Christmas in California 2010

We love Christmastime in San Diego and we try to partake of as many Christmas activities as possible. So what if we live in sunny Southern California, where we never see a white Christmas!

We went a couple of times to see the Mission Inn in Riverside, CA. Their Christmas decorations are amazing, especially the light displays.

On Christmas Day, 2010, Seth's favorite toy was his spinning top.

We hosted Christmas Eve at our house for 2010. Elaina loved wearing her new nightgown.

Grandpa did the traditional reading of the Christmas story on Christmas Eve, this time from his iPad. The times, they are a changing.

Of course, we had to make a trip to Disneyland to see the Christmas decorations. The lights on "It's a Small World" are especially beautiful at Christmas time.

Here are Neil, Seth, and Elaina in front of the Disneyland Christmas tree.

One of our favorite activities was visiting Christmas Card Lane in San Diego. Yes we all elfed ourselves.

Here is Elaina standing in front of the "Finding Nemo" themed house. How interesting that the shark should represent peace!

We had a wonderful time at the Christmas boat parade in San Diego Harbor. It was a great night with unseasonably warm weather.

Elaina got to sit on Santa's lap at our ward Christmas party.

We had a great time at December Nights, a Christmas festival at Balboa Park. Part of December Nights is free admission to the park's museums. Elaina and her cousin Katie especially enjoyed the Model Railroad Museum.

Daddy and Seth had a great time at the Model Railroad Museum as well.

There were also carnival rides at December Nights. Elaina was happy to go on the dragon ride, until the ride started moving. After that she couldn't see her daddy, and cried through the whole ride.

We got a family picture with the Grinch this year. His home is in San Diego, you know, as that is where Dr. Seuss used to live.

November 2010

We started celebrating Christmas right after Thanksgiving. Here we are in front of the tree at the Hotel Del Coronado.

Elaina and I are looking through a store front window in Julian after their tree lighting ceremony. Julian is up in the mountains, and it was very cold that night.

On Thanksgiving Day we went on a walk to see our neighbor's collection of animals. Seth got a good view from Daddy's shoulders.

In sunny Southern California, one tree is changing colors along Sleeping Indian Road, as I walk along it on Thanksgiving Day, pushing the double stroller.

Here is our neighborhood pond, with our house's roof in the distance.

Seth thinks he's my little gardener in training. He loves playing in the dirt and sitting between my plants.