Holiday

After being away from the van for over 6 months we have returned.  It felt good to sleep in our own bed again and have the surroundings of our small home around us.  Today is laundry day and we are catching up washing all our travel clothes.  While Will in doing that work I have downloaded all of our travel pictures to the computer and now try to work on blogs, emails and FB updates.
After being away from the van for over 6 months we have returned.  It felt good to sleep in our own bed again and have the surroundings of our small home around us.  Today is laundry day and we are catching up washing all our travel clothes.  While Will in doing that work I have downloaded all of our travel pictures to the computer and now try to work on blogs, emails and FB updates.

Memories, sweet memories.  
We departed Texas and flew to San Fransisco where we spent one night then on to Honolulu where we rented a car and drove to Justin's home in Maikiki, a suburb just north of Honolulu.  After a few days we headed to Waikiki where we had a hotel room with a small kitchen area.  We enjoyed walked around the shops, beach and along the canal.  We went to the zoo one day; it is a zoo with lots of walking and few animals to see, but it was enjoyable. Justin came and visited us one evening and took us out to a very unique place for dinner.  The tables each had a large hole in the center where there was a small grill.  Raw foods were brought to the table and you cooked for yourself.  We went to his home and we celebrated Thanksgiving together with turkey and all the fixings

When we returned to Justin's he was off to Las Vagas for a week's conference and we got to stay at his condo and enjoy island life.  

We then departed Ohau and visited the island of Kauai.  First we stayed in Princeville in the northern part of the island.  Justin joined us for our last day and the Westin Resort there and drove with us to the south park of the island to the Marriot where we stayed for the second week.  Justin's long weekend with us was great.  He took us to dinner at Duke's Restaurant our first evening. When he departed we relaxed and enjoyed resort life.

The last few days in Hawaii we were back on Oahu staying with Justin.
 We celebrated Christmas.
And the next day we departed for Pittsburgh where we stayed with Sueann and Don. Maria flew in and we had a sister outting to the Grand Concorse, Sueann's treat.
Back at Sueann's we watched It's A Wonderful Life together.

Cookie Day went well; we made a few less, but had just as much fun.  Don was at the oven this year as Cliff didn't fly in.  Jessica and Layla made an appearance; so fun having a little one around.

Christmas Eve we drove up to see Nicole and the kids in Wilpet. Damiana turned 16; we gave her a gift car wrapped 16 layers for her to unwrap.
 April, Dave and their son, RiJel (friends of Nicole's) joined us on our traditional Chinese dinner outing and movie-Star Wars The Last Jedi.


 Back at Nicole's everyone opens stockingsWe even had snow.

Christmas morning we enjoyed a quiet breakfast at the Ramada Inn in Ligoinier then headed over to Nicole's.  It was fun watching the children open their package of folded dollars.  Damiana had made us each a box, Finn made Will a bracelet, Nicole painted us each a picture on a tee-shirt. And the kids each made us clay treasures.
 About noon the roads were a little better so we made our way to Bethel Park to celebrate Christmas with Kathy's sisters.

Sueann made a fabulous roast;
Carmine brought a potato dish and a unique upside down veggie pie.
And of course we enjoyed the white elephant tradition.  Carmine wrote a beautiful page about sisters and how blessed we all are to have each other; as a remembrance she gave us each a necklace with a verse on it.  Maria brought us oranges from Florida! Kathy gave each sister Hawaiian pot muffs, a little change purse and a small white angel.

It was so nice to celebrate the holidays with family.

As Sueann’s girls were coming in we left Sueann’s early in the morning and stopped at storage to put our new toaster oven (our white elephant)and winter clothes away.  Then we visited with Clyde and Arlene


before meeting Carmine and Robert at their house.  Carmine made the best meatloaf we have ever had.  Must have been the mozzarella cheese she adds. Since Carmine was working, Sueann had her girls over and Maria was visiting friends, we headed out to the airport early the next morning hoping to get a flight out, but ended up spending the entire day a the airport.

After a stop in Houston, we arrived in Harlingen the next morning at about 1AM.  Calida and Jim met us and brought us to our van.

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