Brrr...

We're back in the Beehive State after heading south for Thanksgiving for a Burt family reunion, of sorts, in Atlanta, and I'm not liking the chilly reception. Funny to think that just one day ago, 45 degrees and breezy was enough to send us back in to the house and wishing we'd lugged coats along for our southern adventure. I'm left wondering if I could handle a muggy southern summer for a seemingly fair trade-off of a frost-free winter. Hmm...

Photos will be posted later with all the trip details, but for now, a few highlights:

1) A quick flight from SLC to Denver with the added bonus of sitting next to a very kind woman with a service dog. Porter was in heaven and my hands were free to entertain Nora (good thing since Andy's seat was seperate from the rest of us).

2) A scream-free 3-hour flight from Denver to Atlanta, thanks to Sony, The Lion King, the candy industry and Enfamil.

3) A surprisingly smooth family portrait session, considering all the little kids were under the age of four and all of the original Burt kids (four boys) balk every time a camera comes near them. Fingers crossed I get the prints in time for Christmas cards!

4) Conning my siblings-in-law into a few hours of card sharking.

5) Home cooked meals every night. Not looking forward to rejoining the what's-for-dinner team.

6) The Atlanta Aquarium. Amazing building. Loved the fishies; hated the crowds. Pictures to come.

7) 30+ minutes of Nora cries on the way home from the aquarium traffic with a capital T. Almost worth it for the 2-hour nap that followed once we got home, though.

8) Walks around the Burt's idyllic Americana neighborhood, with my husband and without kids, filled with hoop dreams about the future.

9) Thanksgiving Day: friendly southern greetings on my morning run, chatting with Lynn in the kitchen, prying Porter from a basement full of musical instruments and mathchbox cars to watch Santa in the Macy's parade, homemade cranberry sauce by the bowlfull.

10) The entire town of Lawrenceville gathered around a giant Christmas tree, singing carols to usher in the Holiday season on Thanksgiving night.

11) Elf and Twizzlers

12) Black Friday Shopping with my sisters-in-law (and without kids or husbands!)

13) Dinner out for the non-grandparented grown-ups (I promise I do love them, but again, without kids!)

14) Pictionary. Surprisingly, the men dominated in a battle of the sexes, says the girl who is used to wiping the floor of all competition when paired with her own mind-melded sisters and mom. Andy was happy to finally prove that our reigning success was to the credit of shared life experiences rather than supreme artistry.

15) Church outside of Utah. So sweet and humble (even when you have a very rambunctious 11-month-old).

16) Sister-in-law Crystal's birthday and the hot fudge and whipped cream topped ice cream cake.

17) Flirting with my husband (you can do that when the kids have two very adoring grandparents and one super-uncle Jeff to free up your brainpower and attention).

18) The Fernbank Museum of Natural History. We had the run of the place on a Monday afternoon. Porter's favorite: the $1.50 plastic spider he got in the gift shop on the way out. Go figure.

19) Stone Mountain.

20) Two final impromptu dates with the hubs.

21) A final pizza & movie night with Grandma & Grandpa that included The LIttle Mermaid (my fave) and Nora's first steps.

22) Teething that started the night before our 6 a.m. airplane departure (teeth three & four for little miss Nora).

23) A very loud, chaotic and sleepless flight and then drive home, followed by very sweet Nora squeals when she saw her toy Zebra on our living room floor.

Thanks to Bryan, Lynn and Jeff for putting up with us, our noise and our picky eaters (Andy & Porter). And thanks to the rest of the Burt gang for joining in the fun. Missing you all already.