Christmas Eve

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Eve came in two parts this year.  FIRST off we had Christmas Eve DAY with Marilee and Kevin.  Marilee worked hard making Christmas cookies for the kiddos to decorate.  Ethan had two favorite parts....frosting and sprinkles.   He ate his fair share of both.  Emersyn worked hard at making her cookies beautiful....she is in the MORE is better category when it comes to frosting;)

After our cookie coma, we headed out to mom’s for dinner.  This was our first Christmas Eve without Grandma June and her sweet spirit was missed. 

Emersyn talks about Grandma June JUST ABOUT every day.  She was actually a little concerned about her sweet Granny.  She noticed the angel hair mom had put under her nativity...you know the white FAKE snow stuff that your parents never let you touch as a kid because it would cut your fingers off...

Well Em was checking it out and looking a bit disturbed.  She said...”UMMMM mom...WHAT is this???  Is this Grandma June’s HAIR???”  Poor sweet girl thought mom was decorating her nativity scene with Grandma June’s white hair.  It took a BIT of convincing to get her to understand that it was JUST fake snow and NOT grandma’s hair.  The name ANGEL hair was not really helpful either... LOVE HER!!!!

The kids of course were the main event.  There is nothing like a few happy kids to make a night more fun.  Of course they were ALL about the presents.  Emersyn and Ethan got new jammies from Todd and I.  Emersyn was Rapunzel and Ethan was Batman (complete with cape).  I am not sure where these particular poses came from...my little girl is growing up...

Ethan has always loved Grandma’s ‘little boy" and of course he needed to be in our pictures.  YES it terrifies me that he LOVES to hang out with a BREAKABLE little boy...but what can you do??

Mom got the kids Hawaiian outfits when she was on her trip to Hawaii.  Em put hers RIGHT on and put on a HULA show.  She has MOVES!!!

Ethan has a few tricks of his own...

Since we were starting NEW Christmas Eve traditions this year without Grandma, I suggested acting out the nativity.  I did not realize HOW unpopular that idea would make me among the other members of my family. 

It took A LOT of convincing, but we finally got Ryan OFF the couch and semi-involved.  Not happy, but involved. 

Ethan was already naked...imagine that...so he was  a perfect Jesus.  And for some reason he was WILLING to hang out in the cradle...it was a CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!!!

Emersyn was my only willing participant...she of course got to be the angel.  I guess it helps when you bring your own outfit:)

We had 2 purple Wise Men and a Biker man...Having dad dressed up was by far my favorite part.  He was ready to deliver his gifts to baby Jesus. There were some complaints, but everyone came through in the end...even our super UN-happy shepherd/ninja. 

The look on Ryan’s face PRETTY much sums up his feelings about the activity, but even with a few grumbles he was a SILENT Joseph. 

We MAY not be the cutest or happiest little Christmas family, but we made it through and enjoyed good food, cute kids, and a few laughs.  This will FOR SURE be a new tradition, so watch out Ryan...I will be coming at you next year with a bigger and better bag of costumes :)