Last week, I flew done to Alabama for the weekend to attend my grandmother's 90th birthday party. And no, it wasn't a surprise birthday party because, as my mother put it, we try not to surprise 90 year old folks if we don't have to. I took the trip solo as we decided the 1700-mile trip from San Antonio to DC a few weeks earlier was enough traveling for Kerrie and Baby Oz for now.

I flew in late Friday night and got picked up around 11 by my brother and father (thanks again for picking up the guy who had to fly in late because he wouldn't take the day off of work). On Saturday morning, my brother, his wife Lynn, their daughter Savannah, and I were off to Gadsden to party down with Irene, aka Big I (a name that, although she has had for years, she took issue with at her party).

Anyway, we got their a little early and had time to catch up a little with the birthday girl before the crowds arrived. We are pretty sure she had a great time and I am very thankful to have been able to attend. Enjoy the pics.


Here is Irene with her cake. We tried to get her to wear the hat but she gave us all the stare that we all knew from our childhood that meant "Well I'm not gonna do it and that's that."




Here is Irene with her six grandchildren. This is a particularly cool picture as this is the first time all six of us have been together in over ten years. We're pretty sure this one will be in a frame in Irene's room within weeks.


Here is the six of us again and then just the guys.


Irene and her younger sister Mary (she's only 85). They didn't know I was taking this picture and I got scolded a bit once the flash went off. I was told you were supposed to tell little old ladies when they were getting their picture taken. Still, my favorite picture of the day.


Two more of the sisters, one actually posed.


Me and my cousin Slade. Cousin Kendall with her children (we'll forgive the ridiculous flare on the nametag).


Me, Mom, Derek, Lynn, and Savannah.


Claude, you are now famous. Here is Tuscaloosa's Finest Bankruptcy Attorney apparently directing traffic to my mother (on the left) and, no doubt, asking for seconds on the cake (on the right). Claude also joined us for dinner later that night where he introduced Derek to sake and made us well aware that he only likes to eat cooked fish. Visit us soon!


Irene with great-granddaughter Sav. Irene kept saying Sav would "have nothing to do with her" all day even though Sav had just given her a big hug. She looks pretty happy in these pics though.


Happy mommy and baby....then tired mommy and baby. And I am well aware that Lynn right now is saying, "He put what picture on his blog?!?!?!?!?!?!?"


Sav and her cousin getting a little exercise. Her face in the picture on the right is priceless.


Kerrie and I are most impressed with the "dropping arm-fold" move at about the midway point.

After we left the party, we stopped by Granny Jean's house for a few minutes to talk Braves, her pool, and moving to DC. Then we were headed back to Tuscaloosa with a quick (and HOT) stop at Tokyo. Apparently, AC is a hot (pun intended) commodity at the Japanese Steak House. Here is Sav clapping for the cook.



Now, to my cousin Ashley. Ashley and I are the same age and were very close growing up. Now, Ashley is a Nurse Anesthetist (I am pretty sure that is how it is spelled, at least that is what Wikipedia told me) and lives in Birmingham. Ashley is also single, a fact that gives my brother and I much ammo whenever we are around her. Anyway, as Derek and I are known to behave very well at family functions such as these, we decided we would take random "action" photos of Ashley in a social environment so that she could have some stock photos for a potential Match.com ad. Hilarity ensued.


3 of us taking our own pic, and a couple of Ash and Kendall.


The "Wonderful Sense of Humor" shots.


And finally, the all-important "Social Butterfly with Camera In-hand" poses. We love you Ash!

Sunday proved to be a fun travel day. It started off great with Mom cooking a large breakfast. She, Pop, and Derek then hustled me to the airport. I was off to DC through Charlotte. Of course, when we landed in Charlottle, a plane was still sitting at our planned gate. So, instead of giving us a new gate (as every other gate on that terminal was empty at the time) the professors at Charlotte Air Traffic Control had us sit on the tarmac for 45 minutes and wait. It was at about minute 39 that I thought to myself "We can get people to the moon and back and a freakin' robot to Mars, but yet we can't seem to figure out how to get decent air conditioning on a commercial jet." Once we got off, I hustled to my gate like OJ trying to get to his rental car (pre-criminal OJ that is) only to arrive at my gate just in time to hear that my plane had been delayed an hour.

Once I actually got on the plane and took off, the views were pretty incredible. About half way through the flight we hit a major thunderstorm. We flew around most of it but the clouds were very impressive and I had my trusty camera phone to document. And yes, Derek, I know you are excited about these pictures.


Entering and in the middle of the storm. I took the one on the right just before we dropped quite a few feet.


Coming out...




I especially liked the rays on the far right.


View of the Mall on our approach.

Meanwhile, during Irene's party, I get this picture on my phone.



K had been wanting her ears pierced for quite a while and, yes, Kerrie and I had agreed to it quite a while back. To keep the pain to a minimum, they had two people pierce each ear at the same time and, although she wasn't too happy about the actually piercing, she didn't cry. She is most happy now and, as she puts it, "fancy."

And to end this ridiculously long post, I now introduce K-Hannah Montana.....complete with a little grand finale on the one on the right (keeping in mind it was 7 am on a Monday when this was filmed - at least she covered her mouth).