The One With Little Women

 

 

This Thursday, November 30, Bri, Emmie, and I went to DHS to see the students perform their annual musical. This year, the students put on Little Women. It was a great show and a sneaky holiday treat...after all, it took place during Christmastime at the beginning.

Truth be told, I didn't know what to expect because I was not familiar with most of the story. However, the students put on a truly magnificent show. Perhaps what made it most entertaining is that we have been able to get to know many of the students in the show during the past two years through Bri and Kiff. So, seeing them perform was a real treat.

The stage crew - the people I always  come to see - did a great job and included several of Bri's friends. The sets, which I always am interested in seeing, were magnificent. The story was phenomenal - I can see why Emmie loves it. 

Of course the funniest part was when we looked at the playbill and noticed our names in it because we are on one of the committees (the Marching Band activities committee). That always catches me off guard.

Kudos to DHS Acts on a fabulous performance.

The One with the Darlene Love Concert

 

Tonight, we went to the Darlene Love concert at the Cabot Theater in Beverly. Although I am a Darlene Love fan, I wasn't too sure what to expect. Kiff's all time favorite song is her "Christmas Baby Please Come Home." So, he was definitely excited to see her.

We actually got to Beverly early - Emmie was big on making sure we had parking.  Well, we did and were able to eat at AB Burger, which came highly recommended by Bri. It was scrumptious. Great burgers, nice fries, and some super pretzel bites.

We realized we were done so early that it was nearly an hour before doors opened, so we went shopping at a book store on Cabot Street. It was delightful!!! Got some good gifts there.

Then, it was time to go to the concert. And, it was fantastic. She had an 11 person band with her there, helping her perform a bunch of songs, including some gospel, Motown cover combos, and some Christmas standards. Her musicians were amazing and her saxophonist was one of the best I've ever heard. She did have a backup singer sing an phenomenal rendition of Oh Holy Night - one of three standing ovations for the night. One of her gospel songs was amazing. That got another standing ovation. And "Christmas Baby Please Come Home" began - and ended - with a standing ovation as well.

It was a phenomenal night of music and a great way to kick off the holiday season. It was Darlene Love's first concert of the season as well.

The One With Napoleon

 

 

Tonight was the traditional Wednesday before Thanksgiving. It is always a fun day.

At school,  we were supposed to have our annual Turkey Trot. Alas, it got rained out. However, we did watch a movie in school - the Hunger Games. I forgot how good that was.

 After school, I got home and we went out to eat lunch. It was actually a flashback to the past - we hit The Outback Steakhouse for a pleasant respite.

Although we were all tired, we also brought back another old tradition - the day before Thanksgiving movie. We went out and saw Napoleon. Now, originally, I was not into seeing this movie. But, then I thought - quirky real life leader meets quirky actor. How could you not see that!

And needless to say, it did not disappoint. Sure, it was a bit of a wacky movie, but Joaquin Phoenix did a great job. He brought Napoleon to life in so many ways. It was a bit accentric...and a little bit over the top - but it was awesome.

The One With the Brown Family Thanksgiving

 

 

 

Last night, we held our annual Brown Thanksgiving at our house. After a hiatus for a few years, we brought it back last year. It was a nice, and after a couple rough years, sentimental time.

 

Yesterday, brought more of the same. I learned how to make the Brown family stuffing - which is one of my favorite meals of all time. We did a quick set up (well, quick for us is 5 hours of work). Kiff helped a lot and Bri did a little (but she had winter guard practice and dance).

 

It was a nice afternoon. We had some great turkey (thanks Emmie), squash, potatoes, stuffing, and so on. We had even better conversation and a chance to catch up...which is always nice.

 

All and all, a great Brown family Thanksgiving.

The One With the Fall Family Birthday Party

 

 

Today, we had our annual fall family birthday party. It was a lot of fun. It was the first time we had such a big groups since spring...and it may have been our largest total group in a while, too.

 

While we celebrated three birthdays - Kiff, Emmie, and mine - it was more like a celebration of family. It was a lot of fun  It was great to check back in and get reconnected.

There was a lot of good food - thanks Supinos - and a lot of great conversation.

The One With the Veterans Day Breakfast

 

 

Earlier today, we hosted our 20th (or so) annual KMS Veterans Day Breakfast. It is always an amazing event.

We had 27 veterans come to our school. And, as usual, the 8th grade class was spectacular, engaging with veterans, asking questions, and even sharing stories.

We had several new veterans join us, as well as some of the incredible people we have had join us in the past. 

It is such a powerful event. It is great to express gratitude for those who have served our country and spend the

morning with them! What another great event.

The One With The Marvels

 

 

The Marvels

Today, we went as a family to see the latest Marvel Studies release. The Marvels. The movie features the return of Captain Marvel and two other female Marvels as they save the Earth and the Universe while alternating places at time in the universe. It was again an homage to the multiverse story line that has existed for a while. Truth be told, I am finding this story line a little stale.

Overall, the movie was pretty good. The action was tight and concise, though the plot was a little slow and unclear at times. It is always great to see characters make their return, including Nick Fury. Kelsey Grammar's beast, from X-Men way back when, also appeared at the end when one of the Marvels ended up in an alternate universe. 

We all liked it. Kiff took his friend, Laura there was well. So there were five of us who got a chance to enjoy it. They was an Easter egg at the end, hinting at the potential movie future with the "Young Marvels" getting together.

The One With the Last Competition

 

 

This Sunday, the Danvers band took part in their final competition for NESBA in Lawrence. They performed at the football stadium at the school where they have had their dance recital in the past.

 

The air was cool and the night was crowded.  And the Danvers band was exceptional as usual. Parking in the place was a bit challenging at times. And maneuvering around the stadium was complex. But seeing the band perform and spending time with the other crew of parents there was great.

Danvers took the stage and actually it was a super smooth, invigorating show. Even all of the speakers and special effects worked!!! 

At the end of the night, Danvers took 4th place out of 5 teams (some kids were disappointed). But, they also won a gold medal. So it was a win-win!!!

The One With the Veteran's Day Parde

 

 

Today, we went to the Veteran's Day Parade in Boston. Two years ago, the city restarted this tradition after what appears to be a long hiatus. And, for the past three years, the DHS band has performed.

 Kiff and Bri were both in it this year as well.  They took the bus and I met them in Boston parking at the garage near Faneuil Hall. Unfortunately, Emmie had a migraine, so I was running solo.

Although I was at the Common waiting for quite some time - so much so that it looked like there was no parade going on. I was interviewed by two people from the Emerson student newspaper because I had my Falcons jacket on. However, once the parade got rolling down our street, it was a spectacle.

The band sounded amazing...as you could tell from the people watching it. It even paused where I was - which gave me the chance to cross the street and get some nice pictures (I tried to be better than most people watching the parade, who rushed across during any break they found).

One the band passed, I followed it down. The route was a little longer this year - it went down to City Hall Plaza. The way the sound echoed off the buildings made it seem like the band was three times its size. 

Once they disbanded, they spent some time at Fanueil Hall and then went home. It was an amazing event!

The One With the Playoff Game

 

 

 

November 3, 2023 was a little different than we expected. The Danvers football team had a home playoff game - they had an amazing year with a 6-2 record after an 0-2 start.

The band had to perform both in the stands and their halftime show at the game. Emmie had a migraine for the game, so I flew solo on that one.

The halftime show went well. In fact, it was one of the best of the season. I even got to hear Bri get announced (they got her name correct). Perhaps the best part of the day was the game itself. The team was up 17-0 with two minutes to go in the half. Blackstone Valley raced back to make it close. With three seconds to go, and Danvers up by 1 point, Blackstone had a chance to kick a field goal from the 10 yard line. However, Danvers rushed in and nicked the ball, sending it wide right. Danvers won at the last second and they made it to a second game (against Dedham) in the playoffs.