Cat's in DC for a day

Yes, it's been awhile since I've posted anything - not that there's nothing to post but it's been a bit busy so things are backing up and I'll post more soon but today I kinda thought I oughta - Cat's in town, on tour with the Jonas Bros so Mom and Dad and I went down to DC to say hiya and see how she's holding up. Outward appearances alone she's doing great! I know this tour is kickin' her butt but she's kickin' back! Cat was stationed at the Palomar

- quite a swanky chic boutique hotel - had the car valet parked and went up to her room to see that the swanky WiFi wasn't working!

(um...hello? Fix My WiFi!)

(still think it was the Mac but she says nope)

- then we hit the streets in search of lunch:

...didn't take long to find Zorba's

which was a very pleasant Greek restaurant - we had our fill and headed back out on the street - found a good lil bookstore - Kramer Books (but no Comic Book Tattoo on display). Mom found a good book!

Then it was a quick stroll through Beadazzeled - a fully stocked store of...beads. After perusing just about every bead imaginable we walked by Dupont Circle

and headed back to the Palomar

just in time for Cat to catch a lil snooze - I think Dad did a lil snoozing too!

Mom and I watched the Olympic news and then we went down to the hotel lobby/bar/restaurant which was also a pretty nicely laid out to-do.

We met up with Cat's bossman Mike and the wonderfully talented tour massuese and wardrober, Stephanie!

Nice afternoon it was...You make us all pround!

p.s. not every hotel she stays in has the grandest view...

Mike's B'day Celebration

Just posting some pics from Mike's family style birthday celebration last night.

Birthday Honoree:

Hors’dourves & Sangria!

Chatting before dinner:

We fired up the grill and grilled BBQ ribs, shrimp,
grilled veggies, corn, beer boiled brats and the rest of the homemade
tater salad from the 4th!

After dinner chat:

GP & Papou & YiaYia & Mita:

Time for Oreo Ice Cream Cake!

Mike opens some gifts:

Saying goodbye - John with the Valet Umbrella!

and Mike suprises John with a hidden party popper.

All in all a very nice evening!

Independence Day 2008

Happy 4th of July! It was a nice celebration here with the boys, their girls (er, women) and Ingrid and me. Grilled chicken & hot dogs, homemade tater salad, a nice garden salad and chips and dip! After dinner John and Jenny headed down to Oldtown Manassas to watch the fireworks display there and the rest of us waited for dark to settle in...wasn't long before the night was filled with the sound of whistling mortars and bottle rockets...so we went out and had a little fireworks show of our own in the backyard until it started raining hard enough to send us back inside to dry off and watch a movie. It was a nice 4th of July.

Happy Birthday Michael! (July 5th)

Nineteen years ago, the excitement of the fireworks (and the fact that Ingrid was nine months pregnant) started the process of Michael's entry into the world. After a fabulous 4th of July meal and watching a neighborhood fireworks display Ingrid said she was feeling a little odd. Pauli and Mom said we oughta head to the hospital because it was Michael's time to be born. So we packed up and headed to the hospital, and try as we might to get the doctor to deliver him on the 4th of July he said "eh...relax and wait" We didn't have to wait long...Michael was delivered at approximately 12:50 a.m. on the 5th of July. Nineteen years has brought him a long way from this:

to this:

to this:

and we are proud of who he has become:

It's been a pleasure to have him home on break from school and we'll miss him when he heads back to Orlando. (I'm guessing Jessica will too!)

Happy Birthday Michael!
We love you!