Rains it Pours

Well after 10 great years with our beloved Nissan Maxima it has finally bit the dust!!!  Put a new alternator and air flow sensor in it and less than 1 week later the transmission crapped out!!!   So Ty's been without a car for about 2 weeks now...  It really is not a good time as he's working and back in school at the same time.   So now, we're trying to get anything we can for it and find something else to replace it.   We shall see!

Sunday, Heather and I went to our good friends in Davidsonville, MD for an afternoon cookout.   It was really nice for us to sit and talk with friends that have really grown to know us together over the last year. Every time that we get together with them we have a better and better time together each time.   Summer is winding down so those outdoor picnics will hopefully be replaced by some good indoor ones soon!

2 weekends ago was my friend Danny's annual crab feast.   This was year number 26 and was a special year for us as Heather and her children came with us for the fun.   We all had a great time together and they all met a bunch of new people!  It was a great day for crabs, and the pool and just a whole lot of fun!  Alex continued the DeWitt family tradition and spent the night there this year!!

School is finally back in session.  Tyler went back last week and Mike today.   This is a picture of Michael being greeted by the principal when he arrived for school this morning.   I left with a smile! 

Mike is also playing.... soccer of all things!   He played when he was 6 and never touched a ball since.   He's doing really well on the running and agility and getting used to handling the ball.   Played a bunch in last Friday's scrimmage.   He really is enjoying the support that he gets from his teammates that are constantly encouraging him on.   Here's a great picture of him trying to put a headder into the next last week...

3rd Annual Keys Game

The Jumbo Tron in the outfield

Last weekend was the 3rd Annual Chris DeWitt Cancer Awareness Night at the Frederick Keys.   They have done such a wonderful job with this each and every year.   This year was no exception. 

Ella getting her ball signed by Keyote

Tyler and I each threw out one of the "first" pitches.   I spoke and said a few kind words of thanks at the beginning of the game as well.   Attendance was just about 7,000 people!!!  The 4th largest crowd this season.

The weather was in fact just perfect.   I gave away about 60 tickets this year to friends and family.   This year several new friends from Spring Ridge came to cheer us all on!!! It was a great event and having new friends in addition to all the old ones made the event even more special than it has been in the past.   Many thanks to Dave Z at the Keys for all he's done for our family!!!

Fireworks capped off the night !

VACATION

The dunes in KittyHawk

This year for vacation we kept it simple.   They boys and I (Alex had to work) went to the Outer Banks in NC with our new friends.   We had a great time, we really did! Everyone got along superbly!  Of course ride down was not fun.   It took us 12 HOURS to  ride down.  No really.  12 hours.  We left early and it just took forever.  After that, it was all vacation!

The weather was really pretty good for beach weather.  Only rained on one day and it was hot.   The house we rented was not too far from the beach and also had a swimming pool and hot tub for times we were tired of the beach.   That was a nice addition to have.

The Painted Lady from 2000

We stayed on the far end of the island not far from the Corolla Lighthouse.   It was not very far at all from the house we rented 10 years ago with our 3 close friends.  That was our first trip there and I cannot believe that it was 10 years ago!!!!!   Mike was only 4 then!!  Alex was 12!!!   Wesley is now MARRIED!!!

Nick Mike and Ty

This coming weekend we are preparing for the 3rd annual Chris DeWitt Cancer Awareness night at the Frederick, Keys.   Lot's of people coming to this one!!! More on that next week.

Kids from our trip in 2000