Family Vacations, June 26, 2012

Family's more than just DNA.

It's about people who care

and take care of each other.
-agent Gibbs, NCIS

Hello Family and Friends,

Today is the 8th birthday of Kyle Christian Sauvage of Weatherford, Texas. Kyle and his older brother Nate are the sons of James and Kelly Shepard Sauvage and the grandsons of my brother Gary Shepard (see third picture below). Kyle is also the 7th of the 12 GGgrandchildren of Leroy and Nola Gower, and the 5th of the 13 GGgrandchildren of Will and Bura Shepard. 

The first picture shows Kyle during a recent baseball game. The second picture was taken when Kyle (bottom, middle), his brother Nate (on the right) and his mom Kelly (left) along with Cindy (on the right) and I spent some time together at spring training back in March in Phoenix, Arizona.

Kyle's mother Kelly wrote me recently: "Hi Uncle Steve, yes Kyle's birthday is Tuesday. We have been really busy lately. Kyle made the all star team in baseball once again this year. Every day there was either a practice or a game. He had another great season and found he has a new favorite position...centerfield. He said he wants to play centerfield like Cameron Maybin on the Padres. He is also going to summer camp every day while I'm at work. He gets to go swimming every day and a big field trip once a week. He continues to be a big Chargers and Padres fan and has a dream of being a famous baseball player for the San Diego Padres when he grows up! Everyday he gives me more reasons to be a proud mommy!"

Family Vacation Pictures. The vacation season is well under way. Recently two of my brothers, Gary and Russ, came to California on a road trip and visited Cindy and me. One day while they were here we all went to Yosemite to sight see and to relive some of our favorite memories of years past when our whole family vacationed in Yosemite.

The third picture I am including shows the 4 of us at the entrance to Yosemite. It was the first time in 39 years that we had been in Yosemite together. From left to right are my brothers Russ and Gary Shepard (Kyle's grandfather), with Cindy and me.

Do you have a family vacation photo from this summer that you'd like to share? Or, if you will be vacationing this summer and taking pictures, pass one along to me and I'd be glad to include it in an upcoming blog post.

- - -

Steve