It happened yet again--I held my breath long enough and the "Holiday Season" passed me by without too much damage. Our neighbors had a great light display, enough for all of us. I didn't put a wreath on our door or get a christmas tree or put up any lights. I think our neighborhood thinks that we're the Scrooge family. I'm pretending I'm a Jehovah's Witness. I think that this is the last year I can let the Holidays slide by, though. Laina loves the sparkley lights and the pretty ornaments. She's a true Raccoon person.

We spend the Christmas Holiday at my Grandmother's house in San Luis Obispo. She's 94 years old and said that she's not planning to do any more Christmas decorating. She's giving away all her decorations. She's given me her olive wood "Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the shepherds" manger scene that we bought for her when we were in Jerusalem. I don't know when that was--1982 or something like that?

Laina and Cousin E. had a great time visiting with each other. They managed not to do any lasting harm to each other or any of the things they came in contact with this time. Here are a few pictures of the last month:

On the 13th, Laina celebrated her 3rd Birthday. Here's a picture of what she looked like:



During our Christmas time we spent some time on the beach. Here is Christmas day on Avila Beach. This is one of the great things about California--Christmas on the beach without getting frostbite. Laina ran onto the beach and as soon as her feet hit the sand, she bucked off her clothes and started running to the waves. I'm trying to teach her a little bit about social norms around here and since we're not living in the Munich English Garden, it's more appropriate to keep bits covered. After a little negotiation, she agreed to keep her bottoms on. She and Eli had a great time on the beach.








Right now I'm listening to the 2:00 news. Everyone on KCAL is all twitterpated about the upcoming "rainstorms". It's going to be the most rain since 2003!! or is that 2005!! It's going to rain more than 2 1/2 minutes at a time and they are dedicating the whole news program to it. There was some poor reporter out in Ventura with a plastic bag in her hand and saying, "look, look at this bag waving in the wind...the wind is really blowing...look at this bag". OK she didn't say exactly that, but that was the main idea. It reminds me of the reporters who wait out on the Sylvan bridge in Portland at the first rumor of snow so that they can talk about how it's snowing. If it rains enough to get all of the ground wet at the same time in my yard then I'll be really happy. So far, since I've lived down here, it has rained maybe 4 times. I've boycotted watering my lawn and I'm reminded that humans aren't supposed be living in orange county anyways.