Good Friday ... a school holiday

It's so nice for the boys to have Good Friday off - Frederic even has Monday off. This is one way SWVA is wonderfully different from Denver - you can wish people HAPPY EASTER without all the PC stuff and signs at businesses all over town proclaim, "He is Risen." Grandma Meyers is staying through Easter and we love having her! Frederic is getting so much attention - he'll definitely feel some withdrawal when she leaves next week. I've posted some pictures / video from his Easter party at school. His teachers and the parents at Sullins are amazing!

Mrs Oliver & Mrs Hewett's Pre3 Class in homemade hats

Pre3s and PreKs enjoying the Easter Party

Frederic giving Ainsley his pink jellybean

The pink jellybean

I wanted to post a couple noteworthy events in the past several weeks ... meant to start this sooner, but didn't.

March 5th - 8th: Trip to Denver for Founders Day and for a much needed visit. Theodore and I had an uneventful trip there and back from a travel perspective. We had a wonderful time staying with Parker, Julie, Liam & Bryn, meeting friends for lunch at On the Border, GDO and chats with Eden, Marianne, Jennifer, the Littlehorns, Mariann and Julie's parents. The trip was much too short, but I had a wonderful time ... can't wait to go back for DAP's Awards Luncheon in April!

Bryn and Theodore

Liam

Brina, Theodore, Mike and Aiden

Tuesday, March 17th - St Patrick's Day party at Frederic's school and the big boy chair Theodore loves to sit in.

Frederic at his St Patty's party ... cute Leprechaun cookies

Theodore at Spring Garden

Wednesday, March 18th: Grandma and Uncle Harry arrived from Florida - YEAH! It was Owen's 4th birthday :).

Frederic and Uncle Harry at the TRI airport

Saturday, March 21st: Frederic, Theodore, Mama, Grandma and Uncle Harry met the Mittags (Thomas, Gina, Sam and Emma) at the Hands On Museum in Johnson City TN. We walked down the street 1 1/2 blocks to try a new-ish German restaurant, Freiberg's, and it was very, very good! Gina and I usually take the kiddos to Chick-fil-A after the museum, so it was quite a treat to be able to have a beer with lunch ... and good beer at that.

Thomas, Ben and Frederic en route to Freiberg's

Wednesday, March 25th: Our first Special Treat Wednesday in SWVA / Lebanon VA. I brought Denise Manta's feta dip, a recipe Jennifer Manta gave me, John's wife. Everyone here LOVES John Manta and it was a fitting tribute ... it's darn good dip.

Saturday, March 28th: Drove to Knoxville TN for Founders Day with the Knoxville alumnae, Gamma Alpha-Univ of Tennessee chapter and Beth Searcy, Fraternity President, as the guest of honor. It was very different from Denver - two tables of alums and 20+ tables of collegians. It was a great event and am so glad I went. On the way back, Theodore and I were able to attend Suman Garg's baby shower at THE Indian restaurant in Tri-Cities. The food was fabulous and I had a great time.

Kristine Reed Maedel, Beta Xi-Michigan State, and Elizabeth (Beth) Bell Searcy, Epsilon Gamma-Virginia

Sunday, March 29th: After church (we attend State Street UMC) Frederic went up to the front to see Mr Greene, the church organist (he's also Mrs Greene's husband and Mrs Oliver's Dad ... two of the preschool teachers at Sullins). He enjoys being in the sanctuary after church - he's quite fond of having large spaces to commune in. He went up to the front, got on the stage (big kids did a skit earlier) and said the Pledge of Allegiance loud enough for Grandma to hear in the very back. I turned and started to walk back to Grandma and Theodore and thought Fred was with me ... turns out he was trying to climb up onto the lectern. You see, there's a microphone up there and that's where the pastor speaks, so why shouldn't it be where Fred speaks from too. Before I could get back to him ... and ... well ... help him get down, a woman from church brought him a chair to stand on at the lectern. He jumped right up onto the chair and when he stood up, it looked like he popped right up out of the top of the lectern. Without hesitation, he adjusted the microphone to his level (thankfully it was not on) and again recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

Week of March 30th: Frederic's first spring break and he was able to spend it all with Grandma. They went all over town to Eatz on Moore Street, Doodles, Ellis Soda Shoppe & Grill, Sugar Hollow Park and the Bristol Public Library.