Holiday Season 2012

Cambridge keeps getting colder and colder; snow even began to fall the last couple of days I was there. So it is safe to say I was certainly glad to be going home for Christmas. Christmas in Southern California definitely isn't like the ones you see in the movies filled with snow angels, sledding, and other snow related activities. Christmas in Southern California generally includes walks along the beach in a light knit sweater. I was hoping for a bit of California sunshine before going back to the gray skies of England, but no such luck. The weather this holiday season is much like the weather I just left- cold, gray, and rainy. The poor weather hasn't stopped me from taking part in my usual Christmas festivities. I spent a day with my cousins in Upland listening to Christmas tunes, watching Elf, and of course baking. We made several kinds of cookies (many had a hint of Peppermint in them) and built a gingerbread house.

I also got to see my beautiful cousin Makenzie dance the part of Clara in The Nutcracker. She was breathtaking. That same weekend I made a quick trip up to my family's cabin in Lake Arrowhead. One day Kiersten and Ruairi went snowboarding so I stayed behind to take care of the pups; Abbie, Aslan, and I went for a nice long walk along the lake.

It certainly wouldn't be Christmas without a trip to Candy Cane Lane or a movie date with my cousin Kylee. She hadn't seen the new Twilight film, Breaking Dawn Part 2, so I went and saw it a second time with her. My mom, brother, Kylee and I then stopped at Starbucks to get holiday drinks to keep us warm while strolling around Candy Cane Lane, admiring the Christmas decorations and lights.

This Christmas Eve, Ruairi and I slept in while my mom did a little grocery shopping for our Christmas Day breakfast. At 3pm we went to Kings Harbor Church for the Christmas Eve service and then made our way to my grandparents house. This year was a bit different since the Murdocks and Sarah and Chris weren't with us, but we will see them all in a few days in Indianapolis for my sister's wedding. It certainly has been a holly, jolly, Christmas this year!