We walked down to View the Christmas lights with our cousins after dinner tonight. It was festive with lots of traffic, both vehicles and neighbors out walking. Our favorite house turned out to be just off Candy Cane Lane, “Off Lane” so to speak. There were reindeer dogs. What can I say?

This Thursday December 21st is Pedestrian Night. I recommend it if you’re able to check out this quaint neighborhood phenomenon near Ravenna Park in peace. Look for the Grinch and the igloo where Santa is hanging out, (hiding out?)! It was a the perfect topper to a perfect day. I’m glad I could spend it with you!

Lake found his wheels tonight at University Village play area! We have a pretty strict no single occupancy vehicles rule enforced for Lakes play things. School bus, airplane, ferry boat, okay, otherwise its mostly books and cats. Necessity breeds innovation… tonight he tapped into car sharing.

The City of Seattle hosted their annual Pathway of Lights at Greenlake tonight. We participated in the walk around Greenlake in the cold and dark bedecked with twinkling blinking Christmas lights.

It was a festive event, very well attended and worth bundling up for. There were lots of families out with kids, babies and dogs. There was one phosphorescent jellyfish. There were even a flock of lit kayakers.

If you missed it tonight, mark your calendar for next year: it’s always the second Saturday in December. The entire 2.8 mile pathway around the lake is lined with beautiful luminaries: actual burning candles inside paper bags. These thousands of little glowing embers of summer lined up to stoically carry us through the winter solstice period. We felt invigorated by the celebration of darkness and light and Lake seemed by turns delighted and content in the moment.

What a wonderful holiday tradition… to go to see the Pacific Northwest Ballet Nutcracker together with your best friend. Jessica and I had been together one time before to see the Maurice Sendak version in grade school. We came in to Seattle from Quinault on the school bus for a memorable experience thanks to the Bishop’s grant for sharing the performing arts. And now, thirty years later, we came to see the new Ian Falconer version. We were wowed with George Balanchine’s classic choreography, hearing Tchaikovsky performed to perfection three rows in front of us in the orchestra pit, and absorbing the enchanting whimsy of Falconer’s (Olivia) set and costumes. Altogether it creates an unforgettable Christmas experience.

…and the dancing! Breathtakingly beautiful. Pure beauty! I could rave for days. So special to be part of the PNB Nutcracker tradition! Extra special to share it with your childhood friend and her daughter. It will be treat to be able to include Lake one of these years.