A North Carolina Gathering

Chad and Janet's Family was headed to North Carolina to spend a few days with Kyle's family...and we decided to tag along.  So glad we did...it was a great time.

We flew into Atlanta, rented a car and drove up to Kyle's.  Why Atlanta?...a cheap flight and we love a road trip through new countryside.   Chad family did the same but stopped along the way to visit Janet's cousin.

 The grand kids are growing up.

 Charlie practicing tying his school uniform tie.

Friday before Chad's family arrived was spent shopping and getting ready for the fun.

Saturday when Chad's family arrived they couldn't get to the pool fast enough.

  Charlie doing the ol' football catch.

Sunday was

 ...church with some of the grand kids.

Cousins

 Grampa Karl watching the fun

...or is he just on his phone

 Lots of cannonballs

 and helicopter tosses

and trains.

  The Treasure Hunt

There was $21.00 in coins buried in the sand pile.

Pa counting the each child's "finds"

 to know how much treasure is still buried.

Chad cooked up some mighty fine ribs.

 More pool time.

 We finished out the evening with a little piano recital

 

 Charlie keeping one of the more rambunctious ones focused.

 Even Grampa Karl played a piece.

Monday 

Grampa Karl had to fly back to Vegas.

Saying good-bye to Pa.

 Lucia and I looking for more treasure.

Chad and Kyle took the kids and their sandy little cups of money to a store...for candy.

So much to choose from...so many decisions.  They were all so excited about their purchases.

Tuesday we headed to:

Of course most of the kids wanted to ride with Chad and Janet

.. in the van with the DVD player.

 I loved driving through the North Carolina country side.  Then what was suppose to be a quick stop at McDonald's...turned into going back for a cell phone left in the restroom (I'm guilty...thank goodness someone turned it in).  Then getting separated from the Kyle and Kim's van (they now had all their own kids) and going to the wrong beach.    We finally made it to the beach!!!

 

 It was fun...but the jelly fish were out in abundance and anyone that got in the water for any amount of time got stung...minor injury but not fun.

After a couple hours and several sand creations later

...Chad's kids said "can we just go back to Uncle Kyle's to swim?"

   So we did..back to Kyle's for pizza and one last pool time.

 Wednesday was back to school for Kyle's kids

...and they were pretty excited about it.

...except for Margot.

Shortly after the kids were off to school I loaded up with the Chad Tobler family for a ride back to Atlanta...and my spirit flight home

Fun in Fayetteville

 In February I went to help Kyle with his little people when Kimberly went to Europe to spend a much deserved vacation with her sister...remember she was sole caretaker of these little creatures while Kyle was deployed for 6 months last year. 

 Kyle was suppose to spend the days studying for his upcoming boards, but...

While I was there their upstairs bathroom was gutted and in the process of being remodeled...so a couple of handymen were there  from 9am to 7 pm everyday, except Sunday. The bathroom wasn't quite finished when I left so I didn't to see it totally finished...but it was looking VERY NICE!

I was there over Valentines Day.

Fiona helping Greta get her Valentine cards done.

Charlie had several basketball games and practices.

 The typical Tobler Breakfast of Champions.

Margot also had her 2nd Birthday.

 Georgie helped me with the party prep.

 Margot hasn't too happy about turning two.

 But she was happy about getting presents.

 Georgie didn't get any presents...

just a cupcake...that she had to frost herself.

 Greta's piano teacher arranged for her students to learn about playing the organ at a beautiful old church that had two pipe organs.  And Greta got a chance to play a piece on one of the organs.

;

I helped both Charlie and Greta with their piano practicing.  

Lots of counting time and sweet rewards for lines and measures played perfectly.  I was amazed at the difficulty of their pieces and how well they are doing!

Puzzle time

 Fiona only drinks out of the faucet. 

Spring pruning.

We also moved Charlie into his own bedroom and moved Margot's crib into the playroom off the girl's bedroom...so there was a lot cleaning, sorting and organizing.

It was a busy but fun 10 days.

Unfortunately I didn't ever see Kimberly.   Kyle dropped her off at the airport just as I flew in.  Then he dropped me off at the airport just as Kimberly was arriving...and the timing was such that we never saw each other.