Nursing home with the Records family

Ryan and I led the songs at the nursing home, but this time it was different because the Records family joined us.  They had part of their family gathering there, and made cards for the residents.  It was really nice doing the songs for all of them...  I also enjoyed John's message. 

me, Ryan and Gretchen on piano

me and Ryan

Christmas 2018

We had a lovely dinner here at the house with all the kids.  I made Mexican Lasagna and salad, and Hilary made a delicious tortilla soup, and queso dip.  Darryl made an apple pie, and Ryan made a gluten free, dairy free dish for Janelle.  Why didn't I take any pictures of the amazing food? 

Oh well, here are some pictures I got.

Darryl's apple pie

Hilary and Kyle

Kyle and Darryl

me and my margarita

Ryan and Janelle

Darryl and I after I put jammies on

Wilson looking for attention

Thanksgiving 2018

We had a really nice Italian Thanksgiving dinner with our kids.  I wonder if it was influenced from our cruise, and time in Italy. haha..

So, I'm finally feeling better.  I've been sick with Bronchitis since we got home from the cruise...been taking a LONG time to get over it.  It's been so long since I got my blog up to date that I neglected to mention that my eldest son, Ryan, is now engaged to this lovely lady, Janelle.  The wedding will be here before you know it!

Also, welcome to Wilson (cute little puppy)!

Rome and the Colosseum

This was the last day of our Compass Cruise to the Mediterranean Sea.  I apologize for not elaborating on each site we visited, but it was way too much for me.  I can't remember most of the names of the places we saw, and some of our tour guides were impossible to understand.  It was just too much to take in.  By the time this last day came, I was mentally and physically exhausted...so much so that I came home sick. 

Contemplating the tragedies

Inside the Colosseum

strange place for a pyramid

Farewell dinner with Compass

Naples, Sorrento, Positano (Amalfi Coast)

This was the day I was most dreading.  I had seen so many videos of the terrifying drive from Pompeii to the Amalfi Coast and I was panicking just thinking about it.  As it turns out that the awful storms they had in Italy caused some of the roadways that we would have been on to wash out and many people died just days before we were there.  So, because of that we were only able to drive a section of the road and not the entire route as planned.

The Amalfi Coast

I survived the bus ride

Authentic Naples Pizza

Pompeii

Pompeii, the city that was destroyed by the volcanic ash and fumes from Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD.  I had always imagined it was a small village.  But it was a very large city, stretching over 120 acres.  I was blown away at structures that remained, the store fronts, and homes and streets...

Mt. Vesuvius: those 2 "points" used to be joined into one very large mountain, but when it blew, it literally blew its top off.

many streets like this one

2,000 year old marble floor

lockers inside of a sauna/pool 

part of the sauna that was used by men

this was a bed in the prostitute section of town

Mt. Vesuvius in the background