December 27, 2013 - Christmas in Cumming

(some photos and captions courtesy of Aunt Caroline, but told in Carmala's voice.)


Carmala and Ella wake up from a fun night, where they slept very well together.


The morning finds them helping Aunt Caroline making her famous biscuits.


The mix, roll, and cut.


Even Daniel gets into the action.


It makes a great breakfast spread. So cool that we can all fit around a single table (well, plus the girls who prefer their own spot).


Bridget is a great sport, taking both girls on a long piggyback ride,


then taking Daniel on one while the girls hold on to her legs.


Today we went to Stone Mountain. They have lots of "snow fun" there this time of year. In the pictures you can't see the machine that's blowing the "artificial" snow. Uncle Paul says he didn't have to come all the way to GA for snow--he left several inches at home in Hamilton (Ontario) and was hoping for warm weather for Christmas. When he checked, it was only 2 degrees (F) warmer today than it was in Toronto so he didn't get away his wish!


Daniel thought Uncle Paul would be the best one to teach him about fun in the snow.


Annaliese says she doesn't see what the big deal is about snow. It's just cold!
Fortunately she had a snowsuit to keep warm while the others played in the snow.


We start in the Snow Zone, where the kids get to ride kiddie innertubes down a small hill.


They love it.



Carmala, Ella and the others (except Grandmama & Granddaddy) enjoyed "tubing on snow mountain"--more artificial snow! The people mover took them us to the top. This is our group but Ella and I are almost too short to see.


We pile into the bigger, family rafts.


At first we went down the slide in big inner tubes that held several people. Grandmama took lots of pictures, but most were of people we don't know. (She said she couldn't tell who they were from where she was standing, just took lots of pictures hoping she got some of us--she's grateful for digital cameras so you can throw away the ones that aren't what you want!) She did get a few of Mama, Aunt Jill, Lolly and Pop in one of the big tubes.




After a couple times in the group tubes, we each went down on our own tube. Grandmama missed pictures of Ella & me sledding by ourselves, but she got pictures of Daddy, Mama, and Aunt Jill.







While Grandmama was taking photos, she was also pushing Annaliese back and forth in the stroller. Daniel thinks it looks like fun, and he'll be glad when he's big enough to go tubing--but hanging out with Granddaddy is special too.


Afterwards, we all rode the Stone Mountain train.
For those who don't know them, that's Aunt Suzanne, Pop & Lolly (Ella's grandparents) in the front seat, Aunt Jill, Ella, and Uncle Scott behind them, then Granddaddy holding Annaliese, Uncle Paul with Carmala in the 3rd row, Mama, Daniel, and Daddy in the 4th row, and Aunt Bridget in the 5th row (Grandmama was sitting beside Aunt Bridget before she got up to take the photo). Well, that's our report for Friday. We'll let Carmala tell you about Saturday evening's fun.



Group picture to prove we all survived the big day at Snow Mountain!