Long Lost Friends

Thanks to Facebook I found an old high school friend that I'd lost touch with over the years. I don't have the good fortune that my friend Kristi does with running into these folks at random places on various occasions, so I have to rely on the good ole internet to bring us together.

We spent the afternoon discussing high school and college days while our kids played. What fun! Although 20 years has aged us more than a bit, our friendship remains as it was in the first photo... we just picked up where we left off.

Bittersweet Goodbyes

We leave tomorrow and although we're looking forward to sleeping in our own beds and seeing all our friends back in Colorado, it's still sad to say goodbye. Priya asked me this morning if she could stay and enroll in school here. Then she reminisced about last year when it was time to leave and she started crying. She's wondering whether she'll do that again this year and whether Sanjay might follow in her footsteps. Last year Sanjay couldn't wait to get back to the familiarity of home... but this year I know he'll have a harder time leaving.

When asked what she had the most fun doing on the trip, Priya didn't mention the rides at Busch Gardens, playing in the sand at Greenbriar State Park, the slides at the water park or even all the parties and friends she made while she was here. Instead she said, "Being with you, Nana". So, it's these seemingly purposeless photos, filed in my "AroundTheHouse" folder, that I'm so glad I took the time to capture...

Hawkins Reunion

Today it was time for the Hawkins family gathering... my Mom's side of the family. It was a great turnout and I think only a few cousins were missing and one of my Mom's brothers. With my Mom being one of 7 children, if this side of the family all turns up... it can be a crowded event. Check out the parking lot that was my parent's front yard today once everyone was here:



Bartee was in town for this one and feeling festive, he tried some Maryland crabs... well, one bite anyway. Despite the great flavor of the Old Bay seasoning, the seafood taste was too strong for him to crave more.



The newest members of the family stole the show with their absolute cuteness...



But, this group of 3 year olds also enjoyed their share of abundant affection...



All in all it was a great day and hopefully we can plan more reunions like this in the future. If you're interested in seeing all the pictures from today, click here.

Beach Day - Yorktown

Today we went to historic Yorktown for some fun in the sand. It's a bit closer than driving all the way out to Virginia beach and less crowded and the parking is free, so we opted for this instead of the Atlantic Ocean. We spent the morning there and the afternoon napping... the most relaxing of our days so far. Here are a couple of snapshots...

Griffon Footage

As promised, we went back to the park and this time I brought my camera along. Here is a picture of the Griffon coaster after just releasing its hold at the top...



And a closer look reveals the terrified looks on the faces of Sarah and Bartee in the back corner...



Here's a short little clip of the roller coaster in motion and it looks like the coaster only holds at the top for about 5 seconds before dropping... for some reason I thought it was longer.

Side Trip to Williamsburg

We left Saturday morning for a vacation to historic Williamsburg, Virginia. My aunt and uncle were nice enough to let us crash their family vacation again this year. It's a bit of a winter tradition for us to travel together, but after we popped out a couple of kids and moved across the country... these trips have dwindled. So, it's nice to relive the good times again. And, now her kids are old enough to babysit so on our arrival Sanjay and Priya stayed back to swim in the pool with the big kids and we headed to Busch Gardens for our first taste of the thrill rides. We saved the newest ride in the park - Griffon - for last and we decided it's about the only ride that we would wait in line again for. It was incredible. I'll try to get some pictures and video of it later in the week to post... the vertical drop on this roller coaster is a straight drop. That's right... a 90 degree downhill turn where you are literally looking at the ground as you approach it! And, before it let's you fall, it holds you suspended at the top for 30 seconds so you really have time to let your life flash before your eyes. :) There are only 3 rows in the coaster and each row holds 10 people so it's really wide, but there's not a bad seat in the car since it's set up stadium-style. Anyway, we'll be headed back later this week to ride again and the park has plenty of rides for the little ones too, so it should be fun for all.

Yesterday we hit Water Country USA and the weather cooperated nicely. Since we arrived on the east coast about 2 weeks ago, I have yet to adjust to the oppressive heat and humidity. For some reason this time, more than before, I just cannot get used to all the sweating! But, the water park was a nice break from the heat. We stayed all day and had a blast and I actually managed to get my camera out for a couple of shots to share.

Burgess Reunion

My Dad is one of five kids and so much of the extended family is still within driving distance of their hometown. A few of the cousins have left the nest so the family gatherings aren't as frequent or full as they used to be. That's why it means so much to me that when we come to Maryland and pull together a meeting... so many of them show up. It brings back old memories and we make new ones each time we meet.

Luckily, I have a partner-in-crime when it comes to saving the day in pictures... check out my cousin Michele and her paparazzi camera as she so affectionately calls it.


It's not possible to have a Maryland summer picnic without crabs doused in Old Bay...


Imagine the stories we'll be telling later of my Uncle Scott subjecting himself to the "face painting" that his great niece's were offering up.


Of course, I took more than three photos of the event... if you have some time on your hands, you can look through all of them by clicking here.