Tag Archives: Features

“All Grown Up”

Eli got is first big boy hair cut yesterday with a little extra style. Mom got a little weepy-eyed when saw the fashionable spike in the front. All she could say…”he looks so grown up, I want my baby back”.

Another Year Older

Who is that handsome young man in the photos? Yes, he is a boy even though he is wearing a yellow jumper. I’m another year older and it’s hard to fathom that I use the age description of “mid” thirties to describe myself. I just realized that I will only be able to use this designation for another year. Then I will be relegated to using the “late” moniker. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining…I’ve got my health, great kids, and lovely wife all to help me age gracefully (gray hair and all).

Mexican Again

As a long standing family tradition, the birthday candidate get to select their choice for dinner. In usual fashion, Natalie selected Mexican food at our favorite restaurant (Real Fiesta Mexican Restaurant).

Of course Mia was also partaking of the festivities.

Mia has arrived

The long awaited arrival of Natalie’s very own American Girl doll came to a conclusion yesterday. Mia has been been warmly welcomed into the Wykle family as its newest member. She has her very own (cat proof) bed next to Natalie’s. Please check back for more updates on the integration of Mia into the family. Video

Wykleville – Revision 2

I wasn’t very happy with the Blogger service (inflexible) and decided to give WordPress a try. I found a very nice theme (Structure) that is easy to work with and I think the new site looks very nice and allows for many “plug-in” features. As you can see the site has a bit of a “newspaper” layout and feel. You can get to individual posts a number of ways…by way of tagging, category tabs, popularity rankings, resent post, etc. WordPress is a very powerful platform that is open source and accommodates “open source” development from the users. I have included many plug-ins to add functionality to the site (Picasa Feed, Gravitar Avatars, and Guestbook).

As with any blog, the content is key. My desire is to use this forum for communication between our distant family members and I will try to do a better job of keeping everything up to date. As they…”The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. ;)

Walk the Plank…Matey!

Eli had a bit of a mishap at school. A friend accidentally scratched his cornea. After a traumatic trip to the doctor, much sobbing, and a stylish eye patch…he was good to go the next day.

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Shayne Estep

ESTEP, SHAYNE, 36, of Palm Harbor and Orlando was tragically killed in a motorcycle accident on Sunday, December 16, 2007. He most recently worked at Tampa Harley Davidson and before that Performance Honda in Wesley Chapel. Shayne is survived by his parents, Jim and Millie Estep of Port Orange, his sister Gina Menendez (John) of Orlando, his brother Kelly Estep of Palm Harbor; his nieces Julia Estep of Palm Harbor, Shelley Wykle (Chris) of Kentucky his great niece and nephew Natalie and Eli Wykle and his girlfriend Kristin Baykal. A memorial service to celebrate Shayne’s life will be held Saturday, December 22nd, at 6PM at Newcomer

Family Funeral Home in East Orlando. In lieu of flowers and per Shayne’s wishes donations for Julia, Natalie and Eli’s college funds may be made to any Wachovia Bank, Account # 1010184448535, please make any checks payable to Shelly A. Wykle, Memorial Fund. To read more about Shayne’s life and to send a message to the family, please visit:

"All In"

Mitchell Shayne Estep was born on August 9, 1971 in Elk Grove, Illinois. Mom and Dad are Millie and Jim Estep. He has an older sister, Gina and an older brother Kelly. He was known as Shayne from the beginning. Shayne was the baby of the family until at the ripe old age of 18 months he became an uncle to Shelley. Although uncle was the official title, big brother was more the description.In the spring of 1973 the entire family moved from Illinois to the West Virginia/Kentucky area. Growing up in this area allowed Shayne to “live big” which quickly became his way of life. From the time he was able to walk he didn’t carry a blanket around like other children, he carried a queen sized comforter! Legend has it that in the mornings you were never to talk to him or even look at him until he made the first move, otherwise you would get “the look”. As Shayne grew older, he grew smarter, and smarter, and smarter. He loved to learn new things, yet hated doing it in school. He used to purposely miss the school bus just so he wouldn’t have to go. Nevertheless the school would always call when he wasn’t there and then his mom would have to drive him to school in the Lincoln Town Car. If he had to be there, he liked to arrive in style! From the age of 7 until around 12 Shayne had every “boy toy” imaginable, go cart, motorcycle, mom’s car. That’s right, mom’s car! He used to take the car, along with Shelley and the dog (so they couldn’t tell) and drive around the neighborhood. Shayne had a way of talking you into doing things that you knew you shouldn’t be doing. He always made it sound like the right thing to do, even riding in the car with a ten year old driver.

In 1986 Shayne moved to Florida with his mom and dad, to join his sister, brother and niece. He was no longer the big fish in the little pond. He was the big fish in the big pond. In 1989, with a little help from his sister, Shayne graduated from Lake Brantley High School in Apopka. After high school Shayne tried college, but figured out that he learned much more about life from experience and not school.

Everyone that has ever met Shayne has a story about him. A story about how he affected their life. Shayne was a unique person with whom you could use every adjective known in the English language to describe. He was witty, intelligent, caring, angry, loving, spontaneous, sneaky, funny, amazing, responsible, quick-witted, sharp-tongued, irresponsible, clever, brave and giving, just to name a few. He was the guy that made you laugh until you cried. Please help him continue to be that guy by sharing your “Shayne stories” with those you know. Shayne didn’t live as many years as we would have liked, but the years he did live, he was always “All In”.

The family would love to hear your stories at Shayne’s memorial service on Saturday, December 22nd. The celebration of his life will begin at 6:00 pm at Newcomer Family Funeral Home on Goldenrod Road in Orlando. After the service the celebration will continue at the home of Shayne’s sister, Gina Menendez, 380 Hammock Dunes Place, Orlando FL 32828.

Shayne loved his nieces (Julia and Natalie) and nephew (Eli) more than life itself. In lieu of flowers and per Shayne’s wishes, donations to their college funds can be made to any Wachovia Bank, account number 1010184448535, checks should be payable to Shelly A Wykle Memorial Fund.