle Art ~ my new favorite thing!
• Re-connecting with a sister and her family. Love you, Juls.
• Making memories to last a life time.