Enjoying some Shelter Island summertime

Courtney has been enjoying a beautiful summer week on Shelter Island, visiting her "favorite lady" -- her mom, Nanette.

The Florida resident calls Shelter Island her home-away-from-home.

"The beauty and charm of this island is enough to brighten anyone's day," she wrote on Facebook. "I just can't get enough!"

Gerrit & Angela have a baby boy!

Gerrit and Angela welcomed their son, Nolan, into the world this morning.


A happy Grandpa Owen shared these photos of the joyous occasion. Nolan arrived at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, weighing in at 6 pounds 2 ounces.

"Angela, the baby and Gerrit are all doing well," Owen reports.

Marie, Brian, Xander visit NJ, NY & Panem

Up from Virginia for the weekend, Marie, Brian and Xander visited with Brian's parents and Marie's dad and trekked into Manhattan to see the Hunger Games Exhibition.

Above, after a cookout dinner Saturday, they enjoyed a midsummer's night in the backyard at Birch Street Headquarters with Dan, Julie, Christine, Andy and Andy's girlfriend, Shannon.

Note the image of the Moon on Xander's t-shirt. Earlier that day, he posed in front of a green screen for a photo with the flaming Hunger Games logo superimposed. The greenish tint of the Moon image caused the logo to show right through him!

The exhibit of costumes, props and interactive displays based on the "Hunger Games" movies is running this summer and fall at Discovery New York, in Times Square.

Gerrit & "28" play at Cape Cod's Sand Bar

Gerrit (center) and his bandmates in "28" rocked the Sand Bar in Dennis, Mass., on July 11. Word has it they have a couple more shows planned in August.

Below is a video a friend put together of highlights of the show. The sound quality is poor, but it sure looks like everyone's having fun!


28 at the Sand Bar 7/11/15 on Vimeo.

Glimpses of our family's festivities on the Fourth

These two cuties, Brooklyn Rae and Brennan Alexander, were dressed in style for the Fourth of July at home in Broadalbin, N.Y. The daughter and son of Brennan and Shauna-Rae are growing quickly! Young Brennan will have his first birthday later this month (July 22) and Brooklyn is three-and-a-half.


And speaking of growing quickly -- Beatrice Kathleen turned four months old on the Fourth! Here's a great shot of her with her mom, Genevieve.

As previously reported, a dozen family members gathered at Kathy's summer house in Noyac and watched from her back yard as fireworks went off in all directions. Here's a look at the younger half of the crowd.

While Nanette joined that party, her daughter, Courtney, got together with friends at Sailfish Point Country Club, not far from her Florida home.

Courtney posted the photo below of fireworks, which looks like it was taken from a boat. Great view!

Likewise, this photo posted by Gerrit in Cape Cod looks like a view over the transom of a boat. He has a video clip, too, on his Facebook page.


Shanna and Rick spent the holiday weekend in upstate New York. Among other stops, they visited the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown -- because, Shanna posted, "What is more American than baseball?"

In another part of Upstate New York, Doug and Lisa and daughter Rebecca joined members of Lisa's family at Conesus Lake for the annual "Ring of Fire." By tradition, residents and visitors gather along the lake shore on the night of July 3 and light torches, ringing the late with fire. Fireworks follow.


Meanwhile, Doug and Lisa's other daughter, Liz, "missed" the Fourth by being out of the country. In fact, she was visiting friends in London.



As a huge Harry Potter fan, Liz had a great time at the "Making of Harry Potter" exhibit at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London.

How did you celebrate the Fourth? Let us know!

A Fourth of July get-together on LI

A goodly number of family members gathered at Kathy's house in Noyac for a Fourth of July barbecue. Vivien and CJ, Patrick and Christina were visiting; Dan, Julie, Christine and Andy were spending the weekend at the family cottage a few blocks away; and Nanette, Emory and Robin came over from Shelter Island. From Kathy's yard, the group saw fireworks going off in all directions -- official shows in towns all around the bays, plus some very impressive unofficial displays right nearby!

We'll be rounding up pics from other family members' holiday activities, so check back soon!

Happy Independence Day in the USA

Summer at the Village Green, by Tish

Know that feel, Calvin

Lizzie to spend fall semester in Ireland

We hear from Owen that his daughter, Lizzie, will be heading to Ireland this fall for a study-abroad semester.

Lizzie is currently back home on Cape Cod after completing her sophomore year at Elon University in North Carolina. Owen is making plans to visit her in Dublin at Thanksgiving time.

Patrick steps from college into working world

Shortly after graduating from Johns Hopkins University, Patrick went to work at Yelp, the online review site for local businesses.

Patrick started this month as an account executive at the San Francisco-based company's New York office, near Madison Square Park in Manhattan. He's temporarily commuting from Scarsdale but expects to be moving into the city soon.

Beatrice receives sacrament of Baptism

Beatrice Kathleen was baptized June 27 in a service at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in New York.


Beatrice, her parents Genevieve and John and godparents Vivien and Patrick were joined by grandparents Kathy, Ted and Susan, great-grandparents Ted and Celestine and other family members at the church and a lunch reception.

A cluster of cousins

Not quite four months old, Beatrice was bright-eyed and seemed to enjoy herself throughout the proceedings - except for that water-on-the-head business.

Gerrit & Twenty-Eight rock the Cape again

Gerrit and his band mates in Twenty-Eight have been entertaining their fans at Cape Cod night spots again this summer.

They have one more show planned this summer - July 11 at the Sand Bar in Dennis. Catch 'em if you can!

The band after a recent show

Portrait of a Dad & daughter on 1st Father's Day

The photo says it all.

Taking Dads out to the ballgame

Julie with Dad and Mom

Christine and Andy with Dad

Hugh and Dolores spent Father's Day weekend visiting daughter Julie and her family in New Jersey. They spent Saturday evening watching a Somerset Patriots baseball game, followed by a fireworks show.

This was the third time this same grouping has celebrated Father's Day this way - which means, of course, that it's become a Family Tradition.

Singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame"

It was a misty evening, but an incoming rainstorm held off until later that night. The Patriots won and the fireworks blazed through the haze.

Fireworks in the fog

School's out for summer!

Xander appears rather pleased that he has completed second grade and that summer vacation has commenced.

More photos from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

As promised, here are some photos Dan took while touring the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland on May 31.



Also check out Cathy's 2010 report from a museum-touring weekend she, Christopher and Stephanie spent in Cleveland, when the RnR HOF was just one of their stops.

Things to do in Ohio after the party

After celebrating Chris' high school graduation, his Uncle Doug and Aunt Lisa paid a visit to the Columbus Botanical Gardens. Here are a few of the photos Lisa posted of the plants and artwork.

See our story on the graduation and party - updated 6/3 with more photos!

Meanwhile, Chris' Aunt Julie, Uncle Dan and cousins Christine and Andy drove up to Cleveland to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

They were impressed with the extensive collection of instruments, stage costumes and other artifacts - such as hand-written lyrics - arranged and displayed to tell the story of the music and its artists.

 Dan plans to post more photos of the museum displays soon.

Full house: Kathy's family gathers on LI

Kathy managed to get all three of her children, plus her sons-in-law and baby granddaughter, together at her summer home in Noyac over Memorial Day weekend. Above, Kathy with Vivien and Beatrice.

Here John holds daughter Beatrice, who looks like she's ready to strike up a conversation, while Leo tries to steal the show.

Uncle Patrick teaches Beatrice the fine art of relaxation.

Uncle CJ and Aunt Vivien with Beatrice. Missing from the photos, alas, is Genevieve, who took them!