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I hope everyone had a blessed Christmas! The past 2 weeks have been a total blur, filled with festive activities and a wonderful visit from the Niednagels. I almost needed to take these pictures if only to remember it all.

I’m writing this from Park City, Utah on a family trip during the post-Christmas break. It’s 21 degrees outside! There’s 4-feet of snow piled up on the sides of the road too, I love it. Most people would shudder at the thought, but it’s a nice change. We arrive home a few days before I have to leave again for the San Antonio Christian Film Festival, so this Utah trip may not get any coverage, we’ll see. By the way, anyone else planning on attending the festival? Let me know!



Jordan and Melissa came down a day earlier and we attended the “It’s a Wonderful Christmas” tour with Michael W. Smith and Melinda Doolittle. It was a great concert, they performed with the Corona Symphony and it sounded just incredible.



So, being the lavish high-roller gentlemen we are, it was no problem deciding what seats to purchase. Good thing I had my Nikon zoom lens, looking through it the whole time I could actually make out that there were, in fact, people on the stage.



Michael came out and performed a few songs from his new Christmas CD as the 100+ member orchestra plays in the back. He sang at the piano for most of the songs.



Getting a little more animated for “Jingle Bells”



Melinda Doolittle came out and pretty much stole the show. Her live voice is amazing!



Michael took a “backseat” at one point and sang with the backup as Melinda belted out a Christmas song I wasn’t familiar with. Thanks for telling me about this concert Jor! It was an excellent holiday addition that I’ll not soon forget.



Next morning we took Jor and Melissa to a nice restaurant right on the Torrey Pines golf course (where the US Open was held this year.)



At Glider Point, near Torrey Pines. Behind them you can see where the cliff just drops right off a couple hundred yards. Usually you would see gliders taking off, but it was a weekday so probably not real busy.



Later took em to Old Town San Diego, supposedly this is one of the first towns settled here. It’s all themed like old world California, like something you would see in Zorro. It’s mostly Mexican restaurants and gift shops.



Apparently publishers are doing this new thing where they sell books specifically for testing the page capacity of your paper shredder.



Next day Jeremy, Danielle, Kalea and Keoni joined everyone for a too-short stay. Kalea immediately recruited all the preschoolers for story time.



Took them on a tour of beautiful Balboa Park, a Mayan/Medieval-themed area where all our museums and the San Diego Zoo are.



By the fountain, always photogenic.



Jer being snapped snapping.



A Koi pond leading up to the aviary in the background.



Every year a Church puts up this multi-scene display of the Christmas story right in the park, it’s such an encourage thing to see in the midst of so much “emptiness”.



Keoni gives the most melting smile whenever you throw so much as a smirk his way, such a precious little guy.



Taking a “spin” on the Carousel. From what I hear this was Melissa's favorite activity. Cheap guests!



"Uh Nathan, all I'm seeing is pictures of adults. Were there any, you know, kids, riding the carousel?



There she is, having the thrill of her December.



Back at home Abe and Cortney joined our party for a delicious greek dinner, compliments of le chef mother.



Afterwards we took a walk to show our new guests "Christmas Card Lane".



Being the weekend before Christmas it was packed with carolers walking up and down the sidewalk, and lines of cars in the street, you can see in the background.



"Elfing" ourselves. Thanks Niednagels for visiting, short as it was! It was such a blessing to share some of the Christmas season with you. I pray it won't be too long before we meet again.



You may remember this house from last year. This very wealthy couple totally transforms their house into almost a Christmas theme park and opens it up to the public. Really something to see.



Amazing isn't it? They have tables of free cookies, hot chocolate, and coffee here too.



Experimenting with Christmas light art.



Even more decorations abound inside the house!



After you go through the house it ends up in the backyard, where they have this whole mini Christmas town you can walk through.



San Diego may not be the most yuletide-friendly place to be when it comes to weather, but I have to say, we're the Fort Knox of Christmas lights! There's a coul de sac where EVERY house is completely covered in lights, as seen in a few houses above. I wouldn't even want to see the light bill, just take my credit card and do it as painlessly as possible.



Christmas morning came, cloudy and rainy. Another blessing we rarely enjoy! Usually the windows are open before the gifts are unwrapped.



And I close this wonderful season of celebrating the Savior with a (insert any number of adjectives here) picture of Bev and Addy that morning. There's no way we ever could have planned this picture, I just happened to have my finger on the shutter at that moment.

I hope everyone has a great new year! We usually stay up on New Year's Eve and watch movies, but this time we'll be enjoying a winter wonderland. Thanks for reading!