I love this photo of the Samurai Seven! after a day of sun & surf we visited our favorite ice cream place, The Scoop Deck, only minutes from the beach house. Yummy yummy I’ve got good stuff in my tummy. Happy July!
With Jack’s graduation last night, four “generations” of Clickman kids have attended pre-school at Dover’s My School. Your family should have received a plaque or trophy (or something) to honor the achievement! It’s amazing the walls are still standing, you guys were wild and crazy kids… well maybe some of the time! I learned something new… Ben designed the My School “dragonfly” logo that is still used to this day. You should be receiving royalty payments Ben!
Happy Birthday Ben!
It’s been one of the highlights of my life (Grammy too) watching – and being a close part of – your transformation from a tiny baby to a young adult.
How did 13 years fly by so fast? You’re a teenager! What??!!??!!
For this special occasion, here’s my list of 13 awesome things about Ben Clickman
your sense of humor- every time I’m around you I’m reminded of the wonder of smiling and being happy. You have an amazing gift Ben, the power to see humor in life, to make others smile, and laugh! It’s the gift that keeps on giving. You’ll always have friends and will be successful because of it. Nurture your fantastic sense of humor to make the world a happier place.
your personality – you’ve got a wonderful way about you Ben. You’re probably not even aware of it, but you make people around you feel good, and that’s an amazing gift. Not many people convey this kind of vibe. You’re not a bragger or focused on yourself… you listen, smile and always come across with humility and kindness. It’s never about Ben Clickman, it’s about others. In a world of self-absorbed, narcissistic people, you stand out!
your ability to be a true friend – you’ve already learned one of the most important lessons in life: the importance of friends. I love the way you interact with yours, laughing, having fun, being a good listener and caring.
your easy going nature – you, sir, are not high maintenance in a world that’s increasingly filled with high maintenance people! You make me feel relaxed the second I’m around you. I could hang out with you all day, every day.
your potential – I can spot potential in people. I’ve worked with thousands of them and hired hundreds of them. You’ve got what it takes to conquer the world. The personality, brains, dedication and focus to set the world on fire. You give it your all and keep working hard. This stick-with-it-ness (a word I just made up) made you an Honor Roll student, a smart soccer player, talented bugle player and askilled gamer. Achieve your potential Ben and you will conquer whatever you want to conquer.
your opportunity to shine – it’s not easy being the oldest of four kids in a family… your siblings look up to you, your parents expect a lot. You were the first of seven grandchildren for Grammy and I, so you’re leading the way for us too. While it may sometimes feel like there’s pressure to excel, remember that’s actually a good thing because it shows how much people believe in your capabilities and possibilities. The quote below reminds me of you… these are the attributes that make up the Ben Clickman I know.
Last year our Easter egg hunt was on the beach… this year it was at our new house @ 30 Shore Lane in Dover. As soon as everyone was here, the wild search began for brightly colored eggs (with money and candy inside). Up and down and all around you went, a dozen eggs apiece after all the mysteries were solved. The Samurai Seven posed for a group photo featuring simultaneous bunny mouth posing, impressive! The weather was delightful with bright sunshine… we played football on the front lawn and hiked down to the Piscataqua riverbed finding treasures along the way. Hoppy Easter 2016!
Everyone had a great time at Grammy’s “retirement” party, held at Martingale Wharf in Portsmouth overlooking the Piscataqua River. We wish you could have been there but you had soccer tryouts. We missed you!
While she’s only 60 years old… young to stop working… it was the right time for a number of reasons. Grammy and I built a successful business (Beaupre & Co. Public Relations) from scratch beginning in May, 1983. Having worked together nearly every day for 33 years, it will be a big adjustment for both of us. We made a great team if I say so myself – she was “inside” and I was “outside.” She handled the people management and financial side; I handled the client and new business side. It was a match made in heaven!
you’re funny and I have lots of photos that prove it. here’s a small sample of evidence… keep smiling Ben!
Star Wars, always my favorite sci-fi movie, debuted the latest film in the now seven film franchise this week: The Force Awakens. Uncle Tim, Camden, Ben and Emma (aka The 3 Musketeers) and yours truly made the journey on a cold winter night, the day after the official opening on Friday, December 18.
It was a big deal for a bunch of reasons:
I’ve been trying to organize a winter getaway to my favorite ski area – Bretton Woods – for years… always calling too late to get reservations. I got my act together in 2015 – making reservations in July! On January 21, we descended upon our private condo overlooking Mt. Washington, staying through Sunday January 24.
Seven reasons why this winter getaway rocked:
#1 – we were together, all 13 of us, a combination that always equals FUN! No one was sick, everyone was in a good mood, we were ready to go!
# 2 – we tried exciting new things, like swimming at night in an outdoor pool in zero degree weather on a Full Moon Night! We were crazy, jumping into snowbanks frontwards and backwards, rubbing snow on our bodies before hurrying back into the pool. It was a special moment, it was Full Moon Madness!
# 3 – a world class view – I’ve seen a lot of beautiful sights in my travels, and the Mt. Washington Hotel with Mt. Washington behind it is second to none.
# 4 – the condo we stayed at – we had an entire house to ourselves with three floors. plenty of room for everyone. there was even a bus pickup service to and from the hotel and mountain.
# 5 – the view of Mt. Washington – this is what we saw when we looked out our front window – spectacular! The tallest mountain on the East Coast and crystal clear at the top, so unusual during the winter time!
# 6 – the weather – Although it was the coldest four days of 2016, it wasn’t windy, so the skiing and lifts were way better than normal. Plenty of snow cover on most trails, little to no ice, unusually good for East Coast skiing!
# 7 – the sledding was slippery fun – on our last day we tried something different – tubing! what a great way to end our winter getaway!
10 reasons why this was a wonderful Christmas:
Merry Christmas!
