Normalacy

The weekend after Christmas day the decorations went down. The trees are packed away and the room is back to normal status. I love the decorations and usually wait until the weekend after the new year to take everything down. This year I couldn't wait to pack it all up.

One of my favorite gifts this year was a picture of my Mom & Dad. Christie, Ians hair just might have come from our side of the family! Mom was still in her teens here and I believe my Dad was about 11 years older than her.

Christmas decorations at our house

this is the first year ever that I haven't spent a lot of time decorating and preparing for Christmas. Making gifts? No Making cookies? No Five Christmas trees? No. But I did drag out a few items that I can share.

Can you see the Merry Christmas? That was made last year by my talented daughter-in-law

One guess what my husband does for a living.

yes that is a pink Christmas tree.

I will change this, but I don't want to drag out anymore Christmas stuff. Oh well, no one is coming over for Christmas so it can just stay. And yes someday I will finish the tile around the fireplace, but Mark wants to change the fireplace out for a vented one. Oh boy!

My favorite Christmas decoration is the ceramic santa given to me by my mom many years ago.

things on my table. Clocks and little girl bought at an auction this fall.

Snowman is lit up! There you have it, I'm almost ashamed to post any of these with the beautiful postings I have visited. Maybe next year.

Our December Cruise

This is Roatan, Honduras. The poverty is always there, but things seem to be getting better.

Of course the riches are also there, this is the mayors house.

The wildlife abundant.

And oh my gosh, the views were beautiful.

This is the west end where Mark went diving and we both snorkeled.

Snorkeling, and the water was so clear. The coral is right there, really great snorkeling.

One of these are Mark.

Can you just see how peaceful and beautiful? This is Belize, or an island right off of Belize City, so pretty! Then we went to Cozumel and it was a little cold, maybe in the 70's so we didn't snorkel, at least I didn't, but Mark dove off the side of a street into the ocean and played. I wasn't with him so I didn't get pictures. A storm was coming and the sea was rater rough, I went back to the boat. We couldn't tender off of Bermuda, so the ship's next stop was Key West.

I thought this was a good picture, I liked the bricks and the painters pallette with the almost started pictures. I snapped a shot of it and the artist yelled at me for taking the picture. Really? What the hell was he afraid of? It was on a public sidewalk and the pallette is more interesting than the picture.

I was taking pictures of everything that caught my eye, like the brick sidewalk on the way to the southern most point of the United States.

Peoples houses that caught my eye.

Mark by a cool door.
And because he was such an ass, the finished pictures of the artist. Does he think I'll go home and mass produce his oh so very original art? A beach chair on the beach, and an island on the ocean, you're breaking new ground there Da Vinci!!!! So go ahead and copy these if you feel the need, I'm sure he wouldn't mind.

Another beautiful house on key west.

And one for Sale. As a matter of fact almost every other house was for sale. I'm thinkin times aren't so good on the Keys.

But the houses are really nice, and old.

The views are good

The locals are a little odd. Can you tell where these dogs are pearched?

That's right, the roof. I couldn't see how they got up there, but they seem content.

Closer to Key Largo the guys are kiteboarding.

I'm thinking this is the next thing Mark tries.

A nice path.

Mark Kayaking on our last day.

I thought these Kayaks looked like a bunch of bannanas So that's it, we had fun but its good to be back home. Kind of hard to get back into Christmas mode though. Maybe by the weekend.

Cruisin

Mark and I are leaving Sunday to Cruise on down to Roatan, Honduras Belize City, Belize Cozumel, Mexico and Stirrup Cay, Bermuda. We'll be back on the 16th. Yay, low prices on short notice cruises! We'll leave from the port of Miami, and when we come back we have plans to go down to the Keys cause we won't have had enough of the ocean. We envy those of you that can see the ocean from your front upstairs bedroom, and probably soon to be 180 degree view.

Only in Texas

That is right, Santa came in on a Longhorn steer!

Oooops, I think I was getting a little too close.

San Antonio

San Antonio River Walk

Mark & I did a fast trip to Texas to pick up a truck from Zach. We left on Friday right after Thanksgiving and returned the following Monday

Remember the Alamo

I really liked the balconies overlooking the river walk.

1st Birthday 1st cake

I'm not real sure what this is, I've never eaten anything like this before!

I don't know, it's different.

I'll try a little more, I'm just not sure.

I think I like it!

Maybe two hands will work even better!

I'm a happy boy!

Sugar HIGH

Bath time, but soooooooooo worth it!