July 4: Independence Day!

We went to my parents' house in Pacific Beach (just south of La Jolla) to celebrate the 4th. It was a lovely day for the beach!! This shot is from the boardwalk, taking in the huge flag fluttering atop the main life guard tower, looking north to La Jolla.

Day 45: A Valentine's Day Table

My parents always have the kids over for a special celebration for Saint Valentine's Day. Elizabeth helped my mom to set the table and decorate the dining room for their wonderful dinner. It's become a family tradition that even Elizabeth, as a college student, still enjoys--even making Valentine cards after their dinner. :)

So my parents watch the kids while Keith and I get to go out for a date. After an early dinner at Outback, Keith took me to see The King's Speech (my review is here).

Day 6: Bye Bye, Christmas

Today is Epiphany, the day following Twelfth Night, the last night of Christmastide. So today we packed away our Christmas decorations....

Bye bye, Christmas. See you in eleven months....

Day 3: Tenth Day of Christmas

Today is the Tenth Day of Christmas. And the sparkling lights are just as gorgeous and dreamy as the First Day....

Hallowe'en 2010

Elizabeth as Hermione Granger from Harry Potter

Timothy as a Nazgul from Lord of the Rings

Jonathan as a knight

Benjamin as a ninja

Halloween 2010 Group Photo

Halloween 2010 Silly Photo

Ninja versus a Knight and a Nazgul

New Year's Eve

Playing "Harry Potter Clue" on New Year's Eve

The Harry Potter Edition of "Clue"

Cousins on New Year's Day at the cabin

Tree Decorating '09

The kids very much enjoyed decorating the Christmas Tree this year -- Elizabeth is the Decorating Maven of our household. 

October 30: Hallowe'en Eve

Keith's Creation: Jack-in-the-Dark

Benjamin and Jack o'Lantern

Easter Morning Breakfast

Coloured eggs and lemon scones....

Holy Saturday Vigil

Icon of Jesus storming hell, conquering death


Father Acker and B, at Holy Saturday Vigil

Good Friday Ecumenical Stations of the Cross

At noon on Good Friday, the Alpine Christian Ministerial Association hosts a Biblical Way of the Cross. Several churches, Catholic and Protestant, over 100 people in all, joined together to walk the fourteen Stations of the Cross, listening to a Scripture passage and then singing a related verse of "Were You There" as we slowly walked to the next Station. Father Acker and his Free Teen Guitar Class (including J) accompanied the singing. It was a quietly meditative way of pondering Christ's suffering and death for us all, a truly valuable way to spend Good Friday. More about the day will be posted on my other blog, Meditative Meanderings.

Father Acker reads the Scripture at the First Station, Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives.

The Fourteenth and last Station: Jesus is Buried. J and Father Acker, along with the other Free Teen Guitar Class, accompany the final verse, "Were you there when they laid Him in the tomb?"

Day 46: St. Valentine's Day and I <3 My Girl

E placed a heart sticker/tattoo on her face to celebrate St. Valentine's Day. Isn't she adorable?

Day 10: Packing Away Christmas

E and I packed away our Christmas decorations, our tree, everything -- an all-day job. It looks as though Christmas never happened. One of my very least favorite jobs. I hate to see the Holy Days go.....

Day 6: A Small Town's Holidays Wishes

Just after Thanksgiving, the Holiday Elves of our small town (and we know who you are!) decorate our main street. In front of the popular 1950's diner, "Happy Holidays" is strung across the highway to be enjoyed by every passerby on foot, bike, motorcycle, car, truck, or bus. Gold-colored garlandy stuff by day and sparkly lights by night, this sign remains up through Epiphanytide to wish all, residents and visitors alike, "Happy Holidays."

Day 5: Twelfth Night of Christmas

J, B and I attended Twelfth Night festivities at Victoria House, the vicarage for Alpine Anglican Church of the Blessed Trinity. A good number of parishoners arrived to celebrate the Twelfth Night of Christmas and the Eve of the Epiphany.


The key to a Twelfth Night gathering is the lighting of the greenery, thus making a bonfire that symbolizes the light of Christ in a dark world. B had the honor of lighting the dry greenery that started the fire as Father Acker helps him.

After the bonfire started burning well (and smoking a great deal!), Father prayed aloud the Collect for Epiphany from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer.

A blessed Epiphanytide to you all!

Day 3: The Tenth Day of Christmas

Today is the final day for our Christmas things to be up. Tomorrow after church E and I will start the dismantling process, packing carefully away our beloved Christmas things for another year and reassembling our large living/school room and kitchen. It's a job I always dread, and yes, we're doing it a bit early this year, on the 11th Day in fact, even though Epiphany arrives on Tuesday. But practicalities being what they are, we need to pack up when we have a full afternoon to do so, and Tuesdays are big school days around here, and I have two students to tutor in the late afternoon.

Happy Tenth (Saturday) and Eleventh (Sunday) Days of Christmas!

Our Home: Christmas 2008

Now that Veneta spent four-and-a-half hours working on my dinosaur of a laptop to get it back online, I can now post photos to my blog! And just in time to post Christmas photos, too. Perfect!


Keith's dad with eight of his fifteen grandchildren on Christmas Eve (J was sick in bed)


Our tree on Christmas morning


Our dining/school area, decorated for Christmas


Our fireplace burning on Christmas morning


All five Advent candles lit on Christmas Eve

Christmas Morning 2008

B opens his Legos

B after unloading his stocking

J and T open a mutual gift or two

E opens her new flannel PJ's

Keith and Dash watch the present-opening on Christmas morning

Happy Resurrection Day!

E's egg came out the prettiest as we celebrate the symbolism of the egg: new life, and for us who believe in Christ -- New Life in Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour!

I have further entries and photos on my Meditative Meanderings blog and egg-stra photos on my 365 Extras blog -- see top of sidebar for both links or click links here.

Saturday: The Great Vigil

At the opening of the Holy Saturday Vigil, Father Acker lights the Paschal Candle with fire started from flint and steel before we process with candles inside to read Scripture and pray together in perhaps the most solemn and ancient liturgy of the Anglican Tradition. It's simply beautiful to read Scripture together by candlelight as we prepare for the coming Resurrection!