Color Guard

We had an interesting evening in downtown Austin! Riley was supposed to do Color Guard for "Speaker of the House". That was pretty much all the information we had. He was supposed to be at a hotel at 5. We weren't even sure what hotel, just had general directions. We thought he would do the Colors, and then leave, and we didn't even know what the event was.

So, we get him out of school a little early to beat traffic, and bring Regan with us so she's not home alone for who knows how long. We get to the hotel right at 5 (the Stephen F. Austin Intercontinental Hotel) and did I mention we were all in shorts, t-shirts, etc. NOT dressed up, in any way.

Well, it turns out, it was an awards banquet for Speaker Joe Straus. He was receiving an award for Mental Health Achievement and it was a fancy dinner in the ballroom. Color Guard practice was at 5, then the Sea Cadets were getting pictures made with the Senators at 6, then the banquet was at 7, and Riley seated at a table with his fellow Sea Cadets, and served a fancy ballroom dinner, and then a photo with the Speaker afterward. So David, Regan and I waited around in the lobby (after a quick dinner at the Athenian Grill that Regan was super excited about, she loves her Greek food!). Talk about feeling awkward sitting there waiting. We had no idea what was going on, so we didn't want to leave. It was strange. But then they came out, got their pictures, and we left.

Riley told us on the way home, that the food was okay, he got this big chunk of lettuce (a wedge salad) and he was almost done eating the thing when someone came around with the dressing! Also, he didn't care for the chicken that was covered in "green stuff" but he did eat 3 creme brulee desserts. I wish I had known he was supposed to be at a fancy dinner, I would have done a crash course on manners for him!! He did say at least he knew what fork to use.