The Crow's Nest

Becky here in Venice, Florida. Last night we celebrated our time together by dining at the Crow's Nest, a popular, high-end bayside marina and restaurant. While there, the table next to us asked us to take their picture; they returned the picture-taking favor to us. Two of their party had sailed from New York (they started their southward sail two months ago, stopping along the way to sleep and have some fun) with a goal of reaching relatives in Venice. We were invited aboard their ship. It was dark but I did my best to get a few shots of their Christmas (red sails) ride.

G-Whiz, It's Christmas Day 2008

Roused early by two boys, we opened presents on the lanai. We had to keep the gifts small and flat for travel so many of them were gifts of day trips. First gift trip up the next day: The G-Whiz Museum in Sarasota, hosted by Blake. We spent several hours there unwinding puzzles, solving problems, creating and learning lots of things. Blake came out saying, "I learned I didn't know everything!"

Thanks, Kathy and Jeff

Christmas Eve 2008 was made extra special with the handmade gifts of pajamas and "I Spy" books for Hunter and Blake from Kathy and Jeff in Alaska. After church at the Venice Theatre (Emmanuel Lutheran is getting a makeover so it wasn't ready for services), we adjorned to the lanai and backyard for dinner and a Red Velvet "stacked cake" that Hunter made. After Hunter read the Christmas Story, the boys opened their gifts from Alaska and spent the rest of the evening wearing what they said were "comfortable" (feels good on the skin) flannel jam-jams. Thanks, Kathy, for your continued stitching. We love it that you're keeping up Grandma's pajama tradition.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Eve.

We Wish You A Merry Christmas!!!!!

Hey everyone, Becky and Al here from Venice, Florida. For sweet end-of-the-year moments, we and our adorable grandsons brought cookies to our neighbors. We would have brought them to you if you'd been in our neighborhood.....oatmeal cookies with cranraisins, sugar cookies, and chocolate chip cookies...nothing really unusual but cookies filled with love and wishes for your good health and peace on this erupted earth. We were received by our neighbors with elegant grace, tips for the best place to find shark's teeth (Nokomis Beach), and best wishes for the next new year.
Merry Christmas to You...and as Blake sings, "Santa Baby, hurryin' down the chimney tonight!"

Peppermint sticks and sugarplums...

Becky here. Gingerbread seems to be the theme this year. It all started with Blake's graham cracker house at school the day before he got on the plane with his Mom and a popular sports hero, Leonard (ISU football players don't want their full names used).

Here are a couple gingerbread houses we built and decorated to make the Shamrock House a happier place...don't you love how the tree was topped off by a hungry little mouth?

The Games Have Begun

Thank you Adam and Kim

Adam and Kim came home from Florida with the holiday spirit. Saturday night they invited the Underwoods to their house for a Christmas celebration.

Luck has it, after several days of snow and cold, the air warmed up, the snow melted and we enjoyed an evening of 50 degree weather out in the little white house.

Adam and Kim decorated for a Blue Christmas as they had just come back from the blue skies and water that we are getting ready to leave for. Blake read a book to Adam and Kim (one they game him as a Christmas present) and Hunter sang the President song for Kim as she is a history buff.

Next, we feasted on pork loin, boiled veggies, rolls, salad and sparkling Blueberry wine (Peach juice for the boys). We finished off with a super chocolate brownie and pumpkin pie for the less brave souls.

We didn't stay long as we had to scurry off to the envening's entertainment.

Blake and Hunter may have been the youngest guests at the sold out Mannheim Steamroller concert in Des Moines that evening, but they were not the least attentive or poorest behaved.

We all really enjoyed the concert. It was the perfect evening for us all.