Happy Birthday, Mom & Dad!

THe summer always seems to be filled with lots of birthdays in the family! My parents' birthdays are only 5 days apart, with my mom's on the 20th and my dad's on the 25th. This year we spent my mom's birthday at the beach and enjoyed the gorgeous weather. We did the same for my dad's and he even took a swim in the bay! Rob and I decided that we would celebrate their birthdays one night in Ireland as a special treat.

Happy Birthday Mom & Dad!! Wishing you all the best in the years to come!!

My Uncle

My Uncle George (my mom's brother) passed away yesterday. His death was very shocking and unexpected. He had been in the hospital with some issues associated with his colon. He had minor surgery and was on the way to recovery. Everyone that he was in good shape, especially since he was released from the hospital on Wednesday. When he got home though he started having difficulties breathing and he was rushed back to the hospital. Upon his arrival he was put on life support and died early the next morning. It turns out he had an infection (at the site of his surgery) which spread through his body rapidly and caused body to shut down. He was a great man and I have so many happy memories of and with him. He will truly be missed.

Avery

My friend Meridith from growing up had her baby, Avery, a few weeks ago. She is such a cutie and I couldn't wait to meet her in person! My mom and I planned a trip to CT to see friends and spend time along the CT shore. I thankfully was able to spend time with Mer and meet Avery. Mer is a fabulous mom and Avery is such a cute little peanut. She definitely has her mom's long, long, legs! I think basketball will be in her future! It's hard to believe that the last time I saw Mer was at her wedding.. naerly two years ago!! I really need to get back to CT more often to see my friends.

I also was able to go out to dinner and catch up with some of my friends from back home. So many of my friends are expecting their first child so it was exciting to see their growing bellies and to catch up. On the flip side I also go to spend some time with my friend Chris and his fiance, Jen. I also was able to have dinner and spend time with my old neighbors, the Dawsons. Their little boy, Jake, is too freaking cute!! When I lived in CT I spent so much time with Chris and Trish -- from hanging out at their house to weekly golf outings we had so many fun times together. The only sad thing about visiting them was seeing my childhood home. Thew new owners do not take care of the house AT ALL!! The house looks so sad and pathetic.. the lawn is dead, my parents' beautiful flowers beds are so overgrown and out of control, and even the house looks hidesous. How all of that could happen in two years is beyond me. But despite that, it was great being able to see so many friends and to catch up!

OOC Storms the Cape

Every summer my cousin Dawn and her daughter, Emily, come to the Cape for a visit. I have given Em the nickname of OOC (Out of Control) because of her never-ending supply of energy! In return she calls me OOC-meister! Clearly we get along great and are on the same level!! This year Dawn and Em flew into Boston and then took the water taxi to Provincetown. This turned out to be quite the experience as Em was the only kid on the boat and Dawn was only 1 of 4 women (and the the only straight person too we're guessing!). My mom, Ryne, and I picked them up in P-town and then headed back to the house. Em's visit fell on her birthday so we had a big birthday celebration for her complete with cake and a pinata! Luckily lots of my little cousins were up that week and they all get along and played together. We played several rounds of mini-golf, hit the beach up, and did lots of bike riding. My Aunt Susie, Amy, and Amy's friend also came up for a few days to visit. Casa de Holcomb was at full capacity and filled to the gills!! All in all it was a great visit. The house seemed so empty and quiet after the returned home to Atlanta!!

*I don't have the pictures from her visit on my computer but if I download and remember I will post a few on here*

Recap - It's Summer Time!

I am so far behind in my blog (once again) and will try my best to get caught up. So keep scrolling down for updates as to what has been going on -- Ryne's visit, the Cape, boating, and beach!

Cape Cod Sunsets

Tonight Ryne and I went down to Rock Harbor and the bay to watch the sun set. It was such a gorgeous night and we were treated to a beautiful sunset. Enjoy!!

What a Great 4th of July!!

I can sum up our 4th of July in one word: AMAZING!! What a great night!!

But before we could kick-off the 4th of July festivities I first had a baby shower to attend (I know, a baby shower ON the 4th of July...hmm...). Thankfully the shower was just across the street so it did not require travel. It was very nice and it was great seeing some family who I had not seen in a while.

As soon as the shower was over it was off to Provincetown! My mom was under the weather so she and my dad stayed behind. Their friends Gordon and Terry were to go with them but at the last minute Terry decided not to go. Gordon decided he wanted to still go so he joined the "kids" and off we all went. Our group included me, Ryne, Gordon, Rob, Margaux, Chris, and Jen. We got up to Ptown in the mid afternoon and grabbed a late lunch. We then walked the streets and took in the sites (and let me tell you, there are LOTS of sites to be seen in Ptown!!

The sunset whale watch was unbelievable. We saw 9 different humpback whales, all of which were feeding. This allowed for us to get close to the boat and get a good look at the whales. Towards the end we came across a juvenile male who was breeching. They were not sure why he was breeching (possible reasons include trying to free feed stuck in the baleen and/or trying to scratch his back) but he would not stop. He literally breeched (jumped up out of the water and land on his side/back) between 40-45 times. The whale watch crew had never seen anything like this before. It truly was a rare treat!

We stayed on the boat to watch the fireworks once we got back into the harbor. This gave us the BEST view of the fireworks and also made it so we could enjoy them without dealing with the insane crowd. The fireworks were spectaculuar and everyone had a great time. After the fireworks we went to the Lobster Pot for a late dinner and drinks. All in all it was a perfect night!!

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July!! We're off to Pronvincetown today to go on a sunset whale watch and to see the fireworks. It is going to be a wonderful, fun day!! I hope you have a happy & safe 4th!!

Ryne's Cape Cod Adventure Begins!

I am off to pick up Ryne from Logan airport later this afternoon. I am so excited and I cannot wait to see him walk through the gates. He will be on the Cape for 10 days and I cannot wait to hit the beach and spend plenty of time resting & relaxing!! We have some things already planned -- whale watch, trip to Boston, and beach. The rest we will let fall into place. I am so excited for this weekend and the following week!!

Edited to add: traffic was a NIGHTMARE but thankfully I was able to avoid it!! There was a massive accident on the bridge (closing it for several hours). I was very lucky and missed being stuck in gridlock for hours by ONE car!! After I picked up Ryne we decided to grab a bite to eat in hopes that traffic would thin out while we ate. And as luck would have it, it did! We sailed right over the bridge and made it back to the house in record time!! Let the fun begin!!

Kick-off to the Weekend

Tomorrow begins the official kick off for the 4th of July weekend here on the Cape! Rob and Margaux (and Mad Max) will be arriving for the long weekend followed by Ryne and Chris & Jen on Friday. Our house will be filled this weekend and I am looking forward to all of the fun and festivities. Today my dad and I hung the bunting on the front porch. This is one of my favorite weekends of the year!!