Our Xmas Tree 2013

Our Xmas tree this year and a few of my favorite things …

turtles, fish and ravioli (no alligators)

Greg, Eric and Dawn visited over the weekend.  John came in late to Ft. Lauderdale airport.  It was dark and somehow we headed south instead of north.  Finally got home, though.

 Always good to take someone to Grassy Waters ...

 Ravioli on the back porch ...

 ... around the kitchen table ...

 A visit to the new turtle museum...

 Me and Greg before the turtle ambulance ...

... and on over to the Atlantic Ocean.

back on his bike!

John back on his bike during Thanksgiving.

view of Chicago

I wasn't sure if John was going to make it home for Thanksgiving.  First, the snow in Pittsburgh threatened to make the drive to the airport treacherous, but fortunately it wasn't as cold as expected, so that part went smoothly.

Then, John was flying into Chicago and had only 1/2 hour to make it to the last flight for West Palm Beach.  I'm watching all this from my computer and can see that his flight was going to be late getting to Chicago.  I figured he would just have go to his cousin Mary Lou's house in Chicago for Thanksgiving dinner.

Well, they did get to Chicago with just 10 minutes until the connecting plane (in another terminal) was scheduled to leave (on time) for WPB.  They let John and another woman off of the plane first, where he fast-walked and made it!

I didn't get a call, so I watched the plane in real time make its way South, and Jubilee and I set out to get him at about 9:30pm.  He made it home!

Thanksgiving 2013

 We went to Sandy and Frank's house to join the motley crew of those with no place to go!  A good time.

 Sandy and Uncle Vinnie ...

More California Photos

Grammy and Ryan coming down the steps.

 Ryan is not yet 2 and trying very hard to be a big boy while still wanting to be a baby as well.  He has never had a haircut.  Very sweet little boy.

 Aunt Heather and Ryan.

 Our house is the middle one, with the blue umbrellas.  From the beach you have to have a marker so that you can find your way home!  On Saturday there was a big marathon on the beach.  Seemed like thousands of people out for a run on the beach.

 Surfers were almost always out ...

 … and regular walkers ...

 John said that somebody could make a lot of money landscaping the cliffs to prevent erosion.

 Uncle Jon and Luke looking for something.  The ball, I think.

 Luke, in kindergarten already.

 Balloons ready for the party.

 Uncle Jon and Luke watching something on TV.  Probably sports.

 Sunset as we leave for the Baptism.

 Balloons the morning after ...

 John getting suited up for a swim ...

 For a few nights we had the upstairs "master's suite".

 Always open to the Pacific ocean, with its own sitting area, fireplace, huge shower, bidet, on and on ...

 Getting ready for dinner ...

 Fiji placemats.

 The deck at night.

 Michael catching a wave in the morning surf.

 Jack, a first grader.  I like his quiet, subdued style!

 Everybody out on the deck looking at something ...

 … not sure what ...

.

 Greg and Matthew, laid back.