Holiday Happenings

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WHEW! It's gotten WAY too political around here, but thanks for letting me get THAT off my chest.

In real life, we're not focused on politics by any means. In fact (and as usual), we've found more than our fair share of fun stuff to do this holiday season.

We took a somewhat spur-of-the-moment holiday trek down to the Big D (with a stop at the Griffith Park Observatory on our way south). The girls were particularly thrilled. The park was wonderfully relatively vacant Thursday, but we paid for all that line-free luxury the following day when the park turned into a crazy house...people EVERYWHERE; a line at 10:30 p.m. for the carousel!



Tomorrow we're joining a group of homeschool friends for a cookie baking and holiday crafting day. The girls and I will take the makin's for Orange Cardamom Cookies and Lebkuchen and a kidcraft for loved ones. Wednesday, we may have SNOW here on the coast, so you know we won't be getting any worksheets or indoor "schoolwork" done! Instead we'll be trying to top Calvin & Hobbes for snow sculpture design.

Sweet Adelines sang out for a packed house in our new digs and E got to sing on the risers for the entire concert rather than the one song she'd initially be told would be hers to share. A holiday party with Grandpa Randy and Grandma Margaret. An evening with "A Christmas Carol" at the Melodrama. And another trip south to see Grandpa Doug sing with Masters of Harmony, and a surprise for us - his solo performance of "Do You Hear What I Hear" backed by the massive seven-time international championship chorus! (GREAT JOB!) On our way home, we toured the Queen Mary.



And there is, of course, baking: gingerbread cookies that went to friends, neighbors and my butt; sugar cookies for church; candy canes for the girls (and some to my butt); banana bread (Mr. B's butt); and tonight the Santa Lucia Bread (a couple of days late, but scrumptious with coffee nonetheless).

Winter Solstice is just around the corner. Find a spot for a bonfire with friends and family Sunday, or otherwise mark this ancient celebration.