Callie and Rachel's duet at December recital

Callie's trumpet solo at December recital

Update since Halloween - what we have been doing

So....I haven't updated since Halloween. We had a busy November and December here in New Hampshire. We spent Thanksgiving in Essex, MA, with my Aunt, Uncle and cousins. Always good to see them and always grateful that they are nearby. December was filled with Christmas shopping, baking, wrapping, parties, a visit from Grandpa Buck and Grandma DeeBee, and a visit right after Christmas from Mama Ann, Papa Bob and Auntie Allison.

Below are some pictures that show and tell what we have been doing.

The day before Thanksgiving I took the girls ice skating. We met up with some friends and Callie got to skate with her newest friend, Aliza. Callie met Aliza this year in her class.

This picture was taken Thanksgiving day in Essex. We had a wonderful meal that "couldn't be beat" with family! This picture is of me with my cousins Brooke, Alyson and Jessica.

Here is the next generation of cousins. My two with Brooke's three.

Emily, Brady, Callie, Cameron and Emma. I took a lot of shots of these five kids and every one has some kind of crazy thing going on! I think this one Cameron was all done with pictures and telling me "no more!"

In December we had Emily's Holiday concert and Callie's Holiday concert. I didn't get any pictures of Emily's because the band was too far away to get a clear shot. Callie had her very first band concert! She even did a short demonstration of the trumpet by herself during the concert. The picture above is Callie with her friend Rachel.

There is the trumpet section. Callie is the 5Th one in.

Also in December, Callie's school had a recital night. Anyone who played any kind of instrument could perform at the recital. Callie did a duet with her friend Rachel and a solo. I will try and get the videos uploaded. I am having a little trouble with that at the moment.



Here is Miss Saranita (band teacher) with Callie and Rachel.

Here is Callie and Rachel again. Callie and Rachel met a few years ago through their friend Alexia. Todd went to graduate school with Rachel's dad. I met Rachel's mom, Shelley, through my friend, Lynn, Alexia's mom. As some of you remember Callie and Alexia became good friends in first grade. Alexia and her family moved to California a couple years ago. It seems like they have been gone forever!! We had to say a sad goodbye to Rachel and her family last week as they have now moved to Georgia. We miss them dearly and wish them the best in their new home!

On to Christmas........

Here is Todd and the girls reading How the Grinch Stole Christmas as he does every Christmas Eve. He also reads Twas The Night Before Christmas.

Here are the girls on Christmas morning waiting patiently to come downstairs!!


Our tree Christmas morning.


The Monday after Christmas Mama Ann, Papa Bob and Auntie Allison arrived from Ohio. It was so great to have them here!! We spent one day up in Portsmouth, NH, and another day down in Boston. We had so much fun with them. We even did some dancing with the Just Dance 2 for the Wii. What a riot!!! So much fun and a workout too!! Mama Ann even danced!!


After sleeping in a bit on Wed. and eating a huge breakfast at home, we headed down to Boston. We walked over to Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market. We all got a yummy snack at Quincy Market. These next two pictures are of us sitting inside Quincy Market....or should I say Quincy Mawket!

Todd, Emily, Me, Allison, Mama Ann, Callie and Papa Bob.


After Quincy Market we walked over to Faneuil Hall. We walked, sat and read while we were there. A lot of history there. The above picture if Papa Bob taking in all the information they had there.


Chillin' out in Faneuil Hall.....Emily, Todd, Callie, Allison and Mama Ann.

Then we walked down to the North End and stopped in at Mike's Pastries. Here is Todd, Allison and Emily standing inside Mike's. Not sure what Todd is doing. I think he is doing one of his many impersonations that always make us laugh.



Mama Ann and Papa Bob with their pastries. Whenever in Boston, one must stop and get something at Mike's!!

As we walked up out of the North End I shot this picture of Boston. Then we headed over to the Union Oyster House and had dinner.



Papa Bob and Mama Ann enjoying their lobster.....or should I say Lobstah!!

It was sad to see them leave on Thursday morning but was glad they came!! Always nice to have people visit us here!!

We spent New Year's Eve at my friend Hope's house. Below is a picture of all the girls there. They built a huge ice rink in their back yard so all the girls had fun skating.

Nadia, Emma, Callie, Eden and Emily. Eden and Emma are Hope's daughters and my girls love hanging out with them!!!

So that brings us to a new year. Happy New Year!!!! May 2011 bring you joy!!

Halloween 2010

I told the girls in early October to try and come up with a Halloween costume that they could make. It took awhile for them to come up with something but in the end they did. Callie came up with hers first. She wanted to be a Florida License plate. She made it with paper and cardboard and markers that we had lying around the house. She did a super job!! Emily, well it took her a little longer to decide. Finally she came to me yesterday late afternoon and said she had the perfect idea. She wanted to be a stick man. So we went out today and bought a few pakages of glow sticks and came home to make her costume. I was very proud of the girls for their ideas and creativity. Below is a picture of both and the post before this one is a video of Emily dancing in the dark outside in her costume. What a great Halloween night for trick or treating. It was a bit colder this year than past years but no wind and the sky was mostly clear with bright stars and some spooky white clouds going by now and then. Leaves were all around the ground crunching under our feet! Perfect weather for a Halloween night!

Video of Emily on Halloween as a stick man

Friends in Ohio!

While we were in Ohio last July we had the opportunity to visit with some old and dear friends. When I say "old", I don't mean they are old in age. I mean they have been our friends for a long, long time!

Below are some pictures we took on our visits!

One evening we drove out to see my best friend, Sheryl. Sheryl and I have been friends since high school. I am very lucky that she and her family live in the Cleveland area and I can see them every Summer. Here is Sheryl and me at her daughter's home. Lacey had us all over to her house and made us a great dinner!

Here I am with Katie, Sheryl's oldest daughter. I can't believe these girls are all grown up!!

I love this picture! My girls and Sheryl's girls. Callie, Lacey, Emily and Katie. Aren't they beautiful!?! Katie and Lacey are the kindest, sweetest girls and have always been so good to my girls!! Thanks girls....I love you both!!


Thanks to Facebook, I have been able to reconnect with a lot of friends from Jr. High. Here I am with some old friends when we met for dinner. It was so great to see them and catch up. It had been a VERY long time since I had seen these ladies!!!
Lisa, Janice, Rhonda and Me.

As tradition goes, we had lunch at On Tap with Tom and Scott. They always make time to have lunch with us during a busy day at work! The girls look forward to this every year. So do I!

Tom, Me, Emily, Scott and Callie.

Another tradition is to get together with my dear friend, Jill. We have known Jill from our college days at Kent. We started a tradition to have lunch at Steak and Shake with our kids. This year Jason didn't join us. He was doing his own thing as most teenagers do. Sniff sniff......why do they have to grow up?

This picture is of the three girls. They always just pick up where they left off the year before.

I love that!!

Callie, Emily and Leah.

Emily and Leah texting each other. Go figure!!

Here I am with Jill. Always a pleasure and lots of fun to see her.

We have been very lucky to see my dear friend, Tes, every Summer since they moved away from us in Florida. Tes, who is from England, married a guy from Garfield Hts. of all places!! When they left Florida they moved to Cleveland for a few years so it was great to have them there when we were visiting. Since then they have moved to South Carolina and go back to Cleveland every fourth of July when we are there. It is always great to see Tes and her kids!! Tes is like a breath of fresh air for me!! She was a great support for me when I was a new, stay at home mom with two small children and Todd was always gone. She and my other Air Force moms were my rocks at that time. We were all in the same boat. Living far from family with small children and our husbands always away. Thank you ladies of Eglin for all the great memories and support. Sorry, I am feeling a bit sappy I guess. Love you all!!!

You know who you are!!

Here is Josh, Tes' youngest. I always feel bad for him when we get together because he is the only boy with all these girls.

Here is Maddie and Callie hangin' out with the vacuum from the Teletubbies. We always meet at the outlets in Aurora and the girls always want to sit on Noo Noo. I have a picture of all four girls on it from a couple years ago. This year the big 13 year olds didn't want to sit on it. Sniff....sniff.

Jenny and Emily. Teenagers now......where did the years go?? They used to run around the playground together when they were 2,3 and 4 years old. Fond memories!

Well that completes my friend visits of our Summer visit to Ohio. I feel very blessed to have the friends I have and every time I get to visit with any of them I feel even more blessed!! I always leave them wishing we had more time together!

Love you all!!

Ohio - Part 3 - WV Family Reunion

While in Ohio we took a side trip to Ravenswood, WV. Aunt Linda and Uncle Johnny hosted the Springer Family Reunion. The girls and I stayed with Aunt Linda and Uncle Johnny. We had so much fun and enjoyed the extra time we had with them. Their home is so inviting and warm and so easy to feel at home there. Thank you Aunt Linda and Uncle Johnny for letting us stay in your home and for hosting our family reunion. I know a lot of work went into that. Your back porch is amazing!!! Nice job!! And the food!!!! Super Amazing!!







I have to thank my wonderful, fabulous Grandmother for all these reunions we have had over the years. She is the one that gets it all going. She loves to see everyone together! We may all complain about the planning and preparing and sometimes the travel. But in the end, I think we all are very happy that we make the effort to see everyone. Everyone seems to have a wonderful time. Thanks Mama Rachel....I love you so much!!!


One of my favorite things about Aunt Linda and Uncle Johnny's house is their fabulous front porch. I guess it would be called a Farmers Porch. It is the length of the house and has two wonderful swings at either end. I drank my coffee out there in the morning and groups of family members gathered there at all times during the reunion.

There were the cutest kids at the reunion. Maybe I am biased but this family produces some good looking kids!!! Above is a picture taken on the front porch with Callie, Mia, Bailey and Aubrey on one of the swings.

Here is Bailey, my cousin Jeremy's daughter. What a sweetheart!


This is Aubrey, Jeremy's youngest daughter. What a cutie!! I got a lot of pictures of her that day. Just couldn't stop snapping the camera.


Alexa is Samantha's, my cousin, daughter. I don't think I ever saw her without a great smile on her face the whole day. I spent a lot of time chatting with her. What a great personality!!

Aubrey again smiling!!

Here is Cortney, my cousin! When she walks in a room it is like a breath of fresh air!! She is so full of energy and laughter. I had so much fun hanging out with Cortney. Wish we could do it more often!!!

Cortney, Mia and Emily hanging out on the front porch.

Cortney and Aunt Linda pouting with Aubrey. Isn't she the cutest toddler you have ever seen?

Here is Devon, my cousin Melanie's oldest, and Tommy. Tommy is a cousin also but my mother's first cousin.

Here I am with Uncle Johnny. Uncle Johnny is my mother's brother.

Here is Jeremy and Matthew. Back in the day, seeing these two together could mean trouble. They are both dad's now. Where did the time go?

My cousin, Jeremy, his wife, Gretchen, with Bailey and Aubrey. What a cute family!!

Here is Morgan, Melanie's youngest daughter.

Here is Landon, Samantha's oldest, and Sam, Melanie's youngest.

There are three Springer sisters. Here is Aunt Louise, the oldest of the three. She turned 90 years old this past January.

Here is Missy, another cousin. She is also a first cousin to my mom and Aunt Louise's youngest child.

Here is my grandmother, Mama Rachel with her older sister, Aunt Louise. They are the main reason for these reunions. Mama Rachel loves to see her sisters and watch all the kids together. The youngest Springer sister, Aunt Martha, was also there but I did not get a picture of her. She came with her oldest daughter, Elise.

Here is my dad with Missy and Kathy. Kathy, Tommy and Missy are Aunt Louise's children.

Here is my mom with my cousin, Melanie, and her oldest daughter, Emily.

The day after the reunion we hung out for awhile with Aunt Linda, Uncle Johnny, Cortney and my parents. Cortney took Emily and Callie for some Taco Bell. Here they are enjoying their meal.

I wish I would have taken more pictures but I was so busy catching up with everyone. It had been awhile since we had a reunion. It was so great to see everyone and catch up with every one's lives. Thanks to all who came, it was great to see you all!!!

Last picture as we were saying goodbye. Thanks again Aunt Linda and Uncle Johnny. What a great time we had! Lots of memories were made!!