Doug and Debbie are Grandparents

Hi Everyone - Deb and I are
grandparents! Ryan and Chelcee had a
beautiful baby boy this morning.

Gabriel Douglas Vennard
Born - 8:03 AM 12/28/08
7 lbs 11 oz
20.5 inches

Mom, Dad & baby are all doing great.

Love - Grampa Doug

Look Who Went To California

Well, well lookie here!! Auntie Theresa actually got her feet in the Pacific Ocean. She was thrilled to have had the opportunity to surprise her grandsons, Matt and Jared, and to get a chance to see the other side of the country. The 6 hour flight didn't even bother her. Look out, she is feeling so great, I think we might be taking some more trips. We will keep you informed if she decides to become a world traveler!
Giggles.
Love,
Marilyn

Hey Cindi, I mistakenly deleted your e-mail about Uncle Earl before I grabbed the dates that you sent with it. Could you send them to me again so that I can put them on the November Calendar. Thanks.
Anyone else out there who would like their special days remembered by all, drop me an e-mail.
manystrz@yahoo.com

Love ya,
Marilyn

Update on Uncle Earl

8 days post open heart surgery, Dad is home and doing very well! He actually has spent time in the barn working on his vehicles again!

Love Cindi

Baby Contest

Hi Everyone,
JACOB SANTAMARIA NEEDS MORE VOTES
TO WIN THE $2500 PRIZE!

Hi,

I just wanted to remind you (in case you haven't voted yet today) that we still need more votes for Jacob Santamaria's picture. The photo with the most votes this month wins $2,500, so your help is very important to us! Click on the link under Websites calle Baby Contest Voting.

Thank you,
Erin and Jacob Santamaria

P.S. - Please forward this email and help me get more votes for Jacob Santamaria!

Some Anniversary Party Photos

We Have Another Little One on the Way...

Jenn and Jesse are expecting again. Patrick will be a Big Brother sometime around May 31.
More little grandkids for Mooma and Poopa.
Congratulations Sleeper Family

We have another new member of the family.

Noah Frank Autino, born 6 am, Sept 18 2008 (Great Aunt Peggy's birthday!) to Wendy Vennard & Allan Autino. He is 7 lbs 11 oz 20" long and mom and baby are completely healthy after a natural childbirth.
Love ya,
Tag and Karen Vennard

Footnote: Noah's entrance into the world has made Aunt Lucille a Great Grandmother. Woo Hoo

Rick & Laurie's Anniversary Party

How was it, gang? I have heard from my Mom that it was a great time. And Hurricane Hanna had a bit of an Anniversary wish for the couple? Sorry I missed it. It sounded like a really good time. I will anxiously await word from my cousins and pics too I hope.
Love,
Marilyn

Speaking of Families...

Feast your eyes on the Miller Gang -Aunt Lucille and all her siblings at their reunion this year. Only Sally couldnt come from Hawaii.
Left to right standing- Larry, his wife Nancy, Arlene,Lorraine, Shirley. Sitting-Ray, Roberta (Forrie's wife) , Forrie and Lucille.

Thanks to Peg and Tag for the photo.

We Have Another Member of Our Family

Liberty Reigh Plunkett has arrived!!
She came into the world on August 12th weighing in at 6lbs and 10 ounces, 21.5 inches long. Kristy is feeling great and big brother Zach is a big helper! She is a beautiful baby!

Love to all,

Laurie & Rick Sleeper

Notes from Doug..

Hi Gang - I had a real blast at the family party this year. It was really great to have everyone get involved singing and dancing and just having a great time. It makes playing so much more fun when everyone is in it with us - next year we'll just have EVERYONE up on the "stage"... we don't need no audience.

A bunch of people at the party expressed interest in going to the Legion Cookout right down the street from the Connell's, that our band D-Tor is playing at. It's a really fun outdoor event with great food, outdoor cash bar and two bands. Here's the details:

Nabnasset American Legion Annual Cookout

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Opens at Noon
Cabin Fever Band - 2:00 -3:00 PM
Food Served - 3:00 - 4:00 PM
D-TOR - 4:00 - 6:00 PM
Cabin Fever Band - 6:00 -9:00 PM

American Legion Post 437
114 Dunstable Road
Westford, MA 01886
978-692-7400


Spread the word - hope to see you there!

Pictures from the Cookout

Cindi dancing up a storm
Donna's Band
Zachgary and Patrick
Looks like everyone had a great time. Thanks to Tag for sending the photos.

Notes from Marilyn

Tag's daughter Wendy is having a baby very soon and her family had a very nice baby shower for her last weekend at Aunt Lucille's house. I thought I would post some of the pictures.
I have only heard from Donnie and my Mom about the Connell cookout and what a blast it was. (Sorry I missed it, it sounds like it was a 'rocking' good time, as usual.) Any pictures? Send them to me at manystrz@yahoo.com so that I can post them. Also any dates of interest.
And feel free to send me a paragraph or two about how your family is doing and what everyone is up to. It doesn't have to be pictures, we like to read about what you are doing as well.
Summer is almost over-do all those fun summer things, QUICK!! giggle
Love,
Marilyn

COUNTDOWN TO COOKOUT!

Hope everyone has their calendars marked for this coming Saturday (Aug. 2nd) for the annual Vennard Family & Friends bash! Scott is planning on bringing his PA system so we will have sound right on through the night for dancing/singing or whatever, and the family band members could plug in as well (or own system, if preferred)...just shoot me an email for any details. The festivities begin at noon and go on till whenever, so come early, stay late..or somewhere in between...and friends are welcome, so please bring anyone you would like (we've invited some friends also). The more the merrier!
Hope you're all enjoying your summer and looking forward to seeing everyone Saturday at our house!
Love,
Donna (djschena@verizon.net)

From Laurie and Rick

Photos from Erin

Hope all is well.
Love Erin, Ed and the boys

Can You Name Your Relatives?

This is a photo of some of us at a cookout at 5 York Ave. (Auntie Theresa's). I guess back then news was scarce so they put photos of family cookouts in the local newspaper. giggle@ If you click on the photo, it will get larger so you can see all of our lovely faces better.
Thanks to Tag for this entry :)

From Doug

I can't even begin to count the number of times I heard my dad sing
that song during my childhood. I remember Uncle Tom used to show up
unexpectedly every now and then (when we lived in Nab) and him and dad would just sing till the wee hours. I used to sit up in my room and think I was listening to the Everly Brothers, they sounded so good together. That audio clip made me think that I should post this picture. I saw it at Joan & Earl's house the day of Joan's funeral and asked Scott if he would scan it and send it to me, which he did promptly - thanks so much Scott. It's probably one of the last times (if not THE last) that we sang together - I just love the expression on Joan's face - she got so much genuine enjoyment from music that she made everyone around her feel the same joy... you had no choice. This has been the screen saver on my computer for the past several months. Sometimes it brings me to tears, but they're always tears of joy for time spent together.

From Donna

Wow! That’s about all I can think to say about the audio clip of Uncle Tom singing! When I listened to it, it immediately took me to a wonderful place in time…..I just closed my eyes and I was there. Thank you, so much, to all who were involved in bringing it back to us. It sure is a gift that made my day and is definitely priceless!!

We’re working on some dates for the cookout so I’ll be posting soon about that…Looking forward to seeing you all.

Love to all,
Donna

From Cindi Connell

Here is our family news:
Ryan graduated on Sunday May 25 from UMASS Dartmouth. He earned a degree in Finance and has two minors: International business and Economics. Luckily he obtained a job and has already started at Coventry Corporation in Burlington, MA. He is living back home and we are having a great time with him!

Lindsey completed her first very successful year at Syracuse University. She did get play time and scored 3 goals in Fall ball and a goal for the Spring team which went all the way to the Final Four. This means that the top four teams in the United States had playoff games in Towson, MD.

Of course Scott and I drove to MD on Thursday/Friday (SU lost) and then we drove home on Saturday morning to attend Ryan's graduation! What a weekend!! She is back for the summer and will be teaching lacrosse camps to younger girls here in Tyngsborough and in Vermont. It is great to have her home!

I hope everyone is doing well and we hope to see you all this summer!

Cindi

D-TOR

Hi everyone - First, I want to thank Marilyn for this site. I haven't been very active contributing (yet), but I am on here reading every week, and I think it's great. It's a fantastic way to share old memories (and photos) as well as current news. My brother Tag has recently started converting some of our family's old home movies to digital format, so I'm going to see if we can track down some of the verrrry old movies from Joan's family gatherings that my dad took when we were just kids. I'll try to post some mpeg movies or links if we are successful.

Some of you may know that the band that Ricky and I have (D-TOR) has taken the past several months off. I wanted to let everyone know that we are dusting off the instruments to help a local charity. A good friend of mine is very involved in The Wish Project and my bandmates were gracious enough to agree to help them at their annual fundraiser. So come on out and have some good food, good laughs, and good music for a good cause. Tony V is the guy on the boston.com TV commercial
shoveling a parking space that he gives to someone else ("Cut it haahd - watch ya bumpah") - and they say he's hilarious.

http://www.boston.com/marketing/forlocals/public.html
http://www.lowellwishproject.org/urgentwishes.html
http://www.d-torband.com/
- Doug

CUTIES

This is a picture that Donna found (thanks Donna!). So, we think that it is Nana, her sister, Clara and then in front, Kay, Frank, Theresa? Anybody?
Hope all is well,
Marilyn

Looking for Pictures

Hi Everyone!
My Mom got a call from her cousin Cheryl the other day and she is looking for any photos of her mother, Aunt Clara, and her grandmother, Theresa Bell. (Nana's mom). If you have access to any of these, please give my Mom a call at 978-256-2861.
Muchas Gracias,
Love,
Marilyn

Rick and his Dad

rick & laurie sleeper said

Hi Everyone,
The update on Mandi's surgery is that she's doing pretty well, but still in alot of pain. She has to wear an external rotation brace for another 5 weeks, so obviously her activities are limited including driving. She has been going to work as much as possible. She works with Laurie so that works out good. She was able to take 5 weeks off from school without getting behind at all.
Well I know that you all know that my father left the family 30 years ago and the last time I saw him was about 19 years ago, but I had this feeling or urge(whatever you want to call it)to get in touch with him somehow. I called my Aunt Barbara(his sister)and got his phone number.We talked for a while and he came to my house the Sunday before Easter. It went very well and I'm hoping to continue a relationship with him. It's not easy to forgive him for what he did, but he is my father and we're not getting any younger.

Rick

Happy 'Keester' Everyone

From Kristy

Just want to tell you all my exciting news. We are having a baby Girl!!! Zach is very excited and has been the only one all along saying he was going to have a baby sister. Not definite on a name but leaning towards Liberti Skye, and we will call her Libby. Hope everyone has a great easter.
Love Kristy

Zachary and Patrick

Cindi's Still Got It.

Looks like a good time was had by all. Picture, courtesy of Laurie and Rick.

From the Sleeper's

Mandi's next surgery is going to be on March 27th, if you can all keep her in your thoughts and prayers we would appreciate it.

Hope to see you all at Cindi's party!!!

Laurie

A Little 'Summer' in the Snow

Auntie Theresa's great- grand daughter, Summer.

Kristina Sleeper wrote:

Just wanted to let you all know, my little guy, Zach, may soon be a model. We talked to an agency yesterday and they loved him, they couldnt believe how old he acted and how great his personality is. I bring him for a photoshoot soon, so we can begin the process of him getting jobs, so someday you may see him in a commercial or an ad, or modeling for a toy!!!!

Zachary and Patrick

Laurie and Rick Sleeper's two adorable grandsons enjoying the New England Winter.

Party Tyme!

Save the date!!!
MARCH 1st (SAT)
Please Join us for a “Garage Dance Party” to celebrate Cindi Connell’s 50th B-day
Cindi would love to have you come to Donna’s house and like we did for Mike’s, just
woop it up and have fun moving anyway you like to some favorite tunes via my
PA set up in Donna’s heated garage. MARCH 1st (Sat) night come anytime after 6pm
and join the rest of the (shy) extended Vennard family crazies as well as a few friends...
B THERE OR B SQUARE ,
Oh and please no gifts,,,, your company is all that is requested. (Oh and I guess bring
what you like to drink)
Please help spread the word!!

Scott (lacrosseman42@verizon.net)

PICTURES FROM ERIN

Erin has lots of very nice photos of her family, this being one of them, but I was only able to download this one for now. I am on vacation in sunny Florida and have the use of the slowest computer ever. So enjoy this one from Erin and look forward to more in about a week. She also says Hi to everyone.
Love ya,
Marilyn

FROM RICK AND LAURIE

Kristy Plunkett(Sleeper)is expecting another child in August.
Mandi is having more shoulder problems. Her left one again, it looks like surgery #6 is probable.

What a Group of Cuties!

Auntie Theresa, Abby Vondal and Aunt Kay. (1942)