Can’t believe you’re entering your Freshman year at Dover High School!

Your grandmother and I are trying to process the reality that Grandchild #2, born 15  years ago, is in her 9th year of school, not counting kindergarten.  How did this happen so fast? Crazy!

Grammy and I sure wish your first year at DHS was a normal one, without the constraints of Covid-19, meaning remote learning and ZERO in-person attendance at school. That sucks!

We’re sad you and your classmates (and everyone else in America not able to attend school who normally would) won’t experience the normal routines, customs and procedures we’ve taken for granted all these years.

We’re hoping a vaccine is developed soon and you’ll be able to get some degree of in-person high school experience ( a few months perhaps?) before the year ends.

Hang in there, Emma.  We’re proud of how you’re taking all this change and know you’ll be okay.  Stay focused, get good grades and make the best of this funky situation. You’ve got the right attitude and it will continue to serve you well. Proud of you.

With a compressed sports schedule this Fall, we enjoyed every second of each outdoor game for Molly Clickman (soccer) and Madigan Beaupre (field hockey & soccer).

Great season girls!

Congrats to Emma who made the Dover High School JV soccer team. Way to go Em.  Unfortunately there were only practices and no games (Covid-19 decisions).

Now we shift gears to indoor hockey games for Camden & Madigan via the streaming service LiveBarn. 

Happy 15th birthday Emma!

A beautiful day for a beautiful soul.

Grammy and I are proud of who you are, a young lady filled with compassion, kindness and an epic sense of humor.

You’re one of those (rare) people who takes action vs. just talking. Whether you’re playing soccer, raising money for cancer and social causes; playing your guitar, boogie boarding; zip-lining or helping your Mom & Dad, it’s a joy being around you.

Always be yourself; and always believe in yourself… that’s all you’ll ever need.

Last day of August!  Let’s have an adventure!

Off we went, the six of us piling into Ruby the Explorer, heading north.

We had a busy day planned:

• First stop, Duston’s in Dover to pick up subs, drinks, chips and goodies
• Driving to West Rattlesnake Mountain in Holderness, NH. Along the way, Ainsley kept us laughing and we had many singalongs, including Molly teeing up Christmas songs that included a rousing group rendition of Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas is you” from the top of our lungs.
• hiking, climbing,  posing your way up the mountain
• Lots of OOHS and AHHS as we reached the peak and saw one of the prettiest views in all New Hampshire – sparkling Squam Lake far below from the wide granite slab peak.
• Chowing down lunch in a carefully selected location with an amazing view that was also protected from the sun.  Good job finding it!
• “Flying” high from the granite cliffs (see photo)
• Next stop: The Seacoast Science Center which was closed on the inside but open on the outside, thanks to Covid-19.  No problem! We saw bobcats, deer, lynx, coyotes, bears and other animals. We also acted out scenes at an outdoor theatre we had all to ourselves.  Plenty of of sliding, climbing and swinging, too.
• Off we went to Lake Ellacoya. Emma rolled in the sand, Jack and I built a lake hut, everyone swam and there was a dramatic Lifeguard station late afternoon photo shoot.
• A very fun day during a crappy pandemic year

July 9 started off foggy at Ogunquit Beach, but it quickly turned into fun and yum.

Highlights ( and a few low-lights thanks to Covid-19):

• #1 – Grammy and I being together with Emma, Camden, Ainsley, Molly, Madigan and Jack for a fun day
• wearing the official fashion statement of 2020 – the face mask – as we carried beach gear, walked and pulled the stuffed wagon along the beach, looking at all the people NOT wearing masks!
• setting up our beach towels as far away as possible, up against the beach grass, creating boundaries against the maddening crowds from Massachusetts
• chowing down on yummy Congdon goodness  – that’s the way to start a new morning. Jelly, chocolate; sugar; honey dip; buttercrunch; confetti; maple cream!
• checking out the water temperature at the lifeguard stand; then venturing into the water with fog still hanging in the air
• boogie boarding time and time again
• the four of you battling each other in a sand structure building competition
• eating lunch under a blazing hot sun (thankfully with umbrellas) at Spinnaker’s
• ending the day at the Scoop Deck, our favorite ice cream place on earth# 1 –
• we sure miss you Moody Beach beach house, but this was a nice escape!

You have such a caring, compassionate soul, always have.

Latest example?

Making a donation to support the three most visible and historically significant social justice events of 2020 – Breonna Taylor in March, George Floyd in May. and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Proud of you Emma. You are going to change the world.