Thanksgiving in Virginia--2014

Terisa arrived in Virginia about four days before Danny.  Danny arrive right on schedule.  I arrived about two days later.  Everyone was already home when I got there. 
Danny was a bit squirmy for pre-Church photos here, until he learned he didn't have to go.

Charlie was more squirmy in church.  He made one brilliant breakaway escape around the closed end of the pews, and was well into the choir seats before I recaptured him.

 Alice started on her two-month eye patch odyssey while we were there.  It didn't affect her driving that much.  And she had to pilot a heavy load of pre-Thanksgiving food shopping in a very crowded store.

Mornings and evenings we took Grace to the school bus stop and then escorted her home.  Shirtsleeve weather, though.

"I'm Batman."

Days of '47 royalty, taking an old-fangled selfie with a camera that you can't see yourself in.  Ha!

Princess Grace.

Princess Alice.  Every day.

"Whatever Gotham needs me to be."

Grandpa holding Danny for the first time, just before Danny "baptized" me by sprinkling.

We had some lovely fall weather to visit the park in.

With an extra adult in the house, there was time and guarding available to do some microscopy.  We looked at leaves (lots of little blocky cells) and fabric (lots of twisty fibers) and even mushrooms (sliminess).   

Alice got her turns, too.  Charlie did not interfere. Much.

Dwarfed by the umbrella, but he stayed dry clear down there.

The Princess holds the new Prince. 

Ditto.

Wrestling time was always enjoyed. Much less crying than I remember as a kid...

Chef Kit coaching the sous-chefs in pie-making.  Highly successful.

Storytime with Aunt Lynne?  Heaven!

Fur-bearing Addy prepares for the kids' Turkey Trot.

Everyone ran a bit before the T-day meal. Swishy skirts and all.

Charlie gets encouragement worthy of a marathon from Aunt Lynne, who ran a half marathon just the week before.

A lovely table was set for the big day.

Pride in creation. And Mo-vember stache.

 After dinner, the obligatory family football game was held. There was some obligatory crying, but none of the usual obligatory injuries, especially to the old folks.  We did find a hidden puddle or two on this field.

Grandma Terisa shares an apple brew with the next generation.  This was a favorite new taste for Miss Addy who went backed and begged for more until it was gone.

There were heroic attempts at family photos, though Charlie was unhappy--something about being an artist and simply unable to work under these abysmal conditions--on the one photo where my flash didn't reflect too much on glasses. 

Mr and Mrs Santa Claus, the early years.

After the turkey day, it was time to bring out the Christmas decorations.  And music.  I only saw the tree get pulled down once in two weeks, though there was the candy cane incident...

Hard to tell who is kept in and who is kept out here.

Little kids in bed, big kids eating snacks and playing dominoes.

Nice fireplace photo of the newly enlarged family.

Bedtime is for reading...

..and doing Grandpa's physical therapy exercises with him.

And a parting shot of the ever-patriotic Paul just before scout night.

It was a fun two weeks, very comfortably spent as part of the family, instead of being visitors. It was also very nice to get the entire Evan and Terisa family together for a day. Good food, good friends, good fun. Not sure when we'll be able to orchestrate another, but so glad that we like each other enough to try.