Christmas Eve

I love Christmas Eve! I love love love it! As far back as I can remember we have had what we call our "Mexican Fiesta" we serve an amazing Mexican meal - the whole family looks forward to it all year. In fact one year while we were in law school we went to North Carolina for Christmas and I was so sad to be missing Christmas Eve dinner, there may have been a few tears shed, we were coming for New Year's Eve so my family decided just to switch Christmas Eve dinner to New Year's Eve for us (after I begged and pleaded that is) and they had Cornish game hens for dinner instead, and by all accounts it was the worst Christmas Eve dinner EVER so they have never done that again! If you miss it you miss it, but I have been sure not to miss it again! YUMMY! We have every Mexican dish imaginable tacos, burritos, enchiladas (2 kinds), tostadas, toppings galore and delicious chips & salsa of course! It is so good! The house smelled so delicious and the food was to die for, totally fabulous tradition and we are keeping it forever! After our smorgasbord we have the annual Christmas Eve program, now this has evolved over the years, we used to have every individual family contribute something, ending of course, with my dad reading the Christmas story, and before that when we were kids we had to each do something and then last year magic happened! My mom decided to have all the grandkids do a little play with costumes and songs and lines etc. It was really cute! We had Christmas Eve at the church last year so they got to perform it on a real stage! My mom had a few practices prior to the program at her house and my dad later described the whole ordeal as "herding cats!" So I don't think grandma had it in mind to attempt something so ambitious again ever . . . but leave it to Audrey!!

Back story! In October of this year we had my parents over for dinner and then it was time to put the kids to bed, so we read scriptures and then all knelt around the coffee table for prayers. We had not been discussing Christmas or anything so I have no idea where this came from but Audrey starts into her prayer saying how neat it was to do a Christmas program with Grandma, and how she loved it SO much and how she couldn't wait to see what grandma was planning for their play this year and on and on and on! I could hardly contain myself, it was hilarious. So after we put them to bed we all just laughed and laughed about her little plea! Anyway suffice it to say after pleading for divine intervention Audrey got her wish and grandma had no choice but to put together a little play again this year! It was really great and not quite so many "cats," since Bryan and Jamie and their kids were spending Christmas with the Roses (Jamie's family). It was really sweet and the kids did a really good job, but it was still pretty wild and there were lots of little ones to try and kept together!

We had Grandpa as the narrator, Jonas as Joseph, Savannah as Mary, Audrey as the innkeeper, Ronan as a Shepard and Kaylee and Grace were both angels. And at the very end we had Lydia play baby Jesus for a minute! This year we even had a set in addition to the amazing costumes, apparently the budget could be spread a little further for year's production, since there weren't as many cast members!! The kids loved it and I am grateful for amazing grandparents who are so involved with the grandkids oh and Aunt Emily too, who helped with the set and costumes! It was a neat experience for the kids and as usual I cried, it is so neat to see their little testimonies growing of what happened on that sacred night over 2000 years ago. It was beautiful to see the girls sing Away in the Manger! Thanks mom!

After dinner and everyone left we always let the kids open one present - jammies, big shock, it's a very common tradition but I love it! How fun to go to bed on such an exciting night with snuggie new jammies! This year I decided to add something else to our Christmas Eve, and I loved it so new a tradition is born! Woo hoo! I bought the kids a new Christmas book, which they also opened and then I made hot chocolate and we sat in the living room with all the lights out except for the tree of course and drank hot chocolate while I read the new book to them, it was so sweet and cozy I loved it! It will be fun to snuggle up year after year and read under the tree, maybe one day we'll have a fireplace too, wouldn't that be even cozier . . . ahhh someday!

It was a beautiful night, we had such a a wonderful time being together as a family and when all was said and done it was so nice to have my own little chickadees gathered together. I love the holidays and the meaning behind them! I am so thankful for the Savior and for a time of the year to focus on Him! What a wonderful life I live and I am so thankful for it!

Grandpa and grandma snuggling with Savannah,

This is the story for these two boys! Poor Jonas, Ronan is a little monster man! Look how happy Ronie is and Jonas is screaming for mercy! They are so funny together, Ronie is bigger and stronger, but Jonas is faster so they are pretty evenly matched until something like this happens . . . if Jonas can't run away fast enough he is a sitting duck!

We were all busy finishing up dinner and the kids were down playing in the playroom, when Emily went down to check on them she found them in the middle of a tea party! Cousins are so much fun!

Here is the play! See the exciting Bethlehem Inn in the background, this was quite a production! The kids are singing Away in the Manger and all holding dolls it was really sweet!

The innkeeper and Mary, not sure where Joseph is, he wasn't a particularly doting husband in this reenactment of the famous Bible story. Mary had a heck of a time trying to keep him by her, I am not sure if Jonas is going to be able to reprise his role next year, he had some struggles this year, the director may have to have a serious talk with him if he has any hope of a role next year!

My niece, Kaylee as an angel!

Grace is also and angel, the two of them made up our choir of angels and they were really cute!

There are the angels and Shepard Ronan hearing the "Good tidings of great joy!" Shepard Ronan is having a snack too, it was a central part of his participation, he was coaxed with food!

Tired Joseph sucking his thumb! Hey at least he's sitting still! Way to go Jonas, um I mean Joseph!

The girls opening their Christmas Eve jammies!

Hot chocolate and snuggie jammies on a cold Christmas Eve! What a beautiful end to a beautiful day!
All three of the girls wanted to sleep together so they all crowded into the little girls bedroom and slept on the floor! They didn't even budge when we took the picture, must have been all those "visions of sugarplums!"

Looks like we've had a visitor . . . .