Christmas

During the week of Christmas, we left for a four-day trip to Pismo Beach.  Ryan found a rental house about twenty minutes from the ocean for a super good deal.  We spent Monday at the beach itself.  Pismo Beach is really strange, because they allow both dogs and vehicles on the sand.  Plus, the slope of the beach itself is uniquely shallow, so you can walk a long ways out before the water gets very deep.
  

Sand Yoga

The water snuck up on them while I was taking pictures.

  

I worried Wiley's heart might explode.  He had fun.

Connor and Elise collected a huge variety of shells.

Barnacles on Sand Dollars

 
Tuesday morning, we drove south to the La Purisima mission.  Connor is supposed to study the missions as part of fourth grade in California, so we decided to tour this one.  It was pretty awesome - a part of history I never knew much about.
  

Tallow Vats

Ryan and I have started trying to identify mushrooms, just for fun.

We couldn't identify this one, either.

After La Purisima, we stopped by the monarch butterfly grove.  Corinne wasn't even born the last time we came, I think.
  

Pinned to the Box

  
We went home on Wednesday, Christmas Eve.  On the way, we stopped in Solvang and bought goodies.  Some nice people offered to take our picture in this sleigh thing.

  

Christmas was great.  This year we followed the four-gift rule: "Something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read."  I don't even know where I heard that silly rhyme, but it was wonderful.  I think the kids all appreciated their gifts much more, and we didn't hear any "Is that all?" type comments.  The limit didn't apply to gifts from relatives, or stocking stuffers.  We spent the day relaxing and watching Christmas videos.
    

Stockings

Painting Easel

Elise got Heelys and a sleeping bag.

Gifts from Nana and Al

Connor's Super Smash gift became a distraction.

Wooden Bowling Set

Frozen Comic Book

Jigsaw Puzzle

The day after Christmas, Ryan went on his monthly Critical Mass ride.  He really appreciated the Beardmo hat Kelli gave him a year or two ago.
   

    
On Saturday, we used our annual passes for a second trip to Six Flags.  It was okay, except that this time it was really cold and windy.  I know, we sound so whiny, but we didn't even think to bring good jackets.
   

Hanging Out at the Kid Rides

December (Pre-Christmas)

Evan continued with Joy School after Thanksgiving.  I got the awesome Christmas lesson, which I kinda adapted to what I wanted to do.  We mostly got ready for the Nativity pageant and decorated Christmas Tree Cones.

Boys playing "gently" at Tomomi's House

  

Making Christmas Tree Cones

After Joy School was over, I let the other kids do cones, too.  Somebody made one for Corinne - she couldn't process the idea of putting the candy on the cone rather than just eating it.

   

Ryan and I celebrated our thirty-seventh birthdays!  It wasn't too depressing, since I'd somehow spent half of this year thinking we were already thirty-seven.  We went to eat at "Cracking Crab," a new restaurant near our house which I highly recommend if you like seafood.  A few days later, on Ryan's birthday, we had tickets with friends to go see Jim Gaffigan (the comedian) in Long Beach.  It was awesome.  Evan still insists that we didn't have a birthday, though, because we never did a cake or sang.  Ryan did, however, buy me a MacBook Air.  It's my first "very own" computer, and the first Mac we've ever bought. I know it's considered very un-hip to give more money to Apple, but it runs SO much better than any PC I've ever had.  I can open it up, push a button, and the computer TURNS ON!  Then, after a wait of maybe three seconds, push the button again, and the INTERNET turns on!  I know, crazy stuff.
     

  

Ryan and Connor got to march in the Montrose Christmas Parade with the Cub Scouts.  Connor had fun, and spilled hot cocoa all over his uniform.

  

  

We went with a bunch of other families to the L.A. Zoo's Zoolights display.  It's a walk-through "holiday" light exhibit in the zoo after dark (no animals other than a couple reindeer.)  It was a lot better than I expected.  Evan was in the stroller, because he started feeling tired when we got there, and didn't want the doughnuts or cider we all brought.  It turned out later that he was the beginning of a lovely case of stomach flu that slowly went through every member of our family.  People would get really sick, with days of fever and vomiting and everything else, then slowly get better, then get sick again for a day, then better for three or four.  It was lousy for all involved.  I think the last episode of vomiting happened January 12 or so - more than a month after it all started!

   

Sick Evan

Connor and Elise did their annual Christmas piano recital.  Connor played "Frosty the Snowman" and "Away in a Manger," and Elise did "Silent Night," and "Angels We Have Heard on High."  They both did a great job, and got cute medals with their names on them at the end.
  

  
One Sunday evening, we got together at the Jepsens' for the Joy School Christmas party.  I was basically in charge, since I'd been the one teaching the Nativity play and Christmas songs to the kids.  They were adorable.  Evan got to be Joseph this year, and was very dignified, as can be seen from the picture below.  Ryan stayed home with sick Corinne.
   

I took everybody to the Pompeii exhibit down at the California Science Center one afternoon.  We had been reviewing the story of Mount Vesuvius, and Roman life for a week before we left, and I think the older kids learned a lot.  Only when we got to the last room was it a little creepy, since that was where they had the fossilized bodies.  It didn't bother the kids too much, thankfully.
  

  

Greenscreen Gladiator Pictures for $10.  I didn't buy one.

Running from Vesuvius

I missed the Ward Christmas Party because I was home with sick Connor and Elise.  A friend texted me this picture, though.  She said Corinne kept whispering to Baby Jesus and petting his leg.
    

In the meantime, all this stuff happened.  
  

Stealing Turkey from the Fridge

Evan and Ian always read when Ian comes over.

A rainstorm hit one day and left us this baby landslide to clean up.

Wiley lets Corinne boss him around.  He's a good dog.