The Kleiber Family Timeline

Category: General Day to Day

General Events

  • Meijer Garden 2005

    We visited Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids Michigan for a day. Truly amazing flowers and gardens, even predatory flowers could be found there. This is the same Meijer who operate the Meijer super centers throughout Michigan and the midwest.

    On the way home, James got sick and we had to stop in at Criss’s doctors office to make sure the little guy was ok. We were already on our way there anyhow but we did not expect James to be sick. When he got into the Doctors office he threw up. Poor kid, and poor Aunt Criss, she doesn’t get to see James that often and when she does he throws up at her work.

    However James was fine at Meijer Gardens and enjoyed the play area there.

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  • James Meets Ronald McDonald 2005

    While we were walking around the Dream Cruise on Telegraph, James got to meet Ronald McDonald at our local McDonalds restaurant and had a good time with the famous clown.

  • Telegraph Dream Cruise 2005

    James went with us to watch the antique cars at the Telegraph Dream Cruise. It was pretty hot that day so we didn’t stay long in the sun. Mary stuck it out because she enjoys cars and she wants to support this new dream cruise.

    Mary used to live in Ferndale and during the Woodward Dream Cruise we would have front row seats, so we are hoping the Telegraph dream cruise will eventually be as big. We only live a few blocks from Telegraph so its only a 5 minute walk for us, where as a drive to Ferndale and parking during the Dream Cruise is a nightmare.

    Only time will tell where this dream cruise will lead to.

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  • James Sandbox 2005

    James enjoys playing in his sandbox and its relatively maintenance free, however once you fill the thing with sand it “ain’t going nowhere”. We got the sandbox and sand from Toys R Us. I guess they use a specially treated sand in these things, probably similar to what you get at the beach. The lid is to keep animals out of it (I guess they think its a glorified kitty litter box).

    Many of Jame’s missing toys have been found submerged in the depth of the sand so its trouble free so to say (maintenance free and trouble free are two different things. With the exception of his little dolphin pool and the swing set slide, this is his favorite and he can spend hours playing in it (well maybe quarter hours playing in it). Its in a shaded area so he does not have issues with the sun with it.

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  • Dolphin Swimming Pool 2005

    I really thought this thing looked cool in the store and after about an hour of figuring out where to blow everything up I think even more that it looks cool, just a pain to put up. James certainly enjoys it and when he wasn’t at the St Albert Festival this weekend he was enjoying the swimming pool (or the sand box depending on the time of day).

    The highlight of the pool is the two dolphins balancing a beach ball between them. By some miracle this thing does not leak air, at least not yet, and considering all the different ports and such that had to be filled with air that is definitely saying something.

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  • Arch Bridge Construction 2005

    We took a couple pictures of the arch bridge which is going to be the “Gateway to Detroit” for the 2006 Superbowl (which is only about 6 months away) will be the exit and on ramps between Telegraph and I-94. The idea is that when people get off their plane and head to Detroit they will pass this structure and think how great we are.

    Somehow I don’t think the Lions will be playing in it but you never know…well, actually I do know.

    They have been working on this for quite some times. Sometimes in the summer with the windows open you can hear the sounds of the construction from our home even though we are about a mile away (as the crow flies at least). In the past when you exited for telegraph you had to get in the left lane which is unusual so maybe that’s another reason for building this bridge.

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  • James Backyard Playground 2005

    James loves playing on his swing set, it has a couple slides, places to crawl and places to climb. Now that the cement is in and the back yard is level with new grass, the place is alot funner (and safer) to play. I felt so sorry for the toddler running in the back, only to fall down because the ground was so unlevel. Now he can play to his little hearts content and believe me, he has.

    We almost bought a wooden set but I think the plastic one will serve us better and last longer. I see alot of these at garage sales so it must mean they outlast the kids childhood. I never see the wooden or metal ones at a garage sale which means they are probably scrapped. Right now, if he had a favorite, it would have to be the slide and after that the swing.

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  • New Cement 2005

    For years we have been dreading this day since it is one of the biggest expenses you can incur when redoing a home! I remember when my father had it done, we used to have hardly a drive way at all, but my dad took care of that and had everything paved. Ever since that day it seems it has been my job to shovel the snow of it but thats another story. The cement was buckling from years of hot and cold weather so its something that really needed to be done. Hopefully this cement will last as long as the one my dad put in.

    After the cement hardened, James wasted no time setting up his play area on the new foundation.

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  • Leveling The Back Yard and Sprinkling System 2005

    Years of different style gardens and trees had made the back yard a rolling terrain till we finally had it leveled. Another enormous job since just the year before we had a sprinkler system installed. The best thing was we were able to make a nice play area for James in the back, complete with wood chips just like they have at the park (we heard the rubber chips get too hot in the summer and can actually burn a child on a hot day).

    James seems to enjoy the new yard and it should be easier to maintain being level. Also there is grass to the fence so it should cut back on the amount of weed wacking that needs to be done. Got a big thumbs up from the neighbor on this one.

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  • Bronners Frankenmuth 2004

    There is no better way to get into the Christmas Spirit (assuming you even need to) than to visit Bronners in Frankenmuth MI. As soon as you enter the parking lot it is Christmas, even if you come here in July. The atmosphere is one of Christmas fun and the place is known world wide as the largest Christmas store on earth.

    Bronners is one of those places you go to for hard to find items. If you have a little nook and cranny and are looking for just the right thing to put there, Bronners will have it and probably will have multiple versions of it. We have gotten Christmas items with the Detroit sport teams on them just to show the versatility of the place. In fact they are known for their personalized bulbs while you wait (takes only a minute or so if there is no line and if there is a line it goes fast because it only takes a minute or so).

    James enjoyed himself this visit and got out of his stroller and walked around on his own. Our only concern with him walking around is that he might get stampeded by larger people but on this day there is an open area he (and us) feel comfortable.

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