Annual Christmas Eve Journal Write

'Tis Christmas Eve!  I couldn't go to sleep without first continuing Melody's most memorable Christmas tradition, the Annual Christmas Eve Journal Write.  It was always a good idea because then even when I hadn't written for months, or even all year, I have at least one entry to round out the year.  Of course, I don't really keep a journal anymore, per se, but the old blog has served that purpose pretty well for the last few years, so I'll just write a short post on an evening such as this to continue the tradition.  So this has been a very nice Christmas season, and it was quite busy, but things are winding down now.  It's been a great Christmas weekend so far, and we're looking forward to more of the same for the next couple of days.  After the play ended and our Disneyland trip passed by, there were a few other exciting festive activities of note:

• The day after we returned from California I led my wonderful ward choir in the program for which we've been preparing for months.  We had a few ambitious selections, but our numbers have been increasing very nicely lately, and I felt like we could handle Handel.  And we did!  Hallelujah, indeed!  It was incredible, and such a wonderful program.  Rutter, Wilberg, Bush, Handel, etc. etc. etc.  Right on.  They sounded like a much bigger and more professional choir than we are, and everyone worked so hard.  Attended by multitudes of angels, I say!
• We've watched a few Christmasy movies, sometimes obliquely Christmasy, such as While You Were Sleeping, Edward Scissorhands, You've Got Mail, Love Actually and The Nativity (as well as lots of LOST, which is appropriate for any season).
• We had our annual cousins' Christmas party at the Frisbys' house, and it was fun as always, and I ate way too much of that amazing dip that Stacia brings.
• We went to see the Utah Regional Ballet production of The Nutcracker and it was awesome.  It's amazing how weightless they seem, and also how muscular their legs are, and also how tight their pants are, and also how incredible that score is.  I never get tired of it.  There was a small, but live orchestra in the pit, and the dancers were excellent (including lots of adorable wee ballerinas), so it was very fun and festive.
• We went on a double date with some friends to have a fancyish dinner in Salt Lake and then have a walk around Temple Square.  It was so crowded, and bitingly cold, but it was really pretty and of course it was a good time.  Here are some pictures:

We ate at Buca di Beppo.  They have family style Italian food that is DELICIOUS.  There were a lot of leftovers.

Hello, temple.

Love.

Thanks for the fun time, Jeppsons!

So yes, today there were some activities for Christmas Eve, and tomorrow there are sure to be many more for Christmas Day, but if I don't go to bed soon Santa Claus will just pass us right on by!  It's so nice to spend a quiet evening at home with my beautiful and charming wife, and Christmas Eve is always magical.

Also, since it's Christmas, here is our Christmas card for this year, in case some of you who cared for one didn't get one.  Our supplies were kind of limited, so we couldn't send them as far and wide as we might otherwise have.  (Yes, it's the same picture as last year, the short letter following explains all.)