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playgroup (the crew) now & then
When Jack & Patrick were 3 months old we started going to Gymboree in Oceanside where we met the most amazing group of people, both babies and adults. We started a weekly playgroup hardly knowing each other and we would go to each of our houses once a week on Fridays to hang out with the babies and each other. We always had so much fun, had each other to lean on, to ask questions, to cry on, and mostly to laugh.
The best part? We’re still all friends! Thats 14 years worth of friendship, even through the birth of a zillion more babies (ok, so 12 additional babies between us after the original group of 7), a few moves- two of which were far out of state, the death of a spouse (and we still love our David stories!) and years apart because we were all so busy with our 900 children, jobs, schools, volunteering, laundry and just life. Thankfully, Jennifer put together a bbq at her house a few weeks ago and most of us (all of us who still live in NY) were able to make it. Which was like a miracle in itself. We had a great night, laughing as usual, and just being in disbelief of how the kids are all still the same as they were when they were babies. We promised that we would get together more often as our oldest- the original crew- start high school this year. A far cry from classes with the Gymboree teacher (who reminded us all of Salma Hayak in the movie 54)!
This was how it all started. They were all around 5-8 months here. Jack, Connor, Beau, Ryan, Kerrin, Molly, Patrick.
Then at around 3 years old. Back row: Connor, Jack, Patrick, Beau. Front row: Molly, Kerrin, Ryan. Omg, the cutest!!!
And two weeks ago! Kerrin, Beau, Patrick, Jack & Molly. And really, none of them look very different than they did at 3. 
Celeste and her girls Ryan and Peyton now live in Georgia, but this was a picture of them from summer of 2012 down in Atlanta. 
The boys and Connor right before they moved to Michigan. 
Beau, Jack, Patrick and Connor around a year old.
Connor, Patrick and Jack (iphone pic) from their visit to NY in early August. 
Spencer (often known as Finster around here cause my boys couldn’t pronounce Spencer when they were little, and that’s what it sounded like), Patrick, Connor, Jack, Katie (my one and only goddaughter) and Timmy.
Katie, Spencer, Connor, Patrick, Jack and Timmy. Katie has the right idea standing far away from the lunatics. 
There was always tuna at playgroup. 
And the whole NY crew now. Back row: Ali, Bridget, Kerrin, Beau, Patrick, Jack, Molly. Middle row: Mac, Joey. Front row: Eli, Teddy, Timmy, Luke & Johnny. 
We’re hoping to get everyone together at some point before they graduate high school. We’ve got 4 years. Make it happen!
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jack & patrick graduate 8th grade
Well, they sorta did. Last week was all of the middle school graduation activities. First was awards night where some of the 8th graders received different awards for both character and academics. The boys both won an excellence in Spanish award (which is really rather ironic as Jack will be taking German next year, and Patrick Mandarin Chinese). As it turns out, that was pretty much their last event of graduation week. Thursday Jack went to the graduation party/dance as I took Patrick to an after hours doctor to be diagnosed with pink eye. In both eyes. So needless to say, he wasn’t going to the dance. The next day was graduation and earlier that morning Jack started with a raging stomach virus. So instead of infecting the whole school, they missed graduation. Which was a big bummer (at least to me) and a big disappointment that their names weren’t even announced at the ceremony (even though I did call that morning to let them know the boys were sick and wouldn’t be able to attend the ceremony). I picked up their diplomas yesterday and letting the whole event go. Moving on to high school next year and sooooo excited for them and all their new adventures.
And I think they grew again overnight. Pictures from awards night.
Patrick.
Jack.
Their friends (and Royals teammates) Johnny & Anthony both won citizenship awards. Great job by great boys!
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ssms vs turtle hook
This was the last game I took pictures at. Guess I just got a little overwhelmed with client work and didn’t want to pile on any more pictures to the “to be edited” pile that grows daily (at least it seems that way!) This is also the game where I got hit in the abdomen with a line drive foul ball. Yeah, that left a mark (like a yellow, purple, blue, green, orange, red mark. I was all the colors of the rainbow.) And since I come from a long line of hypochondriacs I googled internal bleeding symptoms. At least I waited until I got home instead of doing it at the game. That’s something, right?
This game was vs Turtle Hook in Uniondale. Jack pitched 4 innings and they won! (sorry in advance about the zillion pictures of Jack pitching. I was a little excited!)
This kid was super little and they way he squatted down while at bat was ridiculous. His strike zone was like 3 inches off the ground (I really sound like I know what I’m talking about, right?). Jack walked him the first time but struck him out the second. I mean the kid is the same size while batting as the catcher for godsakes.
So you see the gorgeous streaming light behind the boys in this picture? That is totally my new location to shoot. But no little kids cause god knows what’s in the grass over there and I have an ex-cop, ex-military friend on standby to run security over there for me while shooting cause the neighborhood is a little sketchy at best. But look how pretty it is!!
It was so much fun photographing the middle school team this season (even if it meant taking one for the team w the line drive) and thank you to all the parents who sent me emails that they enjoyed all the photographs. Wishing all the boys good luck next year in high school and 8th grade! -
ssms v freeport
I was so not on my game this day and really only took a very few pictures. But at least there are a few.
And in other news, I’m working on something behind the scenes to help all my bsquared clients with displaying their favorite pictures from their session with me- something to tie together all my product offerings. Details coming soon! -
ssms v oceanside
So far, we haven’t been real lucky with the weather on game days. Today might be the first nice one if the weather lasts-I’ve worn my winter coat to the last two SSMS baseball games. Unfortunately, another loss for the team and Jack sat the bench this game. But at least I got some decent pictures (I was able to get onto the field this time).
