Happy Birthday, Pops!

The last weekend in August we threw a surprise 70th birthday party for Scott's dad.  The weather forecast was calling for rain, but luckily we didn't have more than a few sprinkles.

Acorn Farms provided a "Polynesian Luau" menu

we surprised him!

Andrew & Evyn loved having the huge tent in our yard all weekend.  

Aunt Chris stayed after the party and camped outside with the kids.

kitties & a trip to Dutch Wonderland

After we got back from our trip to Emerald Isle we tried to knock off some of the big things left on our summer to-do list.  Some of our free time was spent planning a surprise party for Scott's father.... more on that later.  At the top of the kids' list was visiting Dutch Wonderland.  So, the kids and I packed our swimsuits and sunscreen and spent 9 hours getting dizzy on rides, splashing in Duke's Lagoon, drinking slushes and eating french fries.

Evyn solo on the Sky Ride

Andrew's beloved carousel horse, "Scarlett"

a little stunned by the coaster, but....

......that was fun!

we got soaked on the flume ride

he took 'dozer-ing very seriously

this photo cracks me up, for a couple reasons

he rode Scarlett many times that day

Earlier in the summer we had noticed three TINY kittens playing in our yard, I estimated they were about 4 weeks old.  A neighbor has been harboring a feral colony for many years now (psa, PLEASE do not do this!  It has been heartbreaking to see these cats over the years, very unhealthy, having many litters.  Most only live a year or two before dying of sickness or being hit by a car.  SO sad).  These kitties were so small, and we were in the middle of a heat wave, I couldn't imagine they would be very healthy, if they even survived.

We tried trapping them for a few weeks with no luck (although I did catch one adult feral cat and two possums!).  After getting back from the beach we tried again, and in one weekend we caught two of the three kittens, which the kids named Zorro and Shadow.  I had warned the kids that socializing the kittens could take weeks of effort, however these kittens were so eager for the food and drink we provided that they came around within a matter of days.  We took them to the vet, who said they were now about 7 weeks old.  They fattened up quickly (adding almost a pound a week in the time they were with us) before being placed in a new home.

The kids were smitten with them, and still talk about their kitties (they were quite cute!):

where did our summer go?

Hard to believe we've been back to school for a month now.  Also hard to believe that it's been two months since I've posted updates!  So, let's catch up.

In the end of June we watched Evyn dance in the big annual Encore dance recital.  Group photos:

July was a blur of fireworks, playdates, day camp, and swim lessons.  Scott took the kids to the cabin in Tioga County for a weekend.  Unfortunately Andrew was sick with a stomach bug the whole time.  Nevertheless, they did manage to enjoy some hiking and campfires, along with Grams & Pops, and Aunt Chris & pup Lexie.

By the end of the month we were more than ready for a relaxing week at the beach.  We did the long drive to Emerald Isle, NC with the help of iPods, a progress line and trip tickets printed from Mom's Minivan, and a bag full of 'prizes' the kids could pick from when periodically cashing in their trip tickets.  (One of the best prizes was Rubberneckers: Everyone's Favorite Travel Game - very fun!)

Despite a couple thunderstorms we were able to enjoy the beach every day, plus a day trip to charming Beaufort, where we took a short sail on a catamaran.

The return trip was a bit more - eventful - as our car broke down halfway home.  We were incredibly lucky to find a garage that was willing to send an employee on a wild goose chase for parts, then stay open late to get our repair done - otherwise, we'd have been stuck in nowheresville Virginia for the weekend!  We were doubly-lucky that there was a motel across the highway from the garage, where we were able to get a super-cheap room for the day, swim in the pool, and play at the motel's little playground.   We were back on the road about 9 hours later- and BOY were we ready to get home when we finally pulled in our driveway around 1 a.m.!

Even with that little unexpected detour we had a great week - check it out: