Geddes Gathering

Jory Reunion -- Part Two

ALL the Jory women in their "Return to Paradise" reunion t-shirts

Jaren and Eli

The Jory Girls: Jana, Julianne, Jenae, Ashley, Kendra

Jory Boys: Brett, Clint, Justin, Jason

The Grandkids

Bennett waving his 4th of July flag

Just the nine of us
Ethan's Baby Blessing

Dad and his brood
Eli and his new buddy Uncle Jason

The Jory Five
Brett showing his jazz piano skills
Bret & Jenae, Clint, Justin & Andrea, Jason, Brett, Ashley, Jana & Don, Julianne & Stephen

We came back to Seattle for 4th of July festivities/BBQ at Jason's house, more family soccer games, a girls' afternoon out at Greenlake followed by a jamba and pedi, a trip to Edmonds Beach, a hilarious family talent show, and of course Ethan's baby blessing with the Parker family. A week to remember.

Jory Family Reunion -- Part One

Bennett gets a preview of being a teenage boy as Brett and Kaelan wrestle over what appears to be a shoe (and Kati helps).

The cold beverage brigade--Jason, Bret, and Dad.

Shemaina out for a ride.

Cooling our toes in the creek.

Enjoying a vista with Benito.

Eli got lots of attention. He's relaxing here with "Aunt" Kendra .

Everybody enjoying the shade: Connie, Kendra, & Ashley holding Eli.

Down by the creek.

Mt. Ranier peeking over the hills and Lake Sammammish.

Out by the pasture, Stephen takes a break from bocce ball.

Eli, ready for an evening by the campfire.

It wouldn't be a Jory reunion without some family soccer games.

Hanging out by the stables, I try and convice Bennett to ride a horse.

No such luck.

All of the Jorys gathered in Seattle, only to turn around the next day and head to the Cascade Mountains for camping at "the ranch" (the same one we went to all the time as kids). The trip brought back a lot of memories for all of us, although plenty of new ones were made.

The Road to Seattle

Eli meets Great Grandma Geddes in Redding

Stephen's cousin Katie and her kids, Jack & Ava

In Portland with Jenae and Baby Ethan

Cousin Play Time! Eli, Bennett & Ethan

Aunt Ju and snuggly little Ethan

Sunday in Portland, with Jenae and Bret (aka the "Pawkers)

Aunt Lizzy comes to town

"Wizzy," as Bennett so affectionately calls her, has been here to visit and we're all more than happy to have her around. Benito adores the way she's always willing to play with him, whether it be chasing, wrestling, or reading books, and Eli loves having someone to smile at him. Here are a few shots of where our drive through beautiful Woodside (Liz served part of her mission there) lead us: an idyllic little beach called San Gregorio, about 20 miles south of Half Moon Bay. We picnicked and hiked and played on the beach, the boys happy as clams all the while! Needless to say, Liz will be missed around here . . . sniff, sniff . . . If only we could get her to move out here!!

Food, Glorious Food

You can tell I'm the mother of two from how completely different it's been with Eli's introduction to solid foods. Not only did I delay it as long as possible, considering the doctor gave us the green light at his 4 month appt. (most babies start at 6), but I also haven't fed him anything homemade yet. Gerber all the way. With Bennett I bought only organic fruits and vegetables, I pureed everything myself, I froze the purees in freezer trays and conscientiously stored them away, and I religiously followed a very specific feeding schedule for a nursing baby who's starting solids. Eli gets whatever I have in the cupboard whenever I happen to have time for it!

Hugs and Hydrangeas

I couldn't resist a few shots of the boys (the awake ones, that is) coming home from church. Bennett looks so sweet and innocent next to these flowers, doesn't he? You'd never know that only minutes before he was terrorizing the younger kids in nursery . . .