Showers and a Shower

The last few weeks here in DC have been filled with all kinds of showers. I was conveniently in South Africa for the record rainfall that soaked DC with over 7 inches of rain on June 26th, but thankfully our new house weathered the storm and was none the worse for wear. That record setting rainfall was just the beginning, as torrential thunderstorms continued to roll through the area for the next couple of weeks.

After I returned form Cape Town, we had our first house guests in our new home as my cousin Leanna & her husband Troy drove out from Iowa to visit us. They braved the heat and the ever present thunderstorms to explore the monuments and museums of DC. On the 4th, we waited until after the storms had rolled through, and then ventured down to the Capitol lawn to watch the fireworks while listening to the National Symphony Orchestra play Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. My sister flew into town on Thursday, and after a quick visit to Pasadena, we went to Mom & Don's for some delicious pizzas on the grill.

Saturday we were showered with presents instead of rain. Nancy & Danny hosted a wonderful casino night shower for us, and the real hit of the night was my sister's superb blackjack dealing. Katherine kept the bets flowing even as she busted player after player and raked in the money for the house. Of course the house's take went to the baby, so it was all together a very successful shower.

(click here to see pictures, or here for the slideshow)
(click here for a video of the fireworks)
(click here to see Don's pictures from the shower)
(I'll add a link to Leanna's pictures here when she sends them;-)