What's Going On

Fair traffic

Yesterday was the last day of the fair.  Friday and Saturday were rainy, so all of Dutchess County tried to come to the fair yesterday (Sunday).  The parking lot closed because it was full.. never happened before.  All roads in and around Rhinebeck were backed up for miles and miles and miles.  They delayed the start of a performance of High School Musical by 45 minutes at the Rhinebeck Center for Performing Arts because the cast and audience couldn't get there!  There were record crowds and traffic never seen before in all the years of the fair.  It was really insane..

I took a few pictures of the road (Rt 9G) behind our house.  This location is 3.5 miles from the fair.  And at one point, it was backed up probably another 4 or 5 miles past this point.

Almost the exact same photo was on the front page of the Poughkeepsie Journal today... I saw another guy taking photos of the road behind our house... guess he was from the Journal (like Newsday around here).  When Jeff and I saw it we laughed, same exact photo different cars.

Steph is at a sleepover, Chris has soccer camp for Rhinebeck travel teams..

Sold a bunch of photo CDs this weekend of the High School Musical Performance here at our Perf. Arts center.  Meeting with the director tomorrow to see how I can get more involved with the center..

Also, got hired to take some "promo shots" of an upcoming production... 

Have a great Tues!

Very, very funny (and cute) video of the Ryan vacation to Virginia Beach

First of all HAPPY BIRTHDAY DILYNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a basketball team!

My neighbor had her fifth baby today.   It was beautiful baby boy!!   She now has 5 boys, enough for a basektball team.   And guess what?   I had an exciting night... well, not quite as exciting as my neighbor...

My phone rang at 3:35am... it was my neighbor, she wanted me to come stay with her kids while she went to the hospital.. she was in labor.  When I got there, I found out she was planning to drive herself to the hospital.   Based on the fact that she was having a very hard time talking or even standing, I could see the baby was coming soon.  I told her "no way", called our other neighbor to come stay with the kids and she and I rushed off to the hospital.   She was scheduled to deliver at a hospital that was 30 minutes away, I quickly decided we were NOT driving 30 minutes and I thanked God we have a hospital 5 minutes from our house.   And I now know that you can get to that hospital in 3 minutes if you drive very, very fast.

Baby was born at 4:30am, you do the math...  I'm very glad I did not have to join Richie in the "I delivered a baby" club.

There is a name for this baby, but it was not 100% certain yet so I won't say.  He is so, so cute and such a good mellow baby.  Once his brothers woke up, they were brought to the hospital to meet their new brother.  They were so excited, I didn't have my camera, but we got some good pictures with her camera, I'll have to steal some of her photos.

I came home and napped this afternoon.

Steph went to the fair yet again.  I was spared the trip, she went with a friend and her friend's family.  She rode crazy, nutsy rides that I'm glad I was not there to witness.

Jeff is back from his overnight golf outing, they got rained on, but not too bad.  Golfed all day on Thurs and a lot of Friday before they were chased off the course by some heavy rain.  They had fun..

Chris is very excited, he got his middle school schedule today.  Wednesday is "walkthru the schedule day".

Have a great Sunday!

Talent Show and Funny Photo

Today was talent show day.  Steph's dance studio, Studio D, had about 6 acts in the talent show, it was fun, we all sat together and tried to out-cheer the other dance studios.  The girls danced very well and had a blast.   One of our 6 dance groups made it to the talent show finals which is tomorrow (not Steph's group though).

These photos were taken with my old point and shoot camera.. decided not to lug the good one around the fair!

Here is pre-dance make-up prep:

Chris and his friend, who also had a sister dancing in the show, did a good job entertaining themselves:

Same dance, same costumes.. different stage.

Steph and Dilynn waiting to ride on the crazy ride that goes way too high..

This one cracks me up!  Steph is in red, her friend Elle is next to her with Lion make-up on.

This is the ride that is a huge pirate ship that swings back and forth.  If you are on the end like they are, you go really high..

Dilynn Steph and Elle riding in the rain..

 

What do you do when the show you are waiting to watch has been delayed?   Dance in the aisles and entertain the crowd of course..

A fun time was had by all.. and now they are all asleep, yay :-)

Have a fun weekend!

The Fair Part 2

Took pictures of the girls dancing at the fair today.   They were just in the Arts and Craft tent doing entertainment dancing , tomorrow is the talent show.  Chris got put to work today.  He was in charge of putting on the music for each number.  He did a great job!

They started out dressed like yellow clowns and did a very silly clown march dance:

Then they got to do their favorite part, the tear off costume:

Then they danced like more serious clowns..

Dilynn and Derek were at Tuesdays performance.. he won a fuzzy fish who apparently wants to be part of the girls' dance number..

Dilynn and Steph went on this ride.  No, it's not as high as it appears in the picture, it's HIGHER!

Then Steph went on it again with our neighbor Maddie:

Tonight I was sewing up holes in fishnet stockings... never thought those words would come out of my mouth..

Oh, and Alex and I are famous (again).  He is in the Hudson Valley news (his quote is in an article) and his face in a photo.... that I took!!   And it does not say "photo submitted" under the photo, it says "Photo by Kathy Cassens". 

Early morning tomorrow.. talent show day.  Then a long break from both dance and gymnastics  until school starts.

Have a great Friday!

The Fair

The Dutchess County Fair began today.   It's a big deal in this town.  It's one of the biggest county fairs in the state.. and it's in our backyard.  Literally.  I'm listening to the concert being performed at the Grand Stand stage here as I type.  Lots and lots of traffic.

Steph danced at the fair today.  She danced at the Thompson house (nursing home) on Sunday, same dance.. they are clowns.  They do two numbers.. the first is very silly.. then they rip off their velcro dance shirts and dance a second number.  They think this costume removal is very very cool.   Here they are at the Thompson house..

(OK, can't get the photo on here tonight.. long story, photo tomorrow FOR SURE!)

We stayed at the fair after the girls danced.  Steph had her friend Elle with her.  They rode on crazy rides.  Chris played a bunch of games and won some stuffed animals.  Chrisie, Dilynn and Derek were at the fair with Chrisie's friend Colleen and her kids.   They came to watch Steph dance.  Derek had his arms full of stuffed animals as well.

Chris discovered today that every Mets shirt that Chris has with a Met's players name on the back of it, well that player is injured..  I think he might burn his shirts.  Although I think every Met that is good enough to have shirts sold with ther name on it, is injured.   Chris has not recovered from the triple play this past weekend.

Hey, I'm famous!  Check it out:

http://www.centerforperformingarts.org/programs.html?phpMyAdmin=2e44397a76f79595510c8772b8650973

Big decision tomorrow.. do we go to the fair again?  It's going to be hot hot hot!  Or do we go to the town pool since it will be empty with everyone at the fair!

Renegades tomorrow night!

Have a great Wed!

 

Hello

Hello..

Well what's going on?  Lots of stuff.. been waitin for another guest blogger, but most of them are vacationing at Virginia beach.

I have pictures of Stephanie at her Marist Basketball camp coming soon...

I photographed Dilynn's Annie show last Saturday (you may have seen those photos).  The play was great!  Dilynn was great!   Then one of the kids' mom's asked me to take more photos of her daughter, so I went back this Saturday and took more photos... it was even better this time!   I sold a few CDs with all the Annie photos on it, sold a small photo album of photos..

Talked to the director of the next show, High School  Musical, she said I could photograph her show and sell CDs, she even offered to give my website info to the people in her show.. so I photographed that today.  Been busy processing lots and lots of pictures : -)

Chris has golf camp M, W, F for the past 2 weeks in the morning.  Despite the heat, he had a lot of fun.  Steph has gymnastics camp last week.. and a sleepover on Friday night.  It was her friend Casey's birthday.  They did not go to sleep until 4:30 am.  She was a real treat on Saturday.

This coming week is the Dutchess County Fair.  We should be there most of the week.  Steph is dancing in the "arts and crafts" tent on Tues and Thurs.  Friday she is competing in the talent show in the big talent tent.  she is excited about that.  There is another local dance studio who always wins at the fair.  So they are hoping to win this year..

both kids are going on an "away" playdate in the morning (yay me!  :-)   I should get the rest of my photos processed.

Pictures tomorow, I promise.

guest bloggers, anyone?  anyone?

Have a great week!

Annie Jr.

Dilynn was in a play last Saturday, it was a verion of Annie called Annie Jr.  We all saw it last Saturday, they are performing it again this Saturday.  Dilynn was one of the French maids, as well as a woman holding a baby, as well as a narrator. 

The play was really great and  Dilynn was terrific!  Here are a few photos of Dilynn:

 

For more photos of the play go to www.kcassens.smugmug.com (click on Galleries, and then click on Theater).

Hey, South Carolina Ryan's.. we need some pics of Mikey and some good stories!!

Have a great Thurs!

Surfer Dudes!

Also known as the O'Reilly kids.  June and John's kids.  Boy have they grown!!!

So who do you think this is?  June as a child?  Uncle Gene's female clone as a child?

This is Kelly Anne!!

Here is Katie

And Johnny..

Here is Katie surfing..

Kelly surfing (had a big of trouble transferring pictures..

Katie again..

Kelly

 

Johnny the surfer dude.

If you want to see more pictures of the O'Reilly kids surfing, you can check out this website:

http://jlaker2.com/2009Shore.html.

June, thanks so much for sending the great photos!!   I wasn't able to see the movie though.

Keep sending more pictures!

Very, very, very cute... from Danny

Danny decided to do a video guest blog update instead of the usual boring email..

have a great week!