Christmas Eve

Opening Christmas Jammies on Christmas Eve.

We had a crazy Christmas season this year. Actually we did a very poor job with Christmas this year, but there's always next year right? Kenny's been working none stop this month and I was feeling really sick none stop this month. That made for 2 parents who didn't have time or energy to do many Christmas things. We still managed to squeeze in a few Christmas activities and shopping, but discovered on Christmas Eve morning that we still had about half our presents to buy and not much time. Kenny went shopping while I stayed home with the kids. Luckily we knew pretty much everything we wanted to get the kids so the shopping didn't take too long.

Christmas Eve evening we headed to Kenny's brother Michael's house to spend a some time with his family. We still needed a Hannah gift so we ran to Walmart 45 minutes before closing and it was a mad house. Next year I'm not going to wait that long. I was amazed at how many people were still entering the building as the doors were about to close. The last minute shopping made us late for Michael and Sarah's, but we made it safe and sound and only about 45 minutes late.

Opening cousin present at Uncle Michael and Aunt Sarah's.

Sarah (my sister-in-law) made us some wonderful snacks and we enjoyed eating, visiting, opening cousin presents, and watching our kids play together. It was a lot of fun and even though we only saw them for just over an hour it was nice to have been able to spend a part of Christmas with them.

Gracie opening her doll from cousin Cadence.

Ben's Transformer gun from cousin Alli!

Sarah's new Webkinz from cousin Zack.

We made the 45 minute drive home and arrive just before 10:00. Being that Christmas had been so rush and it was so late we weren't able to do much our are normal Christmas Eve activities. Kenny and I talked with the kids about the true meaning of Christmas (Ben's first answer was presents and his second was Jesus' birth, Sarah got it right the first try) we put cookies, Egg Nog, and carrots out for Santa and his reindeer, we choose a place downstairs for our stockings, and we opened our Christmas Jammies. It was a busy evening full of lots of fun, yet somewhat rushed activities.

Gracie and Sarah in their new jammies.

Hannah's cute butterfly jammies.


Ben and Sarah being silly in their new jammies.

In some ways I'm grateful my little family is getting not so little anymore. It's so much fun to watch our kids at Christmas rediscover the true meaning of Christmas, be excited for Santa, and just enjoy being together. It really is a magical time of year.