A Very Non-Traditional Christmas Part 3

After a couple days on our own, we met up with Jim's parents and Ellie-girl in sunny San Diego. Yes, this made for a little bit of driving. When we picked up the jeep in Death Valley and the rental guy asked where we were staying the night I think he was a little caught off guard by our answer. He clearly doesn't know us very well.

No one really had a plan what to do. In fact we didn't even know we were going to San Diego until the day before. The in-laws were home from a trip with a week to spare and decided to meet us in Cali so they could spend time with Ellie - and maybe us too a little bit.

Jim and Ellie are always extra-schmoozy for the first day or two being together again. No one can blame them, I mean it would kill me to be away from either of them too. They are some of my favorites you know.

Aren't good, loving dads just the sexiest thing? Grrrr.

There were several seals sunning themselves on the sand at La Jolla Children's Cove. We saw quite the show as they swam through the water and shimmied themselves across the sand.

Every time the waves came in the seals would stretch their tails straight up in the air, all in unison.

This bird was fascinating to watch. He (or she... does anyone know?) was retrieving poor, helpless bugs from the sand with one swift movement and it was amazing to see how long his (or her) neck could stretch.

Jim took Ellie down close to the waves and they got splashed pretty good a few times. All I could think of was the increased danger due to stronger waves in the winter and I spent a little while with an anxious pit in my stomach really hoping that neither of them would wash out to sea. They didn't, btw.

He's such a good dad I can hardly stand it, even if he's a ton more adventurous than I am. I'll chalk that up to being a guy.

There was color, and greenery, and near-warmth, which was a dangerous combination for enduring the eternal grayness of Oregon.

I'm just kidding, a little. I really love Oregon, but I was reminded that I like the sunshine too.

Ellie got to run around a park for a while and we had some really good food. Then we headed to the LA area to spend some leisure time with extended family for a couple days and go visit some Oregon friends who recently relocated there. As weird as it sounds, the second half of the week was more stressful for me than the first, even though there wasn't really anything to worry about because we spent most of the time relaxing. It seems I just prefer being busy.