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.