In October, we decided to travel down to Orange County, California, for Christmas 2010. We originally were not going to fly anywhere for Christmas (out to Minneapolis, like we usually do) and just stay in the NW to save money. However, the rest of my immediate family and spouses were all going and we actually haven't spent Christmas down in SoCal since 1996, so it was time for a trip. It truly makes my heart ache to know that we hardly ever get to see my SoCal relatives; if we do get to see them, it's for a wedding or a funeral and we never know when the next time we'll see them will come around. It could be two years or five years. Needless to say, this was money well spent. I often remark to myself when we do get to spend time with my extended family how so many of our mannerisms/facial expressions etc. are alike despite living apart across the miles for so many years. It's almost eerie how many idiosyncrasies we have in common. Plus, this was the last Christmas that my family will not have any grandchildren included in our celebration. Since airfare is so expensive, we decided not to exchange gifts, instead just giving stocking stuffers. (I made a little jar of chocolate hazelnut spread for everyone.) Unfortunately, my camera refused to work past the first day in OC, so I am posting the first few pics from the trip and I promise to post more as I figure out how to download from my phone and I receive the pics I took from Heather's camera.
Joe & Dad playing checkers at home in Oregon
Joe's accompanist, Shirley, loaned these awesome antlers to him when he conducted his all-girl's choir, Celestial Singers, at Steilacoom's annual Christmas tree lighting at the town hall
Grandma makes us Christmas dinner (our flight was delayed in PDX so we didn't actually sit down to dinner until almost 10pm)
Chelsea & Uncle Chuck open gifts
This is St. John's Lutheran Church in downtown Orange, built c. 1913. We attended Sunday services there the day after Christmas with Grandma.
Kris, Heather, me, and Joe after church
This is the traffic circle in the middle of Old Town Orange, with a beautiful fountain in its middle. At night, it's illuminated with vintage Christmas decorations. I expected to see a Santa and Snowman, but a manger scene? That's something you'd never see in our neck of the woods. One holiday season recently, there were picketers/rioters from liberal groups protesting the Christmas tree by the Capitol building in Olympia. (So you can see why I was shocked to see this!)
And last but not least, here is the "halfway done pic". I was 19 weeks, 6 days in this one.
Those are the best pics I have to post now, and I promise to post more soon.
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