This past weekend was FULL of Christmas traditions, new and old.
Friday night we got a tree.
It is still a strange experience for this Midwest gal to encounter palm trees while searching for our Christmas tree. It feels a little wrong. In my mind, you are supposed to be wearing gloves and walking through snow while hunting for Oh Tannenbaum, not watching palm fronds sway in the breeze.
But then, at home, I noticed this...
Do you see what I see?
PALM TREES...there were palm trees at THE Nativity. Bethlehem = Mediterranean climate.
I guess palm trees and Christmas do actually go together. I feel much better.
PALM TREES...there were palm trees at THE Nativity. Bethlehem = Mediterranean climate.
I guess palm trees and Christmas do actually go together. I feel much better.
On Saturday Chris put the lights on the house (only 1 trip to Home Depot),
and we went to our local Holiday Parade in the evening.
and we went to our local Holiday Parade in the evening.
We attended the parade last year, so I suppose two years in a row makes it a tradition.
This time we saw a lot of friends and even stayed to the end (it's a REALLY long parade).
The kids did amazing and I got to wear my down jacket which made me very happy.
Sunday we did something that I hope to make a Christmas tradition.
We forked over A LOT of money to park, rent skates, and do this...
We went skating at the Hotel Del Coronado...and it was kind of magical.
Sam sincerely enjoyed her first attempt on ice and seeing her determination was adorable.
What a wild and crazy experience to watch waves crash while on ice skates.
Sunday night we went to our church's Christmas concert called 'Many Moods'.
This is the third year we have enjoyed an almost heavenly hour and a half of music performed by professionals and amateurs. The night included...orchestra, choirs, soloists, classical, contemporary, jazz.
I spent a lot of the time with tears in my eyes or chills, resting and reflecting.
It felt like a gift.
I spent a lot of the time with tears in my eyes or chills, resting and reflecting.
It felt like a gift.
Oh yeah, and one more Christmas tradition that we definitely took part in this weekend
was consuming a ridiculous amount of cookies. One of my favorite traditions.
was consuming a ridiculous amount of cookies. One of my favorite traditions.
'Tis the season!
This is as close as we get to a snowman around this town.
