Weddings, Turkeys, and Christmas Decorations!

This is going to be more of a "picture post." There are sooooo many pictures. It's getting to the end of the year, and I will be printing this year's blog for our 2011 Book in just over a month, so there's lots to capture! Plus, I am not sure that words will do justice to the vast amount of hectic FUN we have experienced over the past week and a half. Here was our recipe for a fun, busy, and memorable Thanksgiving "week:"

• Start with Kelly and David's wedding...(Oh, and as an update from the last blog post about not being sure how the "flower girl" duties would go: Kinsley did GREAT - I actually got to walk down the aisle with her...mom and daughter, hand-in-hand...it was so memorable! She tuckered out, though...falling asleep during the ceremony, but getting a "second wind" at the reception and dancing the night away in her adorable dress!)
• Add lots of family in town,
• (Also add in a bad ear infection for Kins the Monday after the wedding - yuck),
• A dash of little cousins running around together,
• Throw in my first time hosting Thanksgiving at our house (let's just say that we fit everyone at the dining room table, with extra chairs and the extended leaf and all)
• Unpacking and putting up our Christmas decorations
• Picking out our tree (yesterday) and stringing it with lights (tonight)
• Some Black Friday shopping on a beautiful and unseasonably warm day at The Forum - where we ran into You-Know-Who and Mrs.-You-Know-Who (see photos below)
• Finish with big UGA win over the Jackets on Saturday...

Mix all of that together, and what do you get? One.Great.Holiday. Packed with family and fun. After all, who said that Thanksgiving was supposed to be relaxing? We're so Thankful for everything that God has blessed us with.

So, let's roll the photos...lots of them...

~Kelly and David's Wedding Weekend~

********

~Thanksgiving 2011~

********

Kinsley went "Black Friday" shopping with Mommy and Beebe at The Forum, and she found Santa's sleigh and decided to try it out. Then she got to meet SANTA and MRS CLAUSE!!! She's still not too sure about him, though...mommy had to stay in the picture.

Cheeeeeese!!!

Drumming along with the Nutcracker.

That's one big bow...

Looking up at the big tree...

And here's what a giant Christmas tree looks like from a toddler's point of view. Wow.

********

At the tree lighting and Christmas concert at The Forum...we didn't get to see the tree actually light up...it was late, and Kinsley was beyond ready for bed, so we headed home before the big finale.

********

Go Dawgs!!!

********

The Elf on the Shelf (a 2010 Christmas present from Aunt Angela and Uncle Danny) dropped by early yesterday morning...we "found him" under Kinsley's bright pink mini-Christmas tree, and he later took his place on the fireplace.

He doesn't have a name yet...stay tuned...

********

Getting ready to put lights on the tree tonight...had to capture this same picture that I got last year. Love this.

Yep, I think that we're finally ready for December and Christmas!!!