The Christmas Palm Tree

Stockings for all

Mike ordered G&M Crabcakes, from Baltimore, for Christmas eve dinner.

A few minutes in the oven, and they were as good as if we'd been right there.

Natty thought she might get some too.

But Mike quickly reclaimed his place, and Natty was left with wishful thinking

Natty and Mike relax after dinner.

Then we opened presents. Andie got a Polly Prissy Pants pillow.

The dog got something they destroyed before we could get out the camera.

Then they claimed Andie's new house slippers as toys.

A big pile of stuff from family back home

All the dogs got some presents. Bogart is very excited.

So is Sydney

Mike attempts to put something together with "some assembly required" without reading the assembly instructions.

Since it's Christmas, Mike does not throw Libby off the couch.

On Christmas Eve, Dee, Kerry, and Jack came from Joplin. We had dinner in the garden.

Then Mike shook us up some Lemon Drop shots.

Then we taught Dee the fine art of Lemon Drops

Don't forget to make the "lemon face."

Presents on Christmas day

Kerry enjoys the tantalizing aroma of his bacon scented air freshener.

Chex mix in the garden

Then we went to the beach, where the locals froze to death.

Natty looks for the goodies on the table.

We spent an afternoon on the beach.

That's Dee and Jack out there in the water...

...while the locals are trying to stay warm.

Dee and Jack in the wind and water like it's not even freezing outside.

Dee and Andie burry Jack in the sand.

At least it's probably warm under there.

Now he's a merman

We took them to our favorite hangout, The Briny. Here Dee is trying a shot of Naseau Royale.

Andie liked it.

Troo rah loo rah loo ral. Mike sings an Irish Lullaby.

Laura considers taking up cigars.

Dee's having a good time.

The next day we went out to the Everglades for a swamp buggy ride.

We got on one of these contraptions and took a tour through the swamps.

Andie puts on her earmuffs so the airboat won't make her deaf.

Dee dons her earmuffs and smiles because they help keep her ears warm.

Swamp pictures

That's a Great Blue Heron landing.

That's limestone in the background. They've uncovered Dinosaur and Whale fossils there.

Andie was smart enough to wear something with a hood.

They spotted a gator, so everyone stood up and got in the way.

Ibes and Great Blue Heron

Toward the center, you can see a gator tail, and toward the right there is a turtle

Gator and turtle co-existing peacefully...mostly because it's too cold for the gator to hunt.

This guy swam along with us for awhile.

Sunset over the swamp

Libby and Jack make friends.

Libby decided to be friends with Kerry too.

Libby colors with Andie.

Libby made friends with Dee right away.

Libby shows us her ferocious look.

Sydney and AC relax after a wonderful Christmas vacation.