Christmas Decorations

There is always this teeny tiny window right after Thanksgiving where the weather is good enough for Ray to put up the Christmas decorations.  Yesterday and today is that window.  He spent a good part of yesterday getting the inflatables up.  This isn't just at our house, but at Nick and Nicole's and Andrew and Theresa's house as well.  He grumbles about it, but I know he really does enjoy it.  The response from the Grand kids is enough to make it all worth while anyway.

Thanksgiving 2013

We all celebrated Thanksgiving at our house again this year.  Ray's brother Leroy and his wife Jackie joined us.  I roasted the turkey, Nick did the ham, and everyone else brought goodies to eat.  One of the fund things for me is that I get to use all my good dishes.  Our friends, the Lipps, sent us a beautiful bouquet, so I even decorated the table more than I usually do.  The day must have been a success, everyone stayed till late.  We ended the evening by watching The Christmas Story.  The end to one holiday season and the start of another.

Belize

Belize is beautiful as well.  There weren't the mountains, but it is all green jungle.  We did an nature tour up the River Wallace.  The guide showed us crocodiles, manatees, dolphins, monkeys and the biggest iguanas I have every seen.  We also went to Altun Ha, Mayan ruins.  The ruins were not large, but I found them fascinating because not all of them are excavated.  Many are still covered in vegetation and  you understand how the archaeologists feel when they come on these places in the wild. 

Isla Roatan, Honduras

Our first stop on the cruise was Isla Roatan in Honduras.  The location was beautiful.  I would love to go back and spend more time, but it is my understanding that Honduras in general is dangerous.  This is too bad because I think I would love it here.  It was hot but not so humid that you would be miserable.  There are mountains and great sunsets.