RAGS: Our Life in Pictures

Dec. 2011

2012-01-15T11:31:00.011+14:00

This December was the third warmest on record for Boston and the kids made the best of the weather with outside activities. Christmas brought many gifts and a relaxing week of playing with new toys.

Two clips of Christmas morning: one present for Rowan and the other for both kids.

July 2011

2011-08-04T11:52:00.008-11:00

The kids loved playing with sparklers in the backyard and generally enjoyed the warm July heat in the pool with friends.

June 2011

2011-07-06T13:25:00.011-11:00

A very busy month for the family. Arden had a Lady Gaga-themed gymnastics show, complete with makeup and bling. Rowan displayed his gymnastics skills in his annual show. Then we took a 1,510 mile sojourn across New York, into Canada, down to Pennsylvania, and then back home. We stopped at the Secret Caverns, the Corning Museum of Glass, Watkins Glenn state park, Niagra Falls and surrounding areas, and finally a graduation party with family in Meadville, PA. A fantastic vacation by any measure!

A video of Arden's gymnastics showcase and a brief clip of Rowan and Arden getting pummeled at the hotel's water park.

Floyd

2011-06-26T09:19:00.005-11:00

Fifteen years of love and companionship. He was a special cat and fully lived up to his nickname "Fruitcake". He'll be missed by his family & friends.

May 2011

2011-05-31T01:51:00.009-11:00

Spring has sprung in Sutton and sports are in full swing. We spent a lot of time outside between baseball, softball, and yard work. Arden spent an afternoon at work with Dad and played by the pond. Floyd, on the other hand, had a much tougher day at the office.

Here is Arden's second AAU meet performing the Level 4 routines.

February 2011

2011-03-01T14:31:00.004-10:00

Master Woods celebrated his 10th birthday this month!! It must have been a special day because it was one of the few days it didn't snow the first half of the month. We took advantage of the snow and spent a day together skiing & snowboarding at Mt. Wachusett.

Jan. 2011

2011-01-30T03:15:00.008-10:00

January was the snowiest on record for Worcester, with 48.4 inches. It goes without saying we are now sick of clearing snow from driveway, cars and roof. We did manage to get out between storms though. Nana was in town and we spent an afternoon with her in downtown Boston. Some sledding and gymnastics found their way in there too.

After the first major snow storm we spent a few hours sledding at the local creamery, a popular spot in town. Arden had her third gymnastics competition this season and did very well.

December 2010

2010-12-31T03:25:00.006-10:00

December was relatively low key, well except for a Christmas recital, Christmas day and decent blizzard. The family enjoyed a week together during school vacation, with lots of gymnastics practice and even a gymnastics sleepover. Both kids were beat by the end of the week.

November 2010

2010-11-29T12:23:00.004-10:00

Arden competed in her first Level 3 meet and had a good time. We also built a fort along the back stone wall with miscellaneous materials from the property. A good excuse to get out into the woods. Oh, and Floyd had two teeth removed and is back to his ole playful self again.

Here is a video of Arden's first gymnastics competition of the year. Dad has been helping Rowan practice catching fly balls, but Rowan had other ideas.

October 2010

2010-10-29T10:16:00.008-10:00

Grandpa Rog & Grandma Jude made their nearly annual pilgrimage eastward and spent an action-packed few days with the kids. The kids spent a lot of time outside enjoying the crisp October weather, party games and Halloween candy.

Sept. 2010

2010-09-30T23:10:00.010-10:00

It was a busy month, so busy we didn't take many pictures! We did manage to take a few shots during the Wachusett Mountain KidsFest, where Arden participated in a gymnastics demonstration with her teammates.

Aug. 2010

2010-08-31T10:29:00.004-11:00

We held our 5th Annual Kids Party this month and had a great time. We also visited some friends for another pool party.

July 2010

2010-08-02T11:56:00.008-11:00

We exposed the kids to some of the area's finest carnies, took in another Tornadoes game, had a close encounter of the frogged kind, took a trip PA to see family and, finally, took some time to relax at the house.

June 2010

2010-06-30T11:54:00.006-11:00

Plenty of sports activities this month. Rowan's baseball team won the Minor League championship, both kids had a gymnastics showcase, we went to a Worcester Tornadoes baseball game, and the kids swam as much as possible both at home & at a friends house.

Here is Arden's Level 2 team routine, as well as the grand finale featuring all the competition levels.

May 2010

2010-06-02T12:06:00.005-11:00

The kids marched in the combined softball & baseball parade at the start of the month. After that it was outdoor fun in the yard, on the ball field and at birthday parties.

April 2010

2010-05-01T13:09:00.003-11:00

Spring sports are in full swing with Rowan playing baseball and Arden playing softball. They are both still participating in gymnastics, too. Arden took 2nd place in the State Finals for Level 2 balance beam. Way to go Arden!!!

Mar. 2010

2010-03-31T14:25:00.007-11:00

Rowan & Mom spent a warm Saturday in Boston and he ended up on a local cable news snippet talking about the weather. It was nice for a few more days before it turned into the wettest March on record (over 12-inches of rain). Arden also celebrated her seventh birthday this month!!!

February 2010

2010-02-28T11:05:00.007-11:00

Rowan celebrated his 9th birthday with cake, presents and a special sandwich. One of his gifts was a chess set and everyone took a shot playing, even Arden's animals. Rowan had another snowboarding lesson and Arden tried her hand at skiing.

Jan. 2010

2010-01-31T02:21:00.008-11:00

Besides playing in the snow, we had the chance to take in another Worcester Tornado hockey game. The kids tried to sell Gatorade in 40-degree weather but no takers. Arden had her second gymnastics competition, placing in top three for all four events and winning the All-Around title for her age group.

A video of Arden's gymnastic routine from her January 24th competition. And a clip of how they've been spending their time in the basement when they can't go outside.

Dec. 2009

2009-12-31T10:04:00.008-11:00

Arden had her first official gymnastics competition against girls from several other gyms and scored first place for her division. Go Arden!! Otherwise December brought a fair amount of snow and of course, Santa Claus.

Several video clips including one of Arden's Christmas carols, her gymnastics routine and her taking money from an old man.

Nov. 2009 Vacation

2009-11-30T14:37:00.014-11:00

We spent a week in Guam to celebrate Grandma's 90th birthday, with several days before and after in Hawaii. We had a fantastic time seeing family and enjoying the warm water. These are just a few of the pictures we took, as well as a couple from Morgan (thanks!).

Cousin Steven loaned us two of his paddle boards for an afternoon of fun in the water. While in Honolulu we took a trip to the Big Island to get a first hand look at the volcanoes. We spent a lot of time in Hawaii playing in the waves, which seemed to get bigger with each passing day.

Nov. 2009

2009-11-30T14:36:00.006-11:00

Before we left for vacation the kids took the chill off by playing in the neighbor's hot tub. After the trip, Ben and Brennon came up to have Thanksgiving with us. We went to the Providence Children's Museum, the Worcester Ecotarium and Purgatory Chasm.

A short clip of the kids playing around at gymnastics.

October 2009

2009-10-31T08:40:00.007-11:00

We were exposed to a wide range of weather this October, from warm days in the leaves to cold days catching snow on tongues. Rog & Jude made the trip east again to enjoy the fall foliage and rambunctious grandchildren. Halloween brought Bellatrix Lestrange and a Suzie special, Lego Man.

Rowan's class at school is learning how to play the recorder, while Arden's gymnastics class is learning new skills on the bars.

September 2009

2009-09-29T21:22:00.007-11:00

Besides face painting at gymnastics and sleepy cats in guitar cases, we spent a day at the Mt. Wachusett Kids Fest. It was a beautiful day for a chair lift ride to the top and we could even see Boston located 55 miles to the east.

Rowan burned some energy by rolling down the hill prior to the Holy Cross football game against Harvard. Rowan & Dad tested their arms against the radar gun at Mt. Wachusett.

August 2009

2009-08-30T09:58:00.010-11:00

Our 4th Annual Kids Party was a huge success not only with the turnout but with the perfect weather. We had our pool liner replaced as a result of the hail damage sustained two months ago. Two workers replaced completed the job in 8 hours! Arden finally took the plunge and started swimming underwater. And much to the dismay of Rowan, school started again.

July 2009

2009-08-03T13:19:00.006-11:00

Sue's friend saved this month from being a "RAGS Recap" of old pictures from the previous four years. They went for a hike at Purgatory Chasm last week and she was kind enough to send us her pictures (we still haven't bought a new camera yet). The kids had fun, well except one young man who decided to take a detour and got himself lost.

June 2009

2009-06-30T11:18:00.007-11:00

Even though we only had five non-rainy days in June, the kids managed to get in most of their ball games. Both made huge improvements this season. They also did extremely well at their gymnastics recital too.

Once again we have movies!!! Here is Arden doing her vault and Rowan on the rings, Rowan doing his floor routine and Arden on the bar, and finally Arden doing her floor routine.

May 2009

2009-05-31T09:36:00.010-11:00

We were given front row seats to a Worcester Sharks game and had a blast watching the game up close and personal (Arden was quite scared of all the checking). A hail storm rolled through Sutton and did some major damage. We came out relatively unscathed considering how large the stones were. Arden's class took a trip to the zoo and both kids won awards for reading books throughout the year.

Oh yeah, our digital camera died last month and we were forced to take pictures with our cell phones. I'm amazed at how well they turned out.

April 2009

2009-05-03T06:29:00.004-11:00

Arden lost both her front teeth over the course of a day. We had an Easter egg hunt at a friend's house, and generally spent a lot of time outdoors now that the weather is nicer. Rowan is continuing with baseball this year and Arden is trying her hand at softball.

March 2009

2009-03-31T13:50:00.009-11:00

Another month of birthday parties but this time Arden took top billing as the birthday kid of choice. The weather finally broke and the kids spent a fair amount of time playing outside in the grass. Baseball & softball are right around the corner.

Feb. 2009

2009-02-28T14:27:00.008-11:00

We attended six birthday parties this month, but none was as important as Master Rowan's 8th birthday. Once again he was in Lego-heaven. One of his presents was a snow-boarding lesson at Mt. Wachusett, which he loved. We also spent a morning visiting the Boston Science Museum.

A clip of Rowan's metamorphosis from a board'n novice to a snow rat pulling 180's. And we can't forget a clip of Arden bouncing around.

Jan. 2009

2009-02-01T11:26:00.006-11:00

Sledding, somersaults & socks, playing, partying & pirates. The month just flew by.

The kids had plenty of opportunities for sledding since we had over a foot of snow on the ground. Arden moved up a level in her gymnastics class and is still having a ball.

Dec. 2008

2008-12-30T12:27:00.013-11:00

December was quite a month!! First we had 3+ inch rain event that transitioned into an ice storm. We lost power for five days and had over 9 inches of water in the basement. The next week included recitals by both kids and a 10-inch snow storm. Thankfully we had a break in the weather and managed to escape to Tucson to spend Christmas week with Grandpa Rog & Grandma Jude. It was a thoroughly enjoyable trip.

r

The brief clip of Arden's class recital and bit of childish behavior at the Sonora Desert Museum.

Nov. 2008

2008-12-01T14:51:00.007-11:00

The month flew by and before we knew it we were off to Pennsylvania for the long Thanksgiving weekend. We had a great time playing with Grammy, Uncle Ben & Brennon. The kids even decorated her Christmas tree before we left.

Oct. 2008

2008-10-31T12:34:00.007-11:00

Plenty of fun this month playing in the leaves and enjoying the mild weather. Arden lost her two bottom teeth within days of each other and was handsomely rewarded by the tooth fairy. Halloween couldn't come fast enough for the kids, and unfortunately was over all too soon.

We rolled around in the yard and rode the bikes, too.

Sept. 2008

2008-10-04T13:18:00.005-11:00

Arden started full-day kindergarten this year so she gets to ride the bus with Rowan. We had a few warm days and the kids took advantage of them by playing in the water.

A clip of Arden chasing Rowan around the yard.

August 2008

2008-09-01T12:50:00.008-11:00

The kids party was a bit smaller (and colder) than last year but we all had a good time. We also went to a Worcester Tornado game compliments of Rowan's baseball league. Finally, we made a trip to PA for a family reunion and for some group photos. A great month all in all.

Although Arden made a few attempts last October to ride a bike, she didn't show much interest this summer with her new bike. That is until I decided it was time.....and she did wonderfully.

July 2008

2008-08-03T09:52:00.008-11:00

We did manage to have some fun during the weeks surrounding our "vacation", including a bike ride along the Blackstone River, remodeling the bathroom and a birthday party.

And two pool clips: Rowan on the diving board (with singing commentary by Arden), and general pool fun.

July Vacation

2008-07-10T13:29:00.007-11:00

We spent our vacation taking day trips to various local attractions. We visited the Mystic Aquarium, Mystic Seaport, Breezy's Water Park, Purgatory Chasm, and the Roger Williams Zoo. We had a great weak and between all the road trips and swimming the kids slept well each night.

A clip from the Mystic Aquarium's sea lion show and another of Arden & Sue taking a slide.

June 2008

2008-07-01T13:58:00.007-11:00

Awards were the theme for June. Medals for soccer and gymnastics and a trophy for baseball. Now that school is over, the kids are focusing their attention on other more important things....like playing in the pool.

Two clips of Rowan: one from a baseball game, and the other for his gymnastics competition.

May 2008

2008-06-03T14:13:00.009-11:00

Baseball and soccer consumed most of our time this month and both kids have made great improvements with their skills. Rowan helped Dad build the shed and he won an award for a reading challenge. Arden generally likes just being goofy.

A short clip of Rowan playing baseball and another of the kids playing on a neighbor's water slide.

April 2008

2008-05-01T11:36:00.005-11:00

Warmer temperatures meant more time playtime outside. Rowan attended a birthday party at the Ecotarium and Arden started soccer, among other activities.

The kids tried their hand at real bowling, not that candle pin bowling that's so popular around here. Arden gets some weekly exercise and practices the alphabet story with her class.

March 2008

2008-04-01T11:23:00.007-11:00

Managed one more sledding day before the snow melted. Arden had a "crazy hair day" at gymnastics, as well as a few friends over to play. We dyed some eggs, had an egg hunt and generally enjoyed the warm Easter weekend.

Oh, and someone turned five this month.

Feb. 2008

2008-02-29T13:44:00.006-11:00

So what is February good for? Birthday parties and snow!!! Rowan turned seven and had a buddy over to share in the fun. We played some more in the snow, perfecting our sledding techniques. And finally went to a party of a neighbor friend at the local gymnasium.

It took a day but Rowan got the hang of snowboarding down the little hill. Suzie & Rowan give a first person perspective of the sledding run.

Jan. 2008

2008-01-31T14:37:00.000-11:00

Snow, snow and more snow!! Our little sledding hill / snow tunnel / snow cave has lasted five weeks so far, although it was almost ruined by a short warm spell. When not outside, the kids kept themselves busy playing with their new toys.

Arden spent an afternoon editing the first draft of her novel. The kids sledding "together". Sledding 'with Dad' ultimately turned into sledding 'on Dad', cold mittens on the face and all.

Dec. 2007

2007-12-31T14:41:00.000-11:00

This December was the second snowiest on record for MA with over 21 inches on the ground at one point. The kids kept themselves busy indoors and outside, counting the days until Santa visited. We had a great week together playing games and having fun.

Videos of Arden on the balance beam and Rowan doing a circuit on the vault. Floyd even had some fun playing with the marble coaster.

Nov. 2007

2007-12-01T10:25:00.001-11:00

Cooler weather couldn't keep the kids from playing outside. Heck, even Mom got into the spirit and wheeled around a little. Rowan joined Arden taking gymnastic lessons Saturday mornings.

Mr. Spoon and Lambchops sing a Christmas carol. Arden takes a roll and Rowan improvises on a tumbling pass.

October 2007

2007-10-29T11:39:00.000-11:00

For the second time in three years, Rog & Jude made an October visit to the east coast. We walked around downtown Boston and spent a few hours at the N.E. Aquarium. We also went to the armory museum in Worcester. Arden took her first ride across the lawn without training wheels. Still a bit shaky, but she's getting the hang of it.

Arden's first day without her training wheels. And a clip from our trip to the N.E. Aquarium.

Sept. 2007

2007-09-30T12:21:00.000-11:00

The kids managed to squeak a few more days of swimming out of the month before it turned too cool. Spent the rest of the month making the best of the weather and playing with friends. Sue went to China again, this time to confirm that they do in fact have DQ's there.

August 2007

2007-09-01T12:41:00.000-11:00

We rounded out August with our second annual "We know way too many kids!" party. Over 25 of those little folks running around!! The weather was a bit cooler than we would have liked but between the pool, the bouncy house and a friend making origami creations, everyone had a blast.

Colorado Vacation

2007-08-15T14:20:00.000-11:00

We spent a wonderful week in Colorado, splitting our time between a conference in Vail and friends in Durango. Everyone had a great time and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay with Chad, Donna and the kids (and the dogs....and the horses...and the cats....).

Some videos of Rowan and Arden catching air at the top of Vail.

July 2007

2007-07-30T09:22:00.000-11:00

Lots of outdoor fun this month with swimming, picnics and playing with friends.

Rowan's swimming skills have greatly increased this year, however Arden may need some help with her music solos.

June 2007

2007-07-03T13:43:00.001-11:00

A potpourri of activities this month. Rowan's soccer team finished above 0.500, we visited Uncle Ben, Brennon and friends in PA, took a couple quick dips in the chilly pool, and tried (unsuccessfully) to sell the kids.

May 2007

2007-05-31T13:07:00.001-11:00

May brought with it green grass, flowers, and a class trip for Rowan to the Southwick Zoo.

And a few videos....

Putting the tricycle through it's paces and a little driveway dancing.

April 2007

2007-04-27T13:08:00.000-11:00

We took a trip to western PA for Uncle Matt's surprise birthday party and stopped at Penn State main campus to see the sites. Rowan started soccer later in the month, but not before we weathered some heavy rains.

And finally, a little dancing in the rain. (link)

March 2007

2007-03-27T12:43:00.000-11:00

The month started and finished with fun snow storms. In between, we had a trip to Plymouth to see the sights and a birthday celebration for Arden.

Feb. 2007

2007-03-02T14:43:00.000-11:00

Rowan celebrated his 6th birthday with a great cake and lots of presents. The rest of the month was spent playing in the snow. One storm produced a thick layer of ice that made sledding a blast.

Jan. 2007

2007-01-31T14:14:00.000-11:00

January started out very mild and the kids had an opportunity to play outside on their new scooters. The remainder of the month was more seasonable and they kept themselves occupied with indoor activities.

Dec. 2006

2006-12-31T04:28:00.000-11:00

The kids spend an hour each Saturday bouncing around a gymnastics facility. December wouldn't be complete without a school assembly, Christmas and a little snow.

Nov. 2006

2006-11-30T14:03:00.000-11:00

Har ho, Mateys!!! The kids went to a pirate-themed birthday party and brought back some loot. We also took a hike along Purgatory Chasm, located a few miles away.

Oct. 2006

2006-11-01T08:39:00.000-11:00

The kids had a blast playing in the leaves. Grandpa Rog and Grandma Jude came for several days and had an enjoyable visit. And October wouldn't be complete without Halloween.

Sept. 2006

2006-10-06T12:47:00.000-11:00

September brough a trip to PA to visit family and the first day of kindergarten for Rowan. We also met up with friends Mikayla and Nate at a local orchard for some apple picking.

August 2006

2006-09-04T10:12:00.000-11:00

We had a pool party for the kids and about two dozen of their "closest friends." It was a great day and everyone had a blast. We also took a trip to the Acton Discovery Museum and conducted some experiments.

July 2006

2006-08-03T02:15:00.000-11:00

Another busy month for the kids. Cousins Carlos & Lucas came to NH for a music course, and Uncle Paul spent a day with us on his way through. We spent lots of time in the pool, and took a trip to the Mystic Aquarium in CT.

June 2006

2006-07-04T12:30:00.000-11:00

We met friends Makayla & Nate at the Boston Children's Museum for a day of fun. We opened the pool and the kids ventured into the chilly waters. The month ended with Rowan shedding his training wheels and riding "like a grown up."

May 2006

2006-06-05T13:59:00.000-11:00

The kids were a bit under the weather for the first portion of the month, but once the fevers and rain passed, it was time to go out and play.

April 2006

2006-05-05T08:03:00.000-11:00

April brought sunny weather and a trip to PA to see Grammy. We also stopped by to see cousins Sam & Sidnee in NY on the return trip.

Allison & Mark's wedding

2006-05-05T07:50:00.000-11:00

Allison and Mark held an "Engagement Party" but had a surprise in store for family and friends. Congratulations to the two of you. It was a lovely ceremony on a beautiful day.

March 2006

2006-04-13T12:59:00.000-11:00

Rowan & Mom took a trip to the Natural History Museum at Harvard to see the dinosaur bones and animals. Arden celebrated her 3rd birthday this month with plenty of cake and "jewelry".

February 2006

2006-03-14T03:53:00.000-11:00

Rowan celebrated his 5th birthday this month. The kids also had some fun playing "airplane", putting on puppets shows and generally entertaining themselves during the cold weather.

January 2006

2006-02-06T13:53:00.000-11:00

The kids had fun playing with friends Nathan and Makayla at the Providence Children's Museum. Rowan loved candlestick bowling while Arden and Madison danced and played at a birthday party.

December 2005

2006-01-09T08:27:00.000-11:00

December brough us snow and Santa. The kids had a great time playing in the snow and opening presents.

November 2005

2005-11-28T03:13:00.000-11:00

November started out unseasonably warm, but finished with a glimpse of things to come. Rowan's schoolmate Joe came over for a few hours to play.

October, 2005

2005-11-14T07:50:00.000-11:00

Evidence of the wide change in temperature from the begining of the month to the end.

Tucson Trip 2005

2005-11-14T07:30:00.000-11:00

We visited Tucson to celebrate the birthday of Grandpa Rog. You'll never guess his age.

Matt & Lisa's Wedding

2005-11-14T07:15:00.000-11:00

Arden and Dad took a trip to PA to attend Matt & Lisa's wedding. The ceremony was lovely and we had a great time visiting with them for the weekend.

Video of Brennon & Arden playing.

September, 2005

2005-11-14T07:05:00.000-11:00

September brought a trip to Chuck's annual Labor Day party in PA. A felled hickory serves as a perfect stage for the kids to act and sing.

August 2005

2005-08-30T03:47:00.000-11:00

Arden graduated into the day bed, with only minor difficulties, and the rest of the summer was spent playing in the water.

A few video clips of Rowan swiming in the pool and Arden hamming it up for the camera.

July 2005

2005-08-05T02:57:00.000-11:00

We spent a lot of time in the pool this month, with Rowan becoming quite the swimmer & jumper. During our brief vacation, we went to a science center and saw various animals. We also spent a few relaxing days on Cape Cod with friends.

June 2005

2005-08-05T02:32:00.000-11:00

A very busy month with Makayla & Nate coming for dinner, going to Nate's birthday party, getting a swing set and Rowan & Mom going to the aquarium.

June 2005

May 2005

2005-08-03T04:21:00.000-11:00

We took a trip to PA to see some family, a few old friends and to meet a brand new one named Mitchell.

April 2005

2005-08-02T04:26:00.000-11:00

Plenty of rain showers this month to satisfy the kid's need to play in water.

January 2005

2005-07-29T04:29:00.000-11:00

January brough a little snow, a few more Christmas presents, and the a 20-30 inch snow storm.