Summer Lovin'

6 months into 2012 and I am finally updating the blog.  Let's just say I underestimated the fatigue that being a working girl can bring.  Glad I stopped all that and can focus on the important things, like who they are casting in the 50 Shades of Grey movie.

But here we are at my favorite time of year, Summa Summa Summa TIME!  What's not to love about summer?  No schedule!  Pool time!  Days without showering!  (perhaps TMI.)  It's also a great time of year to get caught up on your pop culture that you may have missed during the school year.

Last night we watched The Change-Up on one of our premium channels, on demand.  Pretty funny movie and it takes place in the ATL so it's fun to see some of the landmarks.  You have to have a willing suspension of disbelief about the premise (two high school friends now in their mid 30's, one a partying bachelor and the other married with kids in suburbia swap bodies...by peeing in a fountain together and simultaneously wishing they had the other's life) and some of the jokes are pretty outrageous.  But I laughed through most of it, and Ryan Reynolds and Justin Bateman are great, so I say rent it. 

I saw the chick movie What to Expect When You're Expecting a few weekends ago and though I cried (it's designed to make anyone who has given birth shed tears) I wouldn't say it was the best movie.  I found Cameron Diaz's character to be completely unlikeable.  J. Lo was decent.  Elizabeth Banks was hilarious.  Save it for a rental when your husband goes out with the guys.  It also takes place in the ATL- love all the movie biz that our city is getting!

Rock of Ages just came out in the theater...that is a must see.  And don't think for one minute I'm not planning a big girls' night out to see Magic Mike at the end of the month (see pic above.).  As far as kid movies, we just saw Madagascar 3 and I thought it was pretty funny on an adult level.  It's fun to see those kinds of movies with Phil, so we can chuckle to each other at the jokes that go over the kids' heads. 

Concerts: We are doing our first family concert in July for a tween-fest...Big Time Rush with two other youngsters opening.  We got lawn seats and I think the girls will enjoy it more than Jackson.  Definitely like the idea of a blanket on a lawn rather than the screaming of the Gwinnett Arena where we saw them last time.  For adult shows in outdoor venues, we just saw Foster the People (hugely fun) and have tickets to My Morning Jacket with Band of Horses.  And since Gaga is not coming for quite a while, had to get tickets to the freak show that is Nicki Minaj. :)  That will warrant it's own review, I'm sure.

Other: got the season passes to Lake Lanier waterpark this year, yeah boy!  (Please tell me if you want to go with us on a Tuesday or Thursday, we can get you in half-price.) 

If you are looking for a retro-day, head up to Exit 13 and check out a place called Slapshots Family Fun Skate Center.  My friend Jody and I used a Groupon and I was pleasantly surprised at the loud music, disco lights and overall 1984 feeling to it.  You can rent these walkers on rollers there for the little ones to help them learn how to skate.  Mia preferred the inline skates but Izzy and I kicked it old school with the quad skates (see pic above.)

Lastly, I think the simple pleasure of playing in fountains can't be underestimated.  Here we are at Piedmont Park (next time I will remember the bathing suits!) but you can hit a fountain much closer, at the Duluth or Suwanee town centers.  Come July, your kids will be getting tired of playing in the neighborhood pool and you'll need to change it up a little.  Just don't make a wish while peeing in it or you might be back in an 8 year old's body...