...away we go...: the weekend of the 4th

July is just days away from being half over and I don't even feel like summer's begun. I'm definitely missing that huge "plus" - if you will - of being in/teaching school...summer break! However, even though it doesn't feel like summer everyday we have made a couple of fun summer memories over the past few weeks.

I got an email a couple of weeks back from my friend Catherine's husband, Blake. They were planning on going to Atlanta to go to the aquarium over the long July 4th weekend and he was kind enough to invite us along for the afternoon - and to hopefully surprise Catherine in the process. He must be much better at keeping secrets than I am because apparently she had no idea we were meeting up with them until they pulled up to Ria's Bluebird and we were sitting outside! It was so much fun to eat a delicious lunch with friends who it seemed like forever since we'd seen last:) Then we headed to the aquarium for the next couple of hours where Blake happened to take some excellent pictures - I only took a picture or two in the aquarium and since they look like a 3 year old took them I'll just omit loading them up:) I was a little delinquent on buying a ticket for Claude ahead of time since early on in the week we weren't sure if he was going to be able to make it so he just wandered around, bought a book, and read in a park while we went through the exhibits! After the aquarium we ate a quick bite together again - this time at The Flying Biscuit (which we heard about from David and Emily...we'll occasionally stop by on the way through Atlanta on trips home and back to get some of their awesome biscuits!) - before parting ways. Of course that was again a double bonus because I love to eat great food AND I was so happy to spend as much time hanging out as possible. I really do miss being in the lab with Catherine so much!!! Anyway the only pictures from that trip I'll post are below:

Catherine and Blake

Me and Catherine

Me and Claude

Once we finished up with supper Saturday night we headed back down I20. To be honest since the 4th fell the next day on a Sunday it didn't really seem like the 4th to me for most of the day. Of course that could also be due to the fact that we weren't around our families to cook out with! Regardless we were very thankful to be invited over to watch fireworks with some of our good friends here and some of their family at the house of some friends who live near the river where the city does a show. I took a couple of quick videos on my phone but seem to have a little difficulty loading them. In case they don't go through the following pictures will have to suffice:)

Dressed for the occasion in white, blue, (and we appear to be missing the red!)...