Sunday, April 20, 2014

Palm Sunday and Easter

Palm Sunday was a beautiful, but extraordinarily busy day.  Michael was out town, so I had to figure out how to be multiple places at once.  The years of that trick are just beginning!  The kids did great, though...
  • Waved palm branches down the aisle for both services while learning, ”All glory, laud and honor, To Thee, Redeemer, King, To Whom the lips of children Made sweet hosannas ring.”
  • Learned the "Jelly Bean" story, tying each of the colors to the Easter story.
  • Hunted for dozens of eggs on the playground at church.
  • Went to Lacrosse practice.
  • Successfully ran in their 3rd annual "Little Eggs, Hidden Eggs" at ACAC.  I LOVE that the gym has them do running races in heats by age before they search for their candy-filled eggs!
  • Took a deep breath and scooted off to AWANA, practicing verses pertinent to the Palm Sunday story. 
  • Oh, and somewhere in there we dyed eggs, too, for our indoor hunt.  
  • Andrew finished his weekly Lent services at Church by faithfully attending our touching Maundy Thursday service.  He continued to be intrigued by these mid-week services, the symbolism behind them, and the meaning of the songs, hymns, and prayers we said.  It was really a special season with him.  







  Waiting patiently for the second service to begin.






The story of the Jelly Bean colors is so neat!  We made copies and put them in Margaret's eggs for her school hunt.

"Forget the jelly bean story, I'm ready to go hunt outside!"









 Rounding the corner for lap 2.





Here comes Matthew...


...add Mommy


...and enter Daddy!


And again, here comes Matthew...





Ready, set, go!


Andrew was patient and sweet in the less-than-challenging egg hunt, which was designed to give Matthew a chance at one or two.  










Watch for Matthew bopping up 
and down to help.



A CEO celebration...
we eat as a family in the dining room on Christmas and Easter Only:)

At least one of my sons likes mashed potatoes!  



Monday, March 31, 2014

Marching Madness on out to Montpelier

We headed down to Winston-Salem for the ACC/family reunion.  So gracious of Laura and Robert to host us all again.  Great time for the cousins---Sarah, Abby, Alex, Nicholas, Andrew, Margaret and Matthew were joined by sweet baby Charlie this year.  At 6 months, Charlie is just precious and James and Kate seem to be taking parenting in stride!

The Krispy Kreme Factory in Winston-Salem...
too bad it's merely minutes from Lalu and Big Rob's house.
Happy, happy girls.

 
                                                                 
                       'Cause everyone needs chocolate milk with their 3rd donut...


Granddaddy pitched for the crew for a LONG time.   
Lalu and Big Rob scored BIG with the cars for the birthday boys.

Keep feeding 'em and they're happy!

Back in Charlottesville, Andrew had "Town Model" night at school.  The lego house he's pointing to is addressed "1819".  



As if 11 snow days off of school had not been enough in the last two months, we got another 5" on St. Patty's Day.  The kids keep asking, "Doesn't Spring start this week???" 

We call this: "Just as confused as we are that it's March 17!" 



Michael and I were both finally home together for a few waking hours and assembled Andrew's birthday bed. The "Junior Loft" bed, as they call it, seems to have been a big hit!  Guess who else wants one now???





First day of Spring Break, I tried to be a good educational Mom and we headed to James Madison's Montpelier in Orange.  I was the only single Mom with 3 little ones, all of whom are mobile.  I now know why.  

Ran into Saint Helen with little Charlotte, Sam, and baby Iris, met up with old friends Celeste & Rob and their two 
precious boys, and bumped into old preschool friends on the way out.  





We WILL go to the Steeplechase here this fall!






Before heading out, two of us tried to get a picture of the 9 kids...
we didn't even come close to success.