our december

Early December:

 setting up the tree

seeing Brian Regan (!) live in concert at The Wiltern in LA

devising a new game - dad & mom swing boys in a blanket

 

Mid December:

holiday celebrating - Disneyland style

Pluto

Christmas parade

visiting Santa

holiday fireworks

 Special Olympics Fall Games

Landon organized a rather large group of Air Force volunteers to assist at the Special Olympics held in Fountain Valley.  They were to help with bowling, but because of such a large interest in volunteering from the AF, others also helped with soccer and other sports.

We had a wonderful time meeting so many dedicated athletes and their families.  Every year before the bowling event, a person is chosen to do the first bowl - kind of the like the first pitch in baseball.  Landon was asked to to do this and then had the idea to have Grant help him.  The announcer got on the loud speaker and directed every one's attention to the middle lane where he said "Ladies and Gentlemen, throwing out the first bowl is future Special Olympian Grant Bastow and his father, Air Force captain, Landon Bastow".  Then Landon helped Grant roll out the first bowling ball (with the bumpers up).  The rest of the time, Grant was a celebrity and made quite a few friends. 

Above, Yvonne (in the blue) and the woman in the gray shirt (her name is escaping me right now!) were especially fond of Grant.  And our friend in the gray shirt gave the BEST hugs I've ever had. I think I hugged her twice just to get another one.

Christmas weekend:

air hockey at Grandma & Grandpa's house

 Christmas Eve party with my side of the family

 Christmas morning

 These most certainly are pictures of hot-tubbing on Christmas Day.  While the rest of the country is digging themselves out of snowstorms (that will be us next year), our boys are shirtless and splashing in Arizona.

I don't know if I'm the only one, but the week between Christmas and New Year I pretty much think it's already the next year and I'm ready to turn the calendar over.  But we still have a little more than one whole day left of 2010!. 

My grandma would always tell me to not wish away my days waiting for the next big thing to come.  2011 will come soon enough and with all of its changes, so I'll try to cherish these last remaining moments of 2010 with my little family. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!