I’m SO late getting this post up!  But I am still treasuring these memories from November, and since I haven’t shared them yet, there’s no time like the present!  Christmas is only a couple of short days away, so I’m sure the last thing anybody wants to do right now is think back to November…except ME!  Family visits were the main highlights of the month, and I can never get enough family time, so here I go…thinking back to November!

FAVORITE #1

On the afternoon of November 1st, just after being in our new house only two weeks, we boarded a flight to head to Vilnius, Lithuania, where we would arrive the next evening.  We were headed to be with our grandson Leo and help care for him while our son was working as expedition leader on an Antarctic trip and his wife was working at her teaching job there in Vilnius.

So we left on a Friday, arrived there on a Saturday evening, and the first picture I took was on Sunday morning.

My gosh!  How much Leo had grown and matured in 2 months!  It’s incredible!  I also need to say here how great our daughter-in-law Erin was the evening before.  She and Leo both met us at the airport.  She put Big Eagle and I in a Bolt (like an Uber here), and then she and Leo got back on a bus and met us at their apartment.  She made it seamless for us!  Thanks, Erin! 😘

That Sunday afternoon, on a walk with Erin and Leo through a part of the city, I got this great fall photo of Leo in front of one of the restaurants along the way.

 

That evening before his bath, he was playing around on the couch with Grandpa.  He calls him “Gamp”.  Love it!  Got this pic of them together.  I would say Gamp was his favorite between the two of us.

 

Being there at the beginning of November, we were at the cusp where the fall decorations were at their end, and the Christmas decorations were beginning to come out.  So I was able to get this picture of “Gamp” with Leo on one of our outings.

 

While we were there, we did this art project with Leo.  We had done the same one with our granddaughters when they were very young.  Here we are in the process.

 

And here’s Leo with the final product!

 

Here’s Leo on his scooter in the house.  Erin and Danny take him all over town on this little scooter, and he loves it!

 

We didn’t bring warm enough gloves with us, so we borrowed gloves that Erin and Danny had while we were there.  These black and purple ones were the ones Big Eagle used.  Whenever we got ready to go out, Leo would bring “Gamp” his gloves. Here he is wearing them and running around in the house. 🥰

The week went by so fast!  Before we knew it, Erin’s sister had arrived to take over, and it was time for us to go.  Danny and Erin reserved a room for us in a really nice hotel in town.  We just walked right across the street from it that last night to have dinner at Rotonda.  It was such a nice dinner, and they still had their fall decor outside.  A lovely place!

I took SO many more pictures than I posted here, but this gives a taste of what our week in Vilnius was like.

 

FAVORITE #2

On the 20th of the month, our new dining room table and chairs and bar stools were delivered!  Also the plantation shutters were installed in the study.  No pictures here, but the furniture will show up in a picture further down in the post.

 

FAVORITE #3

There are many activities offered in our new community, so we gave a couple of them a try!  The first one we went to was the euchre group on the 18th, and we really enjoyed it.  We’ve now become regulars for that one.  Once a month, there is a happy hour, so we also attended that on the 21st, and met some more of our neighbors!

 

FAVORITE #4

We were so happy to welcome our daughter Cara and her family to our house on the 26th!  They were here to spend Thanksgiving with us!

Since we’re down to just two bedrooms now, I bought a queen-sized blow-up bed to put in the study for the girls to sleep on.

 

The first morning they were here, I made waffles for breakfast.  And here’s everyone around the new table that morning.

 

After breakfast that day, Paul, Cara, and Helen drove up to Plano where they bought Helen’s flute last year, so it could have its annual tune-up.  While they were gone, Big Eagle, Edie, and I went for a walk to explore the neighborhood.

Edie looks like she thinks the putting green is a beach! 😂

 

We stopped by the pickle ball courts and played around hitting the ball back and forth.  I think we spent most of our time chasing the ball!  Ha!

 

The next day was Thanksgiving!  Early that morning, Paul, Cara, and Edie decided to go out and do their own Turkey Trot!  Here they are in front of the house before taking off.  The afternoon before, I think we were in the low 80s, but this morning the cold had arrived!

 

I had not planned on having a charcuterie board, but Helen had the idea we should have one.  And what a great idea that was!  Out of what I thought was nothing, this wonderful girl came up with this!  Amazing!

We enjoyed it throughout the day!

Late in the afternoon, we sat down to our Thanksgiving dinner.

Edie was so sweet!  She wanted everyone to go around the table and say what they were thankful for, and it was the best moment.  We all have so much to be thankful for, and I am so thankful for family in all of its many forms!

Paul had arranged for all of us to go to the Fort Worth Symphony at the Bass Hall the next night, and that was such a great way to welcome in the Christmas season!

The following morning, they were preparing to head back home, but first they had to finish the puzzle they had started!  Here they are feverishly working to get it done.

 

And here they are with the goal accomplished!

And not long after that, they left for home. I’m so thankful for the time we had together!  It made this year’s Thanksgiving really special.

So now you see, November was really a great month for us!  We were able to have some really great moments with all of our kids and grandkids, with the exception of Danny.  We did get to video chat with him, though, so thank God for that!

And since Christmas is only a couple of days away, I wish anyone reading this a Merry Christmas!  To borrow a line:  God bless us every one!