Thursday 13 #6 Atlanta and her state

OK, it's been quite awhile since I did one of these! I thought I would show a little love to my city and state. You know us Georgia girls and their southern pride. Here are 13 little facts that you may or may not have know about Atlanta and the great state of Georgia.

1. The city symbol for Atlanta is the Pheonix. The legendary bird that rose from the ashes better and stronger than before. Atlanta most certainly did that after Sherman's march. She grew so much stronger, she became the new capital shortly after her rebuilding.

2. The Capitol building downtown is encompassed in pure gold that was mined from the Dahlonega, GA mines about an hour north of Atlanta. I used to love to go pan for gold and gem stones when I was little. We'll definitely have to take our boys there!

3. Six Flags over Georgia got it's name from the 6 flags that have flown on Georgia soil: England, Spain, Liberty, Georgia, Confederate States of America, and the United States. And there is a theme area for each flag at Six Flags as well.

4. The world's largest sculpture is located on the world's largest exposed granite sites called Stone Mountain...just east of the city. The sculpture consists of Stonewall Jackson, Jefferson Davis and Robert E Lee. Of course Robert E Lee's trusty horse Traveler is included too. It was originally meant as a memorial to the confederates fallen soldiers started up by the Daughters of the Confederacy. Now it is a wonderful place for families to step back in time and have a little fun and enjoy the lasershow and fireworks.

5. Georgia is the largest state (in land size) east of the Mississippi. It has also been given the nickname of Empire State of the South due to it's booming economy and draw of Fortune 500 companies.

6. The state flower is the Cherokee Rose, the tree is the Live Oak, the bird is the Brown Thrasher and the fish is the Largemouth Bass.

7. FDR made Warm Springs his home for awhile. His recuperative homestead was labeled the Little White House and is open for tours. Warm Springs is about an hour south of Atlanta.

8. In Gainesville GA, northeast of the city, it is illegal to eat chicken with a fork. Gainesville is called the chicken capital of the world.

9. The sweetest (and in my opinion the tastiest) onion call only be grow in two small Georgia towns: Vidalia (where it got it's name) and Glenville.

10. With a passenger terminal complex equivalent in size to more than 45 football fields, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport bears the proud distinction of being "the world’s busiest passenger airport." Expect delays!!

11. There are 55 streets in the city with the word Peachtree in it. We do that to confuse the tourists. ;)

12. The city of Atlanta has more shopping per capita that ANY city other than Chicago. We have over 130 retail shopping centers within the city limits. And over 16.5 million visitors take advantage of our shops yearly. The Mall of Georgia is the 14th largest mall in the world.

13. The state of Georgia is the world leader in the production of carpet, kaolin, chicken and watermelon. We are known domestically for the 3 "P's": peanuts, pecans and peaches.

Hope you were able to learn a few new things about one of your fellow American neighbors to the south. Come visit us when you get the chance!

Thursday 13 #5 Seeing Red

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Thirteen Things about the color red. I was reading the Atlanta Journal and Constitution (AJC) last night while unwinding from my stressful and tiring day of sitting (dripping sarcasm as I type), when I read that the college polling system was already publishing rankings for this year. Being an avid Georgia Tech fan, I always have I hopes of a high placement. Since it is a rebuilding year for us (new coaching staff)...I wasn't expecting it. But I also wasn't expecting who they were predicting to go number one in the nation...UGA *cough...over-rated...cough* . Anyway, in showing my good sportsmanship, I decided to list 13 items that are red that I do like every day of the year. And of course, Go Jackets! Sting those puppies! 1. cherries - they are so pretty to me. I love outfits with cherries on the...so summery. 2. ladybugs - afterall, it is said that if a lady bug lands on you, you will have good luck. 3. red strappy sandals - I prefer sandals to pumps, especially in the summer, and there is just something about them that make me feel sexy. :) 4. red nail polish- but I only like it on my toes...it requires too much maintenance on your fingers. 5. red meat- though I'm more partial to it when it is brown and fully cooked, but nothing hits the spot like a great big burger sometimes. 6. Tulips- my favorite flower. Most people prefer their roses to be red, but actually I like the peaches and yellows best for roses. 7. Fire truck- you never appreciate them until you've called them to come to your house, but everytime I see them on the road...I say a quick prayer for their safety. 8. Christmas paper- I'm much more of a "green girl", but I love how red and green compliment each other so perfectly for gift wrap. 9. Cardinals- not the baseball team (remember I'm into college sports) but the bird. Cardinals are such a striking sight of beauty against a grey/stark winter backdrop. 10. jelly beans - the red are my favorite! 11. oxygenated blood - weird maybe, but I find the color of blood to be a beautiful hue actually. Not the blue or purple blood (depending on if it has been to your lungs or not already) that is in your body, but the pin prick induced drop of blood on your finger. It hurts (literally) to look at it sometimes though. ;) 12. Holly berries- one of the reasons I had a winter wedding. I wanted Holly in my wedding bouquet. 13. red sunsets- ok...it's not a true red, but it's a vision to behold.

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Thursday 13 #4 Disney Rides

Thirteen Things about Disney rides I love! There are more than 13 rides I love at Disney World and more than 13 places to eat, more than 13 shows, more than 13 characters...are you picking up on a pattern here? Here's the short list for rides. 1. Cinderella's Carousel. I always name my horse too. Just makes me feel free of all worries. 2. Space Mountain. My first "scary" ride as a little one, and I was hooked. I loved that the lights were off and you couldn't see where you were going. 3. Big Thunder Railroad. I know it is only traveling at about 35mph, but it is just fast enough to ruffle your hair while allowing you to take in all the scenery and details of Disney on the ride. 4. Peter Pan's Flight. It is short and cutesy, but it's always been one of my favorites. I just like to pretend I really am flying. 5. Kilimanjaro Safaris. I love being able to look at wild animals acting naturally and not being in cages. I remember one time a giraffe was chasing a zebra in circles. Our tour guide let us stop and watch for several minutes. It was so amusing to see them interacting as they might in the wild. 6. Spaceship Earth (aka - the golf ball). I love that you actually learn in this ride, but the Disney team also added in a few funny things within the scenes. It is also neat thinking you are traveling up a huge sphere and back down again. 7. Carousel of Progress. I love seeing the family progress with the progression of time. You leave wondering how things will be in another 25 years. Plus, I honestly love the song "It's a great big beautiful tomorrow, shining on the edge of every day" - or something similar. But the tune is catchy without being annoying (i.e. It's a small world). 8. Tower of Terror. It's controlled so it's really not terrorizing...but it's still fun and an adrenaline rush. And because it is controlled...you never know how many times they will drop you, could be 2, could be 4...but it's always fun. Make sure you make a funny face at the second opening of the doors to outside...they take your picture. I've got some great expressions that have been caught if I do say so myself...always the ham! 9. Aerosmith's Rockin Rollercoaster. Hey, I am an adrenaline junkie after all. And this little doozie flips you upside down numerous times and takes off at top speed. No slow climb up a hill, you start out fast and with the sounds of Aerosmith in your ears. What a great time for us 1980's kids! 10. Haunted Mansion. I didn't open my eyes on this ride until I was 10. I'm such a scaredy cat...still can't watch horror movies either! But now I just appreciate all the effort and effects. Plus the great mixture of scary and silly to keep it PG for the kids. 11. Journey into the Imagination. Now I do have an issue with this ride though. I LOVED the original ride better with the Dreamfinder andFigment. It was just cute and silly and I loved the song...One Little Spark. The new ride is fine and much more interactive...but the old one is the one from my childhood...so it will always hold a special place in my heart. 12. Pirates of the Caribbean. This has always been another one of those rides you just have to go on. I wish they had not had to all PC with the songs and the scenes of the men chasing the pretty girls...but what can you do. I still love it! Yo Ho...a pirate's life for me! 13. Splash Mountain. What Southern isn't familiar with the "Song of the South" story and Zip-a-dee-doo-dah? And what person wouldn't want to visit their own "laughing place" as often as possible? Not too much the refreshing "dip" at the end on a hot Orlando afternoon!

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Thursday 13 #3 Personality traits

Thirteen Things about my personality This is going to be a post about my personality traits...some that I am praised for and others...well...let's just say they are not well received by myself or others. ;) But these are what make me...me! 1. Sarcasm - I've got it in truck loads! This is both good and bad depending on how literally my conversation is taken. I can NOT use sarcasm with my mother. She takes things personally and I have learned that with her. 2. Wit - It kind of goes hand in hand with sarcasm to me, but my friends insist it is different. I can come up with snappy one liners to any situation...whether to lighten the mood or to imply insult. As you can probably see, this is a double edged sword. It's handy at the time, but can cause hurt feelings if my emotions run faster than my head. 3. Perky- There's just no other way to describe it. I love to laugh and have others laughing. I see it has my purpose to cheer others up that are down around me. Because of this, I'm fortunately rarely down myself and when I am it doesn't take much to lift me out of it. How can you make others laugh when you are all pouty? 4. Attention-seeker- I never know if this is a positive thing or not??? I am a HAM! I don't think I do it to take attention off others, I just thrive being in the middle of a circle of people. I'm the one the family relies on speeches at family functions. I'm the one that goes up to the newcomer and welcomes them. I'm the one that will make conversation with anyone within a 20 ft radius of me in public. Oh yeah...and I'm a camera hog too! :) 5. Dare-devil- This is the trait both my mother and husband like least about me! But I love it. I'm a thrill seeker...always looking for an adrenline rush that tops the previous one. From simple things like amusement park rides to sky diving. I want to try it all once. 6. Curious- Curiousity may have killed the cat, but it's only made me more curious! I love to learn new things about anything (religion, biology, psychology, books, family traditions...). I love questions, both answering and asking. This may be why I love to do surveys on myspace too... I just think you can never learn too much. 7. Family-oriented- You never realize how much you love them until you leave them...and then you realize you didn't appreciate them fully until you have your own family. Now that I am a mother and wife, I fully understand the range of feelings and emotions that overwhelm you. And how nice it is to have family nearby to make memories and share occasions with. 8. Competitive- I hope this comes across in the good sense...since that is mainly how I do intend for it to! Though...I have been know to get a little poopy if I am losing in a family board game. I like to be successful whether in class, family or trival pursuit! I am not boastful when I do win, I'm all about the "good game" play. But I have been known to be a sore loser, and that is something I've been working on. 9. Moody- There's just no easy way to put this one down. Depending on my hormones I can go from laughing to yelling in two seconds flat...much to the bewilderment of my husband! He's used to me now, and knows it is short lived...caused by my "womanly issues". But don't be surprised to hear me rave about how sweet and charming he is, only to want to rip his arms off for not putting his dirty dishes in the dishwasher instead of the sink. 10. Impatient- Another one I'm working on...and getting loads better with during this pregnancy. I'm learning to take things one day at a time and just being thankful for what I am given here and now. Why wish your life away? This was a hard lesson to learn and I definitely don't wish the way I learned it on anyone...but it was a lesson I desperately needed. 11. Independent- This is another of those that can be seen as bad by some. I know that Ian and I are one in every decision we make and have become one unit working together through our marriage. But if the unthinkable were to happen...I could carry on for our children. When we were first married, I only saw my husband 4 months out of 12 due to his responsibilities to in the coast guard. It helped me to appreciate our time together even more, but realize that I was my own person that could handle being in hot water while my husband was underway. 12. Easily amused- I laugh out loud for no reason...sheerly because something tickled me internally. I rarely allow myself to be bored...even on bedrest, because I can always find something to hold my attention. And with being so easily amused...I amuse others easily as well. It's win/win for all. :) 13. Worrier- Hey, I'm a wife and mother after all. I worry when Ian has to drive down to Savannah for his reserve duty. I worry when William wakes up with a fever. I worry about Matthew almost daily! But now I've learned to talk over my worries. There's no need to worry by myself, and just talking it out with my hubby, mother or the Father...I feel so much better. Easy to worry, but again...easy to distract. My mind wanders quite frequently, so luckily this has never been a big issue...but it is still part of me.

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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