The Big Birthday Bash

Pixie turned 60 on November 10, and our friend Susan Barr turned 65 on November 19, so Steve Barr and I combined forces and put on a big birthday bash at our house on November 20.  Our house is very well set up for a large party, with a big common space inside, and a big yard off the terrace.  We rented some tables and chairs, hired a popular caterer who very reasonably provides a Mexican buffet with handmade tortillas and a large variety of Mexican dishes to fill them, hired our friend Billy to serve margaritas, beer and soda, and a Mexican guitar trio to serenade the group.  We had about 15 of our Mexican friends as well as many of our friends, most from our fellowship.  We had a Winnie the Pooh pinata for the kids which was, of course, a highlight for them.  Pixie and Susan were feted with toasts, gifts, and two traditional Mexican tres leches (three milks) birthday cakes.  There's really not much to say about it, so I just included these photos.  Thanks to our friends Kathy and Kelley who contributed some of these photos.  

We gathered with many of our friends from the fellowship, as usual, at Lew and Trudy Crippen's house in Ajijic to celebrate Thanksgiving.  It was a pot luck affair, and Pixie brought traditional homamade cranberry sauce to add to the wide variety of  dishes, not exactly a New England thanksgiving, but full of friendship and gratitude for our health, family, friendship, and prosperity. 

We have made a BIG decision and decided to return north for July and August next summer.  We will be, of course, stopping at Muncie to visit Isabelle, Eric and Crystal, but most of the time we will be staying at Curt and Judy Webber's house in Auburn.  This will give us a good chance for good visits with friends and family, and will still allow us to get our visas renewed in June and our Mexican health insurance renewed in September.  I will also be able to continue teaching English here, because the program does not continue during the summer. 

We will be going to Muncie for Christmas this year, from December 19-29, so I will be able to post new photos of Isabelle when we return.  Not much else to write about now.  The weather which has been quite cool (down to the high 40's), has turned milder.  We are both well and grateful that our children are all doing well.  We look forward to seeing them all in Muncie.  Here's a photo of us getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving yesterday.  Notice Pixie's wild colors!