OK... It's Been A LONG time... a REALLY LONG TIME!!

I haven't forgotten about my blog; in fact I look at it nearly every day. I've had every intention of updating but the thought of trying to get caught up overwhelms me and I say to myself, "OK, I will set some time aside this weekend and will do a full and complete update." I then start to think about all of the things I need to include in my updates... my cousins' visit to the Cape, my uncle's death, my parents' birthdays, beach days on the Cape, engagements, my trip to Ireland, back to school, and my visit to Ryne (and I am sure there are other events I should update on but they are escaping my mind at the moment). Just thinking about all of the updates makes my head spin!! Heck, just blogging about my fantastic trip to Ireland could take days. And I am now entering my busiest time of the year. Between now and Christmas I only have 2-3 free weekends and one of those weekends I know I will be traveling out of town. Add to my travels is the fact that it's football season and believe it or not but hockey season is just around the corner!! So... I guess this is my long way of excusing why I haven't blogged in ages and to let you know that I am going to work on getting updated...started this weekend (you didn't think I'd do it tonight, did you!?!?!)

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!!