More marching band pictures, video

Cathy sends along this photo of Christopher in full regalia during a recent performance with the Hilliard-Darby High School marching band.

Click here or on the small image below to see an album including videos from a competition and a football-halftime show.

Darby Marching Band 2011

See previous story

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The shot below shows Andy (at center) and the Scotch Plains-Fanwood marching band at a halftime show on Oct. 1. The next big event for his band is the USSBA Yamaha Cup competition at Meadowlands Stadium on Oct. 15.

Xander celebrates his fifth birthday

Happy birthday to Xander, who turned a big five years old on Tuesday.

Looks like mom baked him a big cookie cake. Yum!

Our family team raises $1,000 for Alzheimer's Association

Shanna writes: "I am so proud to say that between online and cash donations, we now have raised $1,000 for this year's Walk to End Alzheimer's.

"We hit our goal and still have 3 1/2 weeks left until the walk. Keep it coming! Just because we hit the goal doesn't mean we have to stop raising money for this cause."

"Thank you again to everyone who has shown support. You guys are awesome!"

Join us at the walk, Sunday, Oct. 23 in Manhattan's Riverside Park. To learn more, go to our family team web page.

Marching band competition season in full swing

Both Andy and Christopher performed in marching band competitions on Saturday night.

Christopher is in his first year as a member of the Hilliard Darby High School Marching Band. The band performed at the Lexington High School Band of Gold Festival along with 14 other bands. Darby won first place in its class (AA) and the competition's "Grand Champion" trophy. It also took top awards for music, visual presentation, percussion and color guard. Darby earned a Superior rating and qualified for State Finals in October.

Andy, a sophomore, is in the drum line of the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Marching Band. It took part in its first U.S. Scholastic Band Association competition of the season, at Roxbury High School. Of 22 bands at this particular event, it was the only one in the "Group 6-A" large-band category. So it took the group trophy, but more importantly, it achieved a good score that shows it's on track for a successful season, which culminates in November with State Finals and the USSBA's northeastern championship.

Below is a brief clip of the SPFHS band performing at its Home Show one week earlier. As the clip opens there's a clear view of Andy with his set of five tenor drums. The picture at right shows where to find him.

Art and wine - a fine combination

Art work by Dolores was on display at the Deep Creek Lake Art & Wine Festival earlier this month (Sept. 9-11).

"There was large crowd of art lovers, and a LOT of wine tasters," Dolores writes. "Sold well, too."

DCLA&WF via Facebook

According to the event's web site, "The Deep Creek Lake Art & Wine Festival features beautifully handcrafted works by local and regional artisans, wine tasting from over 200 Maryland and national wineries, live music, children’s activities, wine pairing dinners, lodging packages, and more." It was conceived in 2004 as the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce sought to extend the summer tourism season. The festival is held annually the weekend after Labor Day.

Brennan on leave before next assignment

Pat writes from Saratoga: "Brennan is now home on a two week leave. He will be going to the Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach, Va.,for 6 months more schooling next Friday. It is great to have him home!"

Brennan spent the past six months at Marine Aviation Training Support Group 21 in Pensacola, Fla., training with Aviation Maintenance Squadron 2.

Team prepares for annual Walk to End Alzheimer's

The crowd in Riverside Park at the start of the 2010 Memory Walk.

Shanna writes: "Believe it or not, The Walk to End Alzheimer's (formally known as Memory Walk) is less than six weeks away -- which means it's time to start spreading the news."

The annual walk takes place Sunday, Oct. 23 in Manhattan's Riverside Park. Our family team has participated each of the past years, raising a total of $1,890 for research to end Alzheimer's.

2009 walkers

Visit the family team's website for more information and to add your contribution to the cause. You can also check our team blog for updates, and e-mail any questions to murphymemorywalk@gmail.com

"Join our team! Donate! Walk with us! And spread the news to your friends and family. You never know who may have been touched by Alzheimer's."

American Tune

2002 Star-Ledger photo

Many’s the time I’ve been mistaken
And many times confused
Yes, and I've often felt forsaken
And certainly misused
Oh but I’m alright, I’m alright
I’m just weary to my bones
Still, you don’t expect to be
Bright and bon vivant
So far away from home, so far away from home

I don’t know a soul who’s not been battered
I don’t have a friend who feels at ease
I don’t know a dream that’s not been shattered
Or driven to its knees
Oh but it’s alright, it’s alright
For we lived so well so long
Still, when I think of the road
we’re traveling on
I wonder what's gone wrong
I can’t help it, I wonder what's gone wrong

And I dreamed I was dying
I dreamed that my soul rose unexpectedly
And looking back down at me
Smiled reassuringly
And I dreamed I was flying
And high up above my eyes could clearly see
The Statue of Liberty
Sailing away to sea
And I dreamed I was flying

Oh we come on the ship they call the Mayflower
We come on the ship that sailed the moon
We come in the age’s most uncertain hours
And sing an American tune
Oh, and it’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright
You can’t be forever blessed
Still, tomorrow’s going to be another working day
And I’m trying to get some rest
That’s all I’m trying to get some rest.

- Paul Simon, 1973

New year under way for our scholars

Our family's roster of scholars is smaller this fall after last spring's spate of graduations. On the other hand, we have a new teacher in the family: Shanna.

Here's our back-to-school rundown, for teachers and students alike. Please let us know of any errors or omissions.

Kathy - Back to school Tuesday, teaching science at School of the Holy Child in Rye.

Shanna - Starts Wednesday teaching at the Ann and Andy Child Care preschool in Elmsford. She has a class of 3-year-olds in the morning and a 4-year-old class in the afternoon.

Rebecca - Began her third year Monday at Rochester Institute of Technology, studying polymer chemistry in the College of Science.

Christine - Began classes Monday in her freshman year at Rochester Institute of Technology in the College of Imaging Arts and Sciences.

Patrick - Started classes Aug. 29 in his freshman year at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Lizzie - Starting her junior year at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School.

Andy - Starts his sophmore year Tuesday at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.

Christopher - Started his freshman year at Hilliard Darby High School on Aug. 23.

Stephanie - Started classes Aug. 23 at Hilliard Tharp 6th Grade School.

Shannon - Starts Wednesday in eighth grade at Maple Avenue Middle School in Saratoga Springs.

Christine makes her move to RIT

Christine outside her dorm room.

Christine moved into her dorm room at Rochester Institute of Technology on Wednesday. She starts her freshman year classes on Monday in RIT's College of Imaging Arts and Sciences.

After hauling her belongings into her room, getting her official student ID and other moving-day tasks, Christine and her dad met with her cousin Rebecca and Rebecca's mom Lisa for a quick dinner. Rebecca is starting her junior year at RIT, and Lisa was passing through on her way to visit her father in Buffalo. The group stopped at Rebecca's apartment to meet her pet rat, Pete.

Rebecca introduces Pete to Christine.

Posing with the RIT Tiger just before Dad heads home.

More photos from Angela and Gerrit's wedding (Updated 9/7)

A great selection of professional photos from Gerrit and Angela's wedding day are now available for viewing on the web site of Lindsey Rae Photography. Click here to see them. A few that were posted earlier are below.

The wedding party, with Angela and Gerrit at left and Gerrit's sister Lizzie at right.

Patrick joins Johns Hopkins' Class of 2015

Patrick has begun his college career at Johns Hopkins University. Here he's seen with his classmates during freshmen orientation. You can pick him out, right?

Congratulations to Angela and Gerrit on their Wedding (Updated with first photos!

Angela and Gerrit were married on Saturday at the Ocean Edge Resort in Brewster, Mass. The ceremony was moved indoors due to the effects of Hurricane Irene, but as the photo above shows, the ceremony was beautiful nonetheless.

"The wedding was wonderful," Gerrit's mother Tish wrote on Facebook. "Angela and Gerrit are the most amazing couple. Thanks to everyone who shared in our happiness."

We hope to see more photos and hear more details in coming days. If you were there and would like to share your observations - or just want to extend your best wishes - please click the "comments" link below.

Waiting for someone we don't want to see: Irene

As Hurricane Irene churns its way up the East Coast, many of our family members are adjusting their plans for the weekend.

Gerrit and Angela were married late Saturday afternoon at the Ocean Edge Resort in Brewster, Mass., on Cape Cod. Showers ahead of the storm forced the ceremony indoors, but otherwise all went well. No word yet on whether any post-wedding travel plans might be disrupted.

Kevin, Kathy, Shanna and Kevin cut short a vacation in Noyac to return home Saturday. We're all hoping the Birch Street summer place rides out the storm as well as it did Gloria, Bob and other coastal storms over the years.

By late evening, the center of the storm was passing the Virginia coast. Marie said there was copious rain but not much high wind in Fredericksburg, where she and Brian and Xander were safe and dry in their apartment.

At Birch Street HQ in New Jersey, heavy rain began during the evening, and the electricity flickered a few times, perhaps a sign of things to come. 

We'll try to update this page as information becomes available and as long as computer connections allow.

STAY SAFE!

Links of interest:
Hampton Classic postponed

All are well after East Coast quake

Xander reacts as the TV news confirms what he felt:
"5.8 earthquake hits Virginia."

The earthquake that shook the Eastern Seaboard on Tuesday was centered about 35 miles southwest of Marie, Brian and Xander's home in Fredericksburg, Va. Marie, who experienced several quakes in California, said it was nonetheless a frightening experience as the shaking continued for many long seconds. Once it was over, she and Xander, their neighbors and workers at their apartment complex checked in and around the buildings and found no damage.

Brian was in Washington D.C., on layover between runs of the Virginia Railway Express, when the quake occurred. He was also fine, but Amtrak closed the tunnel under the Potomac for a while to inspect it, and imposed speed restrictions on the track pending further inspection, so his return run was delayed by a couple of hours.

The tremor at 1:51 p.m. measured 5.8 on the Richter scale, the strongest in Virginia since 1897, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Remarkably, it was felt from New England to Georgia, yet no serious injuries were reported anywhere, and damage seems to have been light even near the epicenter.

Chris starts his first season of marching band (Updated-New Video)

Heading into freshman year at Darby High School, Christopher has been spending a lot of time lately practicing with the school's marching band.

"He attended home camp at the high school during the first week of August, then away camp for a week," writes his mom, Cathy. "This is their last week of practice before school starts next week."

Cathy has posted four videos and a couple of photos from a preview performance. In the second video, "Fight Song," you'll get a good look at Chris on saxophone. And in the fourth clip, the camera tracks Chris through the opening segment of the band's half-time show, "Flight."

See the videos here.

Welcome to the family!

Our extended family has a new member!

On Aug. 6, Brienna and Clay became the proud parents of a 9-pound 6-ounce boy, named Cash.



Brienna's grandmother Pat writes: "We have already decided he looks like his Uncle Brennan in facial features. His size could come from his tall dad."

Congratulations to the new parents, grandparents Mary and Brennan, and great-grandmother Pat!

Shanna to begin teaching career

Shanna has accepted a teaching position at a preschool in Elmsford.

"I was hired at Ann and Andy Child Care to be the head teacher in their two-year-old classroom," Shanna writes. "I am really excited about the offer and to officially begin my career.

"I will be starting the job right after Labor Day and can't wait to set up my classroom and meet all of the kids."

Shanna, who received her Masters degree in Early Childhood and Childhood Education from Mercy College in May, has been working this summer at Camp Hillard in Scarsdale, her second year there.

"Right now, I am completing my final few days of the camp season and looking forward to some time off before work begins again."