Holiday Kick Off!

Thanksgiving weekend was a good one, as we took full advantage of the opportunity to jump start our holiday season.  We had the trees up by Wednesday (definitely early, but felt good to get it done!), and that afternoon we headed over to Duke so Whitley could get braces for her feet to correct her toe walking.  (She was such a trooper about getting them, despite their awkward clunkiness, and has been good about wearing them!  She calls them her "crazy shoes." Ha!)  We spent Thanksgiving day at Dave and Terri's, where they prepared a beautiful and delicious feast.  Dave has a bin full of Legos from his childhood, and he and Whitley played with them forever!  

Friday morning, we loaded up in the Jeep with Grammy and Papa and drove up to Williamsburg for a little Christmas adventure.  We had a nice lunch at Chick-Fil-A (split a peppermint-chocolate chip shake! woo hoo!), and checked in to our hotel around 2:00.  After resting in our rooms for a bit, we drove in to... Busch Gardens' Christmas Town!!  It was opening night, so we wanted to get there right when it started.  It was a wonderful temperature- Whitley didn't even need her jacket- and we hit the kid rides immediately.  Our little dare devil tired of the pokey children's attractions, though, and dragged us to much faster and higher (SO much higher!!) rides.  Thank goodness her daddy is a thrill seeker!  Those two rode a few I wouldn't even consider.  (I think Whitley's 100th percentile height gets her on some rides most newly five-year-olds have to wait years to try!)   We ate dinner in the German beer-garden (obviously), where Whitley made me laugh by finding our location on the map before I did.  Then, it started to get dark, and Christmas Town's 6 million+ lights started coming on!  This was what we really came to see, and it didn't disappoint!  Every country was decorated in a different color and theme, but I think our favorite was a long path to Ireland lined with pine-scented trees lit all in green.  It got really crowded as the night went on, so we ended up leaving around  8:20. 

The next morning, we walked around Colonial Williamsburg.   The temperature dropped significantly, so we all bundled up!  Didn't tour any buildings, but it was still nice to walk the cobblestone streets, peek in windows, appreciate the architecture and costumes, and wave at the horse-drawn carriages.  Whitley was really great the whole time, especially considering how she'd looped Busch Gardens twice the night before, and then stomped around Williamsburg for an hour and a half!  All in all, it was quite a trip.  Seriously thinking about going again next year, if anyone's interested!  :)

Legos!  Elle peeked up at the camera when I called Whitley's name.  :)

Terri looked pretty, and her turkey  was golden delicious!

Hugs for Grammy.  (You can see Whitley's braces her a bit.)

Thanks, Dave and Terri, for hosting!  

Entering the park.

Bavarian Winter Wonderland

The tea cups- always a must!  

First ride of the day!

Getting a little more exciting.  

Mommy sat this one out. 

We watched the O' Tannenbaum show- a light display to music on the giant tree.  

Peeking in at Santa's workshop.  

Picture at the North Pole.

On our walk to Ireland.  

Checking out the Clydesdales!  They look like Angus, from Brave.  :)

Probably the grandest display- a waterfall of lights in Italy they called "The Polar Pathway."

Pausing to admire the sheep on the way to downtown Colonial Williamsburg.  

Uh oh!  The Watsons got in trouble!  Everyone has to try out the stocks.  :)

Grammy and Papa did, too!

Aw, even poor Whitley was a naughty girl.  hee hee

Whitley took this picture!  One of several, actually.  (Some were very artistically interesting, in my opinion.)

Another of Whitley's.  She timed that just right.  :)

She liked meeting these horses.  Patted their noses and all.  

Family shot in front of the palace.