Becky and Jade on the 611

Becky and Jade are just hanging out on the 611. We all really enjoyed the day out, and the kids really love seeing new and exciting stuff.

Preston loves Trains

Here is Preston at the helm of this Diesel Engine. The Transportation Museum is located downtown Roanoke and has several different exhibits and plenty of rolling stock.

Becky and the children

Here is Becky, Preston, and Jade in front of the 611. Preston really had a lot of fun at the Museum. Jade was practicing walking all day. She has it down pat now. She pretty much looks like a drunk when she walks.

Preston and the 1218

Hey Grandpa Adams eat your heart out. Preston said he can't wait for you to come down again and he can take you to the Transportation Museum to see his trains. This is the 1218 and it sits next to the 611.

Steven Waldron Graduation

Here is the very proud and recently graduated Steven Waldron. Steven graduated from Emory and Henry College which is located in Southwest Virginia. As you can see Papa and Grandma Waldron were very proud of their grandson also. Uncle Steve and Aunt Cathy were delighted to see their first son graduate. Ryan will be soon behind. The graduation was excellent. Having been to an OSU and UT graduation in the past it was nice to actually be among the thousands instead of tens of thousands of friends and family members. The weather was perfect and we really enjoyed the barbeque afterwards. I'll have to admit the DVD picture collage that Aunt Cathy had made was a true tearjerker. We wish Steven the best and have fun this summer in Europe.

My Family

I have started a yahoo group for the members of all the extended families. Anyone can join/post/comment on this group forum. The website is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MyFamily22. You can go there and become a member. You can subscribe to the forum by sending an email to MyFamily22-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. By subscribing you will be notified by email of any posts to the forum. I hope that this will open up an informal dialogue between all of us. Let me know what you think. Feel free to use the site for what you wish.

Here's Preston

Here is the man of the hour. Preston loved the deck. Preston spent the weekend with Gammy and Gampy in Nashville. Preston really liked Aunt Valicia chasing him around the deck. He is growing up so quick and his hair won't stop growing long enough to cut it.

The deck

Here is the final product of the deck from the view of the back yard. This was a jungle before Rhett and Paul cut down about 40 trees when Vanessa bought the house. Vanessa designed the deck around the big oak tree in the right of the picture. So we built a bench seat in front of it.

The Fleitz Women

Here are all of the Fleitz women.
L-R: Valicia, Becky, Mom (Gammy), Vanessa, Jade.
Gotta love those Fleitz women.

Captain Paul fishing on the boat

Look at the determination on this guys face, or maybe he swallowed a fly.

Here is Paul showing off his fly fishing skills. He and Vanessa took us out on his boat for the day. We had lunch, fished a little, and toured the lake. Paul has a 22' center console. It really makes me want to get a boat. Paul had the big catch of the day: a 4.5" blue gill. Rhett came up empty handed.

Supervisory Skills

Fundamentally there is something wrong with this picture. Notice that Rhett's skills with woodworking are wearing off on Becky. That is Rhett's shop apron she is wearing. Valicia is the other one in the picture working. So that pretty much leaves Carlos (Valicia's Fiance). We had to tell him to slow it down a little and take a break. Then he pointed out the fact that neither Royce nor Paul were there at that particular moment. What moment you ask. The moment when we were building Vanessa a deck on the back of her house. That moment lasted the whole day. Maybe he was just showcasing his supervisory skills. If he thinks this is going to get him anywhere with Valicia he is in for a rude awakening huh. Seriously everyone who helped on the deck really did a superb job. We knocked it out quick.

A darling little Jade

Here is Jade the cutest little girl in the world (so what if I have a biased opinion). I just can't bring myself to put a funny caption with this picture. She is beginning to look like Becky a little bit.

Ok maybe just one:

"Daddy doesn't have a clue about the worrying I am going to cause him does he"

The latest Fleitz/Amish Deck Raising

So here it is 8 days since I vowed to post more. I however have been busy. I apologize if there are any loyal readers out there that we have not given you anything to read.

So we got back last night at midnight from Atlanta where Valicia and Vanessa live. The whole family went down on Friday and Gammy and Gampy (Fleitz) came and picked up Preston and Jade to take them to Nashville with them for the weekend. Meanwhile Becky and I got to enjoy a weekend without parental responsibilities. So the purpose of the trip was to build a deck onto the back of Vanessa's house. We were able to do that as well as have an enjoyable time at some restaurants and bars in the Atlanta area.

The deck is 20' wide and 16' deep in the back of the house. It ends up being about 5 1/2' off the ground at the tallest part. It was a joint effort by Carlos, Valicia, Vanessa, Paul, Becky, and me, Dad even helped out for a few hours when they came to pick up the kids. He just couldn't help himself. The deck really didn't take as long as I thought it would to complete.

The reference to the Amish is that they all get together for Barn raising, and it seems that our family gets together to help each other with big projects. So what if we don't call the building inspector. What fun would that be?

Valicia and Carlos are still busy planning the wedding. I put Carlos' name in there for effect. We all know(the ones of us that are married) that he doesn't get to pick anything. HEY CARLOS if you have any pull in the wedding then Royce will be in a baby blue tux and I will be in orange, both with matching top hats, tails, and canes. We'll see about that.

Hospitality

If you ever have the chance to spend the night or weekend at Vanessa's or Valicia's you are in for a treat. They are the hosts that you will continue to compare everyone else to. I feel like a schmuck having people over after staying there for a few days.

Gammy and Gampy got to spend the weekend with Preston and Jade. I am sure they had fun. Preston always enjoys going to visit with relatives. He certainly cannot wait to see everyone at the reunion in July.

The single greatest invention in family travel isn't the minivan it is the DVD player. This thing is great. Preston and Jade can sit there and be perfectly content in watching their toons while we drive to various destinations. However our DVD player broke on the trip to Atlanta. Luckily Preston and Jade were content in laughing at each other and making funny noises. So they haven't forgotten how to make an enjoyable trip with each other. I will however be getting another DVD player for them.

I will have pictures on here soon. I will try to download them tonight and have some up later tonight. Until then God Bless you all.

We are back

Sorry it has been so long since we have posted. We have been going through a transitional period here at the Fleitz household. Preston and Jade have began going to day care at a respectable place that we picked out and are very happy with. The couple who watches Preston and Jade have Christian beliefs and read and sing Christian books and songs. Everything has gone smoothly with the transition to child care and the children enjoy playing with the other children at the day care. Preston is even learning how to share. Jade is on the verge of walking now and we expect it any day.

So with the children in day care, Rhett has begun working a second job. He is a teller at the Roanoke Valley Firemen Federal Credit Union. It is the credit union for the firefighters of Roanoke Fire-EMS, which was started by firemen back in the '40s so the guys could afford the uniforms to go to work. The RVFFCU is located in the upstairs of station #8 and is relatively small. Rhett is in training now but when he finishes he will be taking care of deposits, transactions, loans, and the like. It is a reasonable second job and is not to stressful most of the time.

Becky is still enjoying her work for Provox and is now in the office 5 days a week, so she has had a transition period also. She has recently found time to paint the kitchen which means that the next time anyone is in our home the entire house will be painted. I cannot wait.

We are looking forward to a yard sale this weekend followed by some yard work. Then we will be gearing up to head to Atlanta to install a new deck on the back of Vanessa's house. Rhett loves to showcase his woodworking and help out the family. I think in a past life he was Amish.


Love you all and we will be posting more often I swear...

Look for updated pictures of Preston and Jade soon...

Cousin Melena

Here is cousin Melena with Nonny. Jade and I enjoyed seeing Melena and giving her kisses. I think that Melena is going to have fun playing with us when she gets a little older.

Jade and her birthday cake

Here is Jade stuffing her face with the cake that Gammy sent from Nashville. She sure did make a sticky mess. Daddy doesn't like sticky messes and cannot stand when Jade or I get all sticky.

Jade's 1st birthday

Here is Jade at her 1st birthday party. She is joined by Hannah, who was born the day before Preston, Mommy, Me (Preston), and Mikayla (sp). Jade really loves all of the play kitchen items mommy and daddy got her, and the kitchen that Nonny and Papa got her. I love playing with Jade's kitchen stuff too and cooking for mommy and daddy.

The Whole Family

Well here we are the whole family. This picture was taken at the Union Station in Nashville, Tennessee. We had a blast at the Flying Saucer located around the corner from the Station. The Flying Saucer has about 70 beers on tap and another 100 or so bottled beers. I recommend (Rhett Speaking not Preston) this place to anyone who enjoys beer. We all had a great time in Nashville and we were able to build a bridge and deck at the Fleitz homestead. Next month we will be building a deck at Vanessa's house in Atlanta.

Happy Easter

HAPPY EASTER. Gammy and Gampy got us a lot of neat gifts and the Easter Bunny left us a lot of candy also.

Choo Choo

Choo Choo. Gampy set this Choo Choo up for me. I love it and I cannot wait to go back down to Nashville and play Choo Choo again. Thanks Gampy. Sorry I broke one of your Choo Choo's.

Yawn...

Please Please Please Aunt Nessa... I do not want to hear one more word about Paul. I mean he isn't all that. So what he is from Connecticut, It isn't like he has any skills. Take daddy for example he is excellent with a bowstaff, or Uncle Royce he is good with a harmonica, Papa is good at Aikido. Face it Paul doesn't have any skills. When was the last time he baked you a cake or drew you a picture. Ha Ha.

Thirsty...Have to keep going...

Boy I sure do need a drink after a hard days work. This whole deck building thing is a lot of work. I bet those guys are still waiting for me to make another decision on the architecture of this bridge. Maybe Paul will start listening to me. I think it is a no brainer that the whole Italian short dark and handsome is out. Now women are only looking for me.

Hmmmmmm

Hmm....I wonder what I will be doing in 20 years?
Hmm....I wonder what I will be when I grow up?
Hmm....I wonder if Uncle Royce will ever let go of the 80's?
Hmm....I wonder if Mommy is going to stop taking pictures of me every second?

TRACTOR....Yeah

Watch out Gampy. I don't know where the break is and I'm aiming for Daddy.WWWWWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!

Flash from the past

Quick call the authorities. Uncle Royce has a clone who has come back from the 80's. Please make him go away.

Here is Daddy (second from right) marching in the Colorguard for Roanoke Fire-EMS. There are other firefighers marching behind them followed by the new Ladder 2.

Here is Preston and Jade at the Roanoke St. Patrick's Day Parade in Downtown Roanoke. They really enjoyed watching daddy march with the Roanoke Fire-EMS Colorguard. Jade liked watching the girls twirl their batons.

Preston and Heather at Kabuki

This is Heather, Marian's sister and Preston and Jade's other babysitter. Heather babysits more since she is still in high school and Marian is in college. Preston loves his babysitters.

Preston and Marian at Kabuki

Preston and Marian. This is one of Preston and Jade's babysitters Marian. Preston had fun at Kabuki a Japanese Steak house like Kabuto in Richmond. We celebrated Christina's birthday there who is Marian's mom. Harold, Christina, Marian, and Heather are our neighbors and Harold works with Becky at Provox.

Preston and Jade at snack time

Preston and Jade eating snacks together. Jade is usually so entertained watching Preston and Preston enjoys showing Jade new things. Here they sat and ate a snack together.