Hotlanta or bust.......

After a few weeks of catching our breath from our England trip it was time to enjoy a weekend with great friends and venture to Atlanta....after our successful Mountain Trip we couldn't wait to plan our next adventure and what an adventure it was.

Again we decided to not tell the kids where we were going or who we were going with....trust me 5 kiddos all bubbling with excitement before a road trip weeks before we leave was not something I think I wanted to handle.  Friday came and our friends met us at our house, after a quick switcharoo of kids in cars (we have Boo Boo and her best friend, while our friends had Bambeano and their twins) and off we went.

We had a busy but fun week end planned, hotel and pool, Coca Cola factory, Braves game and Georgia Aquarium were all on the agenda.  After a pit stop on the way for bathroom breaks and a stop at the mall for our Braves gear, we arrived at the hotel and checked in.   It was way past my lunch and those who don't know me should know when I don't eat I get cranky as ever!!!!!  I am not exaggerating just ask Bombshell and after this trip our friends can probably attest to this too.  A quick drop off of bags we made our way for a late lunch at a local pub that Bombshell had spotted driving round to the hotel, ahhhhh the refreshing wine and food NOW I was a happy camper.

We walked a few blocks down to the World of Coke and made our way to the entrance.   Damn this place was busy.... I am not sure how I felt about the place.  On some aspects I felt like cattle being herded from one exhibit to another, they obviously have not got the Disney memo.   The kids seemed to enjoy it so that was the main thing especially when it came to try the various drinks, the place was a mad house, it was a special treat for some of the kiddos who do not normally have the treat of soda.

After the hustle and bustle of the World of Coke we made our way back to the hotel to get ready for our next adventure a Major League Baseball game, Atlanta Braves vs, Philadelphia Phillies.  So with the cars in valet a call was made to have the cars brought round while we started to get ready and then we would make our way to Turner Field, or so I thought............Bring on meltdown #2 for the girl who hasn't eaten.

Our friends car made it round and some of the kids were bundled in while we still waited for my car, 5 minutes nothing, 10 minutes nothing, 15 minutes nothing so I went to the desk to ask about my car and if it was coming anytime soon.  Just when I thought I would not experience any more madhouses I was never  more wrong.  There was a family reunion trying to find out where their two rental vans were, one had "disappeared".....hmm not a good sign....finally I got the attention of an attendant and asked her for a status on my car, she asked my ticket number and disappeared, it looked like she went to the board of car keys but alas my car keys were not hanging there so without giving me any update she proceeded to the back of the office (where I could still see) and started to talk to the "runners" who collect the cars and the "runners" were glancing back at me....ARE YOU KIDDING ME not so much of an update!!!!!!!

Finally I collared another lady and told her that I was not being told of anything related to my car, she proceeded to call up to the main entrance and try and describe my car and keys.  I was just about done with all the mayhem and heat (we were in the underground garage).  Finally Bombshell had this "bright" idea that as there were 4 vehicles all the same model as mine we would go up as one was bound to mine.....Considering none on the key chains she described were mine I was not as hopeful.  Sure enough after traipsing back upstairs round to the front not only were there no vehicles the same model as mine but mine was NOT there, how's that for a surprise, they lost my car!!!!!!

Back downstairs we went and en route I received a text from our friends confirming they could see my car, it was now miraculously found.  I was so mad, hot and disgruntled I grabbed the keys from the attendant who had the gall to gleefully say "we found your car" and stormed off, and no I did not leave a tip, are you kidding me, this took about 30 minutes of my life away!!!!!

We made our way to Turner Field and parked, the place was bigger than I imagined and there were so many fans.  The last MLB game I went to was NY Yankees in 1994 when Bombshell and I were living in White Plains, NY.  Our seats were a far walk away but when we got seated they were great views.  The kids were in front and the adults sat behind.  Braves came away with the win and we stayed for fireworks.  It was touch and go whether we were going to leave after the 6th inning and make our way back to the hotel.  You see our hotel rooms both faced Turner Field, but as it turned out the kids wanted to stay.  I am torn on whether this was a good idea or not, the fireworks and atmosphere of being there was phenomenal and the kids made the jumbo tron but the exit from the parking lot was not the best experience to say the least.

The next day we had to be up fairly early as we were meeting the manager at the Georgia Aquarium.  The food service and catering is run by the company Bombshell and I work at.  The place was huge and enjoyable from the start to finish.  Lots of great educational pieces for the kids and the exhibits, especially the
Ocean Voyager with the underwater tunnel after taking in about half of the exhibits, grabbing some lunch and letting the kids run off some steam, we decided to make our way back to the hotel for some pool time and chill before returning back to the Aquarium for the Dolphin Tale Show.

While I chilled at the pool our ever so resourceful friends and cooked up an idea to consume the adult beverages we brought with us on the trip.......Welcome the new Deer Park "chardonnay" water only available on a Bowden/Woodward road trip.  So while we enjoyed relaxing on the side of the pool we also enjoyed some quiet time enjoying our chilled wine while the husbands entertained the kiddos, this is what I call HEAVEN :)  Thanks guys we owe you.....

So after some quick showers we left for the Aquarium to catch the show and finish off the exhibits before dinner.  I really enjoyed the dolphins but could have done without the theatricals and singing but it was still good.  Of course before leaving we had to hit up the gift shop Bambeano and Boo Boo both getting cuddly toys, for a shock while I scored a Christmas tree ornament and Bombshell bought we a stuffed toy too, how sweet.

Dinner choice was picked by Bombshell it was a little Italian pizza place that he had tried out while he visited Atlanta on business.  He raved about the place so we were all up for trying.  Must be good if the have a police officer outside directing traffic and parking it was that busy.  No frills here just BYOB and find a table.  We arrived and the place was heaving and we had 5 hungry kiddos but with pizza how wrong good you go. We entered and made our way to the kitchen out back where they had large bench tables family style.  SO the 9 of us sat and waited patiently for others to leave and seated at a table where another party were at the end.  Bombshell ordered the pizza and no joke 5 minutes or so the pizzas arrived.

Most people now my husband is a trained chef and loves experimenting and trying new foods.  I on the other hand am the most pickiest eater there is, just call me plain Jane.   I will admit since I started dating Bombshell some 18 years ago he had broaden my palette but I still like my comfort food.  So the pizzas arrived a cheese one for the kids and the some others, that I shall call froo froo pizzas.  Our friends and Bombshell started eating while I sat and sulked....I just wanted my plain old pepperoni pizza.  The kids were fast running out of the cheese and Bambeano also wanted pepperoni.  My super husband stopped what he was eating and went up and ordered another "plain Jane" pepperoni pizza, ah the things he does to make me happy (or should we say to have an easy life, I prefer the 1st option)

So after dinner we made our way back to the hotel and decided to give the kids a  treat and take them back down to the pool for a late night swim.  The adults enjoyed some down time with adult beverages again and just chilled.  After some time we took the kids back up to the rooms to get them settled while the guys went for a drink at the hotel bar.  I was exhausted and it wasn't long before I fell asleep.

The next morning we had to get packed up and leave our 2nd road trip adventure behind.  I later found out that the guys returned back to the room sometime after midnight and could not get in the rooms.  With the rooms joining the just took one key but it turned out Mummy safety mode was in full force as the security bolt was placed over the door.  They tried and tried to wake my friend up even calling the front desk to call the room with no success so it resorted to banging the door VERY loudly until one of us woke up, three guesses it was NOT me......I slept through the whole thing :)

All packed up and ready to go we left Atlanta behind and started thinking about where we could have our next road trip and when......THANKS GUYS for another successful road trip it was a blast

Let the Craziness begin.......

Wow what a whirlwind few weeks...........  Soccer for Boo Boo, a flood at the house, an awesome mountain trip with some great friends, basketball ends for Bambeano and so now it begins.......SOCCER SATURDAY BOWDEN STYLE....

So as you have read the Bowdens have been busy and I know I said I would promise to update with the mountain trip but with the flood and kids activities life escaped me....maybe again as the saying goes "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" only our was "What happens in the Mountains stays in the Mountains" especially given the fun, hot tub, tubing in sideways snow falling, amount of alcohol consumed and not forgetting waking up to being snowed in.......

So since the trip we have come back to a huge bump of reality, busy work weeks filled with soccer practice and week ends filled with kids activities and house repairs from the flood.  Bombshell has been a tad handy in that department and after receiving the insurance pay out has taken is hand to making some repairs himself.  Namely repairing the roof of the garage, which looks great I might add.  the carpet has been repaired and new padding installed, now it is just waiting for the new vanity cabinet that was ordered and Bombshell will make himself useful in the bathroom.

Kids are doing great in school so much that we have booked flights for England for me and the kids for a good long 3 week break that will include a trip over to my uncle's house in Ireland which I am really looking forward to.  The kids have never been so it will be great to show them areas that I grew up around.  The last time I visited was a year after Bombshell and I were married in 2001 so it is a well over due visit.

So last week was the official opening week end for Bambeano and his soccer,  He has been itching to get out on the field even more so since Boo Boo has been playing since the end of January.  The first game was going to be an interesting one....a new division devised to try and eliminate the oh so young 4 year olds playing against the giant looking nearly 7 year olds.  We decided to leave Bambeano in the newly created Under 7 because despite his skill level (with 18 goals last year and 21 last season) it would be a big adjustment for a 6 year old to play on a bigger field against some kids that were nearly 9 with kicks to match and that was the determining factor to keep him in his right age.

So Saturday came thick and fast, first up Bambeano, as Boo Boo's game was on a Sunday, nothing like to start Soccer for the Bowdens double doses.  I was looking forward to the game as I felt it would be evenly matched with kids all being equal in age, boy was I wrong.  You can tell a difference when a team has been together for a while.  Bombshell was coaching 5 of his 8 kids for the 3rd or 4th time so needless to say the kids knew how each other played.   So off was Bambeano for a run, as the pictures show

Daddy watching on as Bombshell tackles 2 

He breaks through

Add he is off for his first goal of the season

We got off to what i thought was a great start with Bambeano scoring twice for a 2-0 lead, then things got ugly on the side lines and Mama Bear unleashed.......a parent saw the great run that Bambeano did to then go on and score and made the comment that he was in the wrong league.....I kept quiet knowing each parent had their own opinion and it wasn't as though i wasn't used to it, parents had been saying it all last year even though he was 5 and 6, but some how it didn't stop there, not only were they talking loud enough for our parents to hear but they started with the ugly comments.....

"he is in the wrong league"
"WHAT are you telling me he is 7"...."We need to say something they are cheating"
"Well he can play an age up and that is what they should have done"
"Yeah why wouldn't you play up guess they want all the trophies and winning"

OH NO YOU DIDN'T....this was my breaking point.  I turned around and told them, in a nice manner of course, that they were talking about my son and he is 6 and rightfully in the league he needs to be......after a few stammering words he responded and said he could go up early to the older group in which I responded that due to the size of the 7/8 kids and the length of the field I would leave my son in the 6 year old league and I was in my right to do so.....after a few more stammering of words and a fake apology I shut him up....

Well Bombshell had a tough job to pull Bambeano back, no one likes to rail road other teams especially at 6 years old so off Bambeano went to defense, he was a trooper about it though and made me very proud listening to daddy coach.  So up 2-0 would be a good start to the season but oh know it would seem all the kids on our team wanted a piece of the action, one of the boys, who scored once last season, seemed possessed by Bambeano's runs and decided he would be the NEW Bambeano, this followed up by 2 from Bambeano's best buddy I might add and Valentine :) and then her sister got one and one of the new girls on the team finished it off for a 8-0 win.  WAY TO GO!!!!!!

Next onto Sunday and Boo Boo's turn.  Now the ride there was not pleasant running late which is a pet peeve for me I will be early for EVERYTHING rather than risk being late so Boo Boo was not in a good mood to start....We arrive and the game starts....now this is the same team we played last September where they had some hard kicks that landed Boo Boo in the ER, subsequently a rematch in which we won and she saved so now it was going to be interesting to see if they were after revenge.  The game started hard but we came out top first with 2 quick goals that saw the other team mentality begin to lose their focus......Boo Boo probably had her best game yet, maybe it was the bad mood she was in or the fact that her brother got off to a roaring start the day before, whatever it was I was very proud of both of them.......

Great save

One on One

Pushes it wide for a corner