A family cruise around the Caribbean

Owen and Tish, Lizzie, Gerrit and Angela took a big family vacation together shortly after Lizzie's high school graduation. They embarked on a cruise through the Caribbean on the MS Jewel of the Seas.


Tish writes: "Amazing family vacation: rainforest, waterfall, snorkeling with sea turtles, beach time, frightening jeep rides, and just a little rum punch!


"We visited St. Maarten, St. Kitts, Barbados, Antigua, and St. Lucia.

Owen finds new friends in St. Kitts

"There will definitely be some paintings of the Caribbean!"

Here are a few dozen of the hundreds of photos from the trip:

Lightning bugs, Supermoon on a visit to Virginia

Dan visited Marie, Brian and Xander at their new house near Fredericksburg, Va., last weekend. They enjoyed a fine June evening on Saturday: Pleasantly warm weather, lightning bugs drifting around the yard and an extra-large full moon on the rise.



Xander and his parents are happily settling into the house, after moving in for good early this month.

Xander in his BIG new room

On Sunday, the group visited a nearby county park that features playgrounds, ball fields, tennis courts, a swimming pool and a Frisbee golf course.

Taking Dad out to the ballgame

At least three of the Dads in the family were treated to Father's Day at a baseball game.


Christine, Andy, Dan, Julie, Hugh and Dolores all took in a Somerset Patriots game at their ballpark in Bridgewater, N.J. There was plenty of action in the game - 24 hits, a few home runs, double plays, the ejection of the opposing manager - but in the end, Somerset lost to the Bridgeport Bluefish, 8-4.


Meanwhile, in Queens, Kevin, Kathy, Shanna and Kevin were watching the New York Mets, who had a thrilling finish to their game.


After being shut out for eight innings, the Mets rallied in the bottom of the ninth for four runs, three of them on a walk-off homer by Kurt Nieuwenhuis, to beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3.

Back in time to Thomas Edison's lab

Julie, Dan, Christine, Andy and Julie's parents, Hugh and Dolores (visiting from Maryland), took a trip to Thomas Edison National Historical Park in West Orange, N.J. The park consists of the laboratory and workshop buildings where Edison worked from 1887 until his death in 1931, as well as the nearby Glenmont estate where he lived with his wife, Mina, and family.


The park reopened in 2009 after extensive renovations, which restored many areas to their appearance circa 1930 and improved the displays of Edison's inventions and other artifacts. Dan, who had been there once before, said the changes made for a much better experience.

Here's a collection of photos that give just a sampling of all there is to see.

Stepping up: Xander finishes Kindergarten

Friday was Xander's last day of Kindergarten at Hugh Mercer Elementary School. He really enjoyed his first school year. In the fall, he'll start first grade at a school closer to his new home outside Fredericksburg.

Lizzie graduates from Dennis-Yarmouth HS

Lizzie graduated from Dennis-Yarmouth High School in ceremonies Saturday on the school's football field, then celebrated with her proud parents, Owen and Tish, brother Gerrit and sister-in-law Angela.

The sky was overcast but the threat of rain passed and the school was able to conduct the ceremony outside as planned.

The school's principal praised the 196 graduates for “pursuing excellence and demonstrating character.” He also thanked them and their families for the "dry thoughts" that pushed the rain away, according to The Yarmouth Register.

The paper's website, Wickedlocal.com, has a 2-minute video of the ceremony that includes Lizzie getting her diploma. (It's just after the 1:30 mark.)



Lizzie now moves from the D-Y High Class of 2013 to the Elon University Class of 2017. She'll start her studies in the fall at the university in Elon, N.C., where she plans to major in education with a minor in dance.

wickedlocal.com photo