My Birthday Party Invitation!!!

Branch is throwing me a birthday party! Here's a copy of the invitation just so all my friends who are far away can celebrate with me (in spirit)!

For the first time every in Bulgaria, Kate will actually be here to celebrate her birthday, and we would like to invite you to the birthday extravaganza taking place on Wednesday!

First, we will compete in some volleyball action in the Bubble that might look something like this:



After the volleyball match, we will have a pizza making party that might look something like this:



And, afterwards we probably will all look like this:



So, bring your 6-pack abs and some good smack talk Wednesday, and help celebrate Kate's bday.

See you there Maverick!

Art or Vandalism

Which one do you like better?  The Soviet War Monument was hit by an artist one night last week transforming the old Socialist monument into a pop culture celebration.  Unfortunately, the monument was 'cleaned' yesterday.

Kate joins the ranks!

Mama and Baby Chicks - Trying to Find A Way

5 Perfect Days - Thassos, Greece

Our final(?) trip to Thassos, Greece - one of our all time favorite destinations, and we were able to share it with Kate's mom and dad.  Check out our pictures:

A picture of the family under the olive tree at the house we rent. 

Just one of the numerous gorgeous scenes from our drive

Sandy takes on lifeguarding duties - do you feel safe? 

This is Skala Potamia as seen from our hike over the mountain; we stay at the far end

Kate, Anne and Sandy as we start our first hike. 

A boat from our lunch table at Aliki beach

The church tower and Greek flag in Panagea

Anne and Sandy all dressed up with borrowed clothes while visiting the Monastery

Kate's shot - flower and brick. 

Another shot from our hike to Panagea

It's easy to understand why Anne was fascinated by the roses in Thassos

Our walk back down from Panagea - Kate and her parents in the distance

Sandy and Mike enjoy a cool dip after a long hike to the hidden cove

Sandy and Mike are leading the way to Panagea - and they found a shortcut (by accident and luck)

The slate rooftops of the ancient town of Theologos

Ubiquitous for the local houses in Thassos - the overhanging vines

A prayer spiritual house honoring the dead in Greece

The beauty of a door

A roadside church near Golden Beach

A beautiful view of the mountains in Thassos

An old, old olive tree split in half

Mike, Anne, and Sandy with Skala Potamia in the backgroun

This turkey was in charge

Watching over its pack of hens

And he showed me who was in charge

Grand Tour Bulgaria 2011

Kate, Anne, and Sandy at the entrance to the Rila Monastery in Bulgaria (our first stop on our Bulgarian Grand Tour)

The beautiful dome of the Rila Monastery framed by the white clouds

Anne and Sandy in Rila's courtyard

For all the McKenna's who don't like snakes 

Drying the Bulgarian rugs at Rila

Riverside lunch after our stop at Rila

The McKenna's and Vasil Levski - the great Bulgarian hero

Koprivshtitsa's natural beauty

Kate and her parents standing where the first shots of Bulgaria's uprising against the Ottoman empire began in 1876

Typical Bulgarian revival architecture

Our tour of the famous houses in K-Town

Plants on blue

Koprivshtitsa's cemetery

The house series continues...

Entrance to the cemetery

We had to wait for the 40 kids to take this same photo before we could get ours

Seeds and graveyards 

Hearts and graveyards

Stopping for a picture at the top of the Troyan pass (from Koprivshtitsa to Veliko Tarnovo)

Kate and her dad at the entrance to Veliko's fortress

The church at the top of the fortress - unfortunately we did not get to see the laser light show that takes place often during summer nights  at the fortress

This is where they used to throw people to their deaths 

We stormed the castle  

The road back...

Sandy and Anne on the approach to the fortress

A common sign all throughout Bulgaria. Watch out!

And the sun sets over Plovdiv (our last stop in Bulgaria)