VCU! VCU! VCU!

So - everyone knows that the VCU basketball team has made the NCAA Final Four and the excitement in Richmond, especially on campus, is palpable. Check out the article that Andrew wrote, talking in detail about Ram Fever this month: http://bustingbrackets.com/2011/03/30/vcus-road-eat-crow-baby/#comments

Here are a few pictures from yesterday, when a crowd gathered outside the VCU Siegel Center to cheer on the Rams as they left for Houston. (VCUarts employees holding signs designed by Graphic Design professor John Malinoski.)

Dawn's class arrived with handmade black-and-gold signs; the Wording Dervish herself held a sign reading "I hope this is a sign" on the back and was noted as 'wittiest' in a Richmond Times-Dispatch article :)


The support leading up to Saturday's game continues to build momentum. At least 1200 students are traveling to Houston on buses, planes or on their own to support the team (our lucky friend Tim is chaperoning a group that VCU is sending down.) On Friday, Emmett's preschool is marching to the Commons to cheer on the Rams, in what will certainly be the most adorable of all celebrations. On Saturday even the Monument Avenue 10k, one of the largest 10K races in the country, is encouraging all 41,000 participants to wear black-and-gold in support of VCU!

Our fingers are crossed for the underdogs, and we hope that everyone will cheer on our team Saturday against the... Butler? Bulldogs? Hey - we understand and are sure that wherever they're from, their city is just as excited as Richmond is! Go Rams!

5th anniversary in Belize

This March, Teresa and Andrew took a trip to Belize to celebrate lots of things, most notably our 5 year wedding anniversary, which was in December. Nana and Pop Pop graciously offered to take care of Emmett (and somehow the dogs became part of the package deal) - and we flew out of NYC for 6 wonderful days in some pretty spectacular scenery.

We stayed at Ak'Bol Resort on Ambergris Caye, one of the narrow coastal islands that falls between the mainland and the second largest barrier reef in the world. We had big plans for the trip (architectural tours, resort dives, hiking, catamarans) - but when we arrived felt the genuine need to just relax and wind down, so for the most part, that's just what we did.

We rented bikes and rode into the nearest town, San Pedro, but mostly just hung around our 'eco' resort - rustic, outdoorsy, floral, and very relaxing. We enjoyed 2-hr long yoga classes each morning on the pier with beautiful scenic views, read books, ate great food, and checked on Emmett every day via email. Andrew caught a bonefish, a barracuda, and a "grunt" in the waters right outside of our cabana. We had a great snorkeling experience with rays, sharks, giant grouper, and the most amazing thing - a school of loggerhead sea turtles (!!) We also experienced some challenges - a stolen debit card, having to fly to the US Embassy to replace a passport, and a delayed return to the states due to an INS issue on our plane - yikes.

All things considered it was one of the best trips each of us has ever taken, and we are so thankful that we were able to do it. It wasn't even that difficult to leave the beautiful setting because we had our buddy waiting for us! Emmett did GREAT with Nana and Pop Pop - we returned to a happy, healthy little guy who is talking much more than ever before.

Our pictures are pretty homogenous because we never brought our camera off the resort. But we spent most of our time on the resort so that's ok. :)

On our 'puddle jumper' plane to San Pedro, Teresa was co-pilot:

Aerial view of the Cayes

Beach at San Pedro, getting on the water taxi to Ak'Bol

View from seafront cabana (Andrew is the little guy fly fishing out there)

Sunrise, yoga studio at the end of the pier

Blissful views, simple tables at the restaurant

Low tide

Andrew in the "Yoga Barracks"

Beautiful flowers everywhere

Breakfast on our last day

Flowers

Views from yoga pier

Bean/Shade Bar

Lovebirds just before leaving

View of Ambergris Caye from the water

Daddy Turns 30

What a fun week we've had celebrating Andrew's 30th birthday! Two weekends ago Gramma Debi came to visit, and this past weekend we had a child-friendly party with our friends here in Richmond. Thanks to Brooke for being our photographer!

And thanks to Michal for making an amazing carrot cake (from scratch!)

Singing to Daddy

Emmett's "Auntie" Dawn was in attendance; her baby is 21 and living in NYC however.

Emmett and his friends Juddy and Sadie playing, dancing and wrestling :)

Making Faces with our Buddy