Feasting with the family

Huxley meets Glori and Grace with Ashley and Alan in the background.

Part of the fun of the Thanksgiving holiday was that Huxley got to meet most of the members of the Florida family. We had a Hugging Huxley gathering the Saturday before Thanksgiving so as many family members as were available could come over and visit. That night we had an Italian style feast with spaghetti sauce that Stephen had made and pasta shells stuffed with spinach and cheese. Both the Geary side and the Schoene side of the family were included in this gathering.

Andrea arrived and had a great time visiting early one morning with son and grandson

At Maureen's house on Thanksgiving day, Huxley got to spend time with my sisters Teresa, Peggy and Kate, among many other guests. There were thirty-eight of us in all counting babes in arms.

Pop Pop, Katherine and Huxley before the Thanksgiving feast

This is the group shot that one of the newest members of the family, Alan Fraebel, Ashley's fiance, took of everyone. 

This year we celebrated three engagements - Ashley and Alan, who got engaged in July, David and Kati, who got engaged on August 23, and Jessica and Matt, who got engaged on August 23. Jessica and Matt did not attend nor did Madeline.  Zack, Kara's husband, was not feeling well, and Noah, Rachel Horne's boyfriend, had to work in North Carolina. I count 38 pictured here - quite a group even with some missing. And there was so much delicious food - all of the cooks did amazing things with each dish. Thanks to Maureen and Don for hosting us all.

Thanksgiving

Today is Christmas Eve and Huxley's six month birthday. Wish we were together so I could give him a hug and a happy birthday kiss.

But this year it was the Thanksgiving holiday when we were all together. Stephen and I returned to Florida early in November. Katherine and Huxley came to Florida for two weeks. Gabe and his Mom, Andrea arrived on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and David, Kati, and Charli arrived Thursday morning.

During the two weeks that Katherine and Huxley were with us, we got a lot of time to hold the little guy and enjoy all the new noises, gestures and expressions a five month old makes. Katherine also got a chance to visit with old friends and their children. Graham and her two daughters - baby Graham and Paige - came over one day to meet Huxley.

It was also a time for Katherine to let Huxley try a bit of solid food. Here he is excited to have some rice cereal. He also got a taste of sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner.

You could tell that Huxley was ready for some solid food by the way he so enthusiastically leaned in to every bite his Mom offered. 

This is one of my favorite pictures taken during the visit. Kara lent Katherine the Bumbo seat, which is a great little chair for supporting little guys who are not quite able to sit up on their own yet.

Our little Red Hot Chili Pepper

Huxley's first halloween costume

Happy Four Months Birthday, Huxley

Huxley is four months old

Huxley Stylin'

I am trying to upload pictures that Katherine has sent me since I left Idaho. Not sure if this is one or not, but he sure is cute.

This is one I know I have received since my return to Florida. Since Gabe is in the eye wear business, I am sure Huxley will have many opportunities to try out the latest fashions in sun glasses.

Huxley in his bear snow suit

I love this video of Huxley that Katherine sent to us. I love that he is clearly trying to verbalize a response to her questions and comments. Kath says he'll be skiing before we know it, but clearly he will be talking soon too. Not sure the video is working correctly. Still not clear on what to do to fix it. 

Home sweet new home

Katherine and Gabe's new home. The first change Gabe plans to make is to take the star down. 

Before the fires started, Katherine and Gabe had put in an offer on a house (duplex) in Ketchum. They were scheduled to close while we were away, so their banker, Maggie, another great friend and refugee we spent time with in Boise, arranged for the closing to take place in Denver. When we got back to Ketchum, Katherine  went by the house for the first time as an owner. Kath and Gabe want to do quite a bit of work on the house before they move in, so we took some pictures to document the "before" stage. One exciting feature of the house is that it has a great backyard where Hux will get to play. Gabe has been telling him all about the snowmen they will build together and the games they will play in that backyard.  I keep imagining all the flowers I will help them plant. Peonies to start!

This shows the back of the house and the backyard.

A view of the living room from the kitchen. This will be the first time Kath will have a fire place in Idaho.

A view of the kitchen from the living room. They plan to redo the kitchen as soon as possible.

A view of the master. They want to redo and expand  the closet and the bathroom.

A view of the master bath - this is the first project they want to do.

Colorado Rocky Mountain High

On Thursday we drove up to Idaho Springs, Colorado, and had lunch at a barbecue place and then we drove further up the mountain to see a glacier.

When we first started to climb the trail to the glacier, there was some steady rain, so Katherine and Gabe turned back to protect Hux, but in a few minutes, the clouds cleared, the sun came out, and we all made it to the top. 

Hux needed some nourishment before we hiked back, and Augie and Miles were perhaps more amazed by the miracle of mother's milk than they were by the glacier. 

Family and friends in Denver

On Tuesday we all took a walk together in Max and Katie's new neighborhood -  the boys - including Max and Gabe -  were all on skateboards or scooters. I am surprised none of the many skateboards, bikes or scooters can be seen in this picture. Toby the dog is missing too. 

The Schroders - Augie, Max, Miles, Katie, Gabe, Huxley, and Katherine.

Andrea's neighbors James and his mother Molly got to meet Hux too.

Ketchum Refugees

To escape the smoke and fire, Katherine, Huxley and I spent four nights in Boise, in the air conditioned comfort of a Marriott Hotel. There were other Ketchum refugees in Boise too. On the first night, we had dinner with Margot, Carter and Angus. I forgot to take pictures of that dinner, but it was lots of fun, especially meeting Angus. Margot ordered some french fries to start and Katherine was eating a few, and Angus commented, "Katherine, you're killing those fries." It was pretty funny and proof that not much gets by Angus. Hux did his normal reaction by sleeping through the whole event. 

The next night we met Liz, Josh, Robert and Anna for dinner and drinks.  This time Hux awoke and participated a bit in the socializing. There were other folks from Hailey there too, so it was quite a gathering. It was a fun way to alleviate some of the stress of being away from home due to the threat of a forest fire that eventually burned over 100,000 acres of forest.

After we spent four nights in Boise, Gabe, who had been working a bike event in Whistler, BC Canada, decided that we should all head to Denver for a few days. His brother Max and his family were scheduled to arrive in Ketchum on August 19, but instead we arrived in Denver to visit with them. Katherine, Gabe and Huxley stayed with Max and Katie, and I stayed with Gabe's Mom, Andrea.

A visit to Denver was a last minute decision, but it ended up being a wonderful time. Max and Katie and their two boys, Augie and Miles got to meet the newest member of the Schroder tribe, and Gabe, Katherine and I got a chance to visit Colorado.

Huxley did great on his first air plane rides. Other passengers complimented him since they hardly knew he was there.  

Katie, Augie and Miles met Huxley on their own front porch.

Katie, Max, Augie and Miles had presents for Huxley including a coon-skin cap and a children's book written by Aldous Huxley

Fire on the mountain

The threat of forest fire is always present in the hot and dry summers, but this year the fires came too close to Ketchum, and Katherine decided that we needed to get Huxley out of the smoke. The first night - Wednesday night - we spent in Twin Falls. There Katherine investigated cabinet possibilities from Home Depot. Later in the day, we thought it would be more fun to spend a few days in Stanley, so we returned to Ketchum and made plans to spend the weekend at a cabin in Stanley. Then we heard that the smoke was bad in Stanley too, so we were not sure what to do. Some friends had relocated to Boise and some said the smoke was heavy there and others said it was not that bad. So, we went back and forth about where Huxley would be safe from the smoke.

Finally, we decided that at least in Boise we would have an air conditioned room, so we loaded Katherine's car and drove to Boise. The pictures here were taken on the drive south on Thursday night.

A night at the symphony

One of the highlights of summer in Ketchum is when the symphony comes to town. People can bring a picnic supper and spread their blankets out on the grass. The night we attended was the pops program - an evening of songs from James Bond movies. 

Gabe and I got there first to stretch out in the area that Chatham and Charlotte had claimed earlier by placing two plaid blankets and a quilt. Gabe and I added another blanket to claim as much real estate as we could. 

                      Pretty soon, lots of friends showed up and everyone was happy to see Huxley.

Kat and Brad left their little baby Georgia Beatrice at home. But a few weeks ago, when Georgia and Hux met, Hux sucked Georgia's hand. We thought it was a good sign. 

Mel is visiting from Australia and met Hux for the first time.

Kathleen, Andy and Joshy soon joined the group. Hux attended Joshy's birthday party last week.

Hux was really styling in his striped sox.

The symphony is such a great time for friends to relax and share a feast. 

First swim

Hux had his first swim with both Katherine and Gabe as swim instructors. The pool at Greyhawk Condos, where I am staying, is a saline pool and heated, so the doctor told Kath it would be fine for Hux to take a dip. But I am not sure the little guy enjoyed it all that much. 

High Fashion

Kids' clothes today are so much fun. We had to get Hux to wear this outfit now since he has just about outgrown it already. The hat doesn't stay on very long without some assistance. But we thought Hux looked great in it.

This next picture is my latest favorite picture of him. I think we can start to see more of his personality in this shot.