Hydrangeas
straight from the backyard

Steinway Factory Tour
no pictures allowed inside but this was the front door of the Steinway Factory

Steinway Factory Tour
the factory is in Long Island City and all of the pianos are still made by hand

Steinway Factory Tour
some lovely statuary in Long Island City

Steinway Factory Tour
the end of the N line

Gowanus
old factory in Gowanus

Gowanus
hm...

Gowanus
my favorite sign in Brooklyn..Kentile Floors

Gowanus
the lovely Gowanus Canal...possible Superfund site

Gowanus
Rooney looking out on the Gowanus

Gowanus
bridge over Carroll Street

Gowanus
a relic of old Italian Brooklyn

The Rooster
DSC_2735.JPG 2009-06-17

Greenwood Cemetery
really cool garden center outside of Greenwood Cemetery

Greenwood Cemetery
one of the first tombs we came across...full of Masonic symbology

Greenwood Cemetery
the founder of the N.Y. Giants and namesake of Ebbets Field

Greenwood Cemetery
more of the Ebbets family

Greenwood Cemetery
really cool engraved cover

Greenwood Cemetery
the altar to liberty, commemorating the Revolutionary War Battle of Long Island waving at the Statue of Liberty on the h

Greenwood Cemetery
the view from the statue, Lady Liberty waving back and Andy holding his map

Greenwood Cemetery
famed conductor Leonard Bernstein

Greenwood Cemetery
Andy reading the map on the Bernstein family bench

Greenwood Cemetery
I am not taking this to heart

Greenwood Cemetery
the founder of baseball

Greenwood Cemetery
his memorial was decorated with different baseball memorabilia

Greenwood Cemetery
there were even stones shaped like bases around the monument

Greenwood Cemetery
Andy playing around on his iPhone after our clandestine cemetery picnic

Greenwood Cemetery
a rogue photo of Emily and Kara after a rogue picnic where we sat in a rogue spot...seriously nothing is allowed in this

Greenwood Cemetery
Emily and Kara walking through the cemetery

Greenwood Cemetery
I guess they didn't expect the tree to grow when they placed this grave here

Greenwood Cemetery
Hill of Graves...as opposed to all of the other Hills of Graves

Greenwood Cemetery
a lot of the mausoleums were built into the hillsides like hobbit holes

Greenwood Cemetery
a little window for your mausoleum

Greenwood Cemetery
enormous chapel with stained glass windows

Greenwood Cemetery
another view of the chapel

Greenwood Cemetery
he must have been a wealthy and important man

Greenwood Cemetery
I loved this grave with the chaff of wheat design

Greenwood Cemetery
interesting headstone...ball of cement

Greenwood Cemetery
Petit memorial

Greenwood Cemetery
Andy and Emily in the new mausoleum section...very modern, all glass and air conditioned

Greenwood Cemetery
my favorite grave decorations of the day, complete with Johnny Walker Red, old cell phone, cigars, and playing cards

Greenwood Cemetery
Basquiat, fascinating artist

Greenwood Cemetery
Kara requested that her headstone not have one of these glamor shots

Greenwood Cemetery
Greek headstone

Greenwood Cemetery
one of the many stained glass windows in the cemetery

Greenwood Cemetery
Samuel Morse's grave

Greenwood Cemetery
the Steinway family mausoleum...apparently the piano business is a good one

Greenwood Cemetery
Tweed...the original Boss

Greenwood Cemetery
Boss Tweed, the leader of Tammany Hall and NYC political boss who eventually died in jail after stealing millions from t

Greenwood Cemetery
Horace Greeley

Greenwood Cemetery
famous newspaperman and gadfly

Greenwood Cemetery
Bill the Butcher of Gangs of New York fame

Greenwood Cemetery
Precious Georgie, creepy grave

Greenwood Cemetery
the founder of Lafayette Presbyterian church

Greenwood Cemetery
one more look at the Statue of Liberty

Greenwood Cemetery
the grave of the founder of the soda fountain

Greenwood Cemetery
there were a lot of intricate carvings on his grave, including these squirrels

Greenwood Cemetery
above a sculpture of the deceased there were scenes from his life, pretty crazy

Greenwood Cemetery
and gargoyles on the outside

Greenwood Cemetery
more gargoyles

Greenwood Cemetery
not as ornate as we thought it would be

Greenwood Cemetery
more plain Tiffany graves

Greenwood Cemetery
the Prentiss brothers who fought on opposite sides of the Civil War and were mortally wounded in battle on the same day

Greenwood Cemetery
the place where bodies used to be held when the ground was too frozen to dig graves

Greenwood Cemetery
Chapel at Greenwood Cemetery

Greenwood Cemetery
one of the famous parrots that lives near the gates of the cemetery

Catskills Camping
last weekend we set out for the Catskills on what was supposed to be an 8 mile hike over two days

Catskills Camping
view of the trail

Catskills Camping
Andy showing how much he loves hiking and camping

Catskills Camping
there was a lot of rock scrambling on the trail

Catskills Camping
me enjoying the hike

Catskills Camping
more rock scrambling

Catskills Camping
this was my expression when we realized that the hike was actually 16 miles instead of 8...Cam had a little trouble with

Catskills Camping
scrambling down

Catskills Camping
DSC_2613.JPG 2009-06-06

Catskills Camping
view from the trail

Catskills Camping
Lisa contemplating going down these wooden ladders on the trail

Catskills Camping
there were two sets of ladders like these...normally no big deal but a lot harder with a pack on

Catskills Camping
gorgeous view as the sun was beginning to go down

Catskills Camping
still having a good time

Catskills Camping
DSC_2621.JPG 2009-06-06

Catskills Camping
it looks like I jumped onto this rock

Catskills Camping
but I was really just trying to figure out how to get down

Catskills Camping
rhododendrons in bloom

Catskills Camping
Hiking through the rhododendrons

Catskills Camping
DSC_2629.JPG 2009-06-06

Catskills Camping
sun setting in the Catskills

Catskills Camping
Andy enjoying the sunset

Catskills Camping
Lisa making her way up the next rock scramble

Catskills Camping
and I follow

Catskills Camping
DSC_2640.JPG 2009-06-06

Catskills Camping
the trail came down through this crack in the rocks

Catskills Camping
DSC_2642.JPG 2009-06-06

Catskills Camping
DSC_2643.JPG 2009-06-06

Catskills Camping
view from our campsite

Catskills Camping
another view from the improvised campsite since we didn't make it all the way to the lean to we had planned on staying i

Catskills Camping
Andy getting ready to cook dinner

Catskills Camping
view from the campsite in the morning

Catskills Camping
me enjoying my Clif bar breakfast

Catskills Camping
mmm..Clif bar

Catskills Camping
at the top of Mt. Whittenberg...the third peak of the hike

Catskills Camping
the Ashokan Reservoir from the top of Mt. Whittenberg

Catskills Camping
DSC_2660.JPG 2009-06-07

Catskills Camping
Andy hiking

Catskills Camping
stopping for a water break

Catskills Camping
Lisa and Cam coming down another tricky part of the trail

Catskills Camping
DSC_2668.JPG 2009-06-07

Catskills Camping
toad

Catskills Camping
Cam and Lisa on the trail

Catskills Camping
DSC_2673.JPG 2009-06-07

Catskills Camping
this tree had fallen across the trail and someone took the time to figure out its age

Catskills Camping
a different toad

Catskills Camping
DSC_2676.JPG 2009-06-07

Catskills Camping
snack break...not looking too happy as the hike drags on

Catskills Camping
shaky wooden bridges...not my favorite thing

Catskills Camping
Andy and Cam getting ready to dip their feet in the water

Catskills Camping
making my way to the freezing water

Catskills Camping
so cold!

Catskills Camping
Andy chilling his feet

Catskills Camping
Lisa and Cam enjoying the sun and the cold water on their feet

Catskills Camping
Andy's feet

Catskills Camping
Andy looking like a frog on that rock

Catskills Camping
DSC_2699.JPG 2009-06-07

Catskills Camping
moss close up

Catskills Camping
me watching Lisa sterilize their water with ultraviolet light...not as exciting as we thought it would be

Catskills Camping
Miss Kitty helping herself to Rooney's water

Birthday Karaoke
Ryan kicked off the birthday karaoke by singing "When the Saints Go Marching In" and throwing beads

Birthday Karaoke
Andy and Katie on a brother/sister duet

Birthday Karaoke
Katie and Andy again

Birthday Karaoke
Emily and me rocking out

Birthday Karaoke
me singing....you know that sounded good

Birthday Karaoke
wait for it, wait for it....

Birthday Karaoke
that's right...the leg kick. I just wanted to do that move all night

Birthday Karaoke
Lisa and Cam duet

Birthday Karaoke
not sure what song this was but I'm scared

Birthday Karaoke
Ryan and Lisa...I wish I had captioned these earlier so I could remember what the songs were

Birthday Karaoke
Ryan and Lisa getting into it

Birthday Karaoke
Simone

Birthday Karaoke
Cam and Lisa

Birthday Karaoke
me, Lisa, and Emily

Birthday Karaoke
Don and Andy, singing Bringing Sexy Back

Birthday Karaoke
Don is obviously not impressed with Andy's singing skills

Birthday Karaoke
but Andy thinks it's hilarious

Birthday Karaoke
Ryan and Katie on the husband/wife duet...what song was this??!

Birthday Karaoke
Christine and Lisa

Birthday Karaoke
Steve, the surprise hit of the night, and Andy

Birthday Karaoke
Steve and Andy were seriously into it

Birthday Karaoke
Steve even broke his Mardi Gras beads rocking the air guitar

Birthday Karaoke
not sure what dance move this is

Birthday Karaoke
I think this was "I've got you Babe"

Birthday Karaoke
apparently a song that required pointing

Birthday Karaoke
me and Emily...more great dance moves

Birthday Karaoke
like this one...wow

Birthday Karaoke
this picture is like Where's Waldo but instead....Where's Ryan??

Birthday Karaoke
apparently Emily thinks my singing stinks

Birthday Karaoke
group song...Simone, Lisa, Cam, Andy, and Christine

Birthday Karaoke
Steve gets in on the action

Birthday Karaoke
DSC_1985.JPG 2009-02-27

Birthday Karaoke
Andy, Simone, and Emily taking a break to enjoy birthday cupcakes

Birthday Karaoke
Steve feeling pretty good apparently

Birthday Karaoke
Steve and Andy...back to rocking out

Birthday Karaoke
DSC_1991.JPG 2009-02-28

Birthday Karaoke
DSC_1992.JPG 2009-02-28

Birthday Karaoke
What? Steve actually giving up the microphone?

Birthday Karaoke
Lisa and Cam on the air guitar

Birthday Karaoke
air guitar all around!

Birthday Karaoke
DSC_1998.JPG 2009-02-28

Birthday Karaoke
DSC_1999.JPG 2009-02-28

Birthday Karaoke
DSC_2003.JPG 2009-02-28

Birthday Karaoke
DSC_2005.JPG 2009-02-28

Birthday Karaoke
DSC_2006.JPG 2009-02-28

Birthday Karaoke
Christine and Lisa slow things down

Birthday Karaoke
Cam and Don watching their wives' performance

Birthday Karaoke
Ryan back on the mike....which was good because he can actually sing

Birthday Karaoke
Brother-in-law duet

Birthday Karaoke
uh oh..Steve is back in action...he wants more, more, more

Birthday Karaoke
All girl version of RESPECT

Birthday Karaoke
Christine acting out the lyrics to Like a Prayer

Birthday Karaoke
she was really into it

Birthday Karaoke
Simone and Lisa, Christine's back up singers

Birthday Karaoke
Like a Prayer

Birthday Karaoke
Emily, me, and Lisa

Birthday Karaoke
Ryan singing Purple Rain

Birthday Karaoke
Steve and Ryan

Birthday Karaoke
the birthday boy

Birthday Karaoke
Emily and Simone....singing sitting down?

Birthday Karaoke
Andy looks a little confused

Birthday Karaoke
Ryan and Andy, back on track

Birthday Karaoke
more dueting

Birthday Karaoke
DSC_1964.JPG 2009-02-27

Birthday Karaoke
DSC_1969.JPG 2009-02-27

Birthday Karaoke
DSC_1970.JPG 2009-02-27

Birthday Snow Day
Rooney in the snow, March 2nd

Birthday Snow Day
Park Slope after the snowfall

Birthday Snow Day
Rooney

Birthday Snow Day
me and Rooney in the park

Birthday Snow Day
Prospect Park on Andy's first ever snow day...the day after his 30th birthday

Birthday Snow Day
Andy and Rooney plowing through the snow

Birthday Snow Day
Rooney obviously not amused with Andy's antics

Birthday Snow Day
Andy making a snow angel...this could be the moment when he "lost" his phone

Birthday Snow Day
The Rooster

Birthday Snow Day
this is what happens when you try to go down a hill with no sled

Birthday Snow Day
Lisa with our makeshift cardboard sled

Birthday Snow Day
Cam trying to push Lisa down the hill on the cardboard

Birthday Snow Day
Rooney and me watching the sled failures

Birthday Snow Day
Cam pulling Andy through the snow, trying to make a path for the sled

Birthday Snow Day
Cam pulling Lisa down the hill

Birthday Snow Day
Andy taking a turn at pulling Lisa around

Birthday Snow Day
Lisa and Rooney

Birthday Snow Day
the backyard on the snow day

The Strathallan
hanging out in our apartment that we got bumped to because the hotel was overbooked

The Strathallan
Lisa and me sipping wine out of coffee mugs...yum

To Niagara Falls!
Andy, our driver for the trip

To Niagara Falls!
this restaurant was in a tiny town on the way to Niagara Falls...the windows were filled with cars and mannequins in cre

To Niagara Falls!
and a minataur as the maitre'd...classy!

To Niagara Falls!
sign for the restaurant...I must eat here if we ever go back

To Niagara Falls!
I'm pretty sure the same people owned this hotel

To Niagara Falls!
Lisa and Cam in their appropriately sized rocking chairs at Cracker Barrel

To Niagara Falls!
DSC_2420.JPG 2009-05-24

To Niagara Falls!
sauve pose with the Niagara Falls plaque

To Niagara Falls!
Andy discovering Niagara Falls

To Niagara Falls!
the observation tower on the U.S. side of the falls...there's an elevator in the tower that goes down to the base

Niagara Falls
The U.S. side of the falls

Niagara Falls
Cam and Lisa at the Falls

Niagara Falls
Andy and me...I was so excited I look like a little kid

Niagara Falls
more falls

Niagara Falls
DSC_2429.JPG 2009-05-24

Niagara Falls
looking upriver from the falls

Niagara Falls
Andy and Cam on the walk around to the other side of the falls

Niagara Falls
looking at the Falls from the other side...Niagara Falls are the far falls and Bridal Veil falls is the smaller, closer

Niagara Falls
looking over the edge of Bridal Veil falls

Niagara Falls
DSC_2436.JPG 2009-05-24

Niagara Falls
I really want to go back because we didn't have time to walk down and get sprayed by the falls like these people

Niagara Falls
DSC_2441.JPG 2009-05-24

Niagara Falls
Andy and me...I'm still a little overexcited

Niagara Falls
Cam and Lisa enjoying the Falls

Niagara Falls
Andy just loves acting out those signs!

Niagara Falls
unidentified flowering tree..can anyone identify this?

Niagara Falls
DSC_2446.JPG 2009-05-24

Niagara Falls
horrible tacky visitors center at the Falls that we avoided

Niagara Falls
Twist o the Mist...I was still too full from breakfast to enjoy any

DSC_2449.JPG
DSC_2449.JPG 2009-05-24

Mike and Ting's Wedding
on our way to the wedding...Cam and Lisa in front of the house that we stayed in

Mike and Ting's Wedding
Andy tried to go casual for the cermony

Mike and Ting's Wedding
back at the apartment for the hour and a half break between the wedding and the reception, Andy and Cam enjoying some be

Mike and Ting's Wedding
Andy enjoying the local beer

Mike and Ting's Wedding
Me and Andy in front of the house...I started calling it Big Pink

Wedding Reception
the reception was at the Rochester Science Center...very cool and also walking distance from the hotel

Wedding Reception
Lisa, Cam, and me on our way to the reception

Wedding Reception
on our way there Lisa was attacked by a giant blue horse

Wedding Reception
Andy and Cam...too cool for school

Wedding Reception
centerpieces outside during the cocktail hour

Wedding Reception
Lisa obviously not buying whatever Andy is saying

Wedding Reception
Ben and Paul, the best man at the wedding

Wedding Reception
this guy kept his hat on through the whole wedding, in church, and at the reception

Wedding Reception
more interestingly dressed people

Wedding Reception
me, Cam, and Lisa during the cocktail hour

Wedding Reception
Andy and Cam dubbed this the "foot fist" and were disgusted by it

Wedding Reception
Lisa and Mike, the groom

Wedding Reception
I loved the dinosaur themed decorations

Wedding Reception
top of the wedding cake

Wedding Reception
the reception room at the Rochester Science Center

Wedding Reception
my place card...I added the dinosaur myself

Wedding Reception
Andy with his pet dinosaur

Wedding Reception
Cam and frog

Wedding Reception
Cam, Mike, and Andy at the reception

Wedding Reception
oh boy....pictures of me dancing!

Wedding Reception
Lisa and me...Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

Wedding Reception
DSC_2494.JPG 2009-05-24

Wedding Reception
the groomsman stripped to just their vests and ties to serenade the bride

Wedding Reception
Ting surrounded by the groomsmen singing "Macho Man"

Wedding Reception
Ting showing how macho she is

Wedding Reception
more Macho Man

Wedding Reception
the best man turned Macho Man into a chance to make some money from Mike's mom and aunts

Wedding Reception
the groom's family has a weird tradition of playing the song Wipe Out and then the males act like surfboards

Wedding Reception
line dancing to rap...interesting

Wedding Reception
Soldier Boy? I was out of the loop on this one

Wedding Reception
more of me dancing with Ting, Lisa, and her maid of honor, Amy

Wedding Reception
Ting's Dad getting into the dancing mix

Wedding Reception
so uncoordinated!

Wedding Reception
Ting and her Dad on the dance floor

Wedding Reception
Cam's opinion of the dancing skills?

Wedding Reception
Lisa living out her dream of dancing with Ting's Dad

Wedding Reception
the entire museum was open during the reception...Andy wanted to make sure the mammoth was having a good time

Wedding Reception
not sure what this was about

Wedding Reception
Andy and me on the earthquake simulator...much scarier after a couple of drinks

Wedding Reception
hm....not sure that's how that works

Wedding Reception
Lisa hiding out in the glacier

Wedding Reception
the iceman cometh

Wedding Reception
climbing wall at the reception...no good

Wedding Reception
Andy and Cam on the climbing wall

Wedding Reception
climbing in a suit...awesome

Wedding Reception
some sort of weird pulley thing

Wedding Reception
Andy and Cam on the weird pulley thing

Wedding Reception
Lisa coming off of the hanging bridge she was climbing around on

Wedding Reception
I think this speaks for itself

Wedding Lunch
The day after the wedding, a lunch hosted by Ting's parents...my posture is stellar as usual

Wedding Lunch
Mike and Ting with the Double Happiness sign

Wedding Lunch
Andy and Mike

High Falls
our last stop in Rochester...this is right in the middle of the downtown area

High Falls
and looking the other direction you can see the local brewery

High Falls
DSC_2574.JPG 2009-05-25

High Falls
Hm...Rochester isn't so bad...

High Falls
an unidentified animal crawling around

High Falls
Andy and Lisa at the visitors center where we learned that Rochester claims that everything was invented there, even the

High Falls
Lisa learning about how the taxi cab was invented in Rochester

DSC_2583.JPG
DSC_2583.JPG 2009-05-25

High Falls
the mascot has seen better days

Hill Cumorah
on the way out of town we stopped at the Hill Cumorah, the site where Joseph Smith supposedly received the golden tablet

Hill Cumorah
the monument at the Hill

Hill Cumorah
Andy and Cam examining the monument

Hill Cumorah
Mormon caterpillar

Hill Cumorah
the visitor's center at the Hill...which I do not recommend unless you want to be converted by a 15 foot statue of Jesus

Hill Cumorah
fleeing from the Visitor's Center, an experience Cam told Andy he would never forgive him for

Hill Cumorah
the monument from afar

Backyard
when we returned home our iris had bloomed for the first time ever

DSC_2596.JPG
DSC_2596.JPG 2009-05-26

Backyard
as well as the clematis

Backyard
and our neighbor's roses that fell over the fence...the end.

MPA ESP Amazing Race
Our student government organized an "Amazing Race" around NYC...this is me and another member of my team at the fourth s

MPA ESP Amazing Race
the Kwome ceiling at the Met...one of the hardest clues for us

MPA ESP Amazing Race
Emily, Emmanuelle, and Kara at the bull on Wall Street

MPA ESP Amazing Race
me recreating the famous scene from Breakfast at Tiffany's

MPA ESP Amazing Race
the winning team...Team Intense! Emmanuelle, Kara, me, and Emily

Miss Kitty
DSC_2222.JPG 2009-05-10

Backyard
I had to photograph these since I've some how managed to keep them alive

Backyard
more pansies

Backyard
DSC_2226.JPG 2009-05-10

Backyard
the Rooster

Backyard
DSC_2231.JPG 2009-05-10

Backyard
chives

Backyard
studying for my last exam ever in the backyard

Rooney
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Mets Game
Andy went to the new Mets Stadium to see them play the Braves, his "favorite team"

Mets Game
DSC_2248.JPG 2009-05-11

Mets Game
DSC_2249.JPG 2009-05-11

Mets Game
DSC_2250.JPG 2009-05-11

Fifth Avenue Fair
the Shamwow guy was set up right in front of our apartment...lucky us

Fifth Avenue Fair
sweet ride

Fifth Avenue Fair
note the license plate

Fifth Avenue Fair
t-shirt shopping

Fifth Avenue Fair
one the NYC street fair delicacies...roasted corn

Fifth Avenue Fair
Mom and me enjoying our corn

Fifth Avenue Fair
the crowd at the Fair

Fifth Avenue Fair
I'm obviously having a good time

Fifth Avenue Fair
Andy took some paparazzi shots of us

Fifth Avenue Fair
another creepy stalker shot

Fifth Avenue Fair
Rooney waits for some pulled pork to drop

Fifth Avenue Fair
but has no luck

Fifth Avenue Fair
Miss Kitty

SIPA Graduation
Rooney and me...graduation morning

SIPA Graduation
Mom and me before graduation

SIPA Graduation
Riverside Church before we came in

SIPA Graduation
Riverside Church...taken from the balcony where Mom and Andy were sitting

SIPA Graduation
windows at Riverside Church

SIPA Graduation
the graduates filing in....my degree program was first

SIPA Graduation
all of the graduates seated for the commencement address from Gen. John Scowcroft

SIPA Graduation
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SIPA Graduation
DSC_2306.JPG 2009-05-18

SIPA Graduation
about the receive my handshake....no diploma yet

SIPA Graduation
sort of graduating

SIPA Graduation
recessional

SIPA Graduation
MPA ESP Class of 2009 at Grants Tomb

SIPA Graduation
and now with champagne

SIPA Graduation
the tossing of the caps

SIPA Graduation
still tossing

SIPA Graduation
Mom, me, and Andy after graduation

SIPA Graduation
me and Emily, my closest friend from the program

SIPA Graduation
me and Emily, I'm apparently doing my broken ankle impression

SIPA Graduation
Emily and me, without the ridiculous hats

SIPA Graduation
me and Andy...who was surely breathing a sigh of relief

SIPA Graduation
Columbia

SIPA Graduation
Mom and me after the champagne reception

SIPA Graduation
Butler Library with all of the graduation regalia

DSC_2348.JPG
DSC_2348.JPG 2009-05-18

SIPA Graduation
Low Library

SIPA Graduation
nice banners that Columbia hung up for graduation

SIPA Graduation
making my 2009 face

SIPA Graduation
Rooney sporting the graduation cap

SIPA Graduation
me and Miss Kitty

SIPA Graduation
and of course Miss Kitty wanted to wear it too

SIPA Graduation
Rooney cuddling with me

Columbia Graduation
Emily with her graduation fanny pack

Columbia Graduation
Emmanuelle, Erin, Alex, Nathan, and Emily...some of my illustrious SIPA classmates

Columbia Graduation
the woman who butchered all of the graduates names at the SIPA graduation

Columbia Graduation
Emily...American flag and coffee

Columbia Graduation
Nathalie and Brett waiting for graduation to start

Columbia Graduation
Team Intense! Emmanuelle, me, Kara, and Emily

Columbia Graduation
my class lined up for graduation

Columbia Graduation
Brett passing out the high fives

Columbia Graduation
Emmanuelle looking confused....Emily is apparently not amused

Columbia Graduation
Low Library

Columbia Graduation
Kara and Nathalie waiting FOREVER for graduation to get started

Columbia Graduation
Nathan and Leah

Columbia Graduation
graduates with all of the guests stretching out behind them

Columbia Graduation
when our diplomas were actually conferred

Columbia Graduation
military flyover for Fleet Week

Columbia Graduation
Molly...my favorite Chicagoan

Columbia Graduation
each of the different schools had a different prop they brought to graduation, the engineers had inflatable hammers, the

Columbia Graduation
for our school we each had a flag from our country

Columbia Graduation
uh.....what now?

Back in Louisiana Obviously
I love cappuccino with my alligator

Andy and Forest
Andy with the youngest of the three Begnaud boys

Elias in a Box
Andy felt like it was a good idea to help Elias get into this box

Elias in a Box
ten seconds later Elias fell over, face first

Bear Sighting #1
you can barely see it next to the tree but this was the first bear we saw...a small bear behind Ms. Paula's house

Bear Sighting #1
an even blurrier picture of the first bear

Bear Hunt
Andy and Willie gearing up for some bear hunting

Bear Sighting #2
we found the bear in someone's trash...but it was a different bear

Bear Sighting #2
the bear was being monitored by three sheriff's deputies

Bear Sighting #2
the bear got tired of the trash and wandered into the cane field

Bear Sighting #2
the deputies followed the bear for awhile but then lost their flashlights

Willie's House
At Willie's house we got to meet the new puppies...Bobo with his duck

Willie's House
Andy and Daisy

Willie's House
me and Daisy

Willie's House
me looking longingly at the dogs...

Willie's House
Willie and Bobo

Willie's House
Bobo..very sweet dog

Willie's House
Bobo

Willie's House
sweet and lazy

Willie's House
Monkey

Willie's House
more Bobo

Willie's House
Bobo looking for some attention

Boat Ride
out in the boat...first in the Bayou Teche

Boat Ride
some old steamboat wreckage in the bayou

Boat Ride
the locks as we move into the Hanson Canal

Boat Ride
the view down the Hanson Canal

Boat Ride
sky over the Hanson Canal

Boat Ride
Hanson Canal

Boat Ride
Hanson Canal...there were petroleum lines everywhere

Boat Ride
Hanson Canal

Boat Ride
looking into the marsh

Boat Ride
looking into the marsh

Boat Ride
marsh

Boat Ride
all of it was part of the Bayou Teche Wildlife Refuge

Boat Ride
there were egrets and blue herons everywhere

Boat Ride
looking into the marsh we saw a bear in the wild..I think you can maybe see a little bit of it in this picture

Boat Ride
maybe a little glimpse of the bear in this picture too

Boat Ride
a nutria swimming in the water

Boat Ride
marsh

Boat Ride
Jimmy, Mom, and me in the boat

Boat Ride
one of the many hawks we saw

Boat Ride
Hawk

Boat Ride
egret

Boat Ride
pelicans in the Intercoastal Canal

Boat Ride
barge in the Intercoastal

Boat Ride
hunting camps

Boat Ride
hunting camps

Boat Ride
marsh with no trees

Boat Ride
this way to Cow Island

Boat Ride
Pelican in flight

Boat Ride
pelican in flight

Boat Ride
pelican

Boat Ride
pelican

Boat Ride
pelican swimming behind the boat

Boat Ride
Andy surveying the marsh

Bourre
Mom teaching Andy and me how to play bourre

Bourre
Andy gets into game mode

Christmas #1
Rebecca eagerly waiting to open her gifts

Christmas #1
Andy passing out the presents

Christmas #1
Mom was also pretty excited

Christmas #1
Jonathan watching Rebecca open her gift from us

Christmas #1
Rebecca, obviously a little confused about our gift...?

Christmas #1
Andy's boudin t-shirt

Christmas #1
me opening some questionable post-it notes from Andy

Christmas #1
Mom looking pretty excited

Christmas #1
new sheets..obviously the best gift ever

DSC_1610.JPG
DSC_1610.JPG 2008-12-23

Christmas #1
more pajama pants...you shouldn't have!

Christmas #1
waiting for more gifts

Christmas #1
Jonathan opening his shirts from me and Andy

Christmas #1
books from Rebecca and Jonathan

Christmas #1
Andy's new tool set

Christmas #1
opening my awesome new camera lens

Christmas #1
DSC_1622.JPG 2008-12-23

Christmas #1
Andy's obviously pretty excited about this gift

Christmas #1
the hot gift on everyone's list this year...a measuring cup

Christmas #1
Rebecca, Mom, and me scanning pictures

Christmas #1
Andy's new watch....lovely

Christmas #2
Dave in his Bear Bryant hat

Christmas #2
Bonnie and Andy waiting to open gifts

Christmas #2
Dave and his new Nintendo Wii

Christmas #2
Aunt Gail opening her gifts

Christmas #2
Andy opening what will apparently be a huge gift

Christmas #2
or a tiny saw....the Sven saw

Christmas #2
Bonnie's new purse

Christmas #2
Ann showing off her new earrings

Christmas #2
Butch opening one of his many, many Academy gift cards

Christmas #2
Rosie and Dave

Christmas #2
Andy- not very impressed with Bonnie's earrings

Christmas #2
opening a gift from Nancy

Christmas #2
ITunes gift card from Nancy

Christmas #2
Ann opening her next gift

Christmas #2
a new shirt

Christmas #2
Dave is obviously impressed by the shirt

Christmas #2
Nancy opening one of her shirts

Christmas #2
Andy opening his ITunes gift card

Christmas #2
OOOH what is this?

Christmas #2
hm....

Christmas #2
oh...interesting

Christmas #2
I'm loving it

Christmas #2
surveying the jacket

Christmas #2
oooh 7/8 length sleeves...my favorite

Christmas #2
the saw should obviously be put to use opening presents

Christmas #2
Nancy opening her new coffee pot

Christmas #2
Dave with his new Sports Illustrated book

Christmas #2
Willie and me

Christmas #2
Willie making Rosie do her weird meowing thing

Christmas #2
Rosie

Christmas #2
not sure what's going on here

Christmas #2
trying to take a family picture

Christmas #2
Family Picture

Christmas #2
Family Picture, minus Rosie

Christmas #2
Family Picture

Christmas #2
the silly picture..and probably the one that came out the best

Christmas #3
on to Commerce, TX...a cake made by the Langford's neighbor Richard

Christmas #3
Katie and Ryan making their stockings on Christmas Eve

Christmas #3
Andy tracing letters for the Geaux Tigers on our stockings

Christmas #3
Katie and her breast cancer charm

Christmas #3
Hal apparently found our arts and crafts skills amusing

Christmas #3
Jane working intently on her stocking

Christmas #3
my stocking in progress

Christmas #3
Ryan loves arts and crafts

Christmas #3
Stocking making on Christmas Eve

Christmas #3
Katie, Ryan,and me, the last 3 working on our stockings

Christmas #3
Andy's completed stocking

Christmas #3
a horrible picture of me and my stocking

Christmas #3
Hal doing his traditional Christmas Eve wrapping

Christmas #3
Andy and me with our finished stockings

Christmas #3
all the stockings in a row

Christmas #3
the Dufrene stockings

Christmas #3
Andy and Ryan starting to hand out the presents

Christmas #3
someone still looks sort of sleepy

Christmas #3
Katie says "Thank you Andy!"

Christmas #3
Ryan doing his best angry Santa impression

Christmas #3
presents EVERYWHERE

Christmas #3
no idea what Andy's looking for

Christmas #3
Someone was very good apparently

Christmas #3
Katie....still waiting....

Christmas #3
Hal showing off his new sport coat

Christmas #3
me opening my Anthropologie gift card

Christmas #3
Andy and the new J.K. Rowling book, Beadle the Bard

Christmas #3
Katie with her new slippers

Christmas #3
one of Ryan's many new shirts

Christmas #3
Jane opening her new nightgown

Christmas #3
Andy up close

Christmas #3
Ryan all wrapped up for Christmas

Christmas #3
Hal with his new bicycle clips

Christmas #3
ooooh....a hand cranked radio!

Christmas #3
Jane dives into the next gift

Christmas #3
Jane opening vases from Mary and Bill

Christmas #3
Katie modeling the necklace we gave her

Christmas #3
Ryan snuggled up in his new blanket from the Langfords

Christmas #3
Jane opening gifts

Christmas #3
me opening my new jacket from the Langfords

Christmas #3
my sweet South Lafourche Tarpon sweatpants from the Dufrenes

Christmas #3
Jane really liked her t-shirt from me and Andy

Christmas #3
fresholaters for everyone!

Christmas #3
Andy in his new sleeping bag

Christmas #3
Ryan searching the trash for Hal's lost gift

Christmas #3
Hal cutting the beef tenderloin for Christmas dinner

Christmas #3
me looking over Hal's shoulder at the meat

Christmas #3
and finally taking a taste

Christmas #3
Ryan found the dime in the gyoza which means good luck for the new year

Christmas #3
Jane and Lulu playing his new toys

Holidays in Texas
Andy's attempt at a fire

Holidays in Texas
Andy feeding the fire

Holidays in Texas
putting the new Sven saw to use

Holidays in Texas
the Sven saw hard at work

Holidays in Texas
Dragon and Lulu

Holidays in Texas
my first attempt at the famous chocolate cake, made with Bonnie's help

Holidays in Texas
I caught Hal using what he calls the "toy computer"

Holidays in Texas
Andy, worn out from so many Christmases

Holidays in Texas
crazy bird on our tour of Commerce

Holidays in Texas
Texas A&M Commerce

Holidays in Texas
sign that I liked in Commerce

Holidays in Texas
Jane and Andy relaxing in the hammock

Holidays in Texas
sunset in Commerce

Holidays in Texas
Commerce sunset

Holidays in Texas
there was tons of mistletoe in the trees

Holidays in Texas
Ryan, Andy, Jane, and Hal relaxing in the backyard

Holidays in Texas
Andy relaxing

Holidays in Texas
Katie trying to get in the hammock

Holidays in Texas
Katie and Jane

Holidays in Texas
sculpture at the Nasher across the street from the Tut exhibit we saw

Trammell-Crow Museum
Japanese Folk art

Trammell-Crow Museum
coals would be put inside of this bunny and it would be a handwarmer

Trammell-Crow Museum
Japanese Folk Art

Trammell-Crow Museum
Japanese Folk Art

Trammell-Crow Museum
Japanese Folk Art

Trammell-Crow Museum
Japanese Folk Art

Trammell-Crow Museum
Japanese Folk Art

Trammell-Crow Museum
my favorite activity...reading the informative signs

Trammell-Crow Museum
Japanese Folk Art

Trammell-Crow Museum
statue at the entrance

Dallas Museum of Art
after seeing the Tut exhibit...it was slightly windy

Dallas Museum of Art
cool mosaic at the museum entrance

Dallas Museum of Art
Ryan, me, and Katie waiting for Hal to pull the car around

Dallas Museum of Art
me and Katie....still waiting

Dallas Museum of Art
sign for the Tut exhibit that we saw

Austin
on the way there I saw a fantastic investment opportunity

Austin
beef jerky sign...I took this while Andy was napping

Austin
sunset over Austin from Mt. Bonnell

Austin
Andy contemplates the future

Austin
looking towards downtown

DSC_1831.JPG
DSC_1831.JPG 2008-12-28

Austin
more sunset

Austin
and a lot more thinking to be done....

Ivy Removal
two guys came to remove the ivy from the back wall of our apartment

Ivy Removal
they rapelled from the roof which was pretty cool

Call Box
hopefully we won't need any help

Mt. Taurus
shedding a layer soon after the start of our hike

Mt. Taurus Hike
an old quarry on the hike

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice crystals that had formed in the dirt

Mt. Taurus Hike
the top rim of the old quarry

Mt. Taurus Hike
more of the really cool dirt ice..it looked like kryptonite

Mt. Taurus Hike
Andy leading the way on the trail

Mt. Taurus Hike
a mountain across the river...we couldn't figure out why the top was gray but we found out why later

Mt. Taurus Hike
Andy pointing out some sights to Cam and Lisa

Mt. Taurus Hike
the Hudson River

Mt. Taurus Hike
Hudson River looking out towards West Point

Mt. Taurus Hike
Cam follows the red hand

Mt. Taurus Hike
stream along the trail

Mt. Taurus Hike
icicles along the trail

Mt. Taurus Hike
more ice....at the time we thought it was a lot

Mt. Taurus Hike
Cam and Lisa on the trail

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice in the trees

Mt. Taurus Hike
not snow on the ground...ice that's fallen from the trees

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice started to appear on the backsides of all the trees

Mt. Taurus Hike
more ice

Mt. Taurus Hike
and then all of the bushes

Mt. Taurus Hike
Lisa inspecting the ice

Mt. Taurus Hike
and then the ice was everywhere

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice on the tree branches

Mt. Taurus Hike
Andy among the ice

Mt. Taurus Hike
icy leaves

Mt. Taurus Hike
Cam and Lisa

Mt. Taurus Hike
Cam and Lisa

Mt. Taurus Hike
as we neared the top every single surface was covered in ice

Mt. Taurus Hike
icy leaves

Mt. Taurus Hike
icy leaves

Mt. Taurus Hike
me, Lisa, and Cam marveling at the ice

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice

Mt. Taurus Hike
more icy leaves

Mt. Taurus Hike
the ice forest

Mt. Taurus Hike
Lisa and Cam

Mt. Taurus Hike
leaf close-up

Mt. Taurus Hike
icy trees...despite all of the ice it really wasn't very cold outside

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice close up

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice close up

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice close up

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice close up

Mt. Taurus Hike
making our way through the ice forest...being careful not to break anything

Mt. Taurus Hike
me and Lisa inspecting the bushes

DSC_1349.JPG
DSC_1349.JPG 2008-12-14

Mt. Taurus Hike
leaves close up

Mt. Taurus Hike
me and Lisa

Mt. Taurus Hike
me and Lisa

Mt. Taurus Hike
me and Lisa on the move

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice forest

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice forest

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice forest

Mt. Taurus Hike
guess what...more ice!

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice forest

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice forest

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice on the rhodedendron

Mt. Taurus Hike
on the leaves

Mt. Taurus Hike
i think the icy leaves were everyone's favorites

Mt. Taurus Hike
me totally amazed at the ice

Mt. Taurus Hike
the tops of the creeks were frozen over but we could see the water running underneath which was really cool

Mt. Taurus Hike
the view from the summit

Mt. Taurus Hike
the view from the top of Mt. Taurus

Mt. Taurus Hike
looking down the trail

Mt. Taurus Hike
Cam, Lisa, me, and Andy at the summit

Mt. Taurus Hike
the trail

Mt. Taurus Hike
the ice got even better on the way back down

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice forest

Mt. Taurus Hike
me emerging from the ice

Mt. Taurus Hike
emerging from the ice forest

Mt. Taurus Hike
crazy ice forest!

Mt. Taurus Hike
the icy trail

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice close up

Mt. Taurus Hike
more close up ice

Mt. Taurus Hike
close up

Mt. Taurus Hike
the three of us coming down the trail

Mt. Taurus Hike
it was extremely slippery and Lisa and I both fell at one point

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice forest

Mt. Taurus Hike
Cam doing his fake fall

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice forest

Mt. Taurus Hike
the ruins of an old barn

Mt. Taurus Hike
inside the old barn

Mt. Taurus Hike
me checking out the creepiness

Mt. Taurus Hike
view from the outside

Mt. Taurus Hike
a huge tree already grown and uprooted in the middle of the ruins

Mt. Taurus Hike
part of the abandoned Cornish estate

Mt. Taurus Hike
looking up through the cistern

Mt. Taurus Hike
Lisa and me laughing at the meat hooks

Mt. Taurus Hike
the driveway leading up to the main house

Mt. Taurus Hike
Lisa and I in the house

Mt. Taurus Hike
Cornish estate

Mt. Taurus Hike
frozen over pond

Mt. Taurus Hike
pond behind the ruins

Mt. Taurus Hike
the tiles that made up the walls

Mt. Taurus Hike
close up of the tile

Mt. Taurus Hike
part of the old barn

Mt. Taurus Hike
Cornish estate

Mt. Taurus Hike
Cornish Estate

Mt. Taurus Hike
creek running behind the estate

Mt. Taurus Hike
creek behind the estate

Mt. Taurus Hike
water running behind the Cornish estate

Mt. Taurus Hike
ruins of the main house

Mt. Taurus Hike
interesting tiles on the fireplace

Mt. Taurus Hike
bad picture of me in the main house

Mt. Taurus Hike
ruins of the main house

Mt. Taurus Hike
chimneys in the main house

Mt. Taurus Hike
more chimneys

Mt. Taurus Hike
tiles on the ground

Mt. Taurus Hike
archway that I think was part of the driveway

Mt. Taurus Hike
Andy....or sasquatch??

Mt. Taurus Hike
ice...heading back down

Mt. Taurus Hike
more ice running down the rock

Mt. Taurus Hike
the trolley back in Cold Spring

Mt. Taurus Hike
Andy waiting for the train in Cold Spring

Wilkilow Farms
after four years i finally got to go apple picking..we chose Wilkilow Farms, an organic, sustainable farm

Wilkilow Farms
funny goat

Apple Picking
Andy with the first apple

Apple Picking
he was very proud of it

Apple Picking
there were tons of wasted apples everywhere on the ground

Apple Picking
using the cool apple picking tool

Apple Picking
I was super excited

Apple Picking
APPLES!

Apple Picking
so many choices

Apple Picking
my turn to use the picker

Apple Picking
looking back at the farm house

Apple Picking
more wasted apples

Apple Picking
trudging up the hill after some hard work

Apple Picking
Wilkilow Orchards

Apple Picking
there were plenty near the bottom of the trees but using the picker was more fun

Apple Picking
Andy pointing out the goods one

Apple Picking
Golden Delicious

Apple Picking
Andy

Apple Picking
Andy loves apple picking

Apple Picking
DSC_1144.JPG 2008-10-26

Apple Picking
so much fun!

Apple Picking
DSC_1149.JPG 2008-10-26

Apple Picking
DSC_1150.JPG 2008-10-26

Apple Picking
Wilkilow Orchards

Apple Picking
DSC_1158.JPG 2008-10-26

Apple Picking
apple close up

Apple Picking
it doesn't take long to pick 25 pounds of apples...seriously, like 20 minutes

Apple Picking
soooo many apples

Apple Picking
the orchards

Apple Picking
the Wilkilow Farm stand

Hiking in the Gunks
after apple picking we went for a hike in the Gunks

Hiking in the Gunks
fall foliage

Hiking in the Gunks
me enjoying the view

Hiking in the Gunks
yeah hiking!

Hiking in the Gunks
fall foliage

Hiking in the Gunks
fall foliage

Hiking in the Gunks
fall foliage

Hiking in the Gunks
gorgeous!

Hiking in the Gunks
me on the Millbrook Trail

Hiking in the Gunks
showing off the beautiful leaves

Hiking in the Gunks
fall foliage

Hiking in the Gunks
fall foliage

Hiking in the Gunks
the low red bushes are all blueberry bushes

Hiking in the Gunks
more blueberries

Hiking in the Gunks
fall in the Gunks

Hiking in the Gunks
enjoying the hike

Hiking in the Gunks
stream running through the leaves

Hiking in the Gunks
Andy loves hiking

Hiking in the Gunks
gorgeous leaves everywhere

Hiking in the Gunks
and gorgeous views

Hiking in the Gunks
another beautiful view

Hiking in the Gunks
beautiful

Hiking in the Gunks
looking over the edge

Hiking in the Gunks
this has a name...beak or nose or something

Hiking in the Gunks
moving more into the pine forest

Hiking in the Gunks
foliage

Hiking in the Gunks
blueberry bushes

Hiking in the Gunks
trees

Hiking in the Gunks
Andy on the bike path back

Hiking in the Gunks
heading back to the car

Hiking in the Gunks
some attempts at Christmas card pictures

Hiking in the Gunks
I liked this one

Hiking in the Gunks
and this one

Hiking in the Gunks
my favorite tree

Hiking in the Gunks
again

Hiking in the Gunks
Millbrook Trail sign

Hiking in the Gunks
the red hat society bus couldn't make the turn on the road back down

Election Day!
Before we went to vote...which took 2 hours, but it was worth it

Miss Kitty
of course there must be a shot of M.K.

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
the night before Thanksgiving, all of the balloons are blown up outside of the Natural History Museum

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
Kermit...and the horde of people that were there

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
me, Jane, and Hal trying to make it through the crush of people

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
up close

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
more kermit

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
enjoying the ballooons

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
It's not easy being green...me and Andy with Kermit

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
Horton balloon...new this year

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
Hal and Jane with Horton

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
Andy was playing paparazzi the entire time

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
group shot

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
Andy...he'll get cropped into the previous picture

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
looking down the row of balloons

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
the Keith Haring balloon

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
Ronald McDonald

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
Ronald McDonald says Hello Kitty!

Macy's Balloon Blow Up
the Energizer Bunny

Thanksgiving Day
we saw one of the Central Park hawks while waiting for the parade...somewhere in this picture

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
cops leading the way

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
the mandatory police escorts

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Here comes the parade

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy's...never letting us forget who sponsors the parade

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
the big headed pilgrims! one of my favorites

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Hal and Jane await the arrival of the big turkey

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
The big turkey...hopefully organic and sustainably raised

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
the Smurfs...a blast from the past

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Papa Smurf

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
the smurf balloon

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
smurftastic

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
the smurf veered a little off course so was directly over us

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
one of the many C-list celebrities in the parade- James Taylor

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
baton twirlers...two of the twirler's moms were standing with us

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Peanuts

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Snoopy...another classic

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
one of the many, many marching bands

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
the back of Miley Cyrus's head

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
fish balloon? not sure how this is connected

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
angry seahorse

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
this went with the fish...not sure how

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
DSC_1162.JPG 2008-11-27

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
rhinoceros/rock wall float

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Dora the Explorer

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Harajuku girls...no clue who they are

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
the energizer bunny

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Sesame Street...I have to say the floats were much improved this year

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
more Sesame Street

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
terrifying new Sesame Street character

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Hello Kitty!

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Hal, Jane, me and the Hello Kitty

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
more Kitty

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
DSC_1181.JPG 2008-11-27

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
DSC_1182.JPG 2008-11-27

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
DSC_1183.JPG 2008-11-27

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
the Planters nutmobile

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Empire State Building float

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
iconic scenes from NYC popped out of the building

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Ronald McDonald....yuck.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
the Keith Haring float...very cool

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
float of random new york landmarks

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
including the Brooklyn Bridge

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
the green m&m thought it was Halloween apparently

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
more M&Ms with Idina Menzel from Wicked

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Pikachu

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
weird astronaut conglomerate float

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
with this even weirder yellow creature on the back

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
followed by a very cool Buzz Lightyear balloon

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Buzz Lightyear

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
getting Rick rolled at the parade

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
more Rick Astley

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
DSC_1217.JPG 2008-11-27

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Macy's...never letting us forget who sponsors the parade

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
big-headed Abe Lincoln...I love the big-headed costumes

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
big-headed steamboat captain

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
the Second Chance band from Florida...those under 50 need not apply

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
more second chancers

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
carrying a lot flags for some unknown reason

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Sponge Bob!

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Square Pants!

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
famous wife abuser Trace Adkins

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
staring us down

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Andy liked this random cheese head lady

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
odd pirate balloon...apparently this has been in the parade since the 1950s

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
pirate float...Andy felt it was insensitive in light of recent events in Somalia

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Native American float...not sure why they would agree to be in the parade

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Andy with kermit

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Kermit the Frog

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Jane was very excited about the Kermit balloon

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
bye bye Kermie

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Uncle Sam

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Uncle Sam about to get bombed by a helicopter apparently

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
golden eagle

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Lady Liberty

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
another throwback balloon...police officer

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
the big apple

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
the briefcase brigade

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Beethoven balloon....random and like 5 years too late

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Darius Rucker on a guitar float

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
creepy clown balloon

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Shrek balloon...no doubt to promote the new Shrek Broadway musical

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
DSC_1267.JPG 2008-11-27

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
wait....whose parade is this again?

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
band from somewhere in Florida...this girl somehow convinced people to push her the entire route

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
same band...I liked their costumes

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Horton Hears a Who

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Care Bears stare

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
creepy old guy on a rocking horse

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Kermit under the Bow Bridge in Central Park

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
creepy elves signal the arrival of Santa Claus

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Santa's reindeer

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
the big man himself

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Santa Claus

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
more Santa

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
that's right...Macy's.

Thanksgiving Dinner
our Thankgiving spread

Thanksgiving Dinner
mmm....turkey....

Thanksgiving Dinner
the much mocked Beaujolais

Thanksgiving Dinner
Jane, Hal, Andy and me...ready to eat

Welcome to Maine!
Andy at the Maine visitor's center

Welcome to Maine
me with the friendly lobsterman at the Visitor's Center

World's Largest Globe
no kidding...the world's largest globe at a map company outside of Freeport

Freeport
the L.L. Bean outlet in the most loathsome outlet filled town ever

Freeport
more outlets....

Bowdoin College
Andy at the gates of Bowdoin College, our friend Cassie's alma mater

The Peary Macmillan Arctic Museum
great museum at Bowdoin about the first explorer to reach the North Pole

Bowdoin College Art Museum
another great museum

Bowdoin College
Andy loved this building

Bowdoin College
Andy posing for Bowdoin's fall catalog

The Comfort Inn
billed as "authentic" New England

Lobster Pound
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Lobster Pound
looking out towards a lobster pound from the pier

Harpswell Peninsula
me out on the public pier

Seaweed
we were amazed at how the clear the water was along the shore

Gull
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Dinghys
docked along the pier for people to take out to their bigger boats

Seaweed
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Me Driving
a fearsome sight

Harpswell Peninsula
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Harpswell Peninsula
we felt like all of the houses in Maine were huge

Cog Work bridge
this bridge was built only with granite blocks, staggered for the high tide to pass through

Harpswell Peninsula
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Dipping my toe in the water
needless to say it was freezing

Me walking away from the freezing water
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Among the Seaweed
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Seaweed
I was obviously fascinated

Andy
posing for another cheesy high school yearbook shot

Seaweed
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Weathered Rock
I loved the way the rock was eroded here

The Giant Steps
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looking for something?
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Fisherman's Memorial
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Dolphin Marina
fantastic restaurant on the Harpswell Peninsula

Dolphin Marina
lobster stew and blueberry muffins...delicious

Whaleback Shell Middens
essentially huge piles of garbage...oyster shells deposited over 1000s of years by Native Americans

Andy
with another shell midden in the background

Goldenrod
one of the common wildflowers in Maine

Whaleback Shell Midden
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Whaleback Shell Midden
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Andy and Sassy
a horse that was just wandering around at our next stop

The Olsen House
apparently the most well known house in Maine

The Olsen House
setting for Andrew Wyeth's famous painting "Christina's World"

The Family Cemetary
the grave of Christina and her brother Alvaro

The Family Cemetary
cool old headstone

The Family Cemetary
again

The Olsen House
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Hay Wagon at the Olsen House
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The Olsen House
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The Olsen House
the inside was left exactly as it was

The Olsen House
in the winter this whole area would be filled with firewood

The Olsen House
many of Wyeth's paintings were positioned in the house so you could see exactly where they were painted from

The Olsen House
trying my hand at some old fashioned clothes washing

The Olsen House
cool old stove

The Olsen House
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Brooklyn Heights
interesting....

Young's Lobster Pound
our lunch

Young's Lobster Pound
Andy waiting for his lunch to be boiled

Young's Lobster Pound
the lobsters were steamed in these huge outdoor stoves

Young's Lobster Pound
Andy and his lunch

Young's Lobster Pound
this picture was taken by an over-enthusiastic fellow diner

Young's Lobster Pound
the lobster boat coming in

Young's Lobster Pound
in true Cajun fashion Andy demolished his lobster

Young's Lobster Pound
hauling in the catch

Young's Lobster Pound
for some reason Andy wanted a picture of this guy cleaning a fish

Young's Lobster Pound
obviously

cool bridge
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Bucksport
the mysterious outline of a foot keeps appearing on the grave of Col. John Buck, the founder of Bucksport

Moxie
Andy enjoying a Moxie, apparently a popular local soft drink

Blueberry Picking
Andy found this pick your own blueberry place online...it turned out to be a scary shed in the middle of nowhere with al

Blueberries
but the wild blueberries are the best and sweetest I've ever had

Hog's Bay Blueberries
the scary place...it was totally deserted and there was a "Hatchet World" magazine inside

Reverse Tidal Falls
the tide coming in here makes it look sort of like a reverse waterfall

Reverse Tidal Falls
Andy admiring the water

Reverse Tidal Falls
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Andy
this was his reaction when I said I was going to the bathroom before we started out on a hike

Acadia National Park
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Acadia National Park
the coastline across the street from our campground

Acadia Coastline
Andy decided he was going to scramble around on the rocks...lets see where he goes

Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
oh yes...fantastic idea

Acadia Coastline
this is when I was yelling "NO" and he was pretending like he couldn't hear me...which he admitted to later

Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
now he has to find a way back down

Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
this did not make me nervous at all

Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
the coast here was made up of this cool pink granite

Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
Andy checking out one of the tidepools

Acadia Coastline
an attempt at self-photography...I just made it

Campfire
Andy starting the campfire....his favorite activity every night

Campfire
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Campfire
warming my hands

Campfire
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Campfire
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Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
Andy contemplates the ocean

Acadia Coastline
a cool cave along the coast...probably off limits

Acadia Coastline
but that never stops Andy

Acadia Coastline
the cave was full of this cool pink algae

Acadia Coastline
more pink algae

Acadia Coastline
mussels in one of the many tidepools

Acadia Coastline
many of the views were ruined by horrible McMansions along the coast

Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
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Acadia National Park
some of the leaves were already turning

Acadia National Park
chipmunk

Acadia National Park
sand beach on the left...view from our first hike on the Beehive Trail

Beehive Trail
some parts of the trail were just iron rungs in the rock

Beehive Trail
not sure why I agreed to this...but it was a lot of fun

Beehive Trail
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Beehive Trail
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Beehive Trail
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Beehive Trail
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Beehive Trail
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Bubble Pond
there was a pond at the top of the trail where Andy took a dip

Bubble Pond
he discovered there were leeches in the water so stuck one on his foot to see what it felt like

Gorham Mountain
at the summit of the Beehive Trail

The Beehive
taken afterward from the park drive

Mushrooms
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The Beehive
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Acadia Coastline
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Thuya Gardens
me making a wish at the wishing well

Thuya Gardens
the mosses were gorgeous

Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
reflecting pool...that was about 6 inches deep

Thuya Gardens
gorgeous dahlias

Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
Asiatic lillies

Thuya Gardens
more dahlias

Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
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DSC_0814.JPG
DSC_0814.JPG 2008-08-24

Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
peppermint dahlias

Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
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Thuya Gardens
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Beach
where we pulled over and took a nap

Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
Andy showing how excited he was about getting out of the car to walk around here

Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
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Lighthouse
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Lighthouse
Andy spent a lot of time contemplating the sea

Lighthouse
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Acadia Coastline
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Acadia Coastline
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Lobster Traps
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Carriage Roads
we rented bikes and spent the day riding around Acadia's famous carriage roads

Jordan Pond
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Carriage Roads
these people were taking it literally on this carriage ride

The Bubbles
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The Bubbles
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Taking a lunch break
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The Intrepid Cyclists
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Warning
somehow we managed to do all of these things without injuring ourselves

Wild Gardens of Acadia
one of my favorite activities, a brochure guided walk

Wild Gardens of Acadia
and another....signing the guestbook

Wild Gardens of Acadia
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Wild Gardens of Acadia
Andy was pretty proud of himself about this one

Wild Gardens of Acadia
enjoying the scenery

Wild Gardens of Acadia
frog

Wild Gardens of Acadia
I looked for this sign for like 10 minutes and couldn't find it

Wild Gardens of Acadia
pitcher plant

Wild Gardens of Acadia
our trusty Aveo

Breakfast
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Breakfast
a little oatmeal with your blueberries?

Breakfast
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The Giant Blueberry
kooky blueberry gift shop

The Giant Blueberry
complete with creepy manequins in a wood horse drawn carriage

Cutler Coastal Trail
north of Acadia in the section of Maine called "way down East"

Cutler Coastal Trail
one of the best trails I've ever hiked

Cutler Coastal Trail
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Cutler Coastal Trail
fake blueberries

Cutler Coastal Trail
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Cutler Coastal Trail
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Cutler Coastal Trail
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Cutler Coastal Trail
the seaweed made the coast look like it had a moustache

Cutler Coastal Trail
the small animal in the water is a seal...we saw a few playing in the water here

Cutler Coastal Trail
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Cutler Coastal Trail
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Cutler Coastal Trail
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Cutler Coastal Trail
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Cutler Coastal Trail
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Cutler Coastal Trail
the meadow where I hoped to see a moose....but did not

Cutler Coastal Trail
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Cutler Coastal Trail
DSC_0925.JPG 2008-08-26

Cutler Coastal Trail
DSC_0926.JPG 2008-08-26

Cutler Coastal Trail
obviously

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse
the Easternmost spot in the United States

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse
Andy

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse
me

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse
with the plaque for the Easternmost point

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse
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West Quoddy Head Lighthouse
DSC_0939.JPG 2008-08-26

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse
its #4 Fresnel lens

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse
we saw a bald eagle sitting on this rock

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse
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Easternmost Person in the United States
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West Quoddy Head Lighthouse
DSC_0945.JPG 2008-08-26

Easternmost Person in the United States
Andy gave it a little extra lean just in case

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse
me in the lighthouse window

Easternmost Gift Shop in the U.S.
we just drove on by....

Oh Canada!
we made a short foray into New Brunswick

New Brunswick
DSC_0953.JPG 2008-08-26

Roosevelt Campabello Park
they were very explicit about the photos

Roosevelt Campabello Park
Best Photo

Roosevelt Campabello Park
the only International Park in the world

Roosevelt Campabello Park
dahlias

Roosevelt Campabello Park
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Roosevelt Campabello Park
salmon farming off of the coast

Roosevelt Campabello Park
Andy on the end of the pier to nowhere

Roosevelt Campabello Park
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Roosevelt Campabello Park
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Roosevelt Campabello Park
cool sand

Roosevelt Campabello Park
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Roosevelt Campabello Park
Andy running around on the rocks in his Crocs...probably the worst choice of footwear, right after the flip flops I was

Roosevelt Campabello Park
Andy looking for the Friar, a rock formation off of the coast

Roosevelt Campabello Park
throwing up his hands in disgust at not being able to see it...later he blamed it on the "tricky Canadians"

Back in the U.S.
at the border

Gold Accumulator
this was part of some guy's scheme to extract gold from seawater

Random Bell
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Gold Accumulator
apparently he swindled the townspeople out of a lot of money with this idea

Sardine Plant
DSC_0980.JPG 2008-08-26

Sunset over Cadillac Mountain
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Canada Geese
DSC_0987.JPG 2008-08-26

Sunset
DSC_0988.JPG 2008-08-26

Schoodic Peninsula
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Schoodic Peninsula
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Schoodic Peninsula
veins of magma in the granite

Schoodic Peninsula
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Schoodic Peninsula
Andy hopping around on the hot magma

Schoodic Peninsula
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Schoodic Peninsula
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Schoodic Peninsula
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Schoodic Peninsula
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Schoodic Peninsula
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Schoodic Peninsula
sunset

Sunrise
we woke up the next morning to watch the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain, the first place in the U.S. to see the sun

Sunrise
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Sunrise
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Sunrise
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Sunrise
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Sunrise
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Sunrise
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Sunrise
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Sunrise
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Sunrise
DSC_1039.JPG 2008-08-27

Acadia National Park
finally remembered to take a picture of the sign

Precipice Trail
this was apparently not a hiking trail but a technical rock climb

Precipice Trail
unfortunately most of it was going over rocks, not underneath them

Precipice Trail
me doing my gollum impression

Precipice Trail
Andy on one of the many sets of iron rungs

Precipice Trail
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Precipice Trail
view from the top

Precipice Trail
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Precipice Trail
Andy at the top of the trail

Precipice Trail
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Precipice Trail
geologic marker- fun

Precipice Trail
Andy on the descent

Precipice Trail
there was a sign at the top saying it was harder to go back down than up...maybe they should have put that sign at the b

Precipice Trail
hanging on for dear life

Precipice Trail
making my way back down

Precipice Trail
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Precipice Trail
DSC_1072.JPG 2008-08-27

Precipice Trail
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Precipice Trail
Andy along the trail

Precipice Trail
I was genuinely shocked that I made it the whole way

Thunder Hole
the water sloshing up sounds like thunder when the tide comes in

Thunder Hole
it was more like glurg hole the day we were there

Acadia Coastline
DSC_1082.JPG 2008-08-27

Our campsite
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Andy at the campsite
as we were getting ready to leave

Campsite
walking away.....

Fishing
I had the first catch of the day, besides Butch, out at the pond

Fishing
Dave helps me take my fish off of the line

Fishing
Andy with his first fish of the day

Fishing
me and my second fish

Huh?


Fishing
Dave's artistic photo of the minnow bucket

Fishing
my biggest fish of the day...at long range

Fishing
Bonnie and her best catch of the day

Fishing
Andy showing off the large mouth of his fish

Fishing
Bonnie looking disgusted with her latest catch

Fishing
we were getting a lot of bites when we first got out there, but things quickly tapered off

Fishing
"Ole Miss" as Dave calls her arrives out at the pond

Fishing
Andy blocks me out of the picture with his fish

Anolis Lizard


Fishing
not sure why all of the pictures are of me

Blackberries
I had to climb into this tree and hang out over the water to get the ripe berries

Fishing
Mom...obviously very proud of her fish

Fishing
Rebecca trying to take a picture of her tiny fish with her cell phone camera

Fishing
Jim holding Rebecca's fish, the one that I almost caught about 5 minutes before this

Fishing at the Pond
Mom, Andy, and Rebecca

Carolyn
me wearing the cap of my favorite baseball team, the Pittsburgh Pirates

Me and Dave
he loves having his picture taken

Pony
out at Mary and Bill's ranch

Grammie and Hal
out at the ranch for Mother's Day

Jane
living the High Life on Mother's Day

Andy and Ryan
in their new authentic Hawiian shirts

Deacon and Andy


Deacon and Andy


Andy and Deacon


Me and Willie


Deacon


Deacon


Deacon


Langfords and Dufrenes


Jane and Hal


Deacon


Elias
eagerly anticipating his microwave popcorn

Elias and Deacon


Deacon and Elias
watching the Survivor finale

Elias
obviously enjoying his popcorn

Andy and Sleepy Deacon


Elias and Deacon


Deacon
offering me some popcorn

The Begnauds
entranced by the Survivor Finale

Begnauds
Elias with his dinosaur egg, Carrie, and Deacon

Dixie
Our first stop was Dana's house where we met her dog Dixie

The Ivy
after lunch we took a driving tour of Beverly Hills...no celeb sightings though

Dana and Andy


Reseda
Andy made me take a picture of this exit because it's where the Karate Kid was set

Produce Stand
we stopped to get veggies for the trip at this produce stand which was also full of flowers

Produce Stand
ranunculus

Produce Stand
Martin and Cassie sample the fresh strawberries

Channel Islands Visitor's Center
surveying the whale bones after an informative video (which I slept through)

Andy on the Lookout
looking out towards the Channel Islands from Ventura Harbor

Channel Islands Van
note the smallest island down on the bumper

Channel Islands Visitor's Center
me enjoying the informative pamphlet in the native plants garden

Channel Islands Visitor's Center
torrey pine

Channel Islands Visitor's Center
never-dies

Channel Islands Visitor's Center
native wildflowers

Channel Islands Visitor's Center
native wildflowers

Channel Islands Visitor's Center
Martin and Cassie

Channel Islands Visitor's Center
a hummingbird we watched flit from tree to tree

Channel Islands Visitor's Center


Flowers
growing on the sea wall in Ventura Harbor

McGrath State Beach
a bunny at our campground our first night in California

McGrath State Park
Cassie and me at Ventura Beach

McGrath State Beach
Andy contemplates the Pacific

McGrath State Beach
picking up camp on the first morning to catch the boat out to the Channel Islands

Ventura Harbor
setting off for the Channel Islands

On the Boat
Andy shading himself with Target bag

On the Boat
good-bye mainland

On the Boat
oil rig in the Santa Barbara Channel, reminiscent of the Gulf

On the Boat
our first look at Santa Cruz island

Arrival on the Island
Cassie showing off the food that the crows got in to right when we arrived

Channel Islands National Park


Channel Islands National Park
our first day we took a hike out to Cavern Point

Channel Islands National Park
lizard that we took about 25 pictures of before realizing they were everywhere

Channel Islands National Park
there were lots of beautiful wildflowers

Channel Islands National Park
and a gorgeous coastline

Channel Islands National Park
Andy taking it all in

Channel Islands National Park


Channel Islands National Park
huge kelp forests off of the coast

Channel Islands National Park
grasses blowing in the wind

Channel Islands National Park
a shot of Scorpion Anchorage where our boat docked

Channel Islands National Park
stunning coastline

Channel Islands National Park
Scorpion Canyon Ranch where a family used to live and farm

Channel Islands National Park


Channel Islands National Park
island lizard

Channel Islands National Park
the campsite was so windy the stove had to be positioned behind a small windbreak in the wash

Channel Islands National Park
snake spotted by Andy while hiking on Day 2

Channel Islands National Park
snake...unidentified species

Channel Islands National Park
Andy on our second hike to Scorpion Canyon

Channel Islands National Park
a strange grove of trees

Channel Islands National Park
sea caves dotted the coast line

Channel Islands National Park


Channel Islands National Park


Channel Islands National Park
Andy tests out the wind which was ALWAYS blowing

Channel Islands National Park
Cassie and Martin arrive at the rest point on our hike

Channel Islands National Park
Andy and I taking a break on our Scorpion Canyon hike

Channel Islands National Park
even though it was sunny the wind kept the temperatures low

Channel Islands National Park
an old oil well on the hike to Scorpion Canyon

Channel Islands National Park
looking through the rusted out shed

Channel Islands National Park
equipment left over at the well

Channel Islands National Park


Channel Islands National Park
the rusting derrick

Channel Islands National Park
Cassie and Martin on the hike

Channel Islands National Park
I think the white in the cliffs was chalk

Channel Islands National Park


Channel Islands National Park
Andy hunts the elusive scrub jay in Scorpion Canyon

Channel Islands National Park
playing games, taken by Vincent, the hippy half of the our island neighbors Kevin and Vincent

Channel Islands National Park
also taken by Vincent

Channel Islands National Park
another pic by Vincent

Channel Islands National Park
Andy and Martin square off in a game of dice stacking

Andy
watching the overexposed sunset

Channel Islands National Park
just to prove that I saw it as well

Channel Islands National Park
Andy and I practically ran to reach the Western end of the island to catch the sunset

Channel Islands National Park


Channel Islands National Park


Channel Islands National Park
enjoying our last breakfast in a sunny wind-free spot

Channel Islands National Park
interesting bird hanging out at the ranch

Channel Islands National Park
this stand of eucalyptus was the campground location, where the wind was never under 20 miles an hour

Channel Islands National Park
the elusive Channel Islands fox

Channel Islands National Park
this is by far the closest I've ever been to a fox, usually you can't even see them at zoos

Channel Islands National Park
dining on some grass...they eat much more vegetation than other species

Channel Islands National Park
the fox is now coming back thanks to the elimination of feral pigs and golden eagles

Channel Islands National Park
the fox got into our friends' Kevin and Vincent's camp

Channel Islands National Park
our campground neighbor's knives...glad I didn't see these before I went to bed

Channel Islands National Park
hiking to Potato Harbor on our third day in the park

Channel Islands National Park


Channel Islands National Park
the view from our hike to Potato Harbor

Channel Islands National Park
a narrow path with an extremely steep drop off that I hiked down for some reason, then realized I was terrified

Channel Islands National Park
Andy followed me down there and we snapped this picture

Channel Islands National Park
Andy relaxing at Potato Harbor

Channel Islands National Park
while enjoying the view we heard elephant seals honking in the distance

Channel Islands National Park
off the dock we could see sea urchins and starfish in the water

Channel Islands National Park
waiting to board the Island Packers Boat back to the mainland

Channel Islands National Park
more starfish on the dock...we saw these up close when we went kayaking

Channel Islands National Park
good-bye Santa Cruz Island

On the Boat
Cassie and Martin celebrate our escape from the winds of Santa Cruz

On the Boat
our kayaks strapped to the boat

Joshua Tree National Park
we arrived very late to Joshua Tree and then rose the next morning to watch the sunrise

Joshua Tree National Park
Ryan Campground at sunrise

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy and Cassie

Joshua Tree National Park
taking in the alien beauty of the park

Joshua Tree National Park
we sat on top of the rocks watching the sun make its way towards us

Joshua Tree National Park
Martin's shadow appears

Joshua Tree National Park
Martin waving good morning to the sun

Joshua Tree National Park
sunrise

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy and I at Ryan Campground

Joshua Tree National Park
yucca in bloom

Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park
Andy trying to drink the juniper tree...I don't think it works like that

Joshua Tree National Park
a close up of the monzogranite the park is known for

Joshua Tree National Park
an unflattering picture of me while I was scramling around the rocks near our campsite

Joshua Tree National Park
our tents at Ryan Campground

Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park
Andy loves informative plaques!

Joshua Tree National Park
Cottonwood Springs...an amazing oases in the middle of the low desert

Joshua Tree National Park
Cassie, me, and Martin at Cottonwood Springs

Joshua Tree National Park
desert lizard

Joshua Tree National Park
lizard

Joshua Tree National Park
lizard..note the very long tail

Joshua Tree National Park
enjoying the warm sun

Joshua Tree National Park
this lizard opted for a cool spot in the crack of this rock

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy's favorite plant in the desert...it puts out its leaves on the ground to save water

Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park
the infamous Chuckwalla lizard

Joshua Tree National Park
Chuckwalla Lizard

Joshua Tree National Park
a Gopher snake we spotted on the trail

Joshua Tree National Park
up close and personal with the Gopher snake

Joshua Tree National Park
despite warnings not to molest the wildlife Andy wrangled the snake

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy continues to molest the snake

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy and the Gopher Snake

Joshua Tree National Park
Gopher Snake...this is the only picture I could show the Park Ranger

Joshua Tree National Park
Cassie petting the snake

Joshua Tree National Park
Martin gets in on the snake action

Joshua Tree National Park
lunch at a (thankfully) covered picnic bench

Joshua Tree National Park
close-up of the ocotillo plant

Joshua Tree National Park
Ocotillo in full bloom...really gorgeous

Joshua Tree National Park
Martin photographed me, photographing Andy with the ocotillo

Joshua Tree National Park
Ocotillo blossom close-up

Joshua Tree National Park
Ocotillo blossom

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy playing frisbee in the Ocotillo patch

Joshua Tree National Park
more frisbee action

Joshua Tree National Park
creosote bush

Joshua Tree National Park
Ocotillo

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy reading the signs in the cholla cactus garden

Joshua Tree National Park
Cholla Cactus Garden- luckily Cassie was there with tons of facts about the cactus because they were out of brochures

Joshua Tree National Park
Cholla Cactus Garden

Joshua Tree National Park
skeleton of a Cholla Cactus

Joshua Tree National Park
Cholla Cactus Garden

Joshua Tree National Park
a wood rat den lined with cholla spines to keep out invaders

Joshua Tree National Park
the Cholla reproduce by sticking on to animals when they brush up against them- Cassie shows off that part of the cactus

Joshua Tree National Park
Martin gets attacked by the Cholla

Joshua Tree National Park
Martin conquers the Cholla with the help of his Leatherman

Joshua Tree National Park
Skull Rock

Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park
the car on our 4x4 adventure on the Geology Tour Road

Joshua Tree National Park
a good shot of the alternating layers of gneiss in the rocks

Joshua Tree National Park
a Joshua Tree about to bloom

Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree with desert dandelions blanketing the entire floor of the desert

Joshua Tree National Park
desert dandelions

Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree with twin hills in the background

Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Trees that were burnt in a fire in 1999

Joshua Tree National Park
beavertail cactus in bloom

Joshua Tree National Park
view from the Geology Tour Road

Joshua Tree National Park
there's something about Martin

Joshua Tree National Park
the Crochet Museum near the entrance to the park...unfortunately it was closed at the time

Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park
one of the really cool piles of boulders in the park composed of monzogranite

Joshua Tree National Park
more boulders

Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park
more beavertail cactus in bloom

Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree growing at an unusual angle

Joshua Tree National Park
at Keys View, the green line in the background is the San Andreas Fault

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy looking good at Keys View

Joshua Tree National Park
Cassie and Martin at Keys View

Joshua Tree National Park
a rock that I liked...it looks like an ear to me

Joshua Tree National Park
no swimming in the middle of the desert

Joshua Tree National Park
Barker Dam, set up by cattlemen when ranching was common in the area

Joshua Tree National Park
Barker Dam- the amount of water was really surprising

Joshua Tree National Park
one of these lizards was encrouching on the other's territory and they fought and chased each other around

Joshua Tree National Park
one of the more interesting desert species

Joshua Tree National Park
the stream flowing out of Barker Dam

Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park
another flowering cactus

Joshua Tree National Park
yucca blossom

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy and me on the hike around Barker Dam

Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park
petroglyphics in the park that were "enhanced" with paint by the Disney company while filming a movie

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy loves petroglyphs

Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park
moth which we thought was a hummingbird at first

Joshua Tree National Park
the White-Lined Sphinx moth pollinating some flowers

Joshua Tree National Park
White-Lined Sphinx moth

Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park


Joshua Tree National Park
me hanging out in the tent

Joshua Tree National Park
the view out of my tent door

Joshua Tree National Park
sunset at Ryan Campground

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy cheers Martin on as he shotguns a beer

Joshua Tree National Park
Ryan Campground at sunset

Joshua Tree National Park
and a few minutes later

Joshua Tree National Park
Trashcan Rock..the site of our rock climbing adventures

Joshua Tree National Park
Cassie studying the climbing book for the best routes

Joshua Tree National Park
I took this while waiting a really long time for Andy to get the top rope set up

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy ponders life on Trashcan Rock

Joshua Tree National Park
still waiting for Andy to set up the top rope

Joshua Tree National Park
Cassie tests the rope

Joshua Tree National Park
Since he tied the rope Andy was nominated to make the first climb of the day

Joshua Tree National Park
there were many, many other climbers on the rock

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy on the first climb, a 5.1

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy reaches the "summit"

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy after the climb

Joshua Tree National Park
Cassie takes on the climb

Joshua Tree National Park
Martin prepares to climb

Joshua Tree National Park
Martin prepares for his climb while Cassie belays him

Joshua Tree National Park
me making my way up the first climb

Joshua Tree National Park
almost at the top

Joshua Tree National Park
a picture of the tourists who were taking pictures of us climbing which I found really funny

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy attempts the second climb, the Simpatico Crack with Cassie belaying

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy feels out the route

Joshua Tree National Park
an interesting split-move

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy showing off some minor injuries

Joshua Tree National Park
Cassie takes her turn at the Simpatico Crack

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy making the last climb of the day before he takes down the top rope

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy on the climb

Joshua Tree National Park
Andy reaching for the chalk

Joshua Tree National Park
Cassie- an excellent belayer and guide for Joshua Tree

Brooklyn Collegiate Basketball
the week before we went to Hunter College to check out the Brooklyn Collegiate Boy's Basketball Team

Brooklyn Collegiate Basketball
they won the game after being down by 12 at the beginning of the fourth quarter

Brooklyn Collegiate Basketball
they did eventually lose in the semi-finals of the city tournament

Brooklyn Collegiate Basketball


Ice Skating
Andy and Katie went ice skating at the Trump rink in Central Park

Ice Skating
while they skated Ryan and I took pictures and watched the skaters fall

Trump Rink
a nice shot of the rink with the skyline in the background

Trump Rink


Trump Rink
I think you can see Andy and Katie in this picture...sort of like Where's Waldo?

Central Park


Ice Skating
this was their third or fourth time around without noticing Ryan and I standing at the gate

Ice Skating
we finally got there attention to come over for some pictures

Andy and Katie


Andy and Katie


Andy and Katie
goofing around on the ice

Andy and Katie


Andy and Katie
watch out for them in the ice dancing category, Winter Olympics 2012

Trump Rink


Katie and Andy
back from the ice skating adventure, all in one piece

Katie and Ryan
walking on our extended tour of Central Park

Sheep's Meadow
deserted in the cold weather

Katie and Ryan


Sheep's Meadow


Statue
of course this was Andy's favorite statue for some reason

Statue
another shot of Andy's statue

Bethesda Terrace
this tile ceiling was recently restored to its original condition...gorgeous

Bethesda Terrace
another shot of the Minton tile ceiling

Bethesda Terrace


Bethesda Terrace


Bethesda Terrace
Katie and me walking out to the fountain

Bethesda Terrace
Katie and me again

Bethesda Terrace
the tile ceiling is underneath the arches to the right

Bethesda Fountain


Bethesda Terrace
Ryan and Katie caught off guard

Bethesda Fountain
Katie and Ryan in a posed picture

Strawberry Fields
the John Lennon Memorial in the park

Street Crossing
Ryan, Katie, and me hurrying across the street as Andy forces us to cross against the flashing hand

Ryan
crossing the street before taking the subway downtown for Ethiopian food

Dying Easter Eggs
Andy, Ryan, and Katie dying Easter eggs

Easter Eggs
Katie and Andy working hard on their original designs

Easter Tulips


Easter Tulips


Ryan
trying to decide how he'll decorate his two eggs

Andy
going for a geometric, sort of atomlike design

Katie
hard at work while Ryan holds his egg in the dye for a multi-colored egg

Ryan
rigging up a holder for his egg with crayons and rubber bands

Ryan's Contraption
we were all surprised that it actually worked and held the egg in place

Andy
showing off his first egg which was wrapped with rubber bands and then dropped in the dye

Carolyn
me drying off my rubber band egg

Ryan and Katie
Ryan looking not very pleased about his design

Katie
unwrapping her rubberbanded egg

Rubber Banded Eggs
they came out really well...thanks Real Simple!

Dying Easter Eggs
the mess

Carolyn
me with my finished egg...it was supposed to be purple

Easter Eggs
I bought our usual brown eggs forgetting that they were for dying

Andy's Egg


Carolyn


Katie
waiting patiently for the eggs

Dying Easter Eggs


Dying Easter Eggs


Ryan and Katie
Andy was making them practice taking pictures with their eyes open

Ryan and Katie
which resulted in pictures like this

Ryan's Egg
it was already dyed and then he dropped it in another color, creating this cool effect

Ryan and Katie


Easter Eggs


Easter Eggs
better displayed with Ryan's rubber band stands and backdrop

Easter Eggs


Miss Kitty
in her favorite box

Easter Sunday
Andy posing for a cheesy catalog

Easter Sunday


Easter Sunday
before leaving for church

I-87
view as we approached the adirondacks

Trailhead
Trail marker showing our destination: Dix Mtn

Me
ready to go

Mike
at the start of the hike in to Boquet Lean-To

Mike leading the way


My feet
trying to show the path you walk in of packed down snow

The trail
i stepped off the path a few times and went up to my hip in snow

Hiking in


The moon
yeah thats it up in the top corner

Open Space


Same place
different light

View from the Lean-To
In the morning after enduring temps below zero Sat. night

On the trail to Dix
Stopped to take a break and saw this great view behind us

Mike
taking a break

Views near the top
everything got progressively more snow covered as we neared the top

Winter Wonderland


More snow


Ice too
More exposure = a LOT more wind = more ice than snow

Still very pretty


View back down the trail
the white patch in front is the trail heading back down

View up ahead
and this is Mike moving ahead of me. Slow going when its this steep

Frozen Trees
I like how the wind shapes the way the ice looks on the trees

Mike at the Top
very scary

Me atop Dix Mtn.


Excited to be at the top


Views from the top
It was ridiculously windy and cold but I snapped off a few shots of the view

View from Dix Mtn


View from Dix Mtn


Mike at the summit


View from Dix Mtn


Self-Photo
can't beat a good self taken photograph

Mike
heading back down

Me and Mike
some other hikers took this shot a little ways below the summit out of the wind

Foot Trail


Boquet Lean-To
Our shelter for the night. Three other guys stayed there too

Lean-to
they had a tent..couldn't hack it like real men

View from the lean-to


Hike Out
couldnt resist one more shot

Back in the car


Cold and wet
but with all our fingers and toes!

Winter Arrvies
At the beginning of December we got our first snowfall of winter 07-08

Backyard
It was just enough snow too be pretty and not so much that it was annoying

Andy
taking the annual "Eating the Snowflakes" picture

Christmas Card?
since it was so nice out I got the idea to take our Christmas card picture w/ Miss Kitty

Christmas Card?
This was the second attempt...

Christmas Card?
third attempt

Christmas Card!
we got it right on the fourth try..not too bad for capturing the kitty and having the camera balanced on a stack of pots

LSU Tree
Andy planting the flag on the tree

LSU Tree
This year we used the LSU tree as our downstairs Christmas tree

GEAUX TIGERS!
We left this tree up all the way through the National Championship

O Christmas Tree!
Andy putting the lights on

O Christmas Tree!
the lighting continues...also note the lack of a tree top

Blue Christmas
Decorating the tree while enjoying my signature Christmas Cocktail, the Blue Christmas

Decorating the Tree
serious business apparently

The Tree Alighted


Christmas Collar
me trying to tie Miss Kitty's Christmas collar on




DSC_0737.JPG
DSC_0737.JPG 2007-12-16

Christmas Collar
she obviously loves it

Christmas Collar
the only thing she loves more than the collar is being held

The Star
Andy puts the finishing touch on the tree

The Star
we had to tie a twig to the broken top to allow a spot for the star

Christmas Cards
Andy sits down to write his Christmas cards

Christmas Cards
they were a little late this year...but I still thought they turned out well

Christmas Morning!
Miss Kitty, ready to open presents

Andy
looking a little less awake

Christmas Morning
Opening my gift from Rebecca..very well wrapped

Christmas Morning
still unwrapping....

Christmas Morning
30 Rock! best TV show ever!

Christmas Morning
Andy unwrapping his gift from Rebecca

Christmas Morning
showing off the wrapping paper

Christmas Morning
still unrolling...

Christmas Morning
Oooh...Andy gets Superbad from Aunt Nancy

Christmas Morning
a new ManU scarf from the Brossetts

Christmas Morning
of course all articles of clothing must be put on immediately

Christmas Morning
It Never Rains In Tiger Stadium, Autographed Copy, also from the Brossetts

Kitty loves Boxes
Miss Kitty of course had to sit in the smallest box she could find

Christmas Morning
opening a present from Andy...what could it be...

Christmas Morning
another copy of 30 Rock!

Christmas Morning
my new vaccuum cleaner from Andy

Christmas Morning
mm...I couldn't wait to go downstairs are start vaccuuming

Christmas Morning
my new EMS fleece from Andy

Christmas Morning
Andy with his new DVD player, replacing the old one that he hated

Christmas Morning
Miss Kitty gets her present, a stuffed fish with catnip

Miss Kitty
She usually ignores Chester but Christmas night she spied him climbing up the glass

Miss Kitty


Miss Kitty
so she started to get closer and closer

Miss Kitty


Miss Kitty
when he fell she tried to hop up to see where he had gone

Miss Kitty
chillaxing in her cardboard box/kitty bed

Hal
the Langfords arrived two days after Christmas for a slightly belated celebration

Late Christmas
Andy opening his new Complete Walker IV book

Late Christmas
Miss Kitty dons the Christmas collar for the last time in 2007

Late Christmas
Jane with the tea towel we got her from Anthropologie

Late Christmas
Hal with his "I run NY" t-shirt, hopefully some inspiration for the half-marathon

Late Christmas
Andy opening an old Eagles t-shirt? I think there was a CD in there somewhere

Miss Kitty
hunkering down among the present leavings

Late Christmas
Andy showing off his new silicone oven mitt

DSC_0058.JPG
DSC_0058.JPG 2007-12-27

Late Christmas
Andy with his new cocktail shaker

Late Christmas
the Langfords looking sleepy while we open presents...or Andy opens presents at least

Late Christmas
Andy opens a book about the science of food and cooking

Late Christmas
..and finally his new Mountain Hardware Jacket

DSC_0065.JPG
DSC_0065.JPG 2007-12-27

Late Christmas
Andy and Hal watching football

Hiking
on Saturday we drove up to New Paltz to do some hiking in the Gunks

Hiking
setting off on the trail

Hiking
we were all shocked at how much snow there was considering there was absolutely none in NYC

Hiking
the trail was described as easy with a short, difficult rock scramble

Leaves
I am very artsy and Ansel Adams-esque

Hiking


Hiking


Hiking
I don't think these trees have many more years of clinging to the hillside

The Rock Scramble
this was the short, difficult rock scramble that the Ranger advised us to avoid because of ice

Mountain Laurel


Rock Scramble
Andy and Hal decided to take the scramble while Jane and I opted for what was supposed to be a short hike around and up

Jane
needless to say it was not short at all and much more difficult

Hiking
Andy came back down the trail to meet us because it was taking us so long I thought I had missed the turnoff

The Summit
at the top of Bonticou Crag

Lunch
once we reached the top we had sandwiches from a deli in New Paltz

Top of Bonticou Crag


Top of Bonticou Crag


Hal and Jane


Andy
always wandering off near the edge

Andy
taking in the view

The Langfords
making their way over to the other side of the crag

Carolyn
Andy thought it would be a cool picture for me to stand on this overhang

Carolyn
but I certainly wasn't hanging out there for long

Bonticou Crag
with the Catskills in the distance

The Langfords
Hal and Jane

DSC_0720.JPG
DSC_0720.JPG 2007-12-29

The Langfords- closer in


Hiking
after enjoying the views we started back down the on the longer trail, no scrambling this time

Hiking
the trail was really slick and hiking in the snow was tough, of course I was the only one who fell

Hiking


Hiking
this was the toughest spot...I squatted down and scooted on my hands

Hiking


Hiking


Bonticou Crag
a shot of where we just came from

Bonticou Crag
this is the rock scramble that Hal and Andy took up

Andy and Carolyn
definitely the easiest part of the trail

Andy and Carolyn
waiting near the end of the trail

Hiking
the sky was gorgeous when we got back to this open meadow near the end of the hike

Hiking
again, the Catskills visible in the distance

Carolyn


The Catskills


Puppy
this gorgeous dog was just starting on the trail

Finished!


Deer
kind of hard to see, but as we drove back into New Paltz there was a huge herd of deer in this open field

Geese
and then another field full of geese pecking at the ground where the snow had melted

Sunset
on the drive back to the city

Sunset


Sunset


New Years Eve
Hal made the traditional Langford New Years cabbage rolls

New Years Eve
Andy served as sous chef

New Years Eve
while they cooked Jane and I did some transplanting

New Years Eve
Andy with his hands in the cabbage roll stuffing...also the only part he eats

Carolyn
I also tried to fix the doorstop only to be told that you can't hammer something while holding it in your lap

New Years Eve
Hal and Andy getting ready to assemble the cabbage rolls

New Years Eve
I had to make sure to capture a picture of Hal in the LSU apron..Geaux Tigers!

Amaryllis
I love these flowers

Amaryllis
I bought this for $8 and it's bloomed two more times since this

Amaryllis


Andy
enjoying a cup of coffee on our new sofa slipcover

Miss Kitty
no set of photos would be complete without some MK

New Years Eve
Andy sporting the ever popular 2008 glasses

New Years Eve
Hal and Jane get in the New Years Eve spirit

New Years Eve
we made our way out to Prospect Park for their New Years Eve celebration

Andy and Hal


New Years Eve
me rocking the glasses

New Years Eve
the crowd out at the park...there were a lot of people out

New Years Eve
fireworks!

New Years Eve Fireworks


New Years Eve Fireworks


New Years Eve Fireworks


New Years Eve Fireworks


New Years Eve Fireworks


New Years Eve Fireworks


New Years Eve Fireworks


New Years Eve Fireworks
the Langfords enjoying the fireworks

New Years Eve Fireworks
the guy in front of us kept putting his arms up and yelling "Happy New Year"

New Years Eve
back at home we pop open the bubbly

New Years Eve
Andy takes the pouring duties

New Years Eve


New Years Eve
toasting to a Happy New Year!

New Years Eve
after midnight the night would down rather quickly

New Years Eve
welcome 2008!

National Championship Game
of course Andy and I watched the game in seclusion...here Andy celebrates the win

National Championship Game
we're #1...and I've had a few game day drinks

National Championship Game
I'll never understand the motivation for photographing the TV

National Championship Game
another pic of the TV...lovely

National Championship Game
afterwards we went outside for a victory cigar

National Championship Game
Andy lighting the victory cigar

National Championship Game
a bad pictures but I kept it in because the end of the cigar is glowing purple...Geaux Tigers!

National Championship Game
Andy savors the victory

National Championship Game
this does not look comfortable

National Championship Game
me with the victory cigar

Me and Miss Kitty
trying to pack for Louisiana...first job, get Miss Kitty off of the suitcase

Miss Kitty


Miss Kitty


Miss Kitty
showing off her big Grinch paws

Willie and Russell Long
hanging out in the courtyard of the law school

LSU Bell Tower
we arrived on campus early and began our tailgate hopping

Willie and Carolyn
as we set off across campus

Parade Grounds


The Law School


Some Building
I don't remember the name, but I know the bursar's office is there

The Quad
usually bustling but empty on game day

Tailgaters
throughout the day I took pictures of good tailgates..this one is Keiland's Kousins

Tailgaters
a group of classy guys showing their lady friend around campus

Arkansas Fan
sporting a lovely blanket/coat...what a great idea!

Hardcore Tailgater
that's right...that's a pig's head on a stick

Tiger Stadium
a pic from below of where we would be sitting

Tailgaters
if you look close you can see these people had some sort of inflatable Christmas house and Tiger

Tiger Stadium


Tiger Stadium
the National Championship flags flying in the breeze

Carolyn and Willie
on our way to tailgate #1

Carolyn and Willie


Carolyn and Willie


Carolyn and Willie


Tailgating
in front of the PMAC

Tiger Stadium!


Big Cat


Tailgaters
this was one of my favorite RVs

Tailgating Pimps
carrying a sign that says "Free Hugs"

Tailgaters


Tailgaters
the side of the trailer says Tigergaters...witty

Beer Pong
at our first tailgate we were introduced to the current drinking game craze, beer pong

Martin and Andy
Martin kindly invited us to his tailgate

Martin
greeting the Arkansas team bus..on the side it says "enhancing God's creation"

Beer Pong Table
obviously a lot of work went in to this

Beer Pong
Martin shows Andy how it's done

Beer Pong
I'm guessing that he was a quick study because there was a lot of high fiving

Beer Pong
I still can't figure out why you would want to drink beer that a dirty ping pong ball has been in

Beer Pong
Andy takes his turn

Tailgating
Willie's old high school boyfriend Heath was working the grill at the tailgate

Beer Pong
the competition, Scott and Martin's girlfriend

Beer Pong
more high fiving

Beer Pong


The DJ
this poor guy just sat at this table the whole time

Martin and Andy
reunited

Tailgate Gumbo


Tailgating
Hm..Willie already looks sleepy

Jerry's Kids
some of the members of the intramural flag football juggernaut Jerry's Kids

Jerry's Kids
Scott, Jason, Martin, Sean, and Andy

Andy and Jason


Beer Bong
unfortunately no one was around so we never saw it in action

Tailgate #2
next we headed down Nicholson to meet up with Dustin

Tailgaters
Dustin, Willie, and Andy

Tailgaters
Dustin and Willie

Tailgaters


Willie and Carolyn
trying out for a Zapp's commercial apparently

Ross
with his goddaughter...no clue what her name is

Silly Girls
Marcelle, me and Willie...still eating our chips

GameDay Drinks
Ross makes the best Game Day Drinks ever!

Game Day Drinks


Game Day Drinks
Marcelle comes over to supervise

Andy and Carolyn
posing with our favorite drinks Geaux Tigers!

Mmmm...
Zapps and a Game Day Drink

Willie
getting her tailgate on

Andy


Ross and Andy
no doubt discussing the glove

Ross
doing "The Glove" he and Andy's favorite tailgate pastime

Ross
watching Andy do "the glove"

Tailgaters
Lauren's Dad explaining the traffic situation to Lauren and Marcelle

Marcelle and Ross
our tailgating sensays

Lauren and Marcelle
not sure what's going on...maybe she's teaching Marcelle some Golden Girl moves

Lauren's Mom
sorry...I don't remember her name..but they were hilarious

Andy and Willie


Tailgating
Ross gets filled in on the traffic situation

Carolyn and Marcelle
I'm wearing the t-shirt Marcelle got me for Christmas

Carolyn and Marcelle
apparently I'm a midget...seriously, I wasn't always that short

Carolyn and Willie
Andy obliviously enjoys his sandwich in the background

Carolyn and Willie


Marcelle and Lauren


Ross and Carolyn


The Ross Dance!


Frat Boys


Tailgating
Andy loves his Zapps

Ross and Carolyn
for some reason at this point i started sitting on everyone's lap

Tailagating
Andy and Ross discussing the Tigers

Marcelle
caught red handed making another Game Day Drink

Marcelle and Carolyn


Marcelle and Carolyn
I think this is when I started to question why I was sitting on everyone's lap

Andy
that must have been the never ending bag of Zapps

Ross
multi-tasking before we head out to the stadium

Andy and Marcelle
on our way to see the Tigers play

Heisman Ross


Walking to the Stadium
Andy admiring Ross's awesome t-shirt

Game Day
I took this to try to get an idea of the number of people

Outside the Stadium


Walking to the Stadium
I just had to snap a picture of this woman's lovely sweater

Stadium Line
this was the line to get into the stadium, which we somehow avoided

Ross and Andy
that's right..another pig head

Andy
posing with the lovely pig head

Andy and Ross


Ewww
I tried to shame this gross couple who were making out outside the stadium by taking picture...it obvioulsy didn't work

Andy and Ross
one more flash of the glove before we enter the stadium

Andy and Ross


In the Elevator
I took so many pictures..it's like you're really there

Marcelle, Ross, and Andy
before we split up to find our seats

Andy
looking out over campus as we made our way to our seats

Carolyn
I know my eyes are closed but I still like the picture

Tiger Stadium
the view was really cool out over the PMAC and you could barely see the river

Senior Day
it was the last home game for the seniors at Tiger Stadium

Senior Day in Tiger Stadium


Senior Day in Tiger Stadium
if you get out your magnifying glass you may be able to tell who the players are

Senior Day in Tiger Stadium
I'm pretty sure that's Glen Dorsey running out

Tiger Stadium
I had forgotten how much purple and gold there is

Carolyn


Creepy Tiger Head
I felt like it was staring at me the entire time

Geaux Tigers!
the team coming onto the field

Tiger Stadium
overexposed

Tiger Stadium


Tiger Stadium
kickoff!

LSU v. Arkansas
LSU starts their first drive after Arkansas fumbled the opening kick off

Carolyn
performing my favorite cheer..the third down cheer

LSU v. Arkansas
LSU kicks a field goal on the opening drive

LSU v. Arkansas
and now it's 3-0

Tiger Head
it would not stop staring!

East Upper Deck
or maybe west upper? i could never figure out where we were

Tiger Stadium


LSU v. Arkansas


LSU v. Arkansas
the cheerleaders celebrate another field goal

Andy and Carolyn
LSU v. Arkansas, November 23, 2007

Tiger Stadium


Tiger Stadium
taken after we moved over to Ross and Marcelle's seats

Tiger Stadium
Andy checking in with Ross and Marcelle

Tiger Stadium
the student section...our old seats

National Championship Flags
hopefully another one will be added in January!

Fourth Down Cheer


Ross
showing us how it's done on the second down cheer

Ross
such concentration

Ross


Marcelle and Carolyn


Ross and Andy


Tiger Stadium


Morels and Langfords
we asked a random guy to take our picture...I don't think he really understood how the camera worked

Morels and Langfords
because he just held the button down and it kept snapping

Morels and Langfords
over and over

Morels and Langfords
and over

Morels and Langfords
and over

Morels and Langfords
until we realized what was going on

Morels and Langfords
and we had to stop him

Morels and Langfords
but Ross maintained the pose

Andy
he always has to do that jump

Leaving the Stadium
even though we were in a huge hurry Andy stopped to check in on the game

Almost back
almost back to the car after sprinting from the stadium...trying to make it back to Lafayette

Andy
back at the hotel finally...exhausted

Willie and Andy
breakfast at Cafe des Amis

Andy
in his priest chair

Sleepy Andy
we were pretty worn out

Coffee and Beignets


Breakfast at Cafe des Amis
Ryan, Andy, and Jessie

Andy's Breakfast
crawish ettouffee omelete

Carolyn's Breakfast
Eggs Begnaud- crawfish ettouffe over a grilled biscuit with eggs and cheese grits

Ryan, Andy, and Nick


Ryan, Andy, and Nick
Ryan flashing his bills

Cafe des Amis
the bar that used to be at the Evangeline Hotel where Andy's grandfather worked

The Girls
Jesse, Willie, Carolyn and Lea

Outside Cafe des Amis
Katie, Ryan, Willie, Carolyn, Ryan, Jessie, Nick, and Lea

Cafe des Amis


Pro-Gun
I couldn't pass up a picture of this...only in the South

Breaux Bridge
this was outside on some sort of community billboard area

Deacon
munching on the coffee table

Deacon and Andy


Elias and Andy
watching TV

Elias and Andy


Carrie and Deacon


Carrie and Deacon


Andy and Jeremy


Pralines
Ann let me, Nancy and Andy lick the praline pot

Pralines
apparently this required a lot of concentration on my part

O Christmas Tree
the Brossett christmas tree

Andy with the Tree


The Brossetts


The Brossetts with Rosie


Nancy
still upset about LSU's loss to Arkansas

Nancy
but then realizes we still have a shot at the National Championship!

Bonnie, Ann, and Nancy


Group Picture
this is us trying to get into a group shot

Group Picture
Dave, Bonnie, Ann, Carolyn, and Nancy

Group Picture


Group Picture
I think I was tired of picture taking at this point

Group Picture
enough already!

Carolyn, Dave, Nancy, and Andy
watching the Amazing Race

Andy
wondering how he got roped into another day at Blondies

855 Fantasy Football League
Todd and Lee discussing some of the games finer points

Steve and Peter
aka Cactus Maximus and Suspicious Package

Stephanie and Steve
one half of the Fluffers and Cactus

Lee and Stephanie
Stephanie consoling Lee after Lee realizes how good Maurice Jones Drew is

Peter
doing his Jones-Drew celebration, who he got from Lee for a case of beer and Jerious Norwood

Steve
celebrating one of Adrian Petersons many touchdowns

Steve and Peter
more celebrations

Lee and Karin
Mommy Dearest and Da Skillz

Stephanie and Steve
ooo...this is better than an Adrian Peterson touchdown

Stephanie and Steve
pretending to actually watch the games

Steve, Peter, and Todd


855 FFB Party at Blondies


Peter and Todd
hiding behind pitcher after pitcher of beer

Lee and Karin
Karin's reaction to Kurt Warner's injury....with Jason Campbell on her bench

Carolyn
this is how I looked to most of the league members at the end of the afternoon

Steve, me, and Peter


Andy
could he look any more bored?

Lee
working his magic with our waitress

Bourgeois Meat Market
apparently the best beef jerky ever...a requisite stop when we go to Louisiana

Andy with Boudin
they also have really good boudin, unfortunately no seafood boudin this time

Mike VI
Mike dropping a deuce as Andy would say

Mike VI
he was just pacing in his cage when we got there so I thought we weren't going to get a good view

Mike VI
Eye of the Tiger

Mike VI


Mike VI


Mike VI
a guy drove by in a golf cart and Mike went crazy, following the cart around the cage and into the water

Mike VI
he still looks like a little kitten

Mike VI
unfortunately there were at least 30 other people out there, including this girl that would not get out of the way

Mike VI
Andy with the kids

Mike VI


Mike VI


Mike VI
going for a swim

Mike VI
I had never seen a tiger this active before

Mike VI


Big Cat
me with the Tiger statue outside of Mike's cage

Big Cat


Big Cat
doing my LSU hand signal

Ryan, Katie, Andy, and Grammie
Andy showing everyone our pictures from Scotland

Hal


Grammie and Jane


Me and Katie
waiting for Hal and Ryan to come back with dinner

Me
Andy titled this picture "Best Birthday Ever"

Katie, Ryan, and Grammie
celebrating Grammie and my birthdays

Grammie
opening her birthday gifts

Me
with my birthday gifts

Hal
lost under the stack of Grammie's presents

Grammie and Hal
with our birthday cake

Jane, Hal, and Andy


Birthday Cake
Grammie and me in a standoff over who will blow out their candle first

Birthday Cake
I lost...so I blew out my candle first

Birthday Cake
and then it was Grammie's turn

Birthday Cake


The Birthday Cake


Katie
looking none to pleased about the birthday celebration

Daquiris!
drive thru daquiris...another requisite LA stop

Daquiris


Dudley
we stayed at Willie's house and got to hang out with the kitties

Boo
with his monkey tail

Boo and Monkey


Boo and Monkey


Monkey


Monkey


Monkey
slipping into the kitchen sink

Monkey
drinking out of the faucet

Monkey
drinking out of the faucet

Monkey
drinking out of the faucet

Monkey chasing the laser pointer


Monkey chasing the laser pointer


Monkey chasing the laser pointer


Monkey chasing the laser pointer


Monkey chasing the laser pointer


Monkey chasing the laser pointer