Jolie is a Big Sister

This afternoon Jay and Stephanie welcomed Brynn Sophie into the family.  Brynn, at birth, looks very much like big sister, Jolie.  



Brynn measured eight pounds and 19.5 inches. 
 She has shown a very mellow temperament.
Jay and Steph are doing just fine.

  

L'Shana Tovah. Wishing all our friends and their families a year of peace, health and joy. 

Peace:  Hopefully, progress made in the Middle East the past few days will bring about peace and stability. Let's hope so. 

Health: Mom always said, 'If you've got your health, you've got your wealth.' She nailed that one.

Joy: We spent the holidays with our kids and grand-kids. Nothing brings Alice and me greater joy.

Rosh Hashanah with Simon

Break Fast following Yom Kippor. Like we hadn't eaten in weeks.

Tashlich--a ceremony in which we cast away our sins by tossing bread into a moving body of water.

Start of a New School Year

Jolie may have loved her first bus ride more than her first day of pre-school.

Ethan made the basketball travel team.

Hey Coach, You expect me to defend this guy?

What took so long? Emmy has finally lost a tooth..

A day at the beach

A day at camp

 A Wonderful Time in Southern France

Had it been suggested, not so very long ago, that we vacation in France, our response would have been 'not likely'. Southern France was very different from our previous experience in the '70s. Friendly and gracious people, gorgeous panoramas and incredible medieval towns. More than enough to have us returning next summer.

A special l'dor v'dor edition of our family blog.

We named our family blog l'dor v'dor--from generation to generation--for good reason. Alice and I are excited to share with you that there will be a new arrival in November.

                                Jolie will be a big sister.

Left-click to find Jolie's Tickle Spot

Following a difficult fall/winter, spring has been a most welcome experience.  We're finally enjoying the great outdoors again. Ethan will be moving up to fifth grade, Emmy to second. Jolie will be doing pre-school in the fall. And Alice and I are loving every moment with our grandkids.

Ethan's cast has been removed. He has returned to pitching for his Little League team (Dad is a coach) and is pumped for the start of sleep-away camp.  Emmy will be at Camp Coleman again; Jolie at Twin Oaks.

Alice is in full mah-jongg mode and the Merrick Seagulls are off to a 12 win-4 loss start to the season, leading our division.  A bunch of guys born in '53 (!) tried out during March; so far I am holding onto my first base position. Can't wait for the heat and humidity to arrive.

Conditions at many of the Island's softball fields are improving as town and county play catch-up using FEMA money for restoration. Our home field dugout wound up 300 feet into left field and is currently being rebuilt.

We are rebuilding our deck at the stream--Mother Nature tossed it around like a leaf.  Installation of a whole-house generator is almost complete--one more Town inspection is required.  The process has taken a few months and we are hoping that we will never have reason to test it out. We have a growing wait list of friends and neighbors who have volunteered to become boarders should another storm knock out utilities.

Other stuff going on:

Congrats to Eric who will be receiving an award at the Excellence in Teaching dinner June 19. The award is made by Weill Cornell Medical College.

Phyllis is back home from touring Israel with friends for a couple of weeks in May.

Alice's first boyfriend '56       

Marvin's first car'56 BelAir

About to get dunked

The Rosenbergs have a new addition to the family. Emmy and Ethan are grinning about Piper, an eleven-week-old cockapoo.

Before, During, and After

 No wonder Jolie did not recognize Jay the following morning.  Calhoun High is closing in on its goal and Jay is approaching his target.  It's not too late for you  make a donation.

Click here: Donations page

This story is about Dean Brownworth, a senior who returned to play for Jay's varsity team. It is an amazing story.  At the post-season dinner, Jay described him as my 'toughest player'. 

Calhoun High School held a fundraiser for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation Tuesday night and Dean Brownworth, a senior who has survived cancer, was on hand as a volunteer.

Brownworth, 17, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in December of 2011, and he underwent radiation and chemotherapy, and was forced to miss a year of school because of it. Now, Brownworth is cancer-free and he said that going through the ordeal taught him valuable lessons about life.

“I realized how easily life could change,” Brownworth said. “You realize you always have to stay positive no matter what.”

Brownworth returned to school on Jan. 2, and he was happy to get back into the flow of things, considering that he’d been home-schooled by tutors since being diagnosed. On Jan. 18, Brownworth returned to the basketball court for an away game against Herricks, and he scored three points, which caused an eruption from the crowd.

“Everyone was going crazy,” he said. “My teammates and fans went nuts, and it was really fun.”

Now, Brownworth is keeping his attention on baseball, which is something he wants to play in college. He aspires to go to Cornell University and study sports management. He said he was proud of the lessons that this ordeal has helped him learn.

“It meant a lot to show that I could overcome this treacherous event,” Brownworth said. “I could show people that I could get back and could really do anything. Don’t let one thing, such as cancer, stop you from doing what you love.”
On Tuesday, Brownworth will join 115 classmates from Calhoun as they get their heads shaved to raise money and awareness for pediatric cancer. Thus far, Calhoun has raised $40,569 this year, and is at 81 percent of their $50,000 goal. 

Bald is beautiful at St. Baldrick's childhood cancer benefit--Help Kids Fighting Cancer

Dear Friends and family,

I've answered the call to be a hero! I'm having my head shaved to stand in solidarity with kids fighting cancer, but more importantly, to raise money to find cures.

Please support me with a donation to the St. Baldrick's Foundation. This volunteer-driven charity funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government.

Your gift will give hope to infants, children, teens and young adults fighting childhood cancers. So when I ask for your support, I'm really asking you to support these kids. Thank you!

Click here to go to the donation page and make an online donation
.

Brrrrrrrrrr!!

Over all this has been a fairly mild winter--other than a couple of visits by an overly energetic Mother Nature.  The 'sympathy' calls from Florida friends are greatly appreciated. Our planned visit  for late February/early March won't be happening.  Alice's shoulder is healing as expected but she's been cautioned to not travel so soon.

Bet you can't do this in Florida.

Next family party will be Jolie's second birthday at the end of March,

Winter provides opportunity to catch up on our reading and play with the grand kids. It's a little scary how quickly they continue to grow.

Alice's second retirement party (first retirement, second party) was fun. She subbed a stretch in November, found it exhausting.

 Grandpa Simon joined in our Chanukah festivities.

Seagulls team winter party.  Before you know it we'll be back on the field.

Quality family time.

Jolie and Steph opening presents

 Charleston is a terrific city for a weekend.

We enjoyed spending time with Eleanor and Bernie (our hostess and host) and getting to see our Snow Bird friends.

All rise! The honorable Leonard Steinman presiding. We enjoyed Len's induction as a NY State Supreme Court Justice.  He must have the best sense of humor of all the justices. Very funny speech.


Breaking news*******Breaking news*******Breaking news*******Breaking news*******

Calhoun high school's varsity basketball team, coached by Jay, just competed a 10 win, 4 loss season and will enter the play-offs this Saturday. Ethan has become the team's good luck charm. There's a strong correlation between the team winning and Ethan's attendance. Click below.

                 Calhoun defeats Great Neck South in overtime to end regular season