Manager Duties

While we were in Tennessee for Christmas, our basketball team was also in Tennessee for a game! Of course we stopped and cheered and spent the night. While we were in the hotel, Evan got invited to not only ride the bus with the team to the game, but also to serve as a Team Manager and sit on the bench! What an awesome honor! It was a good thing he had just received an official Virginia jersey for Christmas, so he was dressed perfectly. After some initial nerves on the bus, Mike went to the ticket office and Evan went to the locker room with the other managers, coaches, and players. Drew and I drove separately and didn't see them until gametime! Evan did a great job, cheering when appropriate, carrying towels, and helping set up the chairs for the players during time outs. Unfortunately UVA lost the game by a massive margin, so we're not sure any guest manager invitations will be happening again. :( But it sure was a night to remember!

 Can you see Evan at the end of the bench?

Santa visits

As we prepare for Christmas, the boys have been very preoccupied with Santa. They're not asking for anything special, in Evan's words, "We want whatever--Santa always brings something great--and a blue stuffed alligator." Very sweet! (But where'd the alligator come from??) 

The boys haven't wanted anything to do with seeing Santa for several years now, but after dinner near the mall

one Tuesday they wanted to check him out. We were the only ones there and after staring for a few minutes, they wandered over and said hi. No pictures, no stress, just a little chat. Mike took illicit phone-photos while I tried to block him from the view of the elves. 

A couple days later we found that one of Santa's representatives was at Lowe's, so in the hopes of another free candy cane, we had another chat. 

Here's hoping your Christmas is merry! 

He's back on the shelf!

Rudy the Elf returned to our house! The boys were thrilled that he came back, and love hunting for him every morning. He made quite the impression his first morning by finding and helping himself to the donuts! He was caught red-handed, sitting on the table with crumbs and a little powdered sugar on his nose. Silly elf! 

Here are just a couple of his other hiding places: he stole Drew's balloon, raced motorcycles with some of the superheroes, and used blocks to remind the boys that he knows their names for sharing with Santa. We love having Rudy around! 

Basketball team

Evan is signed up for a basketball team! We had to advocate a little to get him on since its really for kindergarteners and up, but Coach decided to take a chance and let him try. Tonight was their first practice, and Evan did amazing. They stretched, ran, jumped, dribbled, talked strategy, and of course shot the ball. The hoop is a little lower and the ball a little smaller than standard, but its perfect for the 5&6 year olds. Games start in January-- Go Panthers!