Portraits of Christmas 2007

Thanks to all of you who made our Christmas in Minnesota warm and wonderful. The weatherman said it was the snowiest Christmas since 1950 with temperatures in the teens and low twenties.



Grandson, Chris, and "his friend" greeted us on Christmas Eve. Don't you think they look alike!

Mike's mom looked and seemed to feel good when we visited several times during the week. Grandson Mac and Great Grandson, Brian, seem to share a special friendship. Who knows what Granddaughter Ashley was thinking when I captured this charming look!
Granddaughter, Kaci, and her uncle Jerry had fun comparing bellies!

Son, Brian, and his mom enjoyed a quiet moment during the gift opening. Mary Ann was gracious enough to allow us to join the celebration at her home on Christmas Eve.

A beautiful mother and child...

Christmas Day is spent at Mom's and much of the focus is on food...

Why is it that Anita always gets stuck with the dishes - probably because Monica and I are busy with the cameras...


Children and Moms are an important part of Christmas.






And this is the mom that pulls it all together.

December Days

On a day in December we saw ONE Lewis Woodpecker on a high voltage pole. Seems it is rare to see this bird anywhere near the coast as he usually lives in the center of the country.

On a trip to Balboa Park, we saw TWO doves in a leaveless tree with beautiful pink flowers.
And this guy has been watching TWO lines a lot this month.

These THREE cactus look like Christmas Trees in our window planter.

And these THREE herons spend hours on one foot on the dock.
On a trip to the ocean, we saw FOUR boats on the horizon.FIVE sticks of sausage are a part of each working day.
SIX cormorants play "King of the Rock".SEVEN peppers are almost ready for picking.
Melt Away Mints - sometimes EIGHT of them are given to each Hickory Farms Customer.
NINE Fruit Cakes sit quietly on the shelves.Moses and The TEN Commandments is just one of many sculptures that appear on the grounds of the Crystal Cathedral.


At least ELEVEN leaves were frost bitten the other night - yes, it got below 32 degrees here in Santee.

TWELVE lights for every TWELVE inches adorn this beautiful Christmas Tree.
AND THAT IS OUR 12 DAYS of DECEMBER.

In just a couple of days we pack it up and head for Minnesota where we will spend the Christmas Holiday. More news from us in January. In the meantime...
We wish you a peaceful and blessed Christmas.

The Glory of Christmas at Crystal Cathedral

This past week we visited the Crystal Cathedral in Annaheim. It is the "showplace" that is the home of Rev. Schuller of "Hour of Power" fame. In addition to weekly television services viewed by millions, this magnificent Cathedral puts on two performances each year; The Glory of Christmas and The Glory of Easter. Several years ago, we were lucky enough to be here when the Easter presentation was given and this week, we saw the Christmas Celebration.

This is the set that covered the entire altar.



Once the performance began, photography was not allowed so I will try to describe the splendor. Imagine real full size animals with kings in complete finery, each accompanied by an entourage of a dozen servants all in period custom. As the music "Angels We Have Heard On High" plays, real life "angels" float through the air over our heads. How about a five year old that sings like an angel, "What Can I Give...". When shepards are in the fields, sure enough, so are the sheep. Yes, this is an amazing performance; as grand and memorable as The Glory of Easter. And the truly amazing thing is that with all the "spectacle", the birth of Jesus and the simplicity of the event is not lost. If you are ever in the area in December, it needs to be a must see!

The statues, the buildings, and the grounds of the Crystal Cathedral are all beautiful. Here is a sample.






At the base of this sky reaching tower is a simple chapel. And at the center of the chapel is the most amazing lucite sculpture showing Jesus reaching out. I tried to photograph it, but did not do justice.



And, of course, a thirty foot Christmas Tree adorns the grounds. What a way to put us in the Christmas mood!