WOW!!!!! Where have the last 11 months gone? It was 11 months ago today that Charlotte joined our family, it has been quite the experience. It seems strange that this month mark is such a big deal, it just makes the 1 year mark seem so close! Well anyways, it has been a while since we blogged. The main thing that we did this summer was a vacation/trip. We went to California to visit my (Bryan's) hometown, then Oregon to visit the family and for Charlotte to have some Granddad and Grandma Kennedy time, and then back to California for a Kennedy Family reunion. We had a great trip with lots of first and lots of good times with family.
On the way to California, Charlotte cut her first tooth and then on the way home, she cut her second tooth. Charlotte had such a good time (her parents did too) with the Kennedy side of the family. Even though we spent almost 3 weeks there, it still just did not seem like enough. Well here are some pictures that we got on the trip.
Charlotte had lots of fun on her first trip to the beach, she got to play in the wet stuff and the dry stuff, she was not so sure about it, then started liking it and then she got scared when her Uncle Derek played sand monster and then it took her a while to get back to comfortable with the sand.
Fun at the beach with Grandma K.
"Hello Everyone"
(Imagine the mouth moving a mile a minute)
"Look out, it is baby Godzilla attacking an even larger Charlie Brown"
Clash of the Titans
Fun at the Beach
"Look, it is someone my own size to play with, though he does not talk very much. He is a good friend"
Fun with Missy. Charlotte was a bit cautious with Missy at the beginning of our stay, but she warmed up to her and by the end of the stay they were best of friends. Well, Charlotte really liked her and Missy tolerated her with a smile.
Charlotte having a lemon at Moe's Restaurant. She sure does love them, but don't worry, it was not the only thing she had. The best part of the restaurant was the fun Charlotte had looking around at all of the other people who were there.
I know, I know, a picture without Charlotte, sacrilege, but who could resist putting up a picture of a flesh eating plant called "The Viper Lilly"
Charlotte in her stroller while we went to Darlingtonia to look at the Viper Lilly marsh
Fun at Spaghetti night, what more needs to be said.
Great Grandma Kennedy's spaghetti sauce is so good I could just take a bath in it (and I almost did!)
Charlotte with her Kennedy Cousins
Just having fun at the family reunion.
So now some time to brag. We were very blessed when Mom and Dad (Alice and Joe) let us take their car for the trip, it made things easier. So on the way out it was three people (one of them being a baby that really takes up a disproportional amount of space with all her things!!) taking the stuff for three weeks. My sister Kristen came back from her mission to Bulgaria and got a job in Provo and it worked out that she was going to come back with us. So on the way back we increased 1 more person and all the stuff that she needed to bring to get going with her life here. It came out being the big pile that you see above, it took up a large part of the garage when we unpacked. So you say what is there to brag about......
It is my wife and her mad packing skills that was able to get 4 people and all this stuff into the Acura (the picture makes it look bigger than it actually is). I still don't know how she did it, there may have been some magic involved, I don't know, but it was impressive. I would have been able to fit about half of what we brought, but my amazing wife made so much of it fit. I think it may be a side affect of so many hours and so much proficiency at playing.... Dr. Mario. :)
I got these musical maracas from the Smith's, they are super cool and I have already played with them a bunch.
Since my birthday is in October and my Mother loves Halloween, the party had some Halloween overtones one of which was the Jack o' Lantern Pizza thy got me, I thought it was pretty cool.
What a lovely looking cake, I think I might have a piece.
Okay, maybe I will have a nice sized piece.
Okay, maybe I will have a piece the size of my head!!!!
I LOVE CAKE SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got this really cool rocking chair from my Granddad Kennedy.
It took me a little bit, but I got a hold of this whole unwrapping thing. Thanks for all of the wonderful and thoughtful gifts, I felt very bless and grateful for such good family and friends.
Even my friend Michaela came over to hang out, the whole night was very fun. Thanks again and love to all.
