An old theme resurfaces

For a bunch of mostly Irish people, we sure like pretending to be vikings.

Since Aislinn is on the cusp of teenagerness, she has little patience for being photographed. All she'd let me get of her was a reflection of her viking horns in the water.

Snaps from The Hague and Scheveningen

Despite what the map says, Scheveningen is GOOD.
It has a cool aquarium called Sea Life, with an arch-shaped aquarium where you can walk under sharks.
In the Hague, you can go to the Escher museum, where you will get in trouble if you forget to turn off your flash before you take a picture.
And, sometimes, Mom makes blueberry pie. Mmmmm.

Snaps from The Hague and Scheveningen.

More Spain

Pictures from the cathedral in Toledo.

First, the kids went to Spain

These are photos my dad took of Segovia.

I wasn't driving

And the kids were in Europe with my parents. And that's all I have to say about these pictures from the Bayou Boogaloo in Norfolk this summer.

Imagine witchy cackling

It's hard to describe just how funny the kids think this is. Just indulge them.
Yes, those are Bugles on their fingers.

Been back from vacation for a while

But I'm just getting around to posting.
These photos are from a June bike ride to Lake Maury.

Everybody eats, everybody eats ...

My love of taking pictures of food is spreading.
The breakfast is Scott's. The pile of crab shells belongs to the Dougherty's.
I must say that I didn't know that it was possible to love them more -- but I do.

Okapi editor!

R!

Erickeets camera phone takes pretty good shots

I wanted these soooo much

But it would have been a shame to separate them and I could only afford one.

Meanwhile, at the Greek Festival.

You can't hear what they're saying because I don't know how to post video. But what they're saying is "Lamb! Lamb! Baaaaaaaaa!"

Stacy cuts a rug

Look at him go! Erickeet took these pictures.

A lot of waiting around

A big part of the Blackbeard Festival tradition is waiting around on the banks of the Hampton Creek, watching a ludicrously poorly staged naval battle narrated by a guy who's been drinking all weekend, until they actual make some noise with the cannons, fight a little, and then hoist up a giant papier mache Blackbeard head.
That achieved, we head over to a park downtown to buy a bunch of crap we don't need and shell out $6 a pop for lemonade for the kids and beer for the grownups. Really, I love this festival!
The ship with the collection of flags is the Kalmar Nyckel (http://www.kalmarnyckel.org/). We didn't have the energy to wait in line to see it. The baby with the bandanna got his plastic sword from us. He loved it.

Behold the pirate queen

Heather, in all her glory, at the Blackbeard Festival

Big John

likes pork chops













update: Johnny died about a week after this picture was taken. I'm glad he enjoyed that pork chop.

Uncle Andy

Andy goes into a fugue state when he sees barbecue. Look away from his hypnotic eyes.



UPDATE: Much later, we came up with the perfect caption. "The way to a man's heart is through his ribs."

I'm sensing a theme, here

We get a lot of mileage out of our favorite kind of hat.

A woefully underrepresented group

Nieces. Got two. Only one pic posted, however. Shame on us.