Christmas day

Christmas festivities began on the Cove at Dave and Ann Marie's Christmas Eve party of friends, neighbors and family.

Eva helps to ready the house for the party.

Larry provides music for Christmas singing.

All those goodies waitng on the porch.

"These parties are so tiring...."

Christmas Day continues at LisBob's where we were playing a game.

Will and Jack on the trampoline.

More yummy food......

our sweeties......

Kylie, Eva and Layne

Will, Jack, Keelyn and Ella

So blessed are we!

Lights on the square

Last evening we went with the Coastal Camera Club to the county seat, Georgetown, DE to take pictures of the grand old hotel there, the Brick Hotel on the Circle.  The hotel dates back to the 1800s where it was a popular inn for Union sympathizers and travelers, served as a temporary courthouse from 1837-1842, then was a bank, then was restored and is on the National Historic Registry. During Civil War days, the nearby Eagle Hotel supported Southern sympathizers and brawls frequently occurred between the North and the South on the circle!

Mostly restored, with a newly built southwest wing of five themed rooms, here is The Brick Hotel, Restaurant and Tavern taken from the Circle.

Beautifully decorated trees are found throughout the lobby and eating areas.

Stairway

Second floor balcony

Lighted tree on the circle

Top of one of the buildings on the circle

getting the tree........

Got the Christmas tree today.  Jim decided that we could get a really tall one and put it in the sun room in the corner with the high ceiling.  It is an 8' tall Frasier fir and it is perfect!

trimming the bottom branches

getting it off the car

finished!

In Rochester

Last weekend we traveled to Rochester to visit with my brother and sister-in-law and my dad.  The trip was a good one as Val and Fred always find fun things for us to do in between visits to my dad.  On Sunday we braved the cold and went to the Public Market where vendors were selling wreaths, Christmas trees and garlands, warm hats and mittens (all handmade), and all sorts of winter vegetables.

This llama adorned in antlers was patiently posing.  Maybe he was wondering what he was doing at market....we were.

Stopping for some coffee and hot chocolate.

Follow me.......

Take a walk down Rte 26 at night........

Turn right at the snowman who is tipping his hat to you......

past the decorated Westwood at  Bethany sign,

past the sparkling otter dad and baby,

and the decorated and lighted birdbath.....

to the house with the beautiful wreath.

WELCOME

COME  IN!

NYC Day 3

Getting the barriers ready for the crowds that will be watching the Rockefeller tree lighting tonight.

These guys are looking for their Wise Men.

The Rockefeller tree

Now lighted (looks better at night).

Day 3 Radio City Music Hall backstage tour

Definitely a small group tour led by an expert leading us up and down stairs and giving us lots of history from the 1932 opening until today.

The person who designed the architecture of the stage wanted it to mimic a sunrise, the curtain being the sun.

Photographs on the wall of the famous Rockettes....the renaming from the "Rockets" being a more feminine version.

A familiar figure from the Christmas Spectacular

Looking over the Grand Foyer chandeliers made from Swarovski crystals.

Jim with Jennifer, one of the current 200 + Rockettes.  Thirty-six perform at each show with four back up performers.

NYC....Days 1 and 2

First day was spent strolling shops and looking at windows being decorated for the holidays:

Christmas tree in the lobby of our hotel....live poinsettias everywhere.

Steak dinner out at Red Eye Grill

At Columbus Circle inside the giant 4 story mall

Close-up

We loved the play.....pretty music and the child lead is shared with a sweet six year old from Selbyville, DE......our neighboring town.

Winter Fest of Lights

It has long been a tradition (since our first grandbaby Kylie was just a baby) to go to Northside Park in Ocean City to "see the lights".  Tonight we waited in line for over 90 minutes as this Christmas tradition belongs to other families as well as ours.  Each year more lighted stories are told and slowly the displays are being lighted with LED lights, making the colors vibrant.

Reflection in the water

Jaws pops out without any warning!

New this year is the Wizard of Oz....see the blue tornado and witch flying toward the green castle?

Here they are.....our six cuties....they make our hearts so proud!  We missed you Will (at his other grandparent's house.)

Layne, Eva, Kylie, Keelyn, Jack and Ella.

Turkey Day

David is the king of fried turkeys, perfecting his skills over the years so that he fries perfect turkeys every time....yesterday he fried us three turkeys!  All yummy!

Into the pot.......

Beer and pumpkin crab bisque while we wait......

Potatoes will become French fries

The finished product!

Becky and the food