Is that a swoosh on my forehead?

Whew!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day in beautiful Hickory, NC with my mom's side of the family.  At the end of the day, my  mom  said, "That was a really nice day, wasn't it?"  And I couldn't have agreed more.

After we got home Thursday evening we put up the Christmas tree and packed our bags.

We got up Friday morning and made the six hour trip to Washington, DC to my sister-in-law's house.  She was bringing my father-in-law down with her from Massachusetts.

On Saturday, after a trip to the Alexandria Farmer's Market, we headed to the outdoor ice skating rink in Washington and let the kids try ice skating for the first time.  I got lots of pictures but would have been happier with them if all of those other people that I don't know weren't in them all.

How dare other people be at a public ice skating rink when I am trying to take pictures of my children????

Well, I guess that's what the crop function in Picassa is for!

We came home on Sunday with a very special passenger!  My 92-year-old father-in-law (Grampa, as we like to call him) will be staying with us until Christmas - maybe longer if he can put up with us!

That's what we've been up to.  And now it's back to the normal grind.  I've already been to the Walmarts and the dump.  I'm in the middle of a large mountain of laundry.  And Peter needs a haircut and then we have lots of homework.  And then it's Scouts and basketball practice.

Oh, and I keep forgetting - I really need to start Christmas shopping now that Peter's birthday and Thanksgiving have come and gone.  Oh, how I love to use Peter's birthday and Thanksgiving as excuses to put off Christmas shopping.  Oh, how I don't enjoy Christmas shopping. 

But y'all December is in 2 days.  TWO DAYS!

Deep breath.

No more excuses.  Just do it. 

(When did I become a Nike ad?)