Thanksgiving and Hanukkah in NB

On Black Friday, we slept late and burnt our energy, not in the stores but on the court. Great Grandma Jewell Rae made a triumphant return to the tennis court, having missed out on tennis for the last few years. And Collin was ready to serve as ball boy for the adults, returning a ball to Great Uncle Larry.

Next up was beautiful Landa Park and Collin's first train ride. We handed our tickets to the conductor and off we went, snaking through the park, by the streams of the Comal River, with a huge smile plastered on Collin's face and big eyes absorbing the wonder of the choo-choo train.
If that weren't enough excitement for one day, we de-boarded the train and headed to the ducks. We happened to have a bag of pretzel goldfish and the ducks and geese happily shared our snacks.

On to the playground, for some rides on the rocking motorcycle and climbs on the jungle gym.
After a long nap to recover from our busy morning, it was time for Hanukkah. As we waited for the family to assemble, Collin read with Great Uncle Walter and cousin Leah.
And posed for pictures with Daddy in their matching light blue hats -

We said the prayer, sung the song, and then the grandchildren - and great grandchild - lit the 8 candles, symbolizing the 8 days that the oil lasted in 165 B.C.
Collin doesn't really know why he's clapping as the Hanukkah candles are lit, but it seems all around him everyone is smiling and clapping so he joins along -

Next up, time for a gift exchange. Great Uncle Larry gifted Collin with a stuffed cow, now affectionately named Calvin, and when he pulled it out of the bag he exclaimed, "Cow, MOOOOO!" Here he is in mid-MOOO.

Clapping for himself as he finished the puzzle from cousin Jackson -

Posing with Great Grandma Jewell Rae and Leah -

With Grammy and Brownie at Hanukkah and then the next day at the gym playing his first game of shuffleboard -

Though we were so excited about his first train ride, Collin's clearest memories of the weekend were spending time with all his family and the deer. At dusk the first evening, Collin saw deer. From that point on he was obsessed. He always saw "three deer" no matter the number, unless they were "hiding." And now at home, we look for deer in our front yard and backyard daily. Last weekend he went hunting for lizards in Great Aunt Debbie's backyard with Brownie, and so when they came back inside, Brownie asked Collin what they found. "DEER!!!" he exclaimed. Except not really, it was just two lizards.