Christopher's favorite Christmas present is the tetherball game that Dave and Popie built for him out back. He has been asking for this for over two years, so he is thrilled! I went shopping and came back to find Dave and Popie mixing concrete out back in the dark...but it turned out just fine, thankfully!
On New Year's Eve we visited Dave's high school friend, Joe Olson, who is now the captain of the USS Green Bay, stationed in San Diego. He gave us a first-class personal tour of his ship (below). Afterward we went to Coronado to watch the sunset (above).
The day before, we visited our cousins Jessica and Bryan in Los Angeles and visited the La Brea tar pits and the famous Grove shopping center. What a fun day!
Notice how much Shayla enjoyed the tar?
The day before THAT, we went to the local mountains (Wrightwood) to play in the snow -- tons of it, by California standards, at least. We had a great time tubing down the hill with our neighbors and with Popie.
After hosting Christmas dinner at our house, we headed to the Wild Animal Park the day after Christmas. Check out the lionesses cuddling together, and the lion sleeping on the jeep! Cool, no?
And here are a few snaps of Christmas Eve...some serious, some not so...
Christopher loved being in the Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and the costumes were totally over the top! The kids all did a great job, and he can't wait to join them again next year.
And finally, here is Shayla, all dressed up before the First Grade Holiday Performance, doing her favorite thing -- just hanging around.
