there and back again, a wedding's tale: three

the next leg of our road trip adventure, to visit my grandparents in atlanta! well, technically, marietta but, for those who aren't familiar with the atlanta metro, it's atlanta. we were so excited to explore the area more, sample delicious foods and libations, and spend loads of quality time with family. 

[the gorgeous secret garden that is my grandparents' backyard]

first up while we were there, i had to teach my grandma how to make my cucumber margaritas. to say they were a hit would be a major understatement. even at dinner later that night, my grandpa kept talking about how much he loved them! 

next, we checked out the marietta square where we, snacked on some of the biggest slices of pizza i've ever seen, did some window shopping, and savored some new ice cream combos. we also learned mondays are not the best days to stop in on the sqaure, hence the window shopping :)

[sweet treat break]

[the sweetest little patio]

[mezcal, you've earned a spot in my heart with this one]

an afternoon at the aquarium

while many may not know, my grandma is a volunteer at the georgia aquarium; easily, one of the best aquariums i've ever visited. their dedication to research in conservation, health and rescue in marine life, and the enthusiasm of their staff make it a major favorite of mine. plus, it was so fun to watch my grandma show T all of the exhibits. oh, and one teensy tiny thing...T and i got to swim with the whale sharks!! there will be a post on that later but, suffice it to say, it was one of the best moments in my life. 

[gorgeous]

[the above and below, yeah, that's the one we swam in!]

[learning about how each ecosystem is managed]

dinner

ever thought you'd be having a gourmet dinner while watching military personnel fly helicopters nearby? me either! and i certainly didn't think such a place would specialize in serving liquid nitrogen cocktails but, here we are. and, it was every bit as delicious and aesthetically pleasing as i could've hope for. 

[mango margarita frozen and formed with liquid nitrogen]

russellville pit stop

initially, our stop was to be in fort smith. but, we were making such great timing coming back home, that we made the last minute switch and boy, am i glad we did. T and i were craving barbeque, because, what's a trip through the south without it? and so, after a quick search, we stumbled upon this mom 'n pop shop right by lake dardanelle. 

[so, so good]

it was a great way to reflect on our week+ adventure taking in an unexpected gem of a view before making the final stretch home. but, we couldn't deny how much we missed those furry boys of ours or our oklahoma-based family + friends. 

[i love these faces; lots of smooches were given to these noses]