June 2008 - July 17, 2008

Welcome back to Kyle's world....Karl and I just live in it, you know. We have been so busy since the beginning of June that I have not put any pictures up since the end of May! Shame on me, I know!! Most of our time this past month and a half was spent in Florida, vacationing for 3 weeks...yes, 3 weeks. Karl only got to spend half that time with us (Raleigh to New Smyrna to Melbourne to Orlando International Airport to Raleigh and real life for Karl and Raleigh to New Smyrna to Melbourne to Carrabelle to Jacksonville to Raleigh and real life for Kyle and I - oh, and a one night stop in Orlando/Disney World for Karl and I.......my first night away from Kyle!). We had an AMAZING time in Florida and Kyle was such a trooper, although he didn't go back to sleep after getting into the car at 4:00 in the morning the day we left Raleigh. (Thanks for the tip, Jessica, too bad it didn't work for us!) We had several long car drives (10 hours down, 8 hours across, a short 4 hour, and then another 8 hours home - many thanks over and over again to Amy for use of her DVD player), what seems like a hundred new faces, and four different homes we stayed in and we survived, and, yes, even enjoyed it all!! We were so happy to have been able to see SO many of you during our vacation and can't wait to do it all again!

July 2008

"I am so strong I can lift a whole gallon of water....yeah, half it is gone but don't tell!"

Kyle loves to help with the dishes....this was the first time he climbed into the dishwasher. Usually he will just close the door, but, not at the end....he has to close it each time a dish it placed in there; makes for a very long dish loading process.
This morning we met some of our friends at Durant Park for our first "Wee Walkers" walk. We were supposed to look for dragonflies today. Kyle found a few.....plus a few other things....

Kathy, Kyle, and Savannah

Harrison, Amelia, and Kyle

Showing off his belly.....

Kathy and Savannah, Heather, Harrison, and Amelia, and Kyle

"Harrison, I bet you can't pull the birdhouses down....."

Where is Kyle???
Savannah didn't like fighting through the jungle!

Can't you just all stand still for one little picture? Just one picture of our little hikers??""
"Can I eat this straw, pretty please, Mommy?"

"Fine, I'll taste this pinecone instead."

Uh oh.....the television epidemic has caught up with our kids....

Mmmm...Chef Boyardee Beefaroni is SO good!

"Forget cutting it up, mommy. This is the best way to eat an orange!"

Karl went to Jumpin Beans with us this week to see what the fuss was all about. Who had more fun? Daddy or Kyle???

I have a box of kitchen toys that are for when we are working in the kitchen and need to keep Kyle entertained. The box has a few small toys in it but is mostly full of real, used kitchen items (egg carton, cereal boxes, coffee canister, whisk, etc.). Kyle decided it would be more fun to play with the items from inside the box instead of outside of it....

Kyle likes to "talk" into the canister....

Amy and Kaleigh - had to share her impressive yoga moves!!

Rhyme Time at the library

Kyle and Savannah

Savannah, Kyle, and Matthew

We were so happy to be back with our friends after being gone for 3 weeks!

Kyle and Matthew.....our busy bodies took a moment to rest
"Mmmm....this sure is good....can I have a popsicle every time I go to Savannah's house?"
"Matthew, it's my hat, not yours."
"Hurry, take a picture, they are all together and staying still!"

Florida Vacation - Jacksonville

Christian and Kyle had a great time together!



Erick and Susan.....what? We're both parents now??? Long way from middle school, huh?

Splash area at the Jacksonville zoo....I didn't know they had this so I didn't take any swimwear for Kyle. Luckily we were able to get the swim diaper there. My brother says Kyle was rockin it redneck style.....sorry, Kyle....

Notice the expression on Kyle's face.....he did not like sitting in that Florida Gator chair, even if Rachel was there with him!

More zoo pics....
Florida Vacation - Carrabelle

Just hanging out.....

CAUGHT!!!!

Yeah, Kyle doesn't look too happy here with his granny.....

St. George Island, 4th of July

Playing at the park with cousin, Logan, and friend - 4th of July

Kyle loved it when Aunt Dolly fed him bananas.
Grandma got her dental floss stuck in this fan.....sigh.......

Kyle, Logan, and Devin
Kyle and Logan
Kyle impressed everyone with his amazing harmonica playing skills....if anyone finds one of these harmonicas across the state of Florida, please return it to us here in Raleigh. We seemed to have left one or two behind everywhere we went.
Florida Vacation - Melbourne/Orlando (Disney World)

We weren't smiling just because we were at Disney World....We were smiling because we knew we were going to have a night alone, without Kyle.



Florida Vacation - New Smyrna Beach

Bocce Ball - nightly ritual
Uncle Charlie, Paige, Emily, and Kyle in front of "our house"
Saying goodbye....

Hanging out at the "party house..." Every night the entire family got together for supper at this house.

Kyle and Opa
Kyle and Oma - poker anyone?
Angie, Josh, and Kyle

Kyle had a blast playing in the sand! Here he is with his Opa.

Aunt Maggie, Susan, and Kyle
The manatees were so close you could sit on the rocks and touch them.

Even the dolphins had fun with us on this boat...

A sea turtle had layed her shells in the sand right at the foot of our deck so they had to be moved to a safer place.

Aunt Barb, Uncle Jim Susan, and Kyle

Collecting shells with Oma and Aunt Ingrid....


A nearby lighthouse we climbed....

First steps on the beach....

"Go, daddy, go!"

June 2008

We went to the splashground and wading pool at the park where we took our swim lessons in April with some of our friends. Kyle had a FABULOUS time!

Jumpin Beans - floor to ceiling, wall to wall bounce house kind of think. Do ya think Kyle might like something like this???? Oh yeah!! Wednesday mornings is a special time just for kids under 2 so we met a bunch of our friends for a bouncin' good time!

Father's Day - Karl was supposed to go up in a helicopter to tour Raleigh but the tour got canceled due to weather just as we approached the airport. So, since we were there, we took Kyle to the observation park and let him watch planes take off and land. Fingers were crossed for a good experience because it would have broken Karl's heart if Kyle had hated it!

Karl made it on the helicopter the next day....