On Sunday of last week, after a lovely sacrament meeting in Las Vegas, we drove to California! We checked into our hotel which was right next to the beach, and Kevin and Mariah went to the airport to pick up Savannah (who had stayed in Utah until then for the wedding of her friend). We couldn't wait to see the beach so we walked down. Ben and Beth got completely drenched and we all had a great time! It was beautiful!

That night we cozied up in our beds to watch "The Forgotten Carols." We watch it every year! We quoted our favorite parts.

After breakfast in the hotel room on Monday, we got on our bathing suits and wetsuits and headed to the nearby swimming beach. We got there around 10am and stayed until almost 4pm! The boogie boarding wasn't so great at high tide in the morning but in the afternoon, it was super! A giant castle also got built mostly by Sarah and Mariah and decorated by Savannah and a giant hole due to the hard work of Benjamin and Calianne and Bethany. We were cold and wet and sandy but we were happy!

Back at the hotel, we rinsed off at the pool shower and warmed up in the hot tub! We had stew that night for dinner and then settled in to watch "It's a Wonderful Life," on the TV before going to bed. Apparently, for the rest of the world, it was Christmas Eve.

We woke up to rain on Tuesday! But we had known it was coming and we were very sore and tired from all day at the beach the day before so we moved slowly. We had Christmas breakfast at Denny's and talked about some of our favorite Christmas memories. After that, we found a movie theatre and treated ourselves to "Wreck it Ralph Breaks the Internet." We were there before the other movie-goers, so some of our kids played tag in the movie theatre. Beth reports that it was one of her favorite things on the trip!

Trying to get everyone in the photo booth.

They want to see this one next!

When we got out of the movie theatre, the sun was out! So, we went back to the beach and got in a couple more hours of that great afternoon boogie boarding. Some of us just walked along the edge this time but it was still manna for the soul. We were there until the sun went down.

That night, the hour we had been waiting for finally arrived! Megan called us from Singapore! She is doing well. She is happy and healthy and believes strongly in the work she is doing to teach others about Christ and His love for them. It was so great to see her and talk to her, but so hard, too! We miss that sassy, fun-loving kid like a hamburger misses an order of fries. Next Christmas we will be welcoming her home!

We had to leave the next morning. It was a great trip! Thanks to the fridge and my instant pot, we did just fine without a kitchen. We had to hand Ben the iPad a lot to keep him from bouncing off the walls, but we figured it out. Also, we only had to go to the main desk to ask for new key cards two times--maybe three. Give or take. Ha ha! The kids' new favorite song is David Archuleta's, "Christmas Every Day." It was our theme song for the week!

We drove all day on Wednesday only stopping once for more than 15 minutes and that was so we could talk to Dixie's cross country coach. Mariah might run there next year for college!

That night after unloading the car and reheating the house, the kids put their stockings out. Enough of this waiting for presents stuff!

The next morning, Dec 27th, was Christmas Day (it's Christmas every day, you know)! We opened presents from Santa, Dad made us French Toast, and then we opened presents from each other. It was even snowing outside! Later, we took all the kids to Barnes and Noble to use their gift cards from Grandma and Grandpa Elton. That evening, we went to Grandma and Grandpa Gazdik's and had Christmas Eve! We had a big, yummy dinner, had the kids play us their Christmas songs, and played the chimes. It was a beautiful day and the beach seemed to be something we only dreamed.