City Christmas

It's our fifth year for trekking into the city, to enjoy seasonal delights, Christmas lights, art, music, and a special meal. Each and every venture has been something delightful... and this year was no exception.

2008!

2009!

2010!

2011!

Our tradition is part of a Christmas gift for Ruth, the children's Tutu, and this year we decided to bring her, and Bambi too, to Balboa Park, to the Science Museum, so we could see To The Arctic in the IMAX theater.

After a few morning showers, the rest of the day, and evening, was crisp and clear. We weathered our City Christmas joyfully.
The park was full of great sights, and even some unexpected magic.

Before and after the Arctic movie, we played in the science center, where there are two floors full of hands-on demonstrations and activities.

It was great. It was Science, which is... well... awesome!

We weren't there very long before we were agreeing that this activity was a good choice, one worth repeating, next year.

If you have the chance, I hope you will visit The Reuben H. Fleet Museum, or any of the wonderful museums in Balboa Park. It's a beautiful park, with plenty to see, and do, from the moment you arrive.

Max loves figuring out what each exhibit is demonstrating, and he's always happy to explain what he's figured out. Being invited to participate in the experiments makes this a wonderful place to learn through experience.

Make weather! At first, I thought the tornado was appearing only because of the set up, but it turns out that we could manipulate the weather by moving our hands along the pipes, which altered the air flow.

A real hands-on experience.

Maria's working up a storm.

Come, explore with us!









Outside we found a magic show, face painters, musicians, artists, even Whoville, at The Old Globe Theater, where the annual production of Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas was the main attraction.

We walked from one end of the park, to the other, through gardens, around cabbage beds, under giant ficus trees.

Stopping to ride the Nikigator.

I call this picture "Telling Maria." Geoff is telling Maria about this place, where her daddy and mommy were married, twenty-three years ago. It was summer and the trees were full of blooming morning glories. And our vows included our hope to have children to love and care for.

Time is strange. It is fleeting, and slow. It is not linear. It's sweet to come back to this place, with our children, and recall the beginning... our beginning.

It's sweet to think how good life has been.

William, Ruth, Bambi, Alex, and Max

Dinner and dessert were the grand finale of our City Christmas!
What a sumptuous treat those were!

No disappointments... everything beautiful, delicious, cozy, and good.

We drank a toast to Christmas, to traditions, and merriment.

I think it's true, what some say... good things are much better shared.

What a very good day, and night.