In which we spend a few days visiting Emily and Tyler in Colorado, get to know little Nolan and Evie, and revel in the company of family and friends.
AT HOME WITH THE WEE ONES
Emily and Tyler relaxing at home with two-month-old Evelyn Fox and four-year-old Nolan Trout.
EVIE FOX FAN CLUB
Amy drove out from the west coast to help out and, like the rest of us, fell in love with Evie (EEvie). Her face is extremely emotive, a kaleidoscope of curious, pained, ecstatic, and puzzled.
Brian and Jamie, in for Em and Tyler’s annual Games Night.
Jessica and Amber. All three women have been close friends with Emily since grade school. Just goes to show you what staying in one place will do.
AUNT AMY
Amy brought her sunny disposition, a valise of herbal tinctures, and her Plott Hound, Osha.
AUNT MOLLY AND UNCLE SHANE
Molly is super nurturing in a matter-of-fact kind of way. She and Shane are working hard to establish lucrative careers, and yet show none of the pressures associated with such pursuits. Ah, youth!
NOLAN
A playful young man who loves his Mom and Dad, his Grand Pop, and the outdoors, Nolan also has a penchant for RITZ Crackers. Amber’s husband, Ted is laughing about something while Nolan cavorts on Bob’s lap.
THE FABRIC OF PARENTHOOD
Nolan’s chirpy “Aye! Aye!” kept his parents on their toes while Camille devoted herself to housework. After folding four mammoth loads of laundry, Camille felt inexorably connected to the fabric of this family’s life.
GAME NIGHT
A long-held holiday tradition, Games Night has morphed from game-playing to toddler-chasing for obvious reasons.
OUR FRIEND, NED
Ned, Bob’s roommate at the University of Colorado all those many years ago, stopped by for a couple of hours.
GINGERBREAD GIRLS
Jamie, bless her heart, brought a cardboard box with pre-assembled gingerbread house scenes which included sugar cone Christmas trees. Next, she set a can of frosting, a knife, and an endless array of colorful candies in front of the girls. After an hour or so, Brian’s first born shows off her sugary creation.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH
Life does not get any better than this for youngsters with an appetite for fun. By the time they were done, the girls had frosting in their hair and on their clothes, and the floor was covered in BB-sized candy, marshmallows, gummies, and yes, vanilla frosting.
RECREATION
Amy takes a turn on the View-Master which brought back a slew of childhood memories for the Boomers in the room. Camille joined Amy and Osha for a sunny 3-mile walk down the greenbelt to the neighborhood lake, an echo of the walk she and Bob had gone on the day before.