Julie and Randy: Early Christmas Trip

For an early Christmas gift, Randy gave the family a trip to Atlanta. The library system has a program with the Atlanta Zoo that if a family checks out and watches a video, they are given free family (4) passes to the Zoo! Perfect for our trip. This was a great first stop for Sabrina as she was getting wiggly in the car on our drive.

Momma and two five month old pandas. The youngster on the back wall is playing with the water dispenser and at one point was sitting in it.

Birds were very interactive. They liked the flashes from cameras and were very curious and would come right down to Sabrina's eye level to see her.

Could not resist posing with this Silver Back Gorilla statue.

Happy Meerkats!

Next to the zoo was the Cyclorama but it was closed.

To our delight we found the Jimmy Carter Museum and what a beautiful tribute to his contributions to the United States and the World! We laughed when we saw that Air Force 1 was nicknamed "Peanut One" and the pilot was named Jimmy Carter, too.

The Oval Office!

The view we usually see of a President.

The engraving on the desk was beautiful!

I wonder how many ceiling designs we miss because we don't look up.

Beautiful!

The quotes on the walls were so inspirational: "We've fought fire with fire, never thinking that fire is better quenched with water." Jimmy Carter, 1977

About here we looked at our watches and noted we had about fifteen minutes to get through the second half of the museum before closing. Yike! So, we didn't take photos of the Nobel Peace Prize or the Pulitzer. We did leave very impressed with a new perspective in all the great contributions Jimmy Carter made as a President and after his term in office.

After a good night's sleep and a nice breakfast at the hotel, we went to the Georgia Aquarium. We arrived right around opening which was the best time. The crowds did not show up for a couple of hours so we were able to see the tanks clearly. After looking at the coral, Sabrina is looking at a map to see where to go next.

Beautiful but don't let them sting you! I love jellyfish in tanks and to watch them effortlessly glide through the water. However, Sabrina who has been stung is always reminding me that they sting and keep away from them.

Several spots in the aquarium fish would swim all around. Some places even had windows in the floor.

Sea horses!

Festive Christmas decorations looked like jellyfish and water from the fixtures.

This cool concave window allowed us to sit back and look at the inside of the tank from outside.

We sat here for a long time.

Whale shark is actually not actually a whale. It is in the fish family and huge!

A ray.

Sea dragons are very similar in appearance to sea horses.

Penguins!

Beluga whale.

Beautiful!

Tetras!

Hanging out by turtles.

Albino alligator!

Eel?

Bright fish!

Hello!

We were not allowed to photograph during the dolphin show but afterwards we "met" this star of the show in a tank behind the stage. The show was fabulous! I am always amazed at how dolphins can swim, flip, walk on water and how they build a bond with their trainers. Shortly after the dolphin show we started our four hour drive back to the apartment.

Christmas morning Sabrina was thrilled to find this teddy bear under her stocking. She named him Flinx right on the spot. She must have heard the saying that if you name it, you get to keep it!