TheFarlands.Net » Things to Do

Berry Picking

christy — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:52:15 +0000

We went picking again! This time with Me, Albert & Patrick. Parlee was closed, so we headed over to Lull Farm in Hollis. The berries were tart and delicious. It was lots of fun, with the exception of the incredibly loud bird call box!Of course the best berries were right next to it. We cooled off at DQ and went swimming together the next day.

All-Star Weekend

christy — Sat, 09 May 2009 22:31:23 +0000

The second week of youth sports for the girls was a smashing success! At her first game of the season, Alison had a tough time adjusting to the game and spent most of it on the sideline. She was determined to stay on the field and give it her best shot. She was true to her word and even scored a goal. The day started with an excellent showing by Madelyn at her T-Ball game. She continues to hit very well, but her fielding was exceptional. She made an amazing attempt at a line drive she had no business trying to get in front of, but she definitely gave it her best shot. She made some great stops, good throws, and managed to do something you don’t see very often at this level; she caught the throw to first.

Alison Starts Soccer

don — Mon, 04 May 2009 02:48:50 +0000

Alison’s foray into the world of youth soccer was not without its issues yesterday. Things got off on the wrong foot right from the start due to no fault of her own. The Merrimack Youth Association has decided to move the U6 kids from the fields at Reeds Ferry School to fields at the new middle school. Not only do you need a sherpa to get to the athletic fields, but the parking is an absolute nightmare. It was a good 1/4 mile from our parking spot to the field and most of that was uphill. She was a little tired right from the start.

She was having a great time with the drills right up until someone told her to go to the back of the line. Queue tears. She was back on the field in no time, only to be back in Daddy’s arms after someone else kicker her ball. Once the drills were done, it was time for the game. After the initial kickoff, Alison found herself with the ball and she was moving the ball down the field marvelously. Unfortunately, it was the wrong direction. A teammate stole the ball from her and started moving it back in the right direction, but it was obvious that she wasn’t too pleased. A short time later she had a head to head collision with another kid and it was all over. She was done, proclaimed she didn’t want to play soccer, “Ever Again!” and wanted to go home. We made her wait until the game was over and then started the long trek down the hill.

We’ve talked over the whole experience with her and it became clearly obvious that her expectations were not in lock step with reality. For one, she thought it was going to be just like the classes she took at Rising Stars; all drills. Secondly, I think she expected that it was going to be easy and that she would dominate like her big sister. She didn’t seem to realize that Madelyn’s first year was not as effortless as the last one appeared to be.

I’m optimistic that next week will be better, but she does have a birthday party to go to right before soccer. With any luck we can keep her energized and positive and at the very least keep her on the field for the whole game.

Red Sox Home Opener

don — Sat, 02 May 2009 16:23:23 +0000

Spring is officially here, because today was the Red Sox home opener at Wasserman Park. That’s right, I said “Wasserman” and not “Fenway”. This year Madelyn is playing on the “Red Sox” in the Merrimack Youth Baseball T-Ball league. Both Madelyn and I were ecstatic that she was on the Red Sox this year. It was all the motivation I needed to get a new Sox cap.

She was given the option to either move up to Rookie league or stay another year in T-Ball. I decided she would be better off with another year of T-Ball, but she’s doing her best to prove me wrong. Not only is her hitting greatly improved, so is her throwing and fielding. When she does move up, she’s going to be ready.

Easter Egg Coloring

christy — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 18:33:52 +0000

One of the great traditions of the Easter holiday in our house is coloring eggs with the girls. Throw a little tablet of concentrated dye in a little bucket of vinegar and water and voila, instant fun. This was our second year dying eggs with the girls and it went a little smoother on the second go around. There was a lot less comingling of colors and as result there were no fits that the pink wasn’t really pink anymore.

Sugaring Off Party

christy — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 22:30:13 +0000

Madelyn got to tap a Maple Tree at the Presby Maple Farm in Bethleham, NH. As my friend Christi says, “Where the syrup runs sweet, and the people even sweeter”. We had a great day!

Has anyone seen this wine?

don — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 22:28:17 +0000

Christy and I were in the local liquor store today and were hoping we could find a bottle of Flavium Bierzo Crianza. We received a bottle of the absolutely fabulous wine as a present a couple of months back and have been completely unable to find it anywhere. The couple that gave us the wine said the place they bought it from hasn’t had it since. It just occurred to me that an Internet A.P.B. might be in order for this great wine. I even did a review on it at OakandSmoke.com.

Winter Games

don — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 19:55:14 +0000

I once remarked to Christy that I knew I was getting old saying, “All of the fun has gone out of winter.” When I was a kid, I loved to play pond hockey, build snow forts, and of course go sliding on the hill right outside our back door. Perhaps there is still hope for me, because yesterday was one of the best winter days I can remember. The girls got all bundled up and we went out the back door for some sledding. The hill pales in comparison to the one I grew up with, but it was just as well. It was all Alison could do to make it up after each run.

Baby Loves Disco

don — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 13:46:21 +0000

This past Sunday the four of us made the trek down to Boston for an event called Baby Loves Disco. The event was held at the Revolution Rock Bar on High St. from 2pm to 5pm and can be summed up quite simply as a dance club for kids. The girls had a blast and amazingly so did we. Alison has got some wicked moves and Maddie is a real pro with an egg shaker.

Every family that comes in gets wrist bands for the kids and matching claim tickets for the parents to hold on to. What is more is that you can’t even get in the door without your own kid. The end result is an atmosphere that is just as safe as it is fun. The event had a number of sponsors including Stride Rite and Picture People as well as quite a few more. They had snacks and juice upstairs and a rocking dance floor downstairs. We had a great time and look forward to doing it again some day.

Merrimack Tour de Lights

christy — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 16:59:35 +0000

Happy Holidays!

You can see the online map at: Merrimack Christmas Lights

Read more to see street names and descriptions…

Rainbow Ave.
One particular home takes its street name to heart.

Pine St.
Roll down the windows and brave the cold, because this light display comes with a soundtrack.

Mallard Point Road
This street has a number of decent displays and one that probably gets a Christmas card from PSNH.

Brant Dr.
If you’re already on Mallard Point Rd., then a quick jaunt down Brant will take you no time at all.

Cota Rd.
A colorful neighborhood with a wide array of displays.

Sharon Ave.
Make sure you catch Sharon Ave. while you roll through the Cota neighborhood.

Wintergreen Dr.
Quick run up to the top of Olympic Village and you’ll see a number of nice light displays.

Jessica Dr. & Ellie Dr.
The combination of Jessica and Ellie makes for a nice, colorful way to get from Baboosic to McQuestion.

Savannah & Springfield
Simple elegance characterizes this picture perfect neighborhood.

Mosswood Circle
Say hello to Mickey and the gang.

Daniel Webster Highway
Its likely you’ve seen this one already, but no tour of Merrimack Christmas lights would be complete without it.