If the hurricanes don't get you...

... the accommodations will. A less than stellar trip was taken to the Outer Banks, NC recently - our first family vacation. There was some fun to be had - a few memorable moments were even captured. This kid's got some grip!

Due to the accommodations at BARRIER ISLAND STATION at DUCK, we could not in good conscience stay any longer (1 night of a total 6 nights planned). The mold was unbelievable - growing out of the air vents and throughout the shower. It was even in some of the drawers. The accommodations were a timeshare swap through RCI, and we've had some great experiences otherwise. The conditions eventually wore us down.

Finally, we could take no more.

Disclaimer: this is just an unfortunate picture - Sonny's health was never comprimised!

From there, we traveled north - determined to salvage our week! We drove up through Delaware and took the ferry from Lewes to Cape May, NJ.

We checked into Congress Hall in Cape May and all was perfect - walks along the boardwalk, strolls through town, outdoor dining, hotel pool, scoped out some investment properties, and most importantly slept in a clean and comfortable room! Sonny couldn't have been more pleased, and neither could Mom & Dad.

All in all, not a terrible vacation at all. Sonny learned that you need to be adaptable and make the best of your situation. If it's altogether unacceptable, change it.

August Events!

First of all, a happy birthday to Aunt Meg! We all gathered at grandma Chris's house to celebrate a few weeks back, where the food was delicious and the company was terrific. Sonny spent a little time w/ Victor, Aunt Sal, and the guest of honor. He made his rounds and delighted everyone, however the best pics came from these three. I have to admit, it's nice having a couple of extra eager hands during mealtime.

We were also visited by a family of bears last month, right in the back yard - how exciting! Sonny spent his fair share of time tormenting Walter, who doesn't seem to mind a bit. And we've got a couple other shots worth sharing.

This shot is just plain funny. The back-story goes: Walter is not allowed on the couches, however this is a rule he's not capable of upholding when he's home alone. So, we put up some gates which he appears to be mortally afraid of. One day when I returned home from work, this was the scene I found:

Apparently, Walter had managed to get into the gated area, but was then trapped by his own fear of the gates. What a loon.

More to come soon, real soon - I promise.

Hey Boo Boo!

Another late posting, but certainly one worth seeing! We were recently invited onto Kat & Yogi's boat, a huge 55' Sea Ray, marking Sonny's first boating experience. And boy did he enjoy himself, as did Robin & Steve, Terry & Richard, Dene & Jen, and Mom & Dad.

I'm still accumulating pictures from the trip, so I'll add to the posting later. I just couldn't wait any longer to share these. And thank goodness there was no need for the tiny life-jacket!

Sixty-Five Years!

Can you imagine spending 65 years with the same person?! Well, Sonny's great, great Aunt Helen and Uncle Ewald (Easy, for short) can, and more importantly have. This should be an inspiration to us all! We congratulate them on time well spent, and wish them a...

Check back soon for Sonny's first boat ride!

One Event After Another!

Once again, I apologize for not keeping to a more stringent schedule with my entries. However, time is a precious commodity these days - and these days are getting shorter as summer starts to dwindle! Back on the 19th of July, we celebrated Sonny's Dad's birthday (that's me, and I'm not divulging my age).

The next weekend, dear, sweet Allison helped us celebrate again at a super-pig-roast party hosted by her sister Jessica, husband Neill, and Al. Thanks for letting us use little Julian's room for a wardrobe change!

The next weekend, Dad was out of town so Mom & Sonny spent some quality time together. Sonny wrestled with Vanilla Bear (and won - this one's a video).

They also took a walk by the lake, played with some toys, and learned to crawl!

The following weekend (this past), Mom was out of town so Dad & Sonny hung around the house together mostly. We folded the laundry, took a nap, took a walk with Walter, listened to some rock, had a bath, and practiced standing.

It seems Sonny would prefer to walk like a human, rather than crawl like a dog. Woof woof!

Shameful Blogging

I know the anticipation has been killing you, and I'm sorry. It's been a hectic month and we simply haven't had time for the blah, blah, blog. To make up for it, a quick post today with the promise of another real, real soon. Thanks for your patience and understanding... he's just getting cuter! Hang loose.

All the previous pictures are from our visit w/ Andrew, Alison, Drew & Kieren - most accomodating and understanding hosts, truly.

Thank you all. It was a lovely day and evening in Ocean Grove, NJ! More to come... including some of Mom, who was kind enough to 'shoot' the trip.