San Diego, part II

We were in San Diego over the holiday known as Christmas. My aunt Polly had really wanted to decorate a tree using all my grandmother's ornaments - the ornaments from her childhood. And so we did.Note the seed pod that is serving as the star atop the tree. How cool is that? And, yes, Mike really is drinking eggnog in the picture there!

Growing up, we always had a big Christmas Eve party. Our close family friends would attend and it was lovely. Now that some of us have kids, the event was moved to a more child-friendly lunch at the house of my good friends Alex and Kat. Their two kids are in the background of the picture below. Also, a very warm welcome to baby #3, a girl (name: TBD) who joined their family on Tuesday.Christmas morning, Natalie found both a house and a rocking chair!And then she "helped" my cousins open their stockings.And then we had the yummiest coffee cake ever, if do say so myself. (Even if it was upside down).I have some sense that the upside-down-ness of the coffee cake is related to not really having used the proper pan. But, come on, when you have a vintage pan like this, how can you go wrong?(Yes, that really is a recipe for "sparkling fresh salad" that includes gelatin and Fresca!

We also, uh, opened presents. The San Francisco family decked themselves out in World Series celebratory t-shirts, and Natalie (to my great satisfaction) was only too happy to join them.They also got sweaters.Natalie also received one of cousin Emilia's childhood dolls. How sweet is that?Then it was time for a break.Natalie also got some hang-out time with Uncle Eric.Natalie's friend Jasmine and her parents came to dinner.I'll leave you all with some more beach shots: