Chris and Stephanie in piano recital

Christopher and Stephanie (posing at right with their teacher) performed in their Spring Piano Recital in early June 2008.

Here are a pair of videos.

First up is Stephanie playing her composition "British March."


Here is Chris playing two songs: "Pavane" and "The Statues are Dancing."

Whitewater fun on the Lehigh River

For a second year, Andy went with his Boy Scout Troop 33 on a weekend camping trip featuring a day of whitewater rafting. They rode a stretch of the Lehigh River near Jim Thorpe, Pa., on a very hot Saturday, June 7, 2008. In the photo, Andy is on the left in the middle of the raft.

Chris performs in spring concert

Christopher and his 5th grade band mates performed in the Cecil Manor Elementary School Spring Concert in May 2006. Here's Chris on saxophone in a number called "Jazz Riff."

Brien visits the North Country

Brien visited Aunt Pat, Mary Lorraine and the rest of the Saratoga-area branch of the family on May 28, 2008. CLICK ON THE PHOTO to see his report and photos.

California update: Hard-working Dan gets a break

Dan checks in from California where he has been, in his words, “CRAZY busy with school and work.” He’s just finished another semester at Gavilan College, where he recently received the school’s Scholarship for Academic Excellence in recognition of his all-A grade performance.

Dan has earned a certificate of achievement in Communication Studies and is working on his A.A. degree in Spanish; he expects to complete that in the fall semester. After that he’ll likely continue his studies at San Jose State University.

“I finally have a small break in between this last semester and summer classes,” Dan writes. He starts his days before dawn working at the Morgan Hill branch of Peet’s Coffee and Tea, a mostly-California chain whose founder basically invented the modern specialty-coffee-shop business.

“We started opening 30 minutes earlier a couple months ago, so I now have to be up for work every morning at 3:45 a.m. It gets a little rough on the days when I'm at school until 5:30pm, but that's over for the time being.”

Still flying after all these years

Some 36 years after the band formed in California, the Eagles are currently on tour, presenting a three-hour show that includes selections from their new album Long Road Out of Eden and many of their greatest hits.

Dan and Julie went to the show at the Prudential Center in Newark on Saturday May 24.

Read Dan's review.

Marching on Memorial Day 2008

As in years past, Christine and Andy took part in the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Memorial Day Parade.

Andy and his Boy Scout Troop 33 participated in Fanwood's memorial ceremony before joining the parade.


Christine marched with the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Marching Band, in its last appearance of the 2007-08 school year.

See the full Memorial Day 2008 report with photos and video.

Christine the equestrian

Since she was 9 years old, Christine has been taking riding lessons at the Watchung Stable, operated by the Union County parks department. As a member of the Watchung Mounted Troop, she learns equestrian skills, goes on trail rides through the 2,000-acre Watchung Reservation forest preserve, and competes periodically in troop shows.

The stable held its 75th Anniversary Spring Troop Show on Memorial Day weekend 2008. Christine, who moved up this year to A-level, won a fifth-place ribbon in an event Friday (5/23) with ten riders, to add to her collection or ribbons from past years.



Here's a brief clip of Christine riding in another event on Saturday (5/24). As the riders approach the camera, she is second in line along the rail at the right.

Highlights from past years:

Posing with a red ribbon won in the 2007 Spring Show.

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After winning a red ribbon in the 2005 Spring Show.

The famous Preakness Party, 2008 edition

The 2008 version of Doug and Lisa's annual Preakness Party was held May 17, 2008, and was a great success.

The couple have been hosting the yearly gathering of friends, relatives, and friends of friends and relatives for many years at the family estate in suburban Baltimore.

There was a great crowd, all ages from grandparents to toddlers. Elizabeth was home from college, and she and Rebecca each had a group of friends join the party. Cathy, Christopher and Stephanie were there, and Dan & Julie & Christine & Andy made it down from New Jersey.

See lots more photos of the festivities.

The weather was fine and there was food and drink aplenty, games of badminton and ultimate frisbee, and plenty of good conversation -- interrupted briefly for the viewing of the Preakness Stakes being run not far away at Pimlico Race Course.

Here's a clip of the crowd cheering the horses down the stretch.



Big Brown, the winner of the Kentucky Derby and the overwhelming favorite, won the race by 5 1/4 lengths after flying away from his competitors in the stretch.

Playing hard: Christine on the soccer field

Christine saw plenty of action as her Scotch Plains-Fanwood soccer team took on its crosstown rival team in an Intercounty Youth Soccer League game May 11.



The two teams tied in their previous meeting this season; this time the other team edged Christine's team 1-0.

Spreading Springtime Glee

The Male Glee Club of Yonkers held its annual Spring Concert at Saunders High School in Yonkers on May 4, 2008. The club, in its 82nd year, performed a dozen numbers during the program.

This 10-minute video features two highlights: Alexander's Ragtime Band and a medley of songs from the musical Guys and Dolls. Daniel, who sings second bass, is seen in the back row at the far right of the screen.



In the audience were Daniel's wife, Lorraine, sons Dan and Brien and daughter Kathy, along with Lorraine's sister Pat, who was visiting from the Saratoga area.

After the concert, all repaired to the restaurant at Dunwoodie Golf Course for the "afterglow" party, which featured a send-off for a member who first sang with the club more than 70 years ago.

Click this link to watch the first song in your computer's video player: Alexander's Ragtime Band

Gerrit's band releases debut album

Twenty Eight, a five-man rock band featuring Gerrit on guitar, has released its debut album, Road to October.

The 12-song CD is available at the band's shows, or as a digital download from iTunes or Amazon.

The band's web site appears to still be under construction, but it also has a MySpace page that streams selected songs from the new album.

The band members hail from the Cape Cod area and, as its web site shows, has a busy schedule of performances booked through the summer.

Christine exhibits at HS art show

A couple of examples of Christine's work were included in the 2008 Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Art Show.

The 26 dragons forming the alphabet were created in Drawing class earlier in the school year. The Gumby scene was done in Airbrush this term.

Promotion at Saratoga YMCA

Pat writes from Saratoga: Mary just accepted the position of "Youth and Family Sports Director" at the YMCA of Saratoga. We are thrilled about her new position. It is really a BIG move up for her.

Mary was also appointed to the Board of Directors of the Saratoga Children's Museum a few months ago. Congratulations!

Stephanie advances in karate

Stephanie continues to advance in her karate training. This month she was promoted another belt level. Her new belt is "camoflage."

See earlier photos of Karateka Stephanie

Four score and more

In celebration of Daniel/Dad/Grandpa/Great-Grandpa's 80th birthday on April 7, 2008, family members gathered the following Saturday, April 12.

In addition to Daniel and Lorraine the gathering included Dan & Julie, Kathy & Ted, Brien, Kevin & Kathy; Genevieve, Vivien, Patrick, Shanna, Kevin, Christine and Andy. All enjoyed a fine feast at Tombolino Restaurant in Yonkers.

Here is some (rather dark) video of the festivities:

And here is a slideshow of more photos from the restaurant, plus the after-party that began on the new patio of Kevin & Kathy's home, then moved indoors as the pleasant evening started to turn cool.

(You can also go to this album and choose slideshow, or click on individual photos to see them in larger size and make copies.)

Christine receives confirmation

In a service April 6 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Westfield, Christine was confirmed by the Rt. Rev. George E. Councell, bishop of the Diocese of New Jersey.


(Photo by Cathy)

Christine was one of 17 young-adult parishoners confirmed. After the service there was a reception in the parish hall where each confirmand received a certificate and a gift of a prayerbook from their pastor, Rev. Andrew Hamersley, and congratulated by the bishop.

Afterward Christine was joined by her parents, brother, godfather Uncle Doug, Aunt Lisa, cousin Becky, Aunt Cathy, cousins Christopher and Stephanie, grandparents Hugh and Dolores, and boyfriend Matt, for a celebratory luncheon at a Westfield restaurant.

Rock 'n' Roll Xander, cruisin' along

Now nearing 1 1/2 years old, Xander is already looking like such a big kid. Here he looks like he's about to hop on his Harley and ride down some Lost Highway.

Below, he's dressed sharp for Easter and looking set for takeoff behind the wheel of Uncle Dan's truck.



For more photos, check out the slideshow: