Fall 2013 Went By in a Flash!

I know it has been a very long time since I have blogged, but I don't want to give it up so here is what we have been doing as of this Fall!

Fall has been a very busy time for us with Emily on the high school field hockey team, Callie on the middle school soccer team and her travel soccer team.

Emily started her field hockey season over the summer with conditioning with the team three mornings a week and on a field hockey league with some of her teammates.  She worked hard getting ready for the regular season.  She made it on the JV team again this year and improved her skills as the season went on.  Field hockey can be a hard game to watch with a lot of rules and the whistle blowing all the time.  Every season I learn more and more how the game is played and enjoy it more with each game I watch.  Emily's team ended the season last weekend at a tournament where they played 5 games.  It was a nice way to end the season.

Callie started her soccer season last summer with two weeks of soccer camps and three mornings a week scrimmages with the high school team.  She was fortunate to be invited to scrimmage and condition with the girls high school team and get to know the coach and the players before even getting to the high school.  This will make things a little easier for  her next summer when she will be getting ready to try out for the high school team.  Callie was picked to be one of three captains for the middle school team and for those of you who know her well know that she took this job seriously!  She worked hard to do everything and more that the coaches asked of her.  I was named team mom by the coach (by default as I was the only returning mom at the first meeting.) and with the help of another mom and friend we were able to throw a pasta party for all the girls.  Callie really enjoyed being a part of this team and was very sad at the last game.  Tomorrow they have their last hurrah game.  The 8th grade girls and boys soccer players against the coaches, teachers and parents.  Should be fun!!!  Meanwhile......Callie's travel team has had an awesome season with no losses.  An undefeated team!!!!!  The  Cosmos have their last regular season game next weekend then on to the playoffs!!!  So fun and exciting to watch the Cosmos play!!!

Emily is enjoying her sophomore year so far and has started drivers training.  Yikes!!  We have been trying to get some driving time in as much as we can.  She has to have 40 hours of driving time with Todd and/or me in addition to the driving she will do with her instructors.   We started her driving in March and we have 17 hours.  It takes a long time to get to 40 hours!!! 

We had a great visit this Fall with Noel and Debbie.  They came on one of our busiest weekends and got a full dose of Merrimack and sports!!!  They drove and picked up the girls from practice and a pasta party, watched a middle school soccer game, watched a field hockey game and traveled to the coast for a travel soccer game!  It was a fun busy weekend!!!

So as the sports are coming to an end and the air is turning cooler we were able to fit in a day of apple picking. Todd has been cutting and stacking wood and getting ready to rake up the millions of leaves in our yard.  It is about time to hunker down for the colder weather.  Time to plan for ski club and ski team and the holidays.  Time is fleeting!!!

Here are some pictures from this Fall!

Merrimack High School JV Field Hockey Team 2013

at the Pinkerton Tournament

Emily blocking the goal

 

 A chilly night early in the season in Manchester

Emily and some of her friends

Shannon, Emily, Sam and Kayla

 

 Emily on the move

 

 Emily with some of her teammates at the senior game.

They made t-shirts highlighting the seniors

 

 A couple of her closest friends on the team

Alyssa and Jordan

 

 Goofy girls!!

Julie, Emily, Shannon, Jordan, Sam and Meghan

 

I love this picture!

Mary Pelrine, the professional photographer who takes pictures at all the games, saw me taking this pic and came over.  She took so many great pictures of these girls under this beautiful Fall tree!!

 

Now for some pics of Callie and Soccer!!!

 

 The girls at the pasta party spelled out MMS for Merrimack Middle School

 

 Merrimack Middle School Girls Soccer Team 2013

 

 Some of Callie's closest friends from both soccer teams.

This was taken after an away game

Sara, Callie, Jenna and Alicia

 

 Callie on the go during a game

 

 Again, Callie on the go

 

 The team running towards the fans after a win!

 

All the girls that came to the pasta party

 

 

 

 And now for some pictures from the undefeated Cosmos!!

 

 

 Callie and Alicia

photo bomb by Emily

 

 Kait, Callie and Alicia warming up at the night game with some hot chocolate

 

 Callie in action

 

 

The Cosmos with a warm up lap before a game

 



 

 Last weekend was a beautiful chilly Fall day in Merrimack.  This is a photo of the Budweiser plant.  The Cosmos have the pleasure of playing on this beautiful field surrounded by beautiful scenery!

Look at how nice the field is!

 

On the other side of the field are the horse stables where the Clydesdales live.  They happen to be out walking on this day.

 

Earlier this same day we managed to fit in some apple picking at Lull Farm in Hollis, NH.

 

Here are some pictures:

Lastly for this blog entry are some pictures taken during our wonderful visit with Noel and Debbie:

 

 

 Grandpa Buck and Grandma DeeBee with Emily after her field hockey game

 

Grandpa Buck and Grandma DeeBee after Callie's soccer game

 

Watching Callie's Cosmos team in Rye, NH

 

 After the game in Rye we drove to the coast to our favorite rock beach and snapped a few more photos

 

Grandpa Buck with the girls

 



I love this picture!

 

 The sun was going down.  It was a beautiful day.

 



We ended our evening in Portsmouth, NH

Had a wonderful dinner!

 

That is all for now!

Until next time............



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Easter and Morther's Day 2012

 Mom and Dad came for a visit at Easter.  I was really sick and missed out on a visit with Uncle Walter in MA at Bob and Beth's house.  Uncle Walter is my grandmother's (Alma Cameron) brother.  He came up to live with Bob (his son) and Beth in  MA.  I was able to go visit him in November but not at Easter.  Margot, Brooke, the kids and I were planning on visiting him during our Spring Break at the end of April but he passed away days before our planned visit.  I was lucky enough to travel to New Jersey with Aunt Margot to attend  his funeral.  What a great trip that was to see so many relatives I had not seen since I was a teenager.  It was overwhelming but so awesome!!  A great tribute to a great man and I reconnected with so much of my family!!

 Mom, Dad, Callie, Aunt Margo and Uncle Craig drove down to see Uncle Walter.

 Pictured from left to right, first row:  Mom, Uncle Walter, Nina (Walter's daughter), Travis (Bob and Beth's son), Beth (Bob's wife).  Top row:  Dad, Aunt Margot, Bob (Walter's son), Uncle Craig, Callie.

I was so glad that Callie was able to go and meet Uncle Walter and the rest.

Uncle Walter also has two other daughter's, Betty and Nancy.

 Emily and Callie on Easter morning with their Easter baskets.

Cousins!!!!

Callie, Cameron, Emily, Emma and Brady

My girls with Brooke's kids.  Always love our visits with them.  We spent Easter Sunday at the Hammons.

While my parents were here we took a trip to Parker's Maple Barn and had a breakfast that couldn't be beat with some good NH maple syrup.  It has become a trip we always take when my parents are here.

 

On Mother's Day, Emily had a lacrosse game up near Lake Winnipesaukee.  After the game we went into a cute little town and ate lunch on the deck of a restaurant over looking the lake.  I snapped a couple pictures of the girls near the water.

This was what we saw from out lunch table.

Winter 2012 went by in a flash!

Our Winter was not much of a New England Winter this year.  We had an early whopper of a snow storm Halloween weekend that shut down the schools for three days and power for almost a week.  Longer for some.  Trick or Treat was postponed for a week.  Too bad the ski resorts were not open then.  Thankfully we did have enough cold nights so the ski mountains could make enough snow so we could ski.  We had one more snow storm during our Winter Break just in time for us to get a day of skiing in on some fresh powder.  But the warmer temps came back and the snow melted quickly.  Last week we had record highs and it was starting to feel like Summer weather with temps well up into the 80's.  Now this week we are back to normal temps for March.  Brrrrrrrrrr....it is cold and windy out there.

I have posted some pictures to highlight our Winter and added captions to all of them.  The Winter went by so quickly!!  Now I am ready for warm Spring weather, getting our garden started and preparing for the end of school.  Wow.....time is flying by.

On another note.....The girls have been doing well this year.  Callie in 6th grade and Emily is 8th grade.  Emily has made the High Honor Roll for the first two quarters with all A's.  Callie has had all A's on her report cards as well.  We are coming to an end to the 3rd quarter and hoping for the same.  Both girls have continued in band this year and Emily has started to prepare for her transition to the High School.  She has already filled out her class schedule for 9th grade.  Yikes!!!  

As for sports, Callie has played soccer all year so far in some way or another.  She has been doing a Wed. night clinic indoors with the Middle School coach and is now in a indoor league.  She has started Spring Travel Soccer practice and as the indoor league games end the outdoor Spring games will begin.  Emily has started lacrosse practice and seems to really like it.  We will be traveling to other towns for games with the soccer team and the lacrosse team.  So it will be a very busy Spring for us.  A good busy!! 

Callie and one of her besties, Alicia, at the December recital at school.  Callie played a duet with her band teacher, Ms. Saranita, a duet with Alicia and a solo.  Take note she is wearing her green santa hat that I made.  She wears this everywhere throughout the month of December until we lay down the law after New Years that she must stop wearing it.  When I find the video of the duets I will try and post them.

Rebecca, Emily and Morgan after the December band concert at their school.  Emily's closest friends.  Emily  has known these girls since first and second grade.  I am sure  you have heard her talk about them both from time to time.  I have taken so many pictures of these three over the years but not sure if I have one where they are all smiling nicely.  They are so fun to watch together.   They can get very goofy together and I love watching their friendships grow.  Sadly, Morgan and her family have plans to move to England this Summer.  It will be a sad day for these girls.  For me too.



 The girls walking down the stairs Christmas morning.  Take note....Callie now is wearing a purple Santa hat.  She took it off her green one for one second at her friends house and it was lost for a few days.  This caused much tormoil in our house until  her friend found it!!  Oh what a happy day that was!  Christmas was quiet and very nice but our families were missed dearly.  We had a meal that couldn't be beat and then went to see a movie together.  A great day!

 In January we had a visit from Grandpa Buck and Grandma DeeBee.  We also had Gingerbread Eleanor with us.  We  had lots of fun adventures with Gingerbread Eleanor.  This picture was taken in a parking garage overlooking part of Boston.  A great Sunny Winter day in Boston!!!

 I like this picture of the girls.  We took this the day we were in Boston.  We were at a restaurant in the North End.

 Then there was ski club 2012!!  This really wasn't a great year for snow but we still got our five weeks of ski club in and had a blast!!  Here is Todd with two young snowboarders.  I help coordinate the ski club and Todd chaperones a group of snowboarders and helps in so many other ways!!

 Here is Callie with two friends, Lexie and Emily, who are twins.  Emily is on Callie's travel soccer team.

 Then the three big girls again in the lodge.  Again.....I cannot get a great pic of all three of them.  But here they are taking a break from skiing and getting a bite to eat before going back out on the slopes.

 Here I am in the lodge with my friend, Karen, who I coordinated the ski club with.

 

 Callie in the lodge taking a break with a bite to eat.

 Love this picture of Morgan, Emily, Rebecca and Callie out on the deck getting ready to ski/snowboard.  Callie took snowboard lessons this year and although she skied a little this year she snowboarded most of the time.

 During our Winter Break we got out to ski/snowboard twice.  This is Callie and her friend Abby at the top of the mountain.  They have been friends since preschool and Abby's mom is a good friend and co-worker of mine.

 Sweet Callie Girl!

 Todd and Emily.  Love Emily's smile!!!

 Here is Todd and Karen on the snow bikes.  Yes, they went to the top of the mountain on those things. Todd loved it!!!!

 Here I am with two of my friends, Jen (Abby's mom) and Jennifer (Morgan's mom).

View from the Top of Pat's Peak in Hennifer, NH!



Todd's Veteran's Day speech at JMUES

Happy Veteran's Day!!

Todd was asked to present a speech about Veteran's Day at the Veteran's Day Assembly at Callie's school.  Todd has attended this assembly every  year for the past four years.  Twice for Emily and now twice for Callie.  (The school is 5th and 6th grade only.) Callie took part in the assembly as well playing her trumpet with some of her fellow band members.  I wasn't able to attend but thanks to Miss Saranita, the band teacher, I have Todd's speech on video.  I tried to upload it right to the blog but failed.  So here is the link to his speech. It is 7 minutes long but worth it.  He did an outstanding job!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gedxP-ZC4Y

This picture was taken at the end of the assembly.  Todd is in the second row all the way at the end on the right. Callie is in the first row at the end on the right.

Memories from Last Summer........

Before I go into all the fun things we have done this Summer I wanted to take a step back and post something about last Summer.  I have been very bad over the last year about blogging and totally missed this one that I wanted to blog.

Last Summer in August, my dear friend and "cousin in law", Patty, drove with her three children from Cleveland all the way to NH to see us.  Patty is married to Todd's cousin, Dave.  They  have three wonderful children.  Their two girls, Gabby and Kristen, are very close with Emily and Callie.  They break off in pairs and seem to be in their own little worlds for hours.  Emily and Gabby are so alike and get along so well.  Sometimes I can't even tell who is talking.  When Gabby says, "Mom?" I answer her every time thinking it is Emily.  Callie and Kirsten not only look a like but are very much alike in many ways.  No doubt they both have Beard blood flowing through their veins.

Then there is Carson!!  Otherwise known as C-Dog. Cute, adorable, funny and go with the flow kind of kid.  Always a delight to have him around!! 

When they came they stayed for a couple days.  We had such a good time with them.  Below are some pictures I took of their visit. 

The last day they were here we went to a playground here in town.  Here are all the kids hanging out.

There is also a trail to walk behind the playground with some water falls and rocks to climb and a tiny beach at the end of the trail.  Here are all the kids sitting on some big rocks by the water falls.

  I love this picture!!!!

Here is a picture of Patty and the kids that I took right after I fell on my butt and my camera went flying and hit a rock.  Maybe I shouldn't mention that everyone laughed at me.  Especially Emily and Patty!!  Apparently I fell in slow motion and it looked pretty hilarious.  No worries, I was ok and so was my camera!!! 

Here I am with the kids.

All the girls walking down the trail to the tiny beach.

Walking on the rocks and looking for things in the water.

Old fashion fun!!

All the kids got some great quality time with each other and Patty and I got to spend a lot of time catching up and chatting.  Lots of memories were made!!

Patty and me. 

It was a perfect ending to a perfect visit.  After the park we went to get some ice cream and then they had to get on the road.  They headed up to Maine to visit with Patty's brother. 

Great fun was had by all!!