Trying to catch up...Last weekend til now!

Ok so I know its been awhile since I have posted some updates but nothing earth shattering has been going on....its just been busy and I haven't had the free time to post. So I am gonig to try and catch up...

Just for kicks, here is a pic of Ben and I from the wedding we went to a few weeks ago:

Now onto current updates....

Last weekend I got to spend an awesome weekend with my very good friend Kim! Originally I was going to drive down to her house after work on Friday and spend the weekend because we were going to the American Idol Top Ten tour Concert in Atlantic City. It turned out that another friend of ours from college, Jai, and her girls were going to be able to come to Kim's house too for the day. So Instead of going after work, I took the whole day off so we could all meet around lunch time at Kim's house. It had been a few years since we had all been together and I was really looking forward to it.

So friday, I went to work in the morning just for a graduation we were having. We have them all the time for students who are finished the program and normally I wouldn't mind missing it but one of the students leaving was really a special person I wanted to be there for his graduation. Right after it, I left and started my drive south! Kim lives near Atlantic City so its a bit further than I normally go and I was a little unsure how long it would take with friday "shore traffic" and so I took my "longer route" but it was better than it would have been on the parkway I think so I was happy.

It worked out well that Jai and I arrived within minutes of each other and coming from two different locations. I actually got a text on my cell just as pulled in front of Kim's house where she said J had just arrived and she thought it was me. I replied with "look outside!" because I was there too!

Jai's daughters and Kim's daughters had never really met. The last time they saw each other was when they were all babies so that doesn't really count. It took a little while for Nina to warm up to the girls (didn't take her younger sister any time at all!) but before long they were all playing together like old friends.

We decided to have some lunch first, then head to the beach! It was Nina and Kara's first time at the beach so that was exciting. Nina definately liked it more than Kara. Kara was actually asleep when we arrived but when she woke up and we introduced her to the ocean she was not happy with us at all.

Here are some photos from the Beach:

Sisters


Beach Babes

Not liking the ocean


After the beach we went back to Kim's house and played in the pool for a bit. It was fun but a little cold and the bugs were out biting so we didn't stay in the pool too long. Next up was dinner and we got some good pizza (Thanks Kim!) and had a tasty dinner with friends! At the end of the night before it was time for Jai and the girls to leave, I got a photo with all the girls:


After the kids were in bed and Jai had gone home, Kim and I got to do some of the important things in life....checking our email and exchanging photos! We were up pretty late too but it was worth it!

The next day started early with some early morning thunderstorms. I had a few cuddly visitors early on but it was not a bad way to wake up at least:) It was a nice casual morning gearing up for the concert that night. I already did my actual concert review but here are a few photos of us from before and during the concert!

Here we are ready to leave for Atlantic City:





Our first stop in Atlantic City was for dinner. Kim had heard that the Atlantic City Bar and Grill had some great wings and we thouhgt what better start to an evening out? While the food was good, maybe not the "best wings ever" (and their mozzarella sticks were "plastic" as I described despite the pictures showing more breaded ones LOL), it was a great time to be out for a meal with a good friend. Here are some pictures from dinner:


At the concert

Our attempt at "self portrait"


We had another late night in Atlantic City after the concert. And losing some of my camera stuff had not helped but it was still a fantastic night and I look forward to doing it next year!

Sunday was a much more mellow day and I was exhausted. I was trying to wait til later to drive home so to avoid as much traffic as I good. Kim made a great chicken dinner and after that I was all filled up and ready to take on the cars! I ended up going the longer route home again so to avoid some traffic that was on the more direct route of the parkway. Even though I did hit some traffic (which is to be expected in NJ in the summer on a Sunday!) and a slight detour where I got the wrong exit for the AC Expressway and headed BACK to AC instead of away from it (but I quickly rectified that and was on my way!) I got home around 11:30pm I think and it really wasn't that bad of a drive (time and traffic). Thankfully I had taken monday off of work to "re-coup" and I needed it! I slept in pretty late on monday and really did nothing but watch TV, edit photos and rest!

So as you can see it has been pretty busy around here! LOL I already updated on this weekend. Today was just sitting around, editing, doing photos and watching Olympics. I slept a lot yesterday and then we saw Dark Knight. I am off again tomorrow to take my grandfather to the eye doctor and to stop in at Best Buy and check on the status of my camera. I don't expect them to know anything but the girl said it was always possible, and if I was going to be around anyway I could feel free to call or stop in. I will stop in.

I don't plan to be down there too late though because I do have to work on Tuesday. I worked on Tara's photos today and we decided on 8 that I had printed and then when they get up here for the pagent on Thurs they can decide which 4 to submit. Tara's pagent is on Friday and Saturday. Hopefully I will have a camera but I am not holding my breath. Worst case is I could go back to film:) We will see what happens...Ben is going to a NHRA car nationals or something in Reading on Saturday and is leaving early and returnnig late so sunday will be interesting. We have Sami's baptism in the early afternoon but I don't think there will really be anything after it since my dad will be at the shore and isn't going. (Usually if we do anything its at their place.) Maybe we will all just go out to lunch or something. I will talk to my grandfather tomorrow and see what he thinks and talk to my sister more when I see her Thurs.

So If am not around much, or posting, please forgive me in advance. I will try to keep up by reading along even if I don't post but I know work is going to be busy this week since two co-workers are on vacation and that means that basically Jay and I are teaching all three classes between the two of us.

So ta ta for now!!