Our annual Christmas Eve dinner...

...with Heather, David, and the grandkids came a night early this year.  We had a lovely traditional Christmas Eve meal, including tamales, rice and beans, a salad, and wonderful Tortilla soup!  Victoria has the sniffles, so she went off to bed soon after we arrived, but all the rest of his had a great time together, and the kids all seemed to enjoy their gifts from Grandpa and Grandma M.

 We missed Jonathan's first concert on trombone last week, so he played a couple of songs for us! Victoria looks fascinated by that big brass thing.

They are all so photogenic!

 

Story books for Isaac and a game for Joshua.

 Jonathan waiting patiently to open his present.  Being the oldest, he went last.

 Sophia and her new interactive friend "Bell".  She planned on reading to her after the little boys went to bed.

 Playing Joshua's new game, Shark Attack.  He thought it was fun u-n-t-i-l he learned that everyone's fishies might get eaten by the shark!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

This year's Christmas tree.

Birthday flowers...

 ...from Aunt Anne and Uncle Byron.

Beautiful to look at...

 ... good to eat!  The first Calla Lily bloom of the year.  And, Swiss Chard in a pot.  Love that we can grow greens here in the winter.

The colors of the sunset...

...on the shortest day of the year.

Decorating our entry way...

Poinsettias come in so many more colors than red these days!  We like this unusual colored one in the red pot, especially back-lit as it is by early morning sunshine.  Several large ornaments have been tied into the schefflera next to our garage.  This is how it appears from our front door - festive during the day, and more so at night when it lights up with white twinkle-lights.

Some of this year's new ornaments...

 We never go a year without buying more tree ornaments.  The big-eyed bird is actually a decorated gourd from the gift shop at Rancho Los Alamitos.  The seashell orb came from Arroyo Granda, and the blown glass ornament from Harmony, both from our trip to Central California in October.

The Lighting of the Back Bay 2012...

The Lighting of the Back Bay Ceremony is r-e-a-l-l-y for kids.  But, we enjoy it so much that we went back for our third year!  There's musical performances, (luke-warm) chili, great hot chocolate,  and lots of dogs to befriend.  This year, Santa arrived on a paddle board, before throwing the switch to light up the Bay.  He was then available to hear Christmas lists, in the company of his two "reindeer".  Always a fun night!

Jonathan and Sophia's Christmas Pageant...

  

Jonathan and 

Sophia had their school Christmas performance last Monday night.  Sophia is the one in the back with the toothy grin, and that's Jonathan in the stripped shirt listening intently from his choir seat!  "Grandma M" grabbed Victoria as soon as we got there and didn't want to give her back!  Joshua ALWAYS wants his picture taken.  Jonathan and Isaac both got to open birthday presents that night, but Isaac was being camera shy.

Where was this...

... on Halloween?  An enormous spider web just above our patio wall.

Ready for Thanksgiving company...

Our dining room table ready for Thanksgiving dinner.  Just one Christmas decoration comes out for Thanksgiving Day.