Saturday, April 26, 2014

Spring has finally come to NH.....well maybe.

 

 
 
After a long cold Winter we are seeing signs of Spring here in NH.  We have only had a few warm Spring days with the cold and wind returning in between the nice days. So far we have had two track meets (Callie), a few lacrosse games and one soccer game.  We have all been a bit under the weather this past month but now on the mend.  Thank goodness!!!  Emily is still recovering from pneumonia and her smiling happy self has returned! 
 
We started the Spring off with a big band concert called Cavalcade of Bands highlighting all the bands starting with 5th grade and ending with the high school bands.  A great way to show the progression of how they started and what they end up sounding like in high school.  A long concert but very enjoyable.  Callie is in her last year at the middle school and has decided to continue with band at the high school next year.  She played with the middle school band and jazz band at this concert. 
 
Below are a lot of pictures that show what we have been doing for the past month or so......
 
 
 
 
Here is Callie doing her jazz solo at the Cavalcade.

 
Callie, Kait and Alicia.  All trumpet players and soccer players.
Good friends!
 
Now we move on to Callie's first track meet.  Mom and Dad were able to come watch on this VERY CHILLY Spring afternoon.

 
Grandpa chatting with Callie about jumping hurdles.

 
Callie and Grandpa!

 
Mom and Dad!!
 
 
Callie jumping hurdles!
 
 
There she goes!
 
 
 Callie's first long jump.

 
Callie had just recovered from being sick with a horrible cough and was put on an inhaler.  She ran the 400M  in the cold air and really struggled in this race.  She finished the race but had some trouble breathing.  Once she found me and was able to slow her breathing down and use her inhaler she was fine.  Time to talk to the doc again about athletic induced asthma. I was so proud that Callie finished the race and didn't give up.

 
When she came off the track after the 400M a friend came out of the crowd of teammates and asked if she was ok.  I then snapped this picture.  There were two kids that really stood out to me during this track meet. (as we are there for a VERY long time and I had lots of time to observe!) One of them was the boy Ryan in the picture above.  (He is the son of some friends of ours.) He cheered on his teammates and encouraged the kids on the other teams that were falling behind.  The other one was the girl in the photo below with Callie.  Grace was there to encourage not only Callie but every one at that track meet that she encountered or was near her. 

 
Grace and Callie.  They have become good friends this year.

 
Grace, Callie, Bailey and Alicia trying to keep warm between their events.
 
On to the second track meet.  Of course it was another VERY CHILLY and VERY WINDY afternoon!

 
Callie jumping the first hurdle.  The is right in the middle.

 
Callie jumping her high jump.  She improved her jump from last time.

 
Callie's landing.

 
Courtney, Sam, Callie and Grace.  Trying to stay warm again.

 
The other event Callie has been doing is the 4x4 relay.  She is the first person to run and struggled at the last  meet but showed a lot of improvement at this second meet.  Here she is about to finish her run and pass the baton off to her teammate.  Her team sprang ahead to first place for most of the race but in the end one of the other teams sprinted ahead.  Callie's team came in second. 

 
Callie and Alicia feeling good about their 4x4 race!
I love these two!!
 
Now onto LAX!

 
The LAX team started the season off by "tagging" outside of various places around town such as, Shaws, Tractor supply and the transfer station (the dump).  They encouraged people to donate money to the team or to buy a raffle calendar and a chance to win money.  As you can see in the picture, Emily is not a fan of "tagging"!  But we got through it and sold all her raffle calendars.
 
 
Emily on the field at Derryfield school at a LAX jamboree.  This was a preseason event so they are not wearing their jerseys.  She is number 5.

 
Emily running with the ball.

 
Still running with the ball.
 
Now onto a real game......

 
This was taken at their first home game.  Emily is number 11.  She is on the left side of the picture.

 
Here she is going for the ball.

 
As I was walking to the high school track for Callie's track meet I happened upon Emily's LAX team getting their pictures taken.  Here is the 2014 MHS Girls Varsity LAX Team.  Emily is in the top row, 3rd from the end on the right.

 
While I was there I snapped a few shots of these three girlies.  I am sure you recognize these three from years of looking at my photos.
Rebecca, Morgan and Emily.

 
I love them!!!
 
Yesterday LAX home game........
 
So it has been a rough week for Emily as she ended up with pneumonia.  She missed some practices and sat out a couple games.  We thought maybe she would be able to play at yesterday's game but Emily and Coach made the right decision by having her sit out.  There she is watching the game on the sidelines.

 
After the game getting some loves from Daddy.

 
My smiling girl!!!

 
Emily and Morgan with Morgan's dad, Graham, along with a photo bomb by Callie!
 
Meanwhile my parents came to visit for an extended weekend for Easter.

 
Here we are at a Japanese restaurant.

 
Emily, Dad and Callie waiting for our table.

 
While they were here we went to Parker's Maple Barn to have a yummy breakfast with real NH maple syrup.
Easter Sunday we drove down to Essex to be with Aunt Margot and the rest of the Hammons.  Todd and Emily stayed home as Emily was sick and needed rest.  I forgot my camera so I do not have pictures of our day.  But it was great to see everyone!!
 
So there you have it.  I have been really enjoying my new camera as you can see.  For my birthday, Todd got me a telephoto lens.  I love it!!!  The pictures from yesterdays LAX game were taken with my new lens.  Next post will be some soccer pics.