I have very fond and simplistic memories of Stone Mountain as a child. I remember standing on my swing-set looking at the mountain every afternoon, walking up the mountain weekly with my step-father, watching fire-crackers on the 4th of July at the Mountain, watching the Laser Show every summer, going to Stone Mountain summer camp every summer until I was 10, & even having picnics on the top of the mountain with my boyfriend once I was a teenager. All of these memories I have kept in a special place & never relived until last week....
Last Friday Jason's mom, Evelyn, was in town with our niece, Rebecca. Evelyn decided we all needed to have a family day at Stone Mountain & enjoy all the new attractions. I was pretty clueless as to what these new attractions could be and how much my kids would enjoy them - all I could envision was not wanting to push a two year old in a stroller up the Mountain. I shrugged my shoulders and decided a few hours at Stone Mountain couldn't hurt anyone & I would give it a try. Little did I know 6 hours after entering Stone Mountain we still had not done everything my kids could enjoy. However, after 6 hours my little munchkins were pooped, even though they thought otherwise. The only way we could calm them was to promise more visits in the near future. I had no idea there was so much to do with kids of all ages.
We started our adventure in a 'Farm House' sorting fruit (aka colored nerf balls). Mikel loved sending his fruit up a vacuum and watching them fall from the ceiling, Tennyson & Weatherly enjoyed gathering fruit in bags and shooting them with air guns at each other. Jason and I enjoyed climbing the ropes & nets, and sliding down the swirly slides. I felt like I was in Elementary school again. Weatherly and I would run through the 'Farm' squealing like little girls while the boys tried to keep up. We could have stayed in that 'Farm' for hours, but for Evelyn & Rebecca's sake we decided to move on.
Our next adventure was on the Stone Mountain Scenic Railroad. It was not quit as adventurous as the 'Farm House', but it gave us a minute to catch our breath and for Mikel to fall asleep. After the RR ride we went straight to playing Put-Put. It was a first for my little munchkins. It was so fun to see them try desperately to hit the little golf ball multiple times only in the end to drag the ball in the hole with their putter. They were so proud of themselves once it went into the cup no matter how they got it in there.
After Put-Put we all walked to the Tram to take us to the top of the Mountain. Tennyson was emphatic about NOT riding the Tram, so Jason stayed in a cafe with Tennyson while the rest of us went to the top of the Mountain. Mikel was not thrilled with the ride, but he dealt with it (not that he had much of a choice since we were packed in like sardines). Once we were on top of the Mountain Weatherly could not contain her excitement - she ran all around the top scaring me to death, however Mikel was the complete opposite. He HATED being up there, he even refused to walk another step at one point. If Evelyn had not picked him up Mikel might still be up there (he is as stubborn as his daddy!).
We finished up our day watching a 4D movie about a few people going to the center of the earth and having to find a way back. It entailed Parana jumping out at you, large venus fly traps trying to eat you, T-Rex running after you, & the characters hanging over a volcano that was about to explode. While you are watching this movie with your 3D glasses on your seat was shaking, you were being rained on, air was fiercely blowing on you & something was grabbing your ankles under your seat. It was a pretty intense 30 minutes. Mikel & Weatherly had to leave early, however Tennyson loved every second of it (with his glasses off - of course). I was impressed!
So next time we plan on going on a Duck Ride, going to the petting zoo, & seeing the Dinosaur Train exhibit - along with going back to the 'Farm House' & being young again :). I loved every second of our long hot day!!!
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