Merry Christmas!!!

I realize I've been quite remiss in posting. Sorry. So in the catch up this is a warning - this post will be all things Xmas.

Penny literally loving those lights

Magical lights and frosty weather. Fun stuff.

First fire in the fireplace and first s'mores. The biggest marshmallows ever.

The gingerbread cookie tradition. One for eating and one for Santa.

After all the crazy and the hustle bustle, really it comes down to family. And that's all. Peace and joy to everyone.

And time grows short

I'm back. Things have been somehow a little out of control in the land of swaying palm trees and white sand. XMAS coming for one thing. I'm very late this year getting on the ball. Oh well, all will get done.

We leave Naples in less than a week. Astounded. Me. The two months has gone by in a flash.

My art class has been wonderful and inspiring. Last one coming up Thursday. I share the class with a bunch of quite talented ladies. No men this year - what is that about I wonder......

Mark's big golf group event from Maryland has come and gone. And he's been back to Indy again and came home sick with a bad cold/cough. They call plane flying the petri dish these days. Hmm.
We've had dinners out, dinners in, and I've had lunches out with good friend Andrea. I think we're going to rev up the restaurant visits the last few days we're here. Clearly don't have those options at home.

Again the annual litany of opposites Naples versus Star Mt.:
Sparkling clean cars  -  mud/salt/snow/ice laden cars
Mild weather winter  -  brutal cold (-25) enormous amounts of snow
sweltering swamp heat summer  -  delightful crisp 70 degree days
Fashion central  -  um, no fashion, unless you count state of the art sport attire
All things retail  -  nope, only national chains would be WalMart and Family Dollar.
Most popular cars - exotic luxury everything   -  jeeps and pickup trucks
Water, water everywhere  -  Mountains, mountains everywhere

I hasten to say I only gape at the cars, window shop at the designer stores, but do avail myself of the wonderful carwashes regularly even though they cluck, cluck under their breath over the ground in dirt in every crevice that apparently cannot be removed...ever.

Savannah bound for our trip up to Virginia. Staying in  the historic district as we did last year. Lots of fun. No promises but I'll try to post before we go. If not all thing Xmas and precious Penny and Juliet will be next.

Thanksgiving Photos

Late Thanksgiving post, sorry! Yummy food, and lots of fun and laughter- just what a family gathering should be.

It was fantastic to get some quality time with those most precious  little girls. They are growing up so so fast. Juliet decided to move to the next development step - pulling up. She has been crawling for a few weeks, racing after her sister of course.Walking will surely be not far behind.

We all went out to see the Christmas tree lighting at the town center. It felt festive with choirs singing, hundreds of people and it was FREEZING. The little girls were cozy warm but the rest of us were a little numb.

Back to the warm balmy weather of Naples, at least for a little while. We leave with all our belongings back up to VA in two weeks. I can't believe it.  And Xmas shopping has barely begun. Help!