Christmas Toys

Yesterday I started pulling out all of the Christmas boxes. The first one to come out was packed with all the special Christmas toys and books. I've done a remarkable job of keeping all of the pieces together over the past 5 years or so, if I do say so myself. Connor loves taking all of this out and it was made even more fun this year because its the first time Palmer can really be interested. And boy, was he!

Chunkin At Home

We happened to have a big plastic drop cloth in the basement.   And we happened to have alot of pumpkins we needed to get rid of.  And we happened to have a second floor window right over the driveway.  Bam!!




                

Namaste Thanksgiving

For some reason, I got it in my head that after last Thanksgiving and a houseful of guests, this year just need to be a different kind of weekend.  My dear friend Sharon and I went out for east Indian food a few weeks ago and learned that the restaurant, Agneethi, was having a Thanksgiving buffet at the Leesburg Holiday Inn.  Sounded good to me and somehow, to her as well.

We joined the Wrights for some really great food at 1pm.  They had a full breakfast buffet with bacon, sausage, sausage gravy, biscuits and an omelette station.  They had a lots of traditional offerings including a nice green salad bar, fresh shrimp, turkey, ham, roast beef, sweet potatoes, garlic mashed, etc.  And of course, some great Indian specialties including butter chicken, tikka masala, tandoori, palak paneer, and naan.  My personal favorite and something I had never had before was creamed peas in fenugreek cream sauce called methi matar malai.  Spectacularly delicious and unique.  The dessert table was fresh from the freezer, but we'll forgive them that one transgression.   

Afterward the kids had some fun on the grounds and I got some time to take some photos of them.  We certainly have much to be thankful for.  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

 

Holiday Card

Colorful Joy Christmas Card

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A great way to use a relaxed Thanksgiving morning....putting together the family holiday card. Shutterfly is awesome!

Inmates

On Sunday Connor, Paige, and Blake were playing in the basement. As usual they wanted a snack. But they wanted it to be delivered in an unusual way. I don't know what they were playing down there, but they asked that their grapes be passed to them THROUGH the cat door so they could pretend to be PRISONERS. So, I was the Warden and fed them through the door while they giggled on the other side. They loved my yelling at them about their prison behavior. Just another day in Tatertown.

Melting Rainbows

Last Sunday we did a cool art project I saw on Pinterest. It was easy and a BIG hit. Simply hot glue your crayons to a canvas and melt with a blow dryer. Awesome.

Blue Devils Forever!

I can hardly believe that I'm posting this, but the football season is over. It seems like just yesterday that we were out roasting in the August heat five nights a week and now suddenly...poof...we're done. Football has come to be a major part of our family life and I have no idea what we will do with all of our free time. The season did not end perfectly. The Bearcats defeated our team 12-8 in a great, well-played game. But perfection is the enemy of good-enough and the season was so much more than good-enough. Here are some highlights of the championship game which was played on the field at Broad Run High School with an announcer.

Running onto the field....#18-CONNOR TATE!!

Game Face

Pre-game prep and motivational speech from Coach

These next four shots I pulled from around 20 consecutive pics of one play where Connor was right in the mix.  So much of this game was a defensive battle--slowing them down and not letting them gain ground.

Connor is #18.  This is the beginning of the play.  Notice where he and his teammates
are vis a vis the fence and spectators.

Holding his ground in a crowd.

Refusing to move backward so the only choice is down.

At the bottom of the pile.  The play ended and and the Blue Devils didn't give up an inch. 

Congrats from Dad

Pumped up!  Still time on the clock.

The final score has been determined and there is sadness all around.

Award ceremony on the field after the game.  Connor receiving his medal.

Listening to Coach for the last time with tears.

If you think about all of the pieces that need to come together to have 18 boys, their families and their coaches, come together for an all around great season, its overwhelming.  Along with very committed parents whom clearly make their kids their priority, we had everything you need to have a great time at football:

There were four great coaches with a full range of follicular activity!  Each of them had their own strengths and styles and ways to approach the boys.  Chemistry is everything.

There were tough practices.

There was a committed mascot.  Kudos to Ken Barker for totally busting it out.  The boys loved it.

There were cheerleaders and shirtless fans.

And there was a good amount of recruiting for the future. 

Congratulations to the Blue Devils and to my player, Connor.   I wasn't so sure about this football thing, but I'm totally on board now.  GO BLUE DEVILS!!