The Most Jam-Packed Couple of Weeks Jam-Packed into One Post

Sevak and Rose and I left for California on the 23rd, and I'm finally attempting to get caught up on my posting. Our vacation was great, with the exception of some health problems my grandpa was experiencing. We are all praying for him. Our holiday started in NorCal and ended in SoCal. Here's a brief synopsis of it all in photos:


Christmas Eve--Dad preparing chestnuts (Dad's hands pictured)


Chestnuts roasting on the open fire

**Omission of traditional Christmas morning "sisters on the stairwell" photo--this is always taken right after waking up, while everyone is still groggy in their pajamas. You can just imagine the sisterly radiance. Rose was also in this pic for the first time, and she was the only one that looked good. But, like I said, just imagine it.**


Rose discovering the goodies in her stocking


We got Rose some mittens for Christmas. Her motor skills obviously aren't awesome yet, so it was even more hilarious watching her try to do things with the added impediment of mittens. In this pic she's trying to play with a toothbrush Sevak got in his stocking (adults get practical things these days). Oh, one other note--those grape gummy candies are from an Asian store that my dad discovered. We also got litchi and muscat flavored ones. The thing I love most about Asian products is the English translations found on some of the packaging. One of the descriptions I read said something about the delicate aroma being like a beautiful woman. Reminds me of something from the original Iron Chef show.


After lounging around Christmas morning, we decided to get some fresh air and take a hike. The trail was not in the most desirable condition. Most of it ended up on our feet.


Paige and I are not in the best hiking spirit, as you may notice. My dad must have liked the mud--and the freezing temps.


Sevak must have also liked the mud and freezing temps.


After a short stint on the mud hike, we went to a local park and played on the playground. I must say, that was pretty fun. Playground equipment has definitely improved since my childhood. Here's Sevak in a weird twirly thing. This is what he was saying during his ride: "Somebody help me...somebody help me! I'm not joking--I can't stop!"


Paige and I didn't quite know how to work this thing. Too bad our little playground tour guide wasn't there to assist us. I'm talking about an 8-year-old girl who followed us around and showed us how to properly climb on the rock wall, negotiate the twirly thing, etc. Actually, when it was my time on the twirly thing, I yelled, "this is scary!" She was playing on something rather far away, but she sure wasn't slacking on her tour guide duties. She heard my exclamation and yelled back, "I know! It's totally scary!"


Mom and Dad preparing a yummy Christmas dinner.


We went to the Oakland temple shortly after Christmas. It was very beautiful.

A couple days later we went to SoCal and toured L.A. I think that was the first time I've actually walked around in Beverly Hills. Very ritzy indeed. Somehow I almost felt unworthy to enter the stores; I just knew the storekeepers would take one look at my jeans, sneakers, and diaper bag and say, "what are you doing here?" We did walk into Prada, though, and an employee actually asked us if we wanted to get a price on the bag we were ogling. Did she actually think we were Prada-purchasing material? Um, thanks...I'd rather use that thousand or so bucks to pay tuition.


At Grandma and Grandpa's house, Rose was quite the explorer. I went up the stairs and found her here. When I came back down, she was nowhere in sight. I frantically asked everyone where Rose was, and the women folk were all hysterical. Then Sevak perked up from his conversation and nonchalantly mentioned that she was behind the couch. Ohhhhhh....behind the couch--a perfectly logical and safe place to be. Thanks, hun!


We ended our trip back up in NorCal and took a tour of the Eugene O'Neill home--a National Park site (O'Neill was an American playwright. It's okay; I didn't know). It was really interesting, actually. The tour guide was very theatrical--true to the spirit of O'Neillian drama, I guess.

So that's the vacation in a nutshell! Thanks, family, for making it great! And Grandpa, we love you!!