I hope everyone had a fantastic 4th of July! We had a great day on July 3rd at Stone Mountain - well, until the rains (and thunderstorms!) came. The boys LOVED the new Geyser Towers attraction. Jack had a blast at the Camp Highland Outpost. And when it got dark and stormy, we rushed into the The Great Barn. I think the boys could stay in that place all day! Regardless of the weather, the barn is a perfect place to cool off on a summer day - especially since the Geyser Towers really is intended for kids. Note about Geyser Towers - because of the climbing, closed toe shoes are required. Shirts too. Drew wasn't happy about having to wear his good sneakers - but I'm just glad we had them with us. So make sure you have the appropriate attire - and towels - if you do plan on playing in the Geyser Towers!

Unfortunately, at 7:30pm it was absolutely pouring, thundering and lightning. There wasn't a chance that my kids were going to sit it out and hope the storms stopped to watch the Lasershow and fireworks at 9:30. So, we'll have to try again another time. The Lasershow was indeed canceled, but the fireworks apparently did go on - though the rain never let up. So much for only 30% chance of rain! Oh well, we enjoyed our day, and on the 4th, we had fun with sparklers, enjoyed a brief trip to the pool, and relaxed AT HOME for a change! I'm sure everyone who made it out to see fireworks last night had a much better experience with the weather!

We're headed to Myrtle Beach on Saturday. It's been three years since our last trip there and the boys are SO excited. If you've been to Myrtle Beach lately, is there anything new we need to see? Between mini-golf, Nascar Speedpark and Alligator Adventures I think we're set for activities, but just in case I'm missing something new and great, do let me know!

I'll send a new edition from the beach next week. I'll be traveling almost the rest of the summer (some work, mostly play), so these "welcomes" may be a little brief!

Hopefully we'll stay under 100 for a while and be able to enjoy the sunshine!  Have a great week.

Finally, welcome to our new advertiser, PRETTY PLEASE. This whimsical children's store has distinctive products for children ages newborn to tween (including a separate shopping area just for tweens). See THIS WEEK's PICKS for information on their sale, which begins July 11th. And stay tuned for more information and a great Pretty Please giveaway next week!

PS: Congrats to the winners of last week's giveaways: An American Girl: McKenna Shoots For The Stars - Angela B and Dee B; Fox Film Fest (The Avengers) - Shauntae L;  Kenny Rogers and Glen Campbell at Chastain Park July 14 - Rachel P.  Have fun!

Michelle