Christmas -- Family

Matt, Kairee and Brett arrived on December 22, after an incredibly long trip down highway 5.  Matt had a bad headache when they arrived but Brett went right to the kitchen and began baking!  That boy loves to cook!

We have several traditions in the Boyer family.  One is that there are new pajamas waiting on everyone's bed when we get home on Christmas Eve.  When we get up on Christmas morning the stockings come first.  Then we open gifts one at a time from youngest to oldest.  There is always a new game under the tree from "Santa."  This year we got the #1 rated game by Games Magazine -- Trajan.  It took more time to read the instructions than to play the game.  It is a very complicated game.  I doubt we will play it very often.

Brendon, Brett's boyfriend, arrived on Christmas day from his trip to Minnesota.

Brett made us a Christmas vegan feast.  I loved every bite but my favorites were the beet tempura...

and the vegan cheese cake with a dark rum sauce.

On the day after Christmas we went to see Les Mis and then out to lunch and for a walk around downtown Claremont.  On the way home we realized that it was going to be a gorgeous sunset.  It was clear all the way to downtown LA.

...and the sunset was worth seeing.

Brett and Brendon went home on the Megabus on Thursday.  We drove them into Union Station but we stopped first at Sage -- a vegan, organic restaurant in Echo Park.

Matt headed north on December 30.  The house seems sadly quiet.  We took down our decorations today....until next year.

Christmas -- Church

It was full Christmas season at church.  The office staff always comes to my house for lunch and a white elephant gift exchange.  I made the best bbq ribs....if I do say so myself.  Julie got the bonsai potato kit!

Then the whole staff and former staff gather for a Christmas potluck.  The food is amazing and it is the one way Bryan and I, as parents of a vegetarian and vegan, get turkey and ham.

After the meal we sang Christmas carols with Shawn and Ryan.  We sounded so good we are beginning to talk about having a staff choir next Advent.

My family arrived at the church at 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve for the 9 p.m. service.  I roped them into lighting the luminaries.  They graciously agreed and then they went into the balcony before everyone arrived.

The church was beautiful and the choir was amazing.

Then we went out onto the courtyard and let our light shine.  It is always such an amazing experience.

I got two days after Christmas off and then came back to work to do a much anticipated wedding.  It was my privilege to be part of it!