The (Thanksgiving) Weekend That Was

Our family had a great Thanksgiving! I started the day off bright and early for game of tackle football with my friends. We played on a full 100-yard field and included kick-offs and field goals. We had about 16 people playing and everyone had a great time without anyone getting hurt... although my body has been quite sore ever since. I played a pretty good game myself - recording a few tackles, an extra point, and a special teams touchdown off of a botched onside kick. After the game we drove down to Arnold, MD to celebrate Thanksgiving with Laura's family. After an amazing meal, we spent some quality time with the family before driving back to Baltimore to celebrate Thanksgiving: Part Two with my side of the family. It was a really great day all-around, considering that we got to spend time with pretty all the people we love and care so much about.
The next evening we drove up to Bel Air for dinner at the Armstrong's house with some friends. Mackinzie made a new friend in Erin & Ryan's elderly grandmother. She provided Kinzie with many different teddy bears to play with.

We all had a very fun time playing games and hanging out with old friends.

The next morning we decorated the house for Christmas. This is one of Laura's favorite days of the year. I had been holding out on the Christmas music and cheer until after Thanksgiving was over, so it was fun to finally be able dig out the tree and all the other Christmas decorations from the basement closets.

Once the lights were strung and the ornaments were hung, I helped Kinzie put the star on top fo the tree.
Each year we buy a new Christmas ornament for each of us that represents that year for us.

This was a pretty obvious choice for me in 2008.

This is Laura's ornament for the year. It is pretty funny... and pretty true.

This is Mackinzie's ornament. In 2008 she discovered the magic of the Disney princesses and even made her first visit to Walt Disney World, so it was only fitting that Tinkerbell be her ornament for the year. She even has a switch on her that makes her wings light up and change color.

It's a dark picture, but here is the finished product. Now we can't help but get in the Christmas spirit every time we walk through our living room.
The next day, Sunday, after church, we went back to my parents house to watch the Ravens beat the Bengals on television.

Mackinzie and I played a little "offensive/defensive line" game. We got down in our three-point-stances and tried to tackle each other.

She took me out every time!

Then Grandpop wanted to get in on the fun....

... and she took him out too!

We should probably get her a Terrell Suggs jersey, rather than a Steve McNair.

The Pauley and Pittas families joined us later for some dinner and "Storytime with Mr. Roy".
... we couldn't miss this photo-op.

In baby news, Laura is doing great! Our fourth (out of five) Fifth-disease-related sonograms went well. The baby is definitely a girl - as they were to confirm from the previous sonogram and she is healthy and growing normally. Our final sonogram is scheduled for next Friday, December 12th. If all is still well at that point, then we can put the whole Fifth-fiasco behind us.

Please keep Laura and baby Maeby in your prayers as we continue through the coming days and weeks.
-Bert