Every weekend in January, we've made good on our resolution to drive into Atlanta, trying a new restaurant with the kids and looking around neighborhoods we haven't been to yet. Well, usually Paul has been to them but the rest of us get a fresh look at our new hometown. Unfortunately, until last Saturday I forgot to bring a camera with us to document all the great places we've explored so far, which is why I haven't blogged about it before now. I know most of you are just here for the pictures right?
Truth be told, I'm on the hunt for a new neighborhood to settle down in, not necessarily now but sometime in the next year or so. A neighborhood closer to Atlanta, with more diversity in people, places, foods, etc., but still a safe enough distance from downtown to appease Paul and his imaginative views (which seem to be somewhat accurate sadly) of nefarious activity
inside the perimeter.
So far,
Marietta and Alpharetta are at the top of my list, primarily due to the above mentioned criteria as well as the fact that they are within decent driving distance to the zoo, museums, shopping malls, restaurants and other retail establishments that make a city feel closer to the home we left behind in Houston. I'm not saying I'm a city girl but I know after living two years out in the middle of nowhere land that I just wouldn't make it long in the country, even with the fastest Internet connection to facilitate my online shopping needs. Amazon is great but every once in awhile I NEED an Indian buffet lunch and a trip to an indoor mall.
Anyway, last Saturday I finally remembered to grab the camera on the way out the door, on our way to lunch, once again, in Marietta.
We went for a casual meal at a highly rated restaurant called
Blue Moon Pizza.

The pictures speak for themselves. Great pizza (did I mention we've been eating a lot of pizza lately?) plus the waitstaff were extremely forthcoming, even when I cornered one waitress in the bathroom for the rundown on Marietta housing, schools, and shopping. She gave me the goods, plus a great tip about
Forever 21 that I didn't get a chance to follow up on. Next time.


Isabella recently discovered black olives and ate 2 pieces of pizza herself along with the olives on all the slices in the picture above.
Devon seems to be anti-black olives this week, so he wasn't complaining one bit.

No trip in town would be a success without a stop at Trader Joe's. A true bonus of living in Georgia, since they aren't in TX yet. They have kid sized shopping carts which Isabella loved. Devon was just happy they have clean bathrooms (too many glasses of Root Beer at the restaurant). In Isabella's cart are her snack choices of dried snap peas and pistachios plus a bag of dried cheese tortellini.
How do you like her red mary janes? She might already have more style sense then me!

But not more shopping stamina. We frequently exercise the mantra
shop til you drop and she does...but usually way before me.
Well, she dropped (power-napped in her own words) on the hour drive home.
I managed to stay awake. Ha.
One more thing...the photo of my Valentine's day 3 present. Isabella got a cute frog puzzle but I forgot to take pictures. I got a heart-shaped set of measuring spoons, with sayings like a pinch of patience, a dash of kindness, a spoonful of laughter, and a heap of love on the handle.

Paul wrote inside my card that together he and I make a great combo meal. Awwww.