Post-Thanksgiving Shows

We saw two different shows on the Saturday after Thanksgiving:

Coco Cereal Party at Alamo Cinema and Drafthouse

Benji says he liked the movie, but he spent much of it hidden under my coat

Evening show of A Very Electric Christmas at the Paramount

A Thanksgiving Visit

Grandma and Pop-pop came to Charlottesville for Thanksgiving this year and we had a fun weekend visit.

They arrived Tuesday night, and after dinner we trekked them out to the new Krispy Kreme:

On Wednesday, we made our traditional turkey hands:

Kevin and Ruth

Abby and Benji

Pop-pop and Grandma

On Thursday, we made our thankful 4s before sitting down to dinner:

Abby's 4

Kevin adding this year's 4 to the railing

Benji helping to whip the cream

On Friday, we had a quiet day with a fun field trip to the Boar's Head to see the holiday decorations before Grandma and Pop-pop headed back to NY on Saturday morning:

Minds in Motion Open House

Benji is very excited to be participating in Minds in Motion this year (and we all remember fondly when Abby did it 4 years ago). The Richmond Ballet partners with the Charlottesville City Schools. Each year they compose an original ballet which the students perform. This year, they offered an "open class" so that parents can see what their kids are working on:

Monticello Hike

Taking a fall hike was another item on our November list and last weekend turned out to be beautiful (60s and sunny), so we headed out to the Monticello trail:

Sibling Love

The kids have been really sweet together this fall. Some photographic evidence:

 

Oh, Deer

Abby was short on winter clothes now that the weather has turned, so we headed out to Kohls to try to find some things. While there, we spotted the cutest family PJs and couldn't resist. The kids could not wait to put them on (and there was no way we were holding off for Christmas):

Benji really wanted to pretend he was a reindeer who was courting Abby

He's worn them every day since he got them

Random Bits of November

It's been quiet since we got back from Florida. Here's a round-up of things we've been up to this week:

End of Bat Mitzvah season. On Veteran's Day, Abby went to the last Bat Mitzvah for one of her classmates.

 Krispy Kreme. Going to Krispy Kreme in our PJs was one of our bucket list items for this month. Abby was a big fan of a nighttime visit and going through the drive through. They both loved their first taste of "Hot Now" original glazed donuts.

 Field hockey lessons. Abby is thinking of going out for the team next year. Her Home Ec teacher volunteered her daughter to give Abby some help with the basics.

Flag ceremony. Here is Benji practicing at his weekly Den meeting. His Webelo den will do the flag ceremony for the next monthly Pack meeting.

Get out the Vote 2017

I voted absentee, but Kevin took Abby to the polls:

Orlando Day 3 (Islands of Adventure)

On Tuesday, we went back to Islands of Adventure, which we had not really explored on Sunday. Benji wanted to spend the bay back at Volcano Bay, but I persuaded him to go back to the main park. We had a short-ish day and went back to the hotel by mid-afternoon before having dinner with Grandpa Steve, who drove up from West Palm:

Exploring Seuss Landing

One more trip on the Hogwarts Express

So we could eat at the Leaky Cauldron at Diagon Alley (and drink Hot Butterbeer)

In the compartment on the Hogwarts Express, return trip

Dino Discovery Center, Jurassic Park

Toon Lagoon

Marvel section (outside Spiderman, which we did not ride)

Dinner date with Grandpa Steve at Carabbas