Christmas Eve

Just as tradition has it...(would I have it any other way!)
We started off Christmas Eve at our house with just the 4 of us!  We spent time opening presents from/to each other.  Harper got to shop this year at her school's Santa Shop...so all of our presents from her were a surprise.  I must say...she is quite a good gift giver!  The kids' got me a Coach purse...which I was frustrated with because Richard and I said no gifts this year.  But his excuse was it was from the kids.  He got me this time, but I won't be fooled twice! :)  Richard had been working in the garage and surprised me with some Organic Bloom type frames and he made Harper's doll, McKenna, a loft bed.  He gave Owen the greatest gift a boy could ask for...a rock pile under the playhouse!  He was in high heaven!!!

After we opened presents, Harper and I spent some time decorating our Christmas sugar cookies!  I only made one batch this year, so there weren't as many as usual.  Of course, Owen wanted to help...so we decorated one or two...but then went back to playing with his toys!

For lunch, we joined Granny & Grandpa at Johnnie's for some yummy hamburgers and then headed back to our house to open presents.  Harper was so excited to get a pair of Ugg boots and Owen got a Thomas the Train track.  So fun!

After a good afternoon nap, we got all gussied up in our Christmas attire and headed to Mass.  It is always one of my favorite times...hearing the children's choir, all of the gorgeous decorations and being stuffed like sardines into the pews with the ones I love!

After Mass, we went back to our house to get prepared for Santa's visit.  The kids had been watching his progress on his my iphone all day...and they knew he was getting near.  We first opened our Christmas Eve box and got all of the kids dressed in their Christmas PJs...including Hazen!  Then we got the cookies, carrots, apple (for Rudolph) and milk all ready to go.  Last event for the night...sprinkling the Reindeer food on the lawn to help them find our house!  A Magical Evening!