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.

I took a picture of our dog

It came out fuzzy.















ha ha

Happy Mothers' Day to me!

Grandmommy sent some goooooooorgeous flowers!

It seems boring to me, but ...

People keep asking how the house is coming along. Usually I just say "it isn't."
Here is photographic evidence.
French doors = can't wait!
Sink = good
greenboard = good
backwards greenboard = not so great
ladder in my fancy new tub = heavy sigh

A visit from Thor

Cedar wagged his tail directly on Thor's nose. He totally dug it.
But it was really hard to get a clear picture of it.

Siete de Mayo

While Emma and her mommy were visiting, we went to a most excellent party.
Emma thought it was exhausting.
Eric liked it.
Judy liked it.
Bruce -- well, I just don't know.

Emma is very dainty

Here, she carefully chooses the exactly right grape.
Another example of her daintiness? On a trip to the nearby beach, she recoiled at the feeling of sand on her feet and picked the sand from between her toes, grain by grain.
"Awww, Emma, are you dainty like your Mama?" I asked her.
"No," she said, "I'd dainty like my Dadddy."

Face painting is a theme here at Chateau Ronnemoque

Aunt Jen will be jealous to learn that this most excellent job was free!

The golf cart

was quite an attention getter on yard sale day.
Forrest, Linda and Racquel tooled around in their spiffy ride and hit the sales with awesome efficiency.

$180

We had a yard sale Saturday. The kids got to keep any money we made -- provided it went into their savings accounts. They made a sign listing the tuitions at some top schools, and decorated it with some of their honor roll certificates. They also sold brownies, lemonade and Diet Coke. They even sold the table they were working from.
I think they even snagged a few donations.
A good haul for a yard sale, but not much for school. Thank goodness for compound interest!