Family festivities this spring in Maryland

On two occasions - Cathy's birthday and Easter Sunday - family members gathered at Oak Crest Village in Maryland to celebrate with Dolores and Hugh. This photo was taken at the birthday gathering. We failed to get a picture from Easter brunch, but the group was the same except for the absence of Stephanie's friend Abe (far left above). 

On Easter Morning, Julie and Dan brought Dolores and Hugh to their parish church, Trinity Episcopal in Towson, where they enjoyed greeting in person many of the friends they typically see only from behind as they watch the video stream of Trinity's Sunday services.

Christmas 2024 wraps up with annual family party

The annual Yonkers Christmas party brought more than two dozen family members together for an afternoon and evening of great food, fun and conversation at Kathy's home on Saturday the 28th. 

The youngest members of the family, Daisy and Oliver, seemed to have a great time meeting so many relatives. 

Kathy was joined by Robert and all of her children and grandchildren: Genevieve with her husband, John, and their children, Beatrice, Jack and Liam; Vivien and her husband, CJ, visiting from London with their children, Charlie, Austin and baby Oliver; and Patrick (whose wife, Kelsey, unfortunately wasn't able to make it). Dan and Julie were there with daughter Christine and her wife, Jamie, visiting the East Coast from California. (D&J's son Andy and daughter-in-law Wren were deterred by icy roads.) Brien arrived along with Kevin and Kathy, followed by their daughter Shanna, her husband, Rick, and their children, Lucy and baby Daisy. (K&K's son, Kevin, was kept away by a cold.) Mary also joined the party, as did her cousin Elizabeth.

Following the party, Mary set out on an overnight drive to Dayton, Ohio, to visit her daughter Shannon, son-in-law Frederick, and their 18-month-old daughter, Phoenix. Grandma Mary brought the treats!

Shannon and Frederick, who met while in the Air Force and stationed at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, are back there after a few years at Eglin AFB in the Florida Panhandle. Both have separated from the Air Force, but Shannon is back working at Wright-Patterson as a pharmaceutical technician - this time as a civilian contractor.

Christmas visits in New Jersey and Maryland

Christine and Jamie along with Andy and Wren visited Dan and Julie for Christmas in New Jersey. 

C&J had flown east from California the previous Saturday for a week of visiting family and friends. The traveled first to Cape Cod, where Jamie's mother, Bonnie, hosted her annual big family gathering. They also visited a friend in Rhode Island before traveling to Christine's parents' home. Meanwhile, Andy and Wren drove down from upstate New York.

Christmas morning was, of course, time to open presents. One highlight was a scrapbook Christine had made of photos and keepsakes from Andy and Wren's wedding.

The six enjoyed a big brunch of bacon, eggs, waffles and fruit, an afternoon of conversation and a board game, and a fine dinner (photo at top).

The next day, Andy and Wren returned home to mind their goats and cats. Christine and Jamie joined Julie and Dan in traveling to Maryland to visit with Julie's parents, Hugh and Dolores, at their senior-living community. They had a fine dinner at one of the restaurants there and continued the visit in H&D's apartment. Following that, the foursome were invited to Doug and Lisa's home for drinks, snacks and merry conversation, joined by Christine's cousins Stephanie and Christopher. 

Newest family members having First Christmas

In the run-up to their first Christmas, little Daisy was introduced to Santa Claus by big sister Lucy, while 8-month-old Oliver got the lowdown on the holiday from big brothers Charlie and Austin. 

Merry Christmas to the newest members of our family!

A delayed St Patrick's Day parade and party

Rained out on its scheduled date, the Yonkers St. Patrick's Day Parade Past Brien's Window was held on April 6, and Brien continued his tradition of hosting a watch party.

Because of the rescheduling, the gathering was a bit smaller than past years (as was the parade), but no less enjoyable.

Our crowd waved and cheered at the marchers, and a number of them waved and cheered back.

Big thanks to Brien for continuing to host this annual event! We look forward to next year's parade and party.

Christmas 2023: The celebrations continue

The annual family Christmas party in Yonkers took place on Saturday, hosted by Kevin and Kathy. 

It was great to have so many of us celebrating together. The gathering included the hosts' children, Kevin and Shanna, along with Shanna's husband, Rick, and daughter Lucy. Vivien, CJ, Charlie and Austin were in from London. Genevieve, John, Bea, Jack and Liam, who missed the 2022 party due to illness, were all on hand this time. Dan and Julie drove over from New Jersey while Andy and Wren came down from upstate. Kathy and Robert were there along with Brien, cousin Mary and her cousin Elizabeth. Patrick joined the crowd although Kelsey was absent, not feeling well. Christine, at home in California with Jamie, popped in via Zoom to greet the crowd. 

Fabulous food, convivial conversation and cheerful children made for a wonderful time to wrap up the year.

Earlier in the week, Kathy enjoyed a visit at her home from all her grandchildren: Jack, Charlie, Austin, Bea and Liam.  

At midweek, Julie and Dan paid a Christmas visit to Julie's parents, brother and sister-in-law in Maryland. Here the group relaxes in Hugh and Dolores' apartment after dining at one of the restaurants in their community. 

Meanwhile, on Facebook, we find this photo of Nanette visiting daughter Courtney in Florida.

We invite everyone in the family to send along your own Christmas celebration photos! Email birchstreetweb@gmail.com (or text to Dan if that's easier).

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Merry Christmas! How we're celebrating in December 2023

Merry Christmas to all our extended family from here at Birch Street Headquarters in New Jersey. Please share glimpses of your own celebrations!

The season began early for Christine and Jamie, who traveled in mid-December to Cape Cod for the annual family gathering at the home of Jamie's mom and step-dad, Bonnie and Jay (pictured at far right).

Christmas arrived just a bit early for Dan and Julie, as they were joined by Andy and Wren on the 23rd and 24th. They had a Christmas Eve-Eve feast and exchanged gifts on Christmas Eve morning. The newlyweds would spend Christmas Day with Wren's dad and family on Long Island before heading back to their farmstead upstate.

Thanksgiving up and down the East Coast

Family members gathered in various groups around various tables this Thanksgiving. Dan and Julie spent Turkey Day at Marie, Brian and Xander's home in Virginia, along with Brian's parents, Steve and Barbara. Marie served a fabulous dinner, after which the seven played an intense game of Settlers of Catan. As this group has now played that game at Thanksgiving more than once, it has officially become a tradition! 

Meanwhile in Maryland, Dolores and Hugh were joined for dinner at their Oak Crest residence by son Doug, daughter-in-law Lisa, daughter Cathy, grandddaughters Liz, Rebecca and Stephanie and grandson Christopher. 

The next day saw the traditional Black Friday gathering at Doug and Lisa's home, with some of the same characters - minus Stephanie, busy with school work, and Rebecca, driving home to Rochester, but plus Dan and Julie, en route from Virginia to New Jersey.

Back in the Garden State on Saturday, Dan and Julie spent the evening with Andy and Wren, who had visited Wren's dad on Long Island Thursday and some of their New Jersey friends on Friday. (Here they hold engraved glasses that were a wedding gift from Liz.) The four had a fine meal at a local restaurant before Wren and Andy drove back to their upstate New York home.

On Facebook we see that Austin, Cindy and Rachel enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner together in Florida...

...and Rick, Shanna and Lucy continued their Thanksgiving weekend tradition of driving up to Connecticut to choose their Christmas tree.

Brien's St. Patrick's Parade watch party returns!

After a three-year gap caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, Brien once again hosted a party at his apartment along the route of the Yonkers St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 18.

The parade was back to full strength, lasting a good two hours and drawing big crowds. And the family gathering filled Brien's apartment for the whole afternoon.

Genevieve joined the festivities along with the newest family member, Liam, and his big sister, Bea. Owen and Ellen were down from Cape Cod, and Mary came from her home in New York's North Country. Kathy and Robert were there, and Dan and Julie crossed the river from New Jersey, So did Shanna, Rick and Lucy. Kevin came up from Manhattan to join his parents, Kevin and Kathy, in the walk over from their Yonkers house.

As in its pre-pandemic heyday, the parade included units from Yonkers, the big city just to its south, around the metro area - and from Ireland. Many of them likely had marched in the New York City parade the day before. 

Christmas brings family members together

After two missed years due to the pandemic, the annual family Christmas party in Yonkers took place on Monday, hosted by Kathy at her home. It was wonderful to be able to get together in person to celebrate the holiday.

The guests included Kathy's daughter Vivien with her husband, CJ, and their boys, Charlie and Austin - all currently living in London but on holiday stateside. Kathy's son, Patrick, and his fiance, Kelsey, joined the party, but left before this photo was taken. Robert arrived in time for the photo and is seen in back by the Christmas tree. Kathy's daughter Genevieve, her husband, John, and their children, Bea, Jack and Liam, were unable to attend because of illness, and were sorely missed. 

Kathy's three brothers were there. Dan and his wife, Julie, drove in from New Jersey with their son, Andy, and his fiance, Wren, who were visiting from upstate New York. Brien and Kevin arrived along with Kevin's wife, Kathy; their son, Kevin; and their daughter, Shanna, her husband, Rick, and daughter, Lucy, who is front-and-center in the photo. There also was one virtual attendee: Christine, who circulated through the crowd via a Zoom call on Julie's phone.

Hugh and Dolores invited family to a Christmas meal at one of the restaurants at Oak Crest in Maryland. The red-and-green-bedecked couple are seen here with their son, Doug, and (standing l to r) granddaughters Liz and Stephanie, grandson Christopher, daughter-in-law Lisa, daughter Cathy and granddaughter Rebecca.

Dolores writes that they had a private area in the restaurant, "and a good thing, because everyone was still sharing Scotland stories and experiences, sometimes all at once!" She particularly enjoyed hearing Chris and Steph's reactions to their "their First Trip Abroad. It was a great opportunity for them."

Mother's Day visit in Maryland

Dolores and Hugh were joined for Mother's Day by their son, Doug, daughter Cathy and grandchildren Christopher and Stephanie. They enjoyed brunch in one of the restaurants at their Oak Crest complex.

Easter in London: Kathy visits Vivien, CJ, Charlie, Austin

Vivien, CJ, Charlie and Austin spent their first Easter in their new hometown of London, and enjoyed a visit from Grandma Kathy.

CJ took these photos during a Saturday visit to Holland Park, blocks from their flat in the Kensington neighborhood. Kathy tells us it's one of the city's Royal Parks. "It includes the boys' favorite playground - and peacocks!"

A very 2020 Christmas get-together

Keeping up holiday tradition as well as possible under the circumstances, Kathy hosted a virtual version of the annual Yonkers Christmas party on Dec. 27. Family members Zoomed in from up and down the East Coast to exchange Christmas greetings as well as wishes for a much better 2021.

In this checkerboard version of a family photo, we see (top row) Austin in Florida, Dan & Julie in New Jersey, Kathy in Yonkers, and Genevieve with Jack (and John off-screen) in Manhattan; (2nd row) Kevin, Kathy and Kevin in Yonkers, Vivien, CJ and baby Austin in New Jersey (Charlie was napping), Andy and Wren in Middleburgh, NY; (3rd row) Ellen and Owen on Cape Cod (with Lizzie offscreen), Beatrice upstairs from her mom, Christine (with Jamie offscreen) in New Hampshire and Marie in Virginia; and (bottom row) Kelsey and Patrick in northern Westchester (visiting Kelsey's parents), Brien in Yonkers and Mary (with Roger offscreen) in Malta, NY. Also taking part but not captured in this screenshot were Shanna, Rick and Lucy. 

Distanced Thanksgiving 2: Game Night

Lisa and Doug continued, in a fashion, their tradition of hosting a party on the day after Thanksgiving. Although unable to share crabcakes and ribs, family members enjoyed seeing and talking to each other and, as in years past, playing games together - this time via video conferencing service Zoom and online gaming sight Jackbox. Joining in from their homes were Dolores and Hugh, Julie and Dan, Cathy, Chris, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Christine, Jamie, Andy and Wren. The virtual gathering went on for some five hours.