We interrupt these Christmas posts...

...for a Thanksgiving recap.

The kids and I celebrated an extended Thanksgiving because we traveled to Nana and Papa's house for almost an entire week.  On the trip up, we stopped for our usual lunch break at the mall in Gainesville, and as we walked out of Belks, Anna spotted Santa Clause.  She started jumping up and down and said, "Go see Santa!  Go see Santa!"  As luck would have it, there was no line (1 pm on a Monday before Thanksgiving is clearly the ideal time for a Santa visit), so I decided to seize the moment and get that Christmas requirement out of the way.

Anna ran quickly through the display, but Will held back and looked at me, panic-stricken.

"I don't know what I want.  I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WANT!!"

After some quick self-deliberation, he decided that he wanted a "robot bug" and joined Anna on Santa's lap.  He informed Santa of his desire for a robot bug, and then told Santa that Anna wanted a dollhouse.  Personally, I thought a dollhouse might be a better gift for next year, but guess I don't have a say in that now that Santa has been informed!

Here's a picture of the transaction going down:

I have a soft spot for the Gainesville Santa.  Will's first Santa visit happened at that mall, and both kids visited with Santa there 2 years ago (when John was staying in G-ville for radiation treatments).

After the mall, we headed to Blountstown for a few days of hanging out with Nana, Papa, and Aunt Laurie.

Picking satsumas with Nana:

Snuggling with Grandmama: 

Sharing artwork with Granddaddy:

Getting a walker-ride from Grandmama:

Eating those satsumas:

Swinging on the porch:

On Thanksgiving Day, we headed to the Iamonia Lake clubhouse for lunch with the McClellan family:

Hanging with cousin Stevie:

Reading some hunting magazines:

Checking out the water:

Chasing each other:

Getting in trouble and hugging it out:

Deep thoughts with Uncle Steve:

Girl talk with Laurie, Betsy, Katie, and Nana:

Sneaking back inside for more dessert:

Snuggling with Aunt Mary:

Catching a post-meal catnap:

We finished out the week with a trip to Grandmama and Granddaddy's house to visit with cousin Rachel and Aunt Cynthia.

Laurie, Rachel, and Anna:

Aunt Cynthia and Rachel brought some fun potato-heads to play with:

Group photo!

Playing with Granddaddy:

On Saturday, Will, Laurie, Betsy and I headed to Gainesville to meet John and watch a painfully horribly awful UF-FSU game, and then went home.  Anna enjoyed a few more days of spoiling with Nana and Papa. :-)