The 6th Day: Holiday Dates.

Holiday Dates.

Oh the holidays. There is so much fuss over shopping and presents (it's a little out of control these days, isn't it?) that sometimes we can miss out on the most important part: spending quality time with our loved ones. I know I am susceptible to this. I get all frazzled and hung up on finding THE PERFECT GIFT for all the zillions of people on my list. That I forget. To just enjoy those sweet people.

How to combat the crazy? One thing that Stevie & I try to do every year is go on one really special Christmas date. In years past, we've gone to listen to the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, gone to see the Rockettes, gone to see a broadway show, gone out to a pizazz-y dinner, depending on where we lived at the time - we've just tried to do something snazzy and memorable. And these dates are memorable. I remember walking home from our date last year - the snow was so beautiful in New York that we decided to walk (instead of take the subway or a cab) 28 blocks home. I still remember it. It was dreamy, everything laced with a bit of frosty sparkle, following along the edge of the park the whole way. These moments are the true "markers" of the Christmas season, for me.

This year, we did things a little differently. We decided to have a "day of fun" and go out to brunch alone and then have Everett along for the rest of the day. Thankfully, our dear friend Lena watched the babe while we enjoyed a baby-free brunch at Sun in My Belly and then we three walked through the Paris on Ponce market and got all kinds of inspiration for our (somewhere in the future??) home. It was really a sweet day. We tired out a LOT easier than we normally do, and ended up back home way earlier than we planned, snuggled in our pjs. Must be all the lack of sleep we're experiencing this year :) Oh, Everett.

Pumpkin Latte. I'll take two please.

How rad is that wall? We couldn't resist playing in the color.

Hi.

Yeah, I tried on the vintage hats. Don't judge me.

He found the chair of his dreams.

Somebody got sleepy.

More?!

I'll admit, enjoying a baby-free brunch only made me want to do it again. So Stevie and I are attempting to squeeze in one last Christmas date before the holiday is at our doorstep... I've heard The Optimist in Atlanta is a good spot. Any other suggestions from you hip in-the-know-it-alls?

What's on your list for some holiday fun time with your love? A date? A night in? A day on the town? Most of all, I hope you're taking the chance to enjoy the memories. You only get this Christmas once!

The 7th Day: Holiday Lights at The Atlanta Botanical Garden!

^ Doesn't that look fake?? It isn't! ^

Holiday Lights at The Atlanta Botanical Garden!

You know what makes the holidays special? Family. You know what makes the holidays even more special? Doing holiday-ish things with your family. You know what makes those holiday-ish things with your family even more special? Hot hot beverages.

So happy.

Enter the Spencer family annual walk through the Holiday Lights at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens (I say annual because it's something we aspire to doing annually :) We had SO MUCH FUN. We laughed a lot. Gazed in wonderment. Perhaps belted out a few memorable Frozen tunes at peak moments of bliss. Perhaps confused other light-onlookers as to whether or not we were some kind of odd flash mob/circus act hired (rather curiously) by the Botanical Gardens to create a flurry of shenanigans for the people to join in on. Like those children who went screaming towards the Olaf -like Snowman show (because we might have done it first...) Like the DJ who was so excited by our slam dancing to his mad skills that he turned up his scratching (so LOUD) and we had one of those "me and the DJ!!!!"-moments. Until my baby woke up. And woke me up from my dream of being Jennifer Lopez in a club. Having a moment with the DJ. I threw him the deuces. And then motioned towards my little wailing baby with my swaddle cloths, as if to say, "THIS ISN'T A COME HITHER DANCE WITH SCARVES. These are swaddle clothes. I have to rescue him from the misery of your loud tuneage. Yep, that's spit up. Oh wait, there's a bit here in my hair, too."

I don't know what your family is like, but I bet they are insane in their own way, too. Isn't every family? Some are better at putting on a proper face, but all families, no matter how composed (publicly or otherwise) are pretty insane. We gladly accept this fact and probably revel in our familial personality archetypes a bit too much. But it's fun. Joking with my family. Is something I missed these past few years while we lived away. Thankfully, my husband has joined right in on the fun and is getting excessively good at his zingers. My dad has been teased, put in his place, and proud of Stevie all in one fell swoop of a joke. Which is how you reach son-status (in his book). This evening was one for those kinds of books. We just enjoyed each other so much and it made me incredibly thankful for my crazy sweet kin.

Something about those lights. Makes you feel that magic inside.

Is it just me, or does this totally look like Olaf's parts? You know, when he comes apart?

I just felt like it was Olaf and all his friends.

Aren't these the most tubular photos you've ever seen? SHE'S LIT UP. But not like that.

Isn't my sister the prettiest. If you're in the market for the perfect woman, I'll be conducting several rounds of interviews on her behalf. Contact me directly. K thanks.

These two.

That's the Christmas magic. Right there. Don't miss it.

Sometimes they're a little too bro-tastic for my liking.

The famous lady with all the hair.

My baby was with us. But he slept like a baby. It's uncanny - why won't he do this at home?!

I'm gonna need to marry this guy all over again. HE'S SO BEAUTIFUL IT HURTS.

It's a Marvel.

If you're in the Atlanta area, wandering through this light show is one of the raddest things you can do with your family at Christmas. Hands down, my favorite addition to the "annual" Spencer family Christmas traditions. Happy 7th day!!!

The 11th Day: Holiday Fun at The Georgia Aquarium!

The 11th Day of Christmas: Holiday Fun at The Georgia Aquarium!

It's a double-post kind of day! I don't love posting blogs on Sundays, because that's our family day (we kind of take a social media strike), so today I will post the 11th and 10th days of Christmas posts!

Got guests in town for the holidays? Or are you looking for something to do with your kiddos while its friggin' freezing outside? If you're one of my Atlanta homies, you have got to take a field trip to The Georgia Aquarium. Seriously. First of all, IT'S WARM INSIDE. And of course, the fish are cool, too. And maybe, just maybe, the aquatic mystique will work on your baby and they will sleep in their stroller the entire time like mine did! (Now you see why I'm recommending this - all you new mamas, go, go, GO! You can't run fast enough!)

We visited a few weeks ago with friends who were in town from London (doesn't it sound fancy to have friends from London? THEY ARE FANCY.) and we were excited to show them and their sweet little girl Atlanta's fine aquarium. I had no idea how much our baby (only 3+ months at the time!) and their little girl (14 months) would enjoy the whole experience. I mean, I just thought that Everett might be too little to really grasp any of it. However, both of the littles especially loved the Dolphin Tales Show - they were completely engaged during the entire 30 minutes of it! The exhibits are awesome for kiddos of all ages (um, hello, we loved it), and there is a lot to see so it is definitely a full-day activity.

My personal favorites were the beluga whales (so peaceful, it's like watching a ballet), the otters (I think that's my spirit animal), and of course, the gigantic whale sharks (they will grow to be as big as a bus!) The area that was most enchanting to me was the stroll through the Ocean Voyager exhibit, where you literally experience what it's like to be a tiny fish in the great blue sea. Sitting in front of that incredible window, just watching the whales sail by - well, there's nothing like it. Absolutely nothing. We sat there for a long long time, quietly, just taking in the engulfing view.

Just a note, the Georgia Explorer exhibit is closed for repairs until early 2015. But I promise, it didn't cramp our style.

// This. the.whole.time. //

// Miss these three so much already. //

// "Say Cheese, Everett!!!" Hi response: "Zzzzz..." //

// We found Nemo! //

This is definitely an excellent family day date, special enough to warrant a visit on the holidays. And right now, the Aquarium has really turned itself into a celebrating oceanic affair! From SCUBA Claus to the underwater Menorah, there are some really special holiday-themed exhibits and events taking place, which the littles will adore. And you will find yourself secretly digging, too.

Have you visited the aquarium during the holidays before? Let me know if you take a trip and comment back about your favorite exhibit!

And be sure to check back later today for another gift guide! Xox