Texas

Hello from Texas! It is hard to believe that we have been here for over a month now.  Even harder to believe is that all but one day the temps reached 100+ and  there has only been one pittle of rain that rated as a trace.

Gus has adjusted well to the heat though.  He loves to spend the morning out on the front porch being rocked in the swing...

or helping to walk the dog in the neighborhood before the day really heats up.

All of our possessions arrived in great condition and on the assigned date.  PODS worked wonderfully for us on this move.

We discovered that Gus wasn't the only newborn on the block.  There are a couple of fawns (click to embiggen) that come to visit during the twice daily corn feedings at the Ewing household.

 Gus has come to enjoy his Nap Nanny (aka Day Cruiser) which was a wonderful gift from his Aunt Lana.

Chase is starting to figure out that he really is second fiddle around these parts, but is very gentle and protective around Gus at all times.

Bath time is always enjoyable until it is time to dry off.  Gus is happy and playful in the water and a screaming banshee when we pull him out.  I can't wait to get him in a pool, but the silly doctors say I have to wait until he is at least 4 months old.

Of course one of the best things about being in a new place is meeting new people!  Gus is an equal opportunity people napper seen here on Edith Stahl a former coworker/roommate of Tara's and one of her best friends in Austin.

Chris and Kristen Sheppard (second cousins of mine that made Austin their home a few years ago) came by for a burger night in late July to hang out and meet Gus.

The final bit of big news is that Tara landed a first grade position at Serene Hills Elementary School in the Lake Travis School District 15 miles north of home.  School started for her on the 22nd of August.  While she is happy to have a job, she misses being home to care for Gus.  The good news is that Gus is fine taking a bottle and I have the pleasure/leisure of staying at home during the day to help out until a job opens up.

The Week in Greensburg, Pa.

After packing August into the car, Tara, Gloria, and I set off at 11 AM for the projected 6 hour drive to Greensburg, Pa. for the Pantalone family reunion (Tara's maternal side of the family) to coincide with the 100th celebration of Our Lady of Mt Carmel at St. Bartholomew Church in nearby Crabtree, Pa. We arrived at 9 PM and immediately set-up camp at the Nava house, bypassing the funeral home where everyone was enjoying Jioio's Pizza, due to extreme exhaustion.  The following week was a blur of events at family owned restaurants, pavilions, and a winery.

Joe Nava teaching Gus Italian.  Joe and Valeria (Great-Great Aunt V) were kind enough to let us stay in their home the week we were in Greensburg.

Aunt V with Gus.

 Joe is an outstanding cook.  Here he is making battered squash blossoms.

They were delicious, especially the ones stuffed with cheese!

This was the standard morning routine, coffee, toast from fresh bread baked by Joe, and a paper.  Around the table (clockwise from closest to the camera): Grandma Ewing, Aunt V, Bill Akin, Grandpa Ewing, and Great Aunt Joy Akin. 

 Great Aunt Bonnie Doubek.

 Great Aunt Nancy (nee Wieners) Embler dropped by on her way home from NJ to Erie, Pa.

 Clem Pantalone doing curls with Gus!

 Dante Pantalone with Gus.

 Kali Pantalone with Gus.

 Kalyn doing a great job with Gus.  She'll make a great sitter in a few years.

Joe Hite nervously clutching Gus.

There were so many more people, but unfortunately we (Tara and I) were in a daze and failed to dedicate one camera to take all of the pictures.  As the various snapshots are corralled from phones, cameras, and facebook I will do my best to post them on the blog.  I apologize to any and all that have been left out.

The six nights went by quickly.  Before we knew it the 19th had arrived.  Kent and I loaded up the car for the 1,455 mile drive to Austin and started our trek at 6 am.  Tara, Gus, Gloria and Lana flew down to Austin via Houston from Pittsburgh later that day, arriving at home around 11 PM.  Kent and I reached the house at 6 PM July 20th.

Final week in NJ

Apologies in advance for the long lay off.  We have been busy as you will see over the next few posts.  First though we need to introduce Gus to a few more people.
Matt and Kat Bachiochi (friends from Buckley who came bearing diapers!) made the trip from Forest Hills, NY on July 4th with their two young boys: 19-month-old Connor and 4-month-old Owen.  It was a wonderful preview for the amount of energy we will be dealing with in a few short months!

 Then on July 6th, Kent (Grandpa) Ewing and Aunt Lana arrived from Austin!

  Gus really likes being outside...

and he likes to sleep on people!

On the 9th, Courtney Johnson (who Tara has been friends with since the 7th grade) and Reggie Thornton came out from Manhattan for an afternoon visit!

Our final visitors in Englewood, NJ were the Barringtons.  But before they arrived, Gus decided to have his first major blow-out!

After a quick change and wash we welcomed Jenny (friend from Buckley who graciously loaned Tara a giant tub of maternity clothes), her husband Bohdie (who we failed to picture, but has an amazing talent of getting burps out of children) and their almost-3-year-old son Robbie.

The next day was load up day.  P.O.D.S. dropped off our 16' x 8' x 8' storage/moving unit at 10 AM and the movers from ASAP Moving & Junk Haul arrived around 4 PM.  By 7 PM the apartment and garage were empty except for what everyone (Gloria, Kent, Lana, Tara and I, and of course Gus) slept on that night.  On the morning of July 13th, we loaded up the final things and locked the PODS for good, dropped Kent and Lana off at Newark for their nightmare flight to Pittsburgh (hint: we beat them there), and loaded the car to the hilt for the drive to Tara's family reunion in Greensburg, Pa., just east of Pittsburgh.  There was just one more thing to pack!