Category Archives: Family

Family time.

The Pickerts take Pensacola

Pickert Family

This past week we visited the Pickerts in Pensacola, FL. My grandparents live there and we rented a house at the beach that all the families could stay at. We probably had less relatives than we had before, but we also have more college graduates than we have before. Cousins have real jobs and commitments and no longer have a holiday break. I got my own room because of this. I have never had my own room. There is usually a room with twin beds or bunk beds to be shared. Michael wasn’t there, I like it when Michael IS there. Overall, it was a great little trip. There was lots of walks on the beach, a lot of bonding with relatives, and an exorbitant amount of eating. Everyone brought the sweets they had been gifted by neighbors and coworkers so there was an entire counter space designated for holiday treats. My grandparents thoroughly enjoyed having us all come to them, and that is what it was all about.

Pickert Ladies 09Pensacola Beach 09Emily and Reade

On the last afternoon I realized I had not taken any pictures, so Emily, Reade, my mom and myself walked down to the beach. As a result I only have pictures of the four of us.

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Ditched by the Middle Child

Michael aloofThis is the first Christmas that all three of my momma’s children have not been home for the holidays. Michael ditched us. Yes, it was for something important to him and his work, but there was a “6 ft hole” as my mother said.

Michael is doing Americorp at Camphill in Copake, NY. Christmas is a special time in the Village filled with many traditions. The coworkers and residents all come together to take a break and take the time to enjoy the company of the people around them. We spoke to Michael on Christmas Eve and Christmas and he sounded like he was having a fabulous time. We put him on speaker phone and it really was like he was here. We were all talking at once, Michael was just far way. According to Michael’s holiday schedule, he had candle lightings, wreath somethings, paper rose making, cooking, and sledding to accomplish. It seems as though we take a little bit of a lazier approach to the holiday. Emily and I did do holiday crafts, so we should get credit for that. I also baked a pie, which was my contribution to all of my mother’s hard work in the kitchen. (It should be noted that my father has all of a sudden become a food critic and has started with my pie baking skills. It should also be noted that he was the only one who did not compliment my fine work!)

Michael is an important part of us. He lets us know that we are all nuts. He is probably my parents favorite child, but they probably wouldn’t confess if confronted. We love you Michael; and we missed you wrapped in an entire bed spread complaining that it is too early to function.

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The Pickerts Take New York

This past week my entire family flew to New York and my brother took the train down to meet us in NYC. We stayed at a little vacation rental house in Brooklyn and took the train into Manhattan. Here are just a few of the things we did….

The Pickert Family

We ate at Lombardi’s Pizza, the first pizzeria in America. I’ve eaten here with JMO before but it was a fun place to share with my family. The day we went my friend Bonnie was with us, so we were able to get a picture of the entire family.

Mike and Meg on Ferry

We took the ferry from Battery Park to Liberty and Ellis Island. It was VERY COLD.

Emily and Lady Liberty

Emily looks adorable on the ferry. She took close to a million pictures of everything New York had to see. Our family only makes it into about 5 of her pictures. Check out her Facebook to see how little she cares about us.

Octopus and Me

We walked around Chinatown and SOHO. Michael found some spicy sauce he likes to put on all his foods. He thinks it will spice up the bland food on the farm. In this pic I am holding up a dried octopus. I have no idea what these are used for.

Bull and Parents

We walked around downtown, Wall Street, saw the NY Stock Exchange and fought other tourists to take a picture with the bull.

Black and White cookie - Emily

We ate black and white cookies, Emily was the only person who would let me photograph them eating it.

Overall, it was a fun trip. We were exhausted from walking everywhere, but we saw a lot on the four days we were there and not a lot on the days we traveled to and from the city. Michael is back at his farm and the rest of us have made it home safely.

If you are interested in the complete collection of our vacation photos, check them out on Flickr!

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Fifteen

Emily is pretty

Today is the 15th anniversary of the birth of Emily Claire Pickert. The night she was born Michael and I went to the neighbor’s house and slept. The next day my dad took us to meet our sister. We have pictures of the three of us in the hospital in one chair for a staged new baby/new family picture. Michael and I did not understand the way in which this baby was going to change everything. I was 10 and Michael was 7, Emily might as well have been raised by different parents her life was so different. Michael and I moved every 2-3 years and our sister has been in San Antonio since the first grade. Her idea of “change” is being asked to clean up the crap that has accumulated on her floor.

Michael always picked on her, probably passing down my cruelties. Emily is athletic and spends most of her time playing volleyball and Michael and I never seemed to succeed at any sport. We rode bikes and she’s never owned one. We spent our entire summers at local pools and Emily goes to athletic camps. Due to the differences in our ages, I almost never get what is cool or hip just 10 years after I was 15 (it does change rather quickly). For a family that talks as much as ours, Emily and I have had difficulties finding common ground to discuss in the past. We were going through high school and college while she was in elementary and middle. The things any of us wanted to talk about, ourselves, never seemed to interest the other sibling.

As Emily ages, the gap is beginning to close. I am impressed and intrigued by the person she is becoming. She still isn’t like me. Emily is competitive and smart and doesn’t fool with same girlish drama I always seemed to find myself in. Emily has a sense of self that I envy. I could not be more proud of Emily and I’m excited to be a growing part of her life. She now lets me into her world in a way that didn’t seem possible at the age of 10 when I held her in my arms. Emily’s impact on my life long ago meant taking my mother’s time and energy. Now I see a young woman who will always impact my life because she will always be part of it, always sharing her triumphs and struggles. So thanks Mom and Dad, for giving Michael and I a sister, it was a good idea.

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Volleyball Superstar aka Emily Pickert

Today my sister Emily had high school volleyball tryouts, she is an incoming freshman. The day went as follows:

1045: Check In, get a number

1100: Try outs start

130: Possibly get invited back

430: End of tryouts

530: Eat dinner with the girls

700: Check if your name is on a list

So it was a good thing I was never competitive, because I wouldn’t have made it through that ordeal at 14. I would have passed out or vomitted on another player.

Emily had hoped to make the Freshman team and made the Junior Varsity team. Tomorrow she starts two a day practices. High school sports are intense, I never knew this because I didn’t take part. I would be proud of that girl no matter what. I am so proud that she stays out of the teenage girl drama and she has such a good head on her shoulders. Congratulations Emily! I love you!

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