Thanksgiving in MS, part I

 For Thanksgiving this year, we embarked on the ambitious endeavor of driving 700+ miles to the MS Gulf Coast with 2 children under 2 years old.

 We decided to take our new bike trailer so we could enjoy the warm sunshine while we biked along the beaches in Ocean Springs and Pascagoula.  Of course, we had to test drive the trailer at home in West Jefferson first, so we knew we had all the parts put together right.

 We made the trip in 2 days, stopping in Auburn, AL, the first night to visit our old friends Amy & Greg.  Of course, I didn't get any photos of them, only of Finn digging in their garden.

 Just as we had hoped, the weather was warm and sunny, so we took advantage of Hop's pool privileges and went swimming in late November.  We had the whole pool to ourselves!  Where were all the other swimmers and sun-bathers?

 We also got to take a ride on a friend's boat.

 The first thing Crusoe did was to fall asleep in Hop's lap, while sitting completely vertical.

 So we laid him down to rest more comfortably.  He slept all the way to lunch.

 We saw ships being built at Ingalls Shipbuilding,...

 Finn saw her first train going across a bridge while she was on a boat in the water.  

(This sounds strangely like a line from the book "Go Dog Go", one of Finn's faves right now.)

 Crusoe getting some first mate experience.

 We spent time with Aunt Morgan and cousin Fiona at Gran's house.

 Maribeth made funny faces while I took photos in the dark.

 Marian's Christmas tree came from our friends' farm, Kristen & David (seen in a previous post).

 Finn caught up on her reading...

 ...and Crusoe practiced standing, with Uncle Man and Aunt Nancy watching over Gran's shoulder.  Man and Nancy were the Chefs Extraordinaire of Thanksgiving Dinner at Gran's house.

 Uncle Ivan demonstrating his special touch with Crusoe

Finn dressed as a Jedi in Uncle Jackson's jacket the morning after Thanksgiving when we went to Tato-Nut.

 Aunt Anna also captured it on film.

 swinging:  one of Finn's favorite pastimes

 Crusoe prefers just hanging around right now.

 And he can hang with the best of them!

 We went to Gulfport to visit Opa's 'compound' (as he calls it) at the Armed Forces Retirement Home.  Finn loved carrying her new fox backpack from Aunt Anna and Uncle Ivan.

 She got a few hits in to get warmed up.

 We took a different route on the way back home (via Tuscaloosa and Chattanooga), 

so Crusoe wanted to double-check our navigation.

 Potty break at the Alabama Welcome Center on I-59, at 9am on Saturday.

 We stayed with Mimi & Jeff in Chattanooga.  Mimi is Remi's oldest friend, all the way back from second grade, when we were 7 years old.  We are both 40 now.

 Coincidentally, Mimi has a son just 2 months older than Crusoe.  After 32 years of friendship, we both got pregnant for the first time within a month of each other.  Our due dates were only a week apart, but Henry came a little early.  Here I am holding Henry, and Mimi has Crusoe (in case you couldn't tell).

 We returned home to a beautiful snowfall, reminding us that our fairy tale travels into the sunny, tropical South had come to its 'happily ever after' ending.