Decorating the tree

Turkey Day in Valpo

We had a great Thanksgiving in Indiana at Nana and Grandpa Chuck's house, and our girls got to spend time with some of the wonderful family members who love them. Lily chowed down on the best Thanksgiving dinner EVER (at the big kids' table!) and made friends with all the older cousins, and little Ginny charmed everyone with her cuteness.

Cousins!

Sorry for the shameful delay in postings, we have had a very busy past couple of weeks in the GA Mangerson household! Even though it's after Christmas, I am still catching up on Thanksgiving pics...here are some cute ones from our quick but fun evening with Ryder and Quinn!

"El" is for Lily!

We kicked off our Thanksgiving expedition to the Midwest with a few days in Chicago, where the girls and I revisited our old stomping grounds while Daddy was working. The most exciting thing for Lily was not the tall buildings or the big lake, but riding the El. I took her around the Loop and up the Brown line to Fullerton, then we switched to the Red Line and rode underground back downtown. She was looking out the window on the way up saying, "Mommy, look at all the big houses!" when we passed the Hancock Tower, and "the ladies are getting off now!" when anyone, male or female, got off the train. When we rode the Red Line back, she said "Mommy, we going real so fast unerground!" I have never seen anyone so excited to ride the subway, it was by far the best $2.25 I've ever spent. If you ask her now what she did in Chicago, all she remembers is "I ride a train!"

First Haircut

Although we were reluctant to cut Lily's beautiful curls for the first time, her refusal to keep a barrette or ponytail in the front necessitated an intervention to keep it from constantly falling in her face. We went to see Papa's friend Ms. Brittany in Vidalia and she gave us both a trim. I went first so that she could see me get my hair cut and she wouldn't be scared. She jumped right up in the chair and held perfectly still with no whining whatsoever, I was so proud! I think she was just relieved to finally be able to see!