Celebrating the New Year in Curacao

When we go on relaxing vacations, we try to do a day of exploring and adventure followed by a day of doing nothing.  Today, Dec 31st, happened to be a day of doing nothing.

Curaçao in the Caribbean

Since we're already on the east coast, instead of heading home we decided to head to somewhere warmer.  Theresa got the idea in her head to go someplace tropical in early December and three weeks later we were headed down to Curaçao.

Bowling in Delaware

I think it's required that every Air Force base have a bowling alley.  We all headed there the day after Christmas and bowled a few games.  Thanks Dad for taking a few photos.

Christmas Day in Delaware

Welcome to Christmas!  It will be glorious!

Visiting Delaware for Christmas

It's Christmastime and we're leaving Los Angeles to head to Delaware to visit my brother's family and my parents.  Just a short 5 hour 45 minute flight straight to Baltimore.

Candlelight with John Stamos

Today is the very last day of the Candlelight Processional at the Disneyland Resort for 2012.  After normally only having it one weekend of the year for 2 nights, this year they upped the ante and had 20 straight nights of Candlelight with 2 performances each night.  There were a total of 8 different narrators during those 20 nights including Dennis Haysbert, Kurt Russell, Edward James Olmos, Lou Diamond Phillips, Dick Van Dyke, Patricia Heaton, Molly Ringwald, and John Stamos.  
Theresa and I were able to attend Candlelight 4 times this year and hear Kurt Russell, Edward James Olmos, Dick Van Dyke, and tonight, John Stamos.  This is actually our second time seeing John Stamos perform Candlelight.  The first was our first time ever seeing Candlelight way back in 2008.  http://flowerstales.blogspot.com/2008/12/disneyland-candlelight-2008-jon-stamos.html

Just a few pictures of Candlelight with John Stamos

Mostly photos right now.  I'll come back later and add more text.  Here's my favorite photos from the Dec 20th, 2012 Candlelight Processional with John Stamos.

Company D and The Hobbit

It's holiday time at the Disney resort, and at their outlet store their employees get extra discounts.  Ruston invited us to join him on Sunday to take advantage of all the deals.

Holiday Organ Spectacular at the Walt Disney Concert Hall

Geminid Meteor Shower 2012

It's finally here!  We've been waiting for this particular meteor shower since August 2011.  Back then, we went to see the Perseid Meteor shower in Palm Springs and while it was cool, we were a little disappointed with how bright the sky was because of the moon.  
So after a little research, Theresa found that the December 2012 Geminid Meteor shower would have lots of meteor per hour, multi-colored meteors, plus there would be no moon!

A month ahead of time, Theresa checked out the darkness map of Southern California and found that Barstow (about a 2.5 hour drive) got pretty dark, we could get a decent hotel, and with just a 30 minute drive we could be outside the city in one of the darkest parts of the state.  Here's a light map.  The black areas are the spots with no light pollution. 

Candlelight with Dick Van Dyke

Yes it's the middle of the week and Theresa and I have work, but Dick Van Dyke will be at Candlelight tonight and we've got to go see him!

Disneyland with the Bakers and Candlelight with Edward James Olmos

It's Friday and Lacey happens to be finished with her massive review at work.  Since we're all off work today, we figured why not go to Disneyland!

Disneyland Candlelight Processional 2012

This is an old picture I took of Candlelight back in 2009, but in some ways, this is where this tale begins.

 Back in 2009, Theresa, Jacob and I were at Disneyland to watch Candlelight.  We watched the first show and had to clear out of the area we were standing.  For the second show, we were really far in the back center but right up against the ropes.  With 5 minutes to go before showtime a cast member came up to us and asked us if we'd like to sit in the seats they had for people who purchased dining packages.  Apparently there were some no-shows and Disney didn't want seats to go empty.  

Jacob, Theresa and I were grinning from ear to ear.  It was an awesome Christmas present from Disney to us.  This was the only chance we've ever had to sit in the very center of Candlelight and we knew it was special.  

Once they sat us down I knew what kind of picture I really wanted to get from this perspective.  Getting the shot was not so simple though.  During the show, the lights are all over the place.  Sometimes the center tree is lit up, sometimes choir, plus the lights change from purple to blue to orange.  And then the trumpeters are only standing and lit up for a small portion of each show.  I had my camera ready, my settings dialed in, and I was waiting for the perfect time for it all come together at once.  

In the end, I was able to come away with this shot.

Candlelight 2012

I have many more photos, videos and stories to come, but I wanted to go ahead and post something.
We had an amazing time tonight at the Candlelight Processional at Disneyland.  Hard to believe it's our 5th year attending.
Kurt Russell did a fantastic job with the narration.  I'll have more to share later, but I wanted to go ahead and post a few of my favorite photos so far.

Many more to come.  I just need to get some sleep now!

Christmas Lights at the Flowers' house

It's Christmas-time and one of my favorite things to do around the house is put up Christmas lights!  Theresa let me buy a few more lights to add to what I already had from last year.  I spent a few hours each day after we got back from Michigan putting them up.