One Couple's Stumblings Through Parenthood and Marriage
This is my second-to-last post involving Christmas photos (that's a hint to stay tuned...).To the right you'll see our requisite kids-in-Christmas-garb-in-front-of-tree shot. You'll note the girls' delight in grappling a less-than-happy Sam, restraining him (red faced though he might be) for daddy's omnipresent camera.Enjoy your physical dominance while you can, little girls. I suspect Sam might one day be able to fight back.This last shot is of all (well almost all) of the Walkers and Walkers-in-law and chitluns out caroling. Specifically, this is on the Ostrom's doorstep. It's a large crowd, and thankfully the ladies are adept at keeping a tune. You'll see that Christine is at the center of the photo. What you might not see is that she is sitting at a Casio keyboard. That's right--she and Brian carted around the Casio to up the caroling ante. Now that is Christmas spirit (psychosis).
Sam, whether bibbed and bibless, would like to wish all of you a Merry Solstice. As an infant, he cannot quite grasp the profundity of Christmas. He has, however, noticed the lengthening nights, which equates to more sleep (thank you, circadian rhythms). That is a concept even someone with poor motor skills, a lack of self-awareness, and a drool-soaked chin can grasp.The winter solstice is a bittersweet moment for Sam (and his parents). It marks the best night for sleep, but, as the low-water mark for day light hours, it serves as a harbinger for shorter nights to come. Or, as Sam puts it, "blppppt, gggggooo. BLPT."
These beach photos seem a bit out of place in a December post, but they are recent. We took the kids to the beach last month for our wedding anniversary and had a blast, despite the best efforts of the fog and the driving wind.
Our first beach encounter involved hundreds upon hundreds of beached and rotting jelly fish. I had Julia squat down next to one to give a sense of proportion. She ended up eating three of them before we could stop her.
Despite the damp cold, the twins had no qualms about entering the surf. Genna quickly took up her sea sprite dance. Once she was done with that, Kate and Genna enjoyed a good hour of running from the surf and screaming, chasing the surf and screaming, falling down and screaming, getting back up and squealing, splashing each other and squealing...... and then resting in quiet contemplation.
They sat for quite some time side by side, deep in conversation. I don't know what they were talking about, but no doubt it involved princesses, rainbows, the war in Iraq, jewelry, environmental conservation, Polly Pockets, unicorns, and immigration policy. 
For years now, my dad has labored for hours and wracked up obscene utilities bills each Christmas season to bedeck the family house with Christmas lights and ornamentation to bedazzle drivers-by. Each year he has upped the ante, adding more lights, reindeer, over-sized Christmas presents, a star high on the antenna (visible from I80), and even a penguin sailing scene (you saw what I wrote, a penguin sailing scene). This year he even got his hands on a 40+ foot lift to assist in his madness. In recent years, he has earned an honorable mention in the Davis Enterprise's Christmas lights competition, even showing up on the map of places to see.But now, for the first time ever, my dad has earned FIRST PRIZE in the Christmas light competition! He got interviewed by one of the paper's reporters. He is the best! Top dog! Every other house pales (dims?) in comparison. Now doubt he will soon appear on the Today Show, and Good Morning America, and Larry King Live, and MTV's Cribz.I urge all of you who live nearby to drive by his place (at night time, silly) to admire, ooh and ah, and leave donations in his mailbox.Well done, dad. Clark Griswald never had anything on you.
