Candy Cane Lane

We are walking distance from Candy Cane Lane, an extra festive neighborhood.

We paid it a visit Saturday night to greet Santa, who rode in on his Harley.

Maybe not the most photogenic Santa, but he was a friendly guy.

We heard that just down the street there was another Santa.

So we detoured on the way home to visit him.

It turned out this was a real estate open house.

Super clever of them.

The kids were pretty excited about the free cookies and hot chocolate.

(notice the clarinet player in the background - he was great)

12/19

And now I'm trying to figure out how to get that $1.2 million home.

Christmas Time Is Here

11/30

Thank you Costco, one again for our tree.

Another repeat: 25 days of advent calendar chocolate eaten the first day.

12/1

Enjoying the newly put up tree:

And re-discovering the snow globe.

12/1

In Arizona

11/25

We rounded up as many cousins as possible to visit Santa.

This picture is to show that Auggie was there.

And this one is to show that Ollie was there.

Santa loved us.

Took pictures for Derek and Loren.

11/27

More backyard time.

11/27

Candace and Jason introduced us to this place:

11/27

And we definitely went two nights in a row.

Rachel is the best aunt and had these 3 ladies over for a sleepover.

11/27

We fished with the Hollobaughs:

11/28

Took pictures for Lindsey's family.

11/28

Trip #2.

Those cookies were amazing.

11/28

And these 2 are a very funny pair.

Mandatory pit stop on the drive home.

11/29

This trip went way too fast. So worth the long drive, though. 

Not pictured:
- Karen cut my hair.
- Drew decided he wanted to swim in Karen's freezing pool. Hung on their poolside basketball hoop and toppled it into the water. Made Jared's day.
- Visited Denica & Christian's new house for pizza night/XBox playing.
- Justin and Drew went shooting with some of his family Thanksgiving morning.
- Played 2 days of family kickball.
- Met cute niece Zayley for the first time.

Thanks

Every other year my parents host Thanksgiving for their ever-growing posterity.

This year the group was up to 50.

(including my grandparents and 3 family friends)

And this year we did "Thanksgiving on Sterroids."

Still not sure I like that name, but the idea was to step up the traditional dishes.

I was a little nervous that the results would be unfavorable, but everything was delicious.

Okay, almost everything (ahem Jacob's green beans - he admitted it).

 Derek and I battled in sweet potatoes.

His prosciutto wrapped potatoes (broiled with brown sugar and rosemary) clearly won.

I went old school with the marshmallow topping.

Mixed it up by doing them twice baked in the skin.

They were most definitely good.

But I will be making Derek's every year from now on.

After much eating, the rest of daylight was spent on bikes and playing 9 Square in the Air.

11/26

And then we shopped.

The Little Things

10/28

Winter on top, summer on the bottom = fall in Pacific Grove.

11/5

When your younger brother has to tie your tie for you.

11/7

Drew ended fall ball season with a lot of eye black.

11/9

11/10

Visit to Sally's class.

11/11

Drew is on a Survivorman kick.

This is his backyard bed.

11/12

A visit to Hacienda Hay & Feed.

11/14

Monkeys.

Teamwork.

11/14

Owen's first trip to the temple.

11/15

11/18

The bat rays were more social than I've ever seen him.

Spent almost an hour bonding with them.

11/20

Sally's class put on the cutest Thanksgiving play.

Sally was super nervous going into Ms D's class, knowing she did plays throughout the year.

But she did great and said her part loud and clear.

11/21

A sunny day and a corn dog.