We're Baaaaack!

We hope everyone had a very Happy Thanksgiving....filled with lots of family and friends. We spent our holiday in Atlanta with my parents and brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and aunt Sarah, uncle Steve and cousins Stephen and Tyler. We had a wonderful time and were sad to leave.

Kate and I got to stay a whole week. We flew out last Tuesday and got home last night. Brad flew out to meet us in Atlanta the day before Thanksgiving and left Sunday...so Kate and I were on our own on the plane. I was really worried about how she would do on the plane... let me just say that she was the BEST traveler ever!!! She LOVED looking at all of the people and hearing them tell her how good she was and how cute she looked...she just ate it up! I think she only slept a total of one hour during our traveling and was still so happy. We could not be more proud of her.

Here is a picture of our "set-up" in the airport. We had a two hour delay on our way over so I spread out Kate's changing mat on the floor and let her sit and play while we waited. Talk about a ham....she "performed" for all of her adoring "fans" (all the other passengers) the entire time we were there. So funny!!
On Wednesday, we headed to the mall to get out and about and look around at all of the sales going on. Kate took her first shoulder ride and really enjoyed it! She also enjoyed tasting my dad's bald head.....all the kids love it..hee hee! When Emma was little, we used to ask her if she like my dad's hair and she would sheepishly say, "Grandpa doesn't have any hair!!!" We never got tired of that conversation...ha!

Later that night, the rest of the crew arrived. Brad flew in. Abby, Ron, Emma and Sam drove in from Fort Smith and Damain, Sherry, and Vivi drove from Fayetteville and picked Emily up on their way. Funny story: Sam called my Mom Wed. morning and said they were "leaving in an hour"...so we figured they were leaving Fsm and thought they wouldn't be to Atl until midnight. Well, we were sitting down to dinner Wed. evening (my mom and dad, Kate and me) and the phone rang to indicate someone was at the gate. Turns out it was Ab and Ron and the kiddos. Sam was supposed to tell us that they were leaving MEMPHIS in an hour so they were actually much farther than fsm....it was a fun surprise!! However, there is a moral to this story...don't always trust in the message when the messenger is 4 ....haaaa!!

On Thursday morning, Brad, Kate and I went to Frank's house (Brad's dad and Kate's Boomer) to see him and have coffee. I finally got to see where Brad spent his summers with his dad. Frank lives in a beautiful neighborhood with lots of trees. Kate got to watch him fill his bird feeders and then the birds flocking to the feeders....very neat!

Thanksgiving Day was lots of fun. My Aunt Sarah and Uncle Steve and cousins, Stephen and Tyler, drove in from Greenville, S.C. and Brad's dad joined us later in the evening after dinner. The weather in Atlanta was gorgeous and we spent most of the day on the patio....it was a wonderful day!

On Friday most of the crew went shopping. My dad, Uncle Steve, Vivi, Kate and I stayed at the house. While I was feeding Vivi, my dad fed Kate and they both dozed off for a bit....notice the milk running down Kate's chin...so funny!

On Saturday, we all went to yet another shopping venue. I am amazed that one city can have sooo many places to shop. I know there are many, many more people but geez...there are LOTS of places to shop. Can you tell I'm not a big shopper??? Well, I should clarify because my husband would disagree with that statement. I don't like to go looking around for long periods of time. I like to go in, get what I need, and get out. Ya know?? Later that night, we all went out for dinner. We had a nice time but all of the kiddos were exhausted...

Vivi and Kate wore one of their matching ensembles Saturday. Aren't they adorable?!?! Vivi is VERY mobile at this point so you have no clue how amazed I am that we got this picture!!!

Here is Kate in the car seat we borrowed from one of my parents' neighbors so that I wouldn't have to bring her's from home. She is holding her first baby doll. It's a Madame Alexander doll.... my sisters and I had the same baby when we were little.

Monday marked my dad's 60th birthday. I can't believe he's 60....doesn't look like it or act like it! My mom, Kate and I took him out for dinner to celebrate. Happy Birthday Dad!!!!

And, sadly, our departure day arrived. My mom, Kate and I rode the MARTA (Atlanta's subway) to the airport because it's really difficult to drive in the Atl traffic when you're not used to it and my dad had left for Mexico City early that morning (he's the one who usually drives outside of Dunwoody - their suburb-type area). While we were ready to get home to Brad, we hated to leave. It was a great visit and we look forward to the next one. This pic is of Kate and I waiting for the train. Have I told you how much I LOVE our Baby Bjorn?!? It made traveling sooooo much easier...and Kate loves being close to us while she's in it.