Fun in ATL with the Shumways

After all the graduation stuff was over, we had some fun exploring new places in Atlanta.  We decided to go to the Atlanta History center. It has tons of museum exhibits, including an extensive Civil War exhibit, as well as gardens and historic buildings.  

The Swan House was built in the 1920s as a retirement home for a husband and wife who were huge cotton brokers.  After the husband died, the wife invested in Coca Cola stock and made a ton more!  This house is ridiculous!  So beautiful.  It's less than half a mile from huge buildings in Buckhead, but you feel like you are on an English estate when you walk around it. 

 Our best snobbish expressions.

 It just keeps going!! That's my mom and dad standing further up the hill. Such an amazing and beautiful place!

We walked through the trees and gardens and enjoyed the perfect weather.  I was worried that it was going to be hot and humid, but it was SO nice.

Another historic home is a civil war era home.  It belonged to a family that raised livestock, specifically hogs.  The tour guides told us about the family and how the war impacted them.  

This was the slave cabin.  We spent about 30 minutes talking with a tour guide who is a native Georgian, specifically from Atlanta.  He talked about growing up during the civil rights movement. 

After the Atlanta History Center, we went to Chick-Fil-A which was a first for my mom.  We all got some yummy chicken sandwiches, waffle fries, and lemonade.  Delicious!  The cashier working there was the friendliest fast food worker I have ever met.  She was so excited that it was my mom's first time eating, and told us to come tell her what they thought of the meal after we ate.  Southern hospitality at its best!

We headed to Atlantic Station to get a view of midtown and walk around a bit.  There are tons of stores, big buildings, and fancy apartments with a lake in the center of them.  Later on, we also drove around the Coke Museum, GA aquarium, and through Centennial Olympic Park.  We could not have timed the drive better.  Right as we approached the fountain shaped in the olympic rings, the Olympic theme was playing with the lights and water.  Perfect :)

 

We miss my mom and dad already, and are so happy they could visit with us and explore new places in Atlanta.  My parents left Saturday morning, but Saturday night we had another family event.  My cousin Trevor was married last week in Utah and had a reception in Georgia Saturday night.  My Grandma and Grandpa Shumway came to Georgia for it, so we were happy to see them and spend time with them.  Trevor and Erika are a beautiful couple!