Uncategorized

Holiday Adventure Box/Mailbox Update

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So, I did it! I got our Adventure Box, what I am now referring to as the Holiday Mailbox- because, well, it’s in a mailbox- going! I have to say that I didn’t set it up well. They had opened their gifts, we were at Great Grandma’s house, and they were all wound up and overstimulated. The concept didn’t really stick.

And then time passed. And their central nervous systems began to return to baseline. Thank goodness! And they became more curious. And now they love it! Phew!

The first time the opened the mailbox, they read the letter and each got an envelope that they would be going to see a Wizard the Oz play (there is a related post). Nugget also found out he would be going to the Evergreen Air Museum. Which was a big hit, by the way! He went with his dad and some friends so I don’t have a personal review, but he came back convinced he had flown to space, repaired a rocket ship, and ready to be a pilot when he grows up. So a win!

Now they are itching to see what comes next. Even though the letter was signed from “mom and dad,” somehow Santa is getting all the credit. There are lots of questions about how practical it is for Santa to visit us this frequently, how Santa will let me know when to tell them to look in the mailbox, all kinds of things. I am being the bigger person and rolling with it in the spirit of Christmas fun. But I’ll be happen to take that credit right back given the opportunity. 🙂

They have even started making wishes, which I have to say is coming in handy. Some were already on the list- like Nuggets hope that he gets to go bowling. Others were not but likely will be now- like Chicken’s hope that she gets to go to the local art museum. Who knew that was somewhere my 8-year-old wanted to go?

Anyway, we are all excited about it and at this point it seems it will be a hit!

 

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Adventure Box, Holiday, Theater

Wizard of Oz- Portland Panto Players

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Portland Panto Players. Oh my! This was one of the first “tickets” the kiddos found in their new Christmas Mailbox. Portland Panto Players is a group that formed in 2017 to perform panto plays around the holidays. If you are new to pantos, like me, here is the scoop. (Thank you, Google!) Apparently Brits have developed this style of theater and it is a typical holiday family outing. A traditional panto takes a well known story, in this case Wizard of Oz, and tweaks it. Like, a lot. Every panto has a villian, a dame (an older female character played by a man), and incorporates modern music, pop culture references, adds new characters, and takes liberties with the story line.

In this case, Auntie was played by a man with a beard parted into pigtails. Beardtails? I don’t know. The flying monkeys rapped Ice, Ice, Baby. For reals. Glenda sang Popular (yay!), and Dorothy’s sister Hannah sang a line from Book of Mormon when knocking on the Wicked Witch’s door. We Are Family and The Lion Sleeps Tonight also made enthusiastic appearances. The Tin Man was still in search of his heart, but had been gifted a pair of silver balls on a string that he was told was his dingaling. Which resulted in the cast singing about how they want to play with My Dingaling. Yes, you read that right.

There is a lot more audience interaction than is typical of theater, which was a lot of fun. Characters spoke directly to audience members and incorporated the comments little kids couldn’t keep inside. You are encouraged to boo the villain (which Nugget did with gusto) and shout out warnings to the cast when the bad guys are approaching. Humor was over the top and very heavy on the puns. The set was simple but effective, and a video screen with prerecorded pieces was used when certain staging couldn’t be accomplished. The cast was clearly having fun and were decent singers and actors, although not necessarily professional caliber. Most of it was family friendly even if the humor went over the kids’ heads a lot of the time. There was plenty of funny in there for them, too. Depending on your sense of humor and propriety, the whole Dingaling song could have crossed a line for some. Chicken and Nugget knew they were missing out on something critical and spent a good bit of time this afternoon discussing what exactly it could be referring to.

I can honestly say I have never been to anything quite like it. Did I like it? I have no idea. I want to say no, but I laughed out loud multiple times so I must have, right?

Chicken loved it and said she would go to every single one they ever do. Nugget was a bit gobsmacked. I’m not sure he knows what just happened to him. I am pretty much in his camp.

Portland Panto Players indicated they are aiming to make this a yearly tradition and they are planning on putting on a 2019 show. Will we be there? Maybe. We will see how the mood strikes us and what else we have going on.

Tickets ran $8 to $12. More information on their shows and panto in general can be found here: https://portlandpantoplayers.com/

Camps and Classes, Holiday, Theater

Mary Poppins at North West Children’s Theater

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This weekend we had the pleasure of meeting some friends at Northwest Children’s Theater for their holiday show- Mary Poppins! The day was fantastic for many reasons.

Chicken participated in their Girl Scouts workshop before the show. It was such a fun experience for her! There were four teachers, some of whom she recognized from other shows we have gone to. I mean, she got to hang out with Donkey from Shrek the Musical! That alone made her day. They played acting games, saw backstage, and explored the costume area. They even learned one of the songs and a bit of the choreography. She had so many things to share with us when it was over.

While she did that, Nugget and I headed to Starbucks to meet some special people in our lives and play Uno. A win for all! Well, me. I crushed him. No mercy, mamas! Then it was time to wander back over to the theater.

The look on his face when he saw his little buddy and the hug they gave each other made my eyes fill with tears. They were so excited to see each other and to see the play!

The opening set was beautiful. Light was used to portray smoke rising from chimneys, which fascinated both boys. All of the sets were beautiful and changed frequently. The kid actors were adorable and Mary Poppins herself was spot on. All of classic songs are there, along with some not found in the movie. Mary Poppins did her flying with an umbrella thing, which was a huge highlight for all the kids. Choreography seemed like it was in slow motion, but the kids seemed to like it because it made it easier for them to mimic later. Actors frequently used the aisle, and Nugget did not ask even once if they were there to eat him.

As we left the show, our little 5-year-old buddy said “that was awesome!” as Nugget proudly sached down the aisle singing Let’s Go Fly a Kite. The girls were a little deeper in their thoughts and had lots of good things to say.

As always, the kids had fun getting their programs signed and their pictures taken. As usual, Nugget refused to go near any of the girls. He is so weird.

Once we got home, they played the soundtrack on our Alexa and Nugget even put on a penguin costume to act out the penguin scene from the movie (the song is in the play but is sadly penguin free).

So….

What it is: a fun family holiday show, full of music and beautiful sets, engaging, perfectly time for those dying to see the upcoming Mary Poppins Returns movie (me! me!), a great date afternoon for the family.

What it is not: Short! It ran about 3 hours with the intermission so may not be the best choice for very young children who aren’t used to theater

Would we recommend it? Yes! Completely! It is running through January 6th and tickets, or what is left of them, can be found here:

https://nwcts.org/

Adventure Box, Fun Gift Ideas, Holiday

Adventure Box- Christmas Done Differently

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Does anyone else get tired of the piles of toys that never get played with? Tired of putting toys away or nagging the kiddos to do it themselves? I do. Chicken and Nugget each have a handful of favorite toys they play with a lot- soccer balls, drums, and a couple special stuffed animals for Nugget and Legos and figurines for Chicken. Other than that, they really aren’t “toy kids.” Which makes me very happy. And yet, the masses of stuff continue to accrue.

So this year I am taking a risk and doing Christmas differently. They will each have a couple of presents under the tree- a Lego set and special book for Chicken, and a fancy soccer ball and a game for Nugget. Other than that, I am building up an adventure box for each of them.

Adventure box is probably the wrong name. It’s not actually going to be in a box. But I don’t know what else to call it. Ideas? The general idea is that each month, I will surprise the kids with a fun activity or day trip.

I bought a metal winter themed mailbox from from a local craft store when it was 70% off, and it’s already in our living room to get the kids used to seeing it there so they won’t be overly curious and ruin any upcoming surprises. I also got small decorative gift bags- the solid paper kind, not the see through plastic ones, that are about 3.5 inches wide and 6.75 inches long. I got editable “Christmas coupons” off of Etsy- there are a wide variety of designs and coupon ideas on that sight. Then I started making a list of ideas.

The development of the idea list has been a lot of fun! Of course, since I am planning for a whole year, it will be a work in progress. But it has been a fun excuse to look into upcoming events in our area. The idea is that once a month, I will tell them to go look in the mailbox in our living room. Inside, they will find one of the treat bags. I put gift tags on their bags with their names on them. Inside the envelope, they will find a “ticket” or “coupon” for some fun activity we will be doing.

I have a letter prepared for them that will be inside the mailbox on Christmas along with their first envelope. It explains the idea and lays out the parameters- how often, when, that sometimes they will do the same thing, sometimes different things, some months will be something big, something small, etc.

Examples of things that I have planned include movie dates for movies I know they will want to see, train rides, rail riding, breakfast at a fun local restaurant they haven’t been to followed by mini golf, bowling, tea parties, tickets to a local sports game, a day trip to the mountain, holiday and cultural events, a day trip with their grandpa, things like that.

I have a few pros I am using to justify this idea in my head. It means less stuff to deal with! Yay! As a mom, I love the idea of getting to build all of these memories with the kids. I know they are definitely more meaningful to me as a mom than a pile of toys, and I hope to the kids will view it that way as well, especially as they get older. Financially, I will be able to buy tickets for things as time gets closer. While I have a feeling I will wind up spending more than I would have on pure toys, I will be able to spread the cost out over the course of the year with less impact just at the holiday time. Another bonus is that I can count things we would likely have done anyway as Christmas presents and now it is more exciting because they get to look in the mailbox and open a cute envelope with their name on it. I mean, let’s be honest. We are going to Mary Poppins Returns no matter what. But now it’s a Christmas present! Now they’ll probably get popcorn out of the deal, so it’s a win win!

I acknowledge a few cons. It’s going to take a lot of planning. But I am nothing if not a planner, so I’m ok with that. They may not like it. I have a feeling they will, but you never know. And they way I plan on doing it could get costly, even though the cost will get spread out. But since it is all surprises, I can change my plans as needed for any reason, and the kids will never know.

I think this concept has the potential to work for a lot of scenarios- birthdays, Hanukkah, Easter, ect. It could also be modified to meet the needs or interests of any family. Don’t want to commit to planning for a whole year? Do it for a couple of months. Or pick a handful of activities and tell your kids about all of them on Christmas Eve/Day. Worried they will miss getting toys? Incorporate a toy or gift card as the surprise for some of the months. Or give a small gift card to different places they like each month. Worried about the cost? Simplify things. Go for ice cream, give a coupon for them to pick a movie to rent, make one of the surprises an afternoon of baking cookies with you. There are endless ways you could tweak this, and I might wind up making changes along the way based on how Chicken and Nugget are responding.

I have hopes they will think this is a great idea. They love going and doing things. They have asked for tickets to a local holiday event (more on that in a separate upcoming post)as their only gift from their grandpa for the last four years. Or this could be a total dud. You could read a future posts from me, head hanging in shame, telling you to never, ever, do this. But I sure hope not!

I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas about this, especially if you ever implement something similar with your family!

Parks, Uncategorized

Mountain View Champions Park

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When it’s sunny in December in the Pacific Northwest, you take advantage.  So this weekend we put on our coats and made the trek to one of our favorite local parks- Mountain View Champions Park in Beaverton.  Apart from its sign, there is not much to see from the road.  But take a moment to pull into the entrance, and you’ll be in for a pleasant surprise.  It is a joint effort between the Tualatin Hills Parks and Recreation Department and the Portland Timbers/Thorns, and it’s a great addition the the community.

We did exactly that about a year ago, after noticing indications of construction that had been going on for a while.  It’s been a favorite ever since.  There are two playgrounds.  The one closest to the entrance is newer and is one of the more accessible playgrounds for children with physical limitations.  It uses that bouncy turf stuff instead of bark chips, making it easier for children to navigate the area.  It has large disc swings that kids can sit or lay on.  There is a strip of easily reachable plastic “instruments” and a merry-go-round thing with seats to sit in.  There are also rocks to climb on, small slides to go down, structures to climb on and short concrete paths to go down.

Go past the first play structure and through a few trees, and you are at a second play structure.  It is a more typical play area with traditional swings, bark chips, and things to climb on.

There are multiple sports fields- a smaller one with the Timbers and Thorns logos designed into the turf (making Timber fan Nugget feel like a super star), and a large one that appears to get used for everything from soccer to football.  Tournaments are frequently held, so parking can get tricky during weekends of sports season, although there is additional parking available at a nearby school.  The field are lit at night only for tournaments. There is a concession stand we have found in use during larger events, and there are plenty of bathrooms.  There is a small covered area with tables, as well as a couple stand alone picnic tables.

On any given day, you will find kids running, riding bikes, climbing, swinging, playing sports, and laughing.  There are walking paths around the sports fields, so it is common to see parents walking laps while their kid has whatever practice they are there for. It is a free lunch program location during the summer, and last year there was an attempt at a very tiny farm’s market- although market is a bit of a strong term.  Sports teams practice there, birthday parties happen there, there is always something going on.  We love it.

What it is: a fun community park with lots of different activities, more accessible than most parks.

What it is not: surprisingly, not a great place for picnics. For as big of a park as it is, there are very few picnic tables, and they are usually taken in the summer. That being said, if you don’t mind sitting on the ground, bleachers, or the concrete borders, picnic away!

You can find out the location and more information about amenities here:  http://www.thprd.org/parks-and-trails/detail/mountain-view-champions-park

 

Holliday, Winter Activities

Helvetia Christmas Tree Farm

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Thanksgiving dinner- Check!
Nugget’s family birthday celebration- Check!
Clean up from Thanksgiving complete- Kind of!

So, as per family tradition, we were off to find our Christmas tree. Somehow we wind up at a different tree farm every year. Last year we found one we really liked, only for this year to be a re-grow year for them- pre-cut trees only. So, back to square one.

After a half-hearted Google search in the middle of the night after hosting Thanksgiving, I landed on Helvetia Christmas Tree Farm. We had never been there before, and it sounded fun. So a few hours later I guzzled my coffee and informed my husband that today was tree day. Somehow he “forgets” (i.e. blocks out) the fact that we do this Every. Single. Year.

We got there early afternoon and it wasn’t crowded in the least. I asked where we would be most likely to find Doug firs, which, according to my bleary eyed internet search had indicated were about half the price of the other trees, only to be told that most of the Doug firs were in their growing phase and we would be unlikely to find any. Plop. The guy was very nice and said if we wanted to grab a pre-cut tree he would give it to us for the price of a Doug fir. But tradition is tradition, so overpay for our tree we did.

So after we adjusted to how much we would be paying for our tree, we stopped and took in what there was to see. Which was a lot! There was a small area tucked between some trees where man made snow was falling. It had even formed a little patch of snow on the ground. The kids were thrilled!

Nugget spotted Santa in a sled in a little covered area. And there was no line! Nugget hopped right up there, said cheese, and galloped off with his newly acquired candy cane. Chicken passed, as usual.

And then the highlight. An open fire pit. With roasting sticks (wooden stick with a spot to insert a disposable chopstick). And free marshmallows. And s’mores kits for sale for $2. I don’t even know how many Nugget ate and I probably don’t want to. It was a lot.

Then it was finally time to get down to business. We traipsed through the mud in search of the perfect tree. I have to say, all of the trees were lovely. Nice color and good shape. It was a tough choice. After the decision was finally made, we (let’s be honest. Dad.) used the provided saw and ground cover to cut down a tree. A very nice man came by, tagged the tree, put it on this tractor thing, and carried it back up the hill where it was shaken and baled. Is that what you call it? They even helped tie it to the top of our car. And they wisely had a hose available to clean off all those muddy boots!

We decided to have a few more marshmallows, warm up by the fire, and check out the couple of farm animals that were out. Then we happily wandered back to the car, only to discover a flat tire. We made it to a gas station and got enough air in the tire to make it home before Dad took it to the tire shop. I’m guessing the kids’ and my rousing rendition of Christmas carols didn’t help. Pretty sure that next year when I say “ok! It’s Christmas tree day!” Dad will responded with “Huh? What’s Christmas tree day?.” Oh, well.

Overall, we had a great time. There was a gift shop we didn’t check out, and we were told there were train rides for the kids. We didn’t see it and the kids didn’t seem overly interested, but apparently it’s there if it’s up your kiddo’s alley.

So…

What it is: Family owned, well run, inviting, full of simple but fun activities (Snow!! And marshmallows!!), helpful staff, not overcrowded, apparently only open two weekends

What’s it’s not: Cheap. Mud Free. Tire friendly- but that’s probably just us.

Would we recommend it? Yes! As long as you are willing to fork out the cash for a tree, it was a really fun experience. Probably one of our favorite tree farms yet!

You can find more information here: http://www.helvetia-christmas-tree-farm.com/festival-activities

Games

Outfoxed: A Game Night Favorite

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We always host Thanksgiving, which means I am always looking for ways to keep
Chicken and Nugget entertained while I get things ready. This year, enter Outfoxed.

Outfoxed is a fun, engaging, cooperative game geared for the younger crowd. A wiley fox has put on a disguise and you must figure out who the thief is before the fox escapes out the fox hole. If he does, you lose. I know, sounds weird, but it really does make sense once you start to play.

The game consists of a board, three dice with paw prints and eyes on them, a stack of suspect cards, a stack of thief cards, token-esque clues, 4 hat-shaped player pieces, a fox figure, and a decoder. Yes, a decoder. The main reason the game is such a hit.

A thief card is selected at random (don’t peek!) and is put inside the decoder to be revealed at the end of the game. The suspect cards are laid around the edge of the board. Players take turns rolling the first three dice. Prior to rolling the dice, you must state if you are going for a clue (paw prints)or a suspect (eyes). If you match all three dice with the correct symbol, you get to flip over a suspect card or move toward a spot on the board that will allow you to put a clue in the decoder. If not, you have to move the fox three spaces down the path on the board, bringing the fox closer to his escape.

The goal is to use the clues and deductive reasoning to figure out who the thief is before the fox escapes. For example, if your decoder tells you that the thief has a necklace, and good old Mary is not wearing one, then you know Mary is not your gal. Conversely, if Alice IS wearing one, she is still in the running.

The cooperative aspect comes in several guises. Players will start to encourage (or shout out, whichever) others to go for a clue, or point out we don’t have enough suspects. Players have to decide whether to listen to their teammates or go with their gut. Near the end of the game, players must also make decisions as a team. Are we confident enough to take a guess as to who the thief may be? If we are wrong, we lose! Do we want to risk rolling the dice, not getting a match, and letting the fox escape? Because we all win, or we all lose. Oh, the drama and the negotiation! I feel obligated to point out here that Chicken recently convinced Nugget and I to listen to her, which resulted in us losing the game. Thanks, Chicken.

We started playing this game when Chicken and Nugget were 7 and 5, respectively. I played it with them a few times, and they were soon able to play independently. Like get it out, set it all up, play multiple rounds, and put it away all by themselves. Hallelujah! So I can be up to my elbows in mashed potatoes and apple pie, and they can happily play away without an iota of help from me. It really is a Thanksgiving miracle.

It’s also a game I actually enjoy playing with them, and it is a frequent star of our family game nights. The concept is simple but fun, the decoder brings an unique aspect to the table, each round is completely different, I like watching them negotiate the strategy, and for a kids game there are moments of drama- are we going to figure it out? Will the fox get away?!?

So….

What it is: fun, cooperative, easy for kids to play independently, a great way to practice those logic and negotiation skills, unique (decoder!), visually attractive, nicely illustrated, reasonably priced, probably best for kiddos ages 4 to 9 maybe older if they are a really kind older sibling), a game that stays fresh because it is different each time you play

What it isn’t: Meant for tweens and up, travel sized (although if they make one I would totally get it- hello, restaurants!), heavy on requiring academic skills that require lots of adult support

Would we recommend it?: Totally! My kids absolutely love it, and so do I. It’s great addition to any game library for the younger child. And I would have said this even if it hadn’t completely made my Thanksgiving prep way easier today.

We were introduced to this game at a local independent toy store and I have seen it popping up more and more at different places lately. However, should you not have a store like that near you or they simply don’t carry this game, it is, of course, available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Gamewright-418-Outfoxed-Game-Board/dp/B00UB7P0XY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1542867294&sr=8-1&keywords=outfoxed+game+board+game

Theater

Ella Enchanted (Oregon Children’s Theater)

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So this weekend was Ella Enchanted at OCT.  Nugget was in a cranky mood and said he in no way wanted to go watch a show about princesses.  I told him this was an un-princess story and to get his little tushy in the car (and be nice about it).  With a frown on his face, he got in the car and buckled up.  He even found a pair of headphones in the car and put them on so he wouldn’t have to be tortured with all the princessness.  I ignored him and acted as if everything was fine.  So it was one of those mornings.  Yay.

Ella Enchanted is the story of a princess who is given the gift/curse of obedience.  She has to do anything anyone tells her to, which has some obvious down sides.  Ella is a likeable young girl who strives to find her independence. She has a an endearing mother, a wicked step family, and a clueless step father who make her plight all the more difficult.  All the trappings of a classic fairy tale.

We got there and found our seats to be in the first balcony.  We had never had seats there before and they were pretty good!  Nugget kept on his cranky pants- and the headphones.  But he did subtly lift them up during the good parts and had a list of things he liked once the play was over.

Chicken did a lot of giggling and smiling.  The evil step sisters were a hit, and she loved the concept of the play.  She was able to draw parallels between Ella and other well known fairy tales.  She was even pleased to find the word “obey” on a vocabulary test at school a few days later!  Who says theater isn’t educational?

Overall, the talent was fantastic and the staging was beautiful.  There were a few parts that could have been cut out and I don’t think any of us would have missed them.  But even those parts were pleasant enough.

What it is: sweet, funny, with a positive female lead, and un-princess fairy tale, well produced,  and enjoyable.

What it is not: super fast paced, Nugget’s favorite

Would we recommend it:  Chicken and I would, Nugget not so much

 

Theater, Upcoming

Beaverton Civic Theater 2019 Season

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BCT just announced it’s upcoming season and it sounds like a fun season for families!

They have two mainstage productions that have the potential to be family friendly depending on the age of your children- Diary of Anne Frank and Clue: the Musical.  These productions are typically $15 for adults and $5 for children.

They are also having a few productions targeting children and families through their Young Audiences program.  These productions are typically $5.

They are doing Knuffle Bunny again this year.  We saw it at least twice when they did it a couple of years ago and it is worth the $5.  Be prepared for a lot of dramatic wailing on the part of Trixie, but that’s kind of what she does for the whole book, too.

Another show we are excited about is Charlotte’s Web!  We haven’t gotten to see this production as a family and we are all looking forward to it!  They are also doing a concert version of Beauty and the Beast.  I’m a little disappointed it isn’t a fully staged production because it is one of our absolute favorites, but it makes sense given their space limitations.  And since we are all suckers for all things Beauty and the Beast, we will be there with Belles (hee hee) on.

BCT also announced a new program we are excited about.  It is called Troupe BCT.  Children ages 8 and up will be able to audition to be part of the training intensive program, which will culminate in a public production of Seussical the Musical.  Another family favorite!  Chicken will be auditioning, but we will be at the show regardless of whether or not she is lucky enough to be selected.  I love that BCT is increasing their theater outreach for youth.  Yay BCT!

Holliday, Movies, Winter Activities

The Grinch (2018)

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Chicken and Nugget had the day off from school today as teachers prepare report cards.  Yay!  We took advantage of the cold and lazy morning to go check out the new Grinch movie.

I have to confess something.  Something that may negatively impact our relationship.  But I feel it’s important to be honest.  I don’t like Dr. Seuss.  At all.  I find reading the books to be rather painful.  There.  I said it.  Such a weight has been lifted.  If I have to suffer through Dr. Seuss, I would choose How the Grinch Stole Christmas or The Lorax.  Begrudgingly.  So I went to this movie because Chicken really wanted to see it and I love her most of the time.  (I do feel obligated to note that I am a huge fan of Seussical the Musical, which took me way longer than it should have to go see due to said aversion to all things Seuss).

And I’m actually glad I did.  It’s a very cute, fun movie.  I haven’t made it through the other versions of the Grinch movies because I didn’t enjoy them and found myself distracted by things that needed done around the house.  Does that ever happen to you other moms and dads?  I’m sure it doesn’t.  But this one is well made, the characters are likeable, and it’s silly and funny without being obnoxious.  The Who children in the movie are relatable as modern day children, and the mom faces struggles familiar to many of us.  I particularly loved the kid who said “I can’t stay long.  My mom set a timer.  It’s new.”  The Grinch is as grinchy as they come, but somehow consistently shows a bit more heart throughout the movie than I have seen in his predecessors.

We saw the standard version of the movie because I couldn’t come up with any reason that it would need to be seen in 3-D.  I was probably wrong.  There were parts that were clearly done with the intent of being viewed in 3-D and I’m guessing it would be pretty fun.  So if you are into that kind of thing, it may be worth a shot.

So, to sum it up- I don’t like Dr. Seuss (I hope we can still be friends).  And yet I enjoyed this movie, as did Chicken and Nugget.  Chicken asked if we can get the DVD as we walked out of the theater, and she is surprisingly selective about which movies she wants to see again.  Except Mamma Mia movies.  She would watch those things every day.

Update: 11/28/18. Nugget is now the proud owner of a stuffed Grinch toy that he carries around all the time and sleeps with each night. He is also itching for Saturday to arrive so can open his Grinch calendar. And when I called him out on some mild rudeness, he said it was because his heart was three sizes to small. So he is definitely a fan!

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