The Waldron Family

We went to Chesapeake Beach on the Bay to visit with Auntie Jess. She was in town visiting her mommy who lives there. She also had the rest of the family there, so there were lots of babies everywhere. Bryce and Emmet had a good time not really looking at each other the whole day. Bryce really liked Emmet's swim trunks though. No, we don't tan him, that is his natural color. So here are Jen and Dagney, Kim and Bryce, Jessica and Emmet, and Jenny with Sophie and Maddy. Yeah, at all times there was pretty much at least one baby crying. Bryce enjoyed trying out other babies excersaucers. His feet didn't even touch, but he didn't care. Hey Jessica! We miss you and we wish you lived closer. It was really nice being around other mommies and babies that are the same age as us. Thanks Connie, for having us. And for the yummy crabs!

So, i'm leisurely paddling down the canals behind Dick and Joy's house on the kayak, and lo and behold i had a stowaway! This sucker was huge. Pictures don't do it justice. Bryce could have rode on it. and it was sitting by my leg the whole time and I never knew it until about half way home. It may have dropped out of a tree though. Thank god it fell in the boat and not on me. I would have abandoned ship i think. The canals are only like 4 foot at the deepest i think, but i woulda been walking home. Look at the size of that thing. It's like a dinner plate! Here's GrandDaddy Hood. He was reading a technical manual to Bryce, I think. Manly men in 50 SPF. I rather liked my bucket. that and staring at the flowers on Mommy's new suit.

I didn't want anything to do with the real ocean, too loud and scary. I prefer a bucket of warm salty water. Everyone start saving your tears for me, now!

Granddaddy (HepDaddy, HoDaddy) Hood bought us a loverly John Deere wagon to go for walks in. He's a great guy. My Bumbo fit perfectly inside it and I fit perfectly inside my Bumbo. Coincidence? Hmmmm... That's me with my Archie Bunker hat on. I greatly enjoyed looking at the trees go by and listening to the cicaidas. There were lots of them this year. Must be a 5 or 7 year. I have discovered "SO BIG!!" and enjoy standing on a regular basis (with help from mommy and daddy of course). I'm wearing my Speedo swimsuit here. I'm getting too fat for my turtle one. Here is mommy and me in my beach cabanna. I actually fell asleep for about a half an hour while daddy loaded up the chairs and umbrellas to go home after an exhausting day at the beach. It's tough being 3 1/2 months old. Here's Grandma Hood at the beach. It's good to be King. I love my Grandma's and Grandpa's. It was nice to see them and very nice that they both live in suc...

I have transitions lenses, Bryce doesn't. Who looks cooler? It's Bryce's first trip to the beach. He handled it well. Mommy and Grandma Hood made fun of my hat, but did my neck or ears get burned while i was there? Noooo. daddy posing with me covering up his tummy. He doesn't look too bad this way. I didn't like the sound the ocean was making. Too loud. Did I mention that we went to the Dinosaur when we were in Syracuse? HI Taylor!

For all of you unfamiliar with Syracuse, This is the Dinosaur Bar B Que. Kim and I went there when we were in town. Hey Taylor, were you there? Nope. Too bad. I guess it was a bit cold on the boat. Bryce is in there somewhere. Here's the lake at Clark's Reservation. It's this weird type of lake where the upper and lower water doesn't mix or something like that. Apparently the cliffs that we hiked on used to be a river that spilled over in a Niagra falls type fall in to this lake. It's a kettle lake. That's it. Many butts have graced this tree over the years. Here are Kim and Austyn adding theirs to the list. We met Uncle Dan and Aunt Alisa at a halfway point on the Thruway to exchange the kids. Aunt Lisa was very happy to get a chance to see Austyn and Bryce. Unfortunately she had to work as they were on vacation the weekend before, so Danny and Neva came with us.

So, out of nowhere, Danny figures out that he can climb between these two trees using just pressure between the two trees. Now why didn't I think of that!!! I've been spending summers there for the last 30+ years and never once did it occur to me that i could chimney up between two trees. I need to take him out to Utah with me next time we go and he can help me through the slot canyons. I'll just attach the rope to his waist and let him climb to the top. Hey, Taylor, Did I mention that i went to the dinosaur? It was trails like this that kept the "I'm Bored"s at bay. Gotta love glacial runoff. Clarks again. If you live in Syracuse, it's a must see. and during the week it's free. That Syracuse, it's a swell place. Three's a crowd, and that's about how many other people we saw on this hike. That's the way it should be. So this was actually Bryce's real first hike. the last one with Austyn was only about 50 feet into the woods ...

The kids had a great time playing in the water. I thought i had a picture of Danny when he had his goggles on and was sticking his head in the center of the tube with his butt sticking up in the air. When Alisa and Jen and I were little we used to make little houses for trolls and smurfs and stuffed animals, so I was telling Austyn about it and she has been wanting to make one for a while, so I got her started, and then Danny and Neva came and they went crazy. First Austyn found a millipede to build for, then there were all these little toads hopping around and they grabbed one and made it a little abode. A toad abode. This was the only time they were still for a moment so i could take a picture. Kids need to be out in nature. Go to the Library and find "Last Child Left in the Woods". Get those kids outside! Two days in the woods with no cable and not once did we hear "I'm Bored"! This is the front entrance. Very formal. It had a nice roof of leaves, bu...

Mommy blew some bubbles for Bryce while we were at the cabin, but they moved too fast for him to follow. He liked the spinny things on the bubble blower though. That thing that looks like a race car is the floaty thing we got for him to sit in. Didn't like it very much though. Perhaps the fish were nibbling on his toes.... Did I mention that Kim and I went to the Dino barbeque? Did you see that Taylor? MMMMMM. Dino bbq. Wish you were there, don't ya? Daddy, I think i see some fish down there. They look awfully hungry. we might want to leave. like now. I think they are getting closer. Hey, is that one wearing a bib? And holding a catsup bottle!!! It's very hard to get a picture of Austyn where she isn't posing, but she is very cute either way. this was taken on our hike at Clarks Reservation in Jamesville. It's a beautiful park where you hike on cliffs 175 feet above a lake. I'll add some more pictures next time.

Yes, we were gone for two weeks first to NY and then NC. More on the NC part to come. So, Bryce got his first taste of the Cabin at Panther Lake. He liked it for the most part. He didn't really care for swimming with the little floaty thing that he sat down in, but later on he chilled with daddy on the inner tube. He liked Grandpa's boat though. He fell right to sleep. We stole Danny and Neva from Alisa and Dan for a few days and Austyn had a great time with them. By the end of the week they were swimming without any grown ups around. (Austyn is afraid of the fish. A few years back the sunnies were coming up and nipping at people, and she hasn't forgotten. You have to watch out for those vicious sunfish. They do look an awful like pirannahs.....) Mommy and Daddy got to go to the DINOSAUR BARBEQUE!!!!!! Woo HOO!!. Love me some dino bbq. Taylor, this one is for you. Half rack of ribs, pulled pork, baked beans, cornbread and an ape hanger. Doesn't get muc...