It’s Christmas Eve here in Charlotte, North Carolina. The tree is up and loaded with goodies. The gingerbread houses have been built and the Christmas cookies are ready to eat. (Minus those that Grandpa has already eaten. I have a serious responsibility to test the cookies as they come out of the oven. Sometimes I have to eat two, or three, just to be sure they meet my high standards.) Our son-in-law Clay will soon be up and preparing tonight’s roast. He’s one heck of a cook. All’s well with the world, or at least all is well with our little corner. And that’s enough for today.
Like Santa, we are in the middle of our holiday rounds. Last week, we were in Florida visiting with our son and his family. This week we are with our daughter and her family in Charlotte. It’s her turn to have us for Christmas. Next year is Tony’s turn, as we have already been reminded several times. (grin) Santa, of course, has the advantage of being able to be in both places. That’s because he has that magical sleigh and eight reindeer plus the red-nosed fellow. We have to travel by airplane, where we are lucky to arrive at all.
Both sets of kids (and grandkids) decided it would be fun to check out the holiday decorations at major amusement parks this year: Busch Gardens in Florida and Carowinds in North Carolina. They were impressive:
Making gingerbread houses is a tradition at both houses, which isn’t surprising considering Peggy’s love of all things Christmas. The grandkids join in the effort with total dedication, except for eating half of the house decorations. They are not alone in their passion for jelly beans and M&Ms and candy canes, gumdrops etc. The doggies also have a sweet tooth. But which one ate the gingerbread house?
Chima and Lexi were actually innocent— this time. Not that they wouldn’t eat a gingerbread house if someone left it on the floor by mistake and no-one was home. But they lack Lyla’s long legs. (Clay swears his dogs would not eat the gingerbread house.) Cammie and boys had just finished their house and were briefly out of the room. Cammie returned to find Lyla on her hind legs scarfing down their house. In Lyla’s defense, she had only thoroughly licked one side— but I am pretty sure that the house’s demise was just a matter of time. Anyway, here are the Cox family gingerbread houses:
Speaking of animals, Carowinds had put together a petting zoo for Christmas. It’s where I found the camel. There was also a very, very strange looking goat that looked like it was having a really bad hair day, that it was an ancient goat from another time…
A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAY TO ALL OF OUR GREAT INTERNET FRIENDS. THANKS FOR FOLLOWING ‘WANDERING THROUGH TIME AND PLACE.’
CURT AND PEGGY
Wandering through Time and Place 
Beautiful decorations….and dogs.
Happy holidays, Curt. All the best and looking forward to reading you in new year.
And a Happy New Year to you, Bojana! Thanks for following and commenting on my posts this past year. Should be some fun stuff coming up in 2019. –Curt
Can’t wait. Keep surprising us, Curt.
Love that big jingle-bell. And of course it had to be Lyla who got “first lick” at the gingerbread house. I remembered you talking about how tall she was — clearly, she knows how to put those long legs to good use.
Merry Christmas to you and Peggy, Curt, and best wishes for the new year.
Thanks, Linda.
You are right. Lyla was made for mischief, I’m pretty sure. –Curt
Happy Holidays to you all, even the gingerbread house thief.
Thanks, Peggy. The gingerbread house thief can be partly forgiven since she is still in her ‘puppy’ stage. 🙂
Merry Christmas Curt to you and your family. Thanks for all the adventures and photos you have shared this past year.
We send a family newsletter that shares off-beat encounters we have had during the year. This year’s letter included the story of an Saudi Arabian camel beauty contest – 12 contestants were disqualified because their owners used botox. Your camel photo makes me think now I have to find a way to tell the many disbelieving letter recipients we “weren’t making it up.”
Laughing, Ray. I never get tired of the expressive faces of camels! Can’t imaging using botox to make them look more expressive. Must have been in the lips.
Happy New Year to you and your family and thanks to you as well for taking us along on your adventures this past year. –Curt
Thank you for all your wonderful posts!
Likewise, G. Have a Great New Year! And start planning for your life when the WWII posts are finished. 🙂 –Curt
It will seem strange – no posts? umf!
🙂 You’ll find something. As I recall, you were talking about genealogy, G.
Yes, I would like to find out what the heck went on past my grandparents!
It was amazing to me, G, once I got started. I had no concept of my ‘roots.’ –Curt
Christmas lights and gingerbread houses all spectacular!
Merry Christmas Curt and Peggy. May your house(s) be filled with joy.
Alison
Thank you Alison. And a very happy and productive New Year to you and Don. –Curt
So glad you could spend Christmas in the South seeing a couple of our favorite theme parks. We haven’t gone to any this season even though Dollywood is right at our back door, so to speak. There’s something about millions of tiny white lights to make a place seem magical, but I’m pretty sure the magic was visiting with family over the holidays no matter where you went. Here’s to you and Peggy: Happy New Year!!! Rusha Sams
Always special Rusha. Lots of fun with kids, grandkids and grand doggies. Both theme parks were fun and quite different. But my favorite was Busch Gardens with its wildlife. Happy New Year to you as well! –Curt and Peggy
All of the dogs looks extraordinarily innocent. Too bad Lyla got caught red-pawed.
The trees were all amazing! Omigosh! I would have been standing there for hours with my head tipped back and my mouth gaping open.
Miss innocent she isn’t, Crystal. Grin.
I can’t even imagine the time it must take to string all of those lights! –Curt
This post seems to be one that tried to get away from me, looks like I’m catching up just in time before the new year comes barreling in. Laughing at that innocent look on Lexi’s face. As for Lyla… she might need a talking to from our poodle who has been known to be sitting on a chair with his nose inches from a plate with a bit of chicken left on it. We were in the next room and had to investigate what the whining was about. Seems old Dude was asking for permission. Something I’ll never forget.
Wouldn’t have wanted to miss out on all the great shots of the Christmas decorations! Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful new year! 🎉 🕊