Christmas Eve

I think Christmas Eve is my favorite part of Christmas, especially with children.  It is so magical and there is so much anticipation.  This year was really great - everyone was healthy and happy, Nana and Papa were there with us, and we enjoyed so many traditions.

We started the day with a little more baking!

After that, Papa, Grady, and I went for a nice run!

Later, we decorated cookies

Of course that evening we headed off to church.  Look who was so pretty!

The boys were in the pageant as Joseph and a Wise Man.  Here they are, ready to go!

The show was adorable!

This pretty girls enjoyed a candy cane as she watched her boys

Check out who put their face in the microphone for the final song

Here are 2 video clips - first Grady's main part and then the final song

http://youtu.be/qG7XAh9OwCM

http://youtu.be/ZhwBJnuN4aM

After the service we headed home and sprinkled reindeer food on the lawn.  Then we had a very yummy dinner and dessert (cookies and snowball cake!) in the dining room.  After dinner the kids got in their matching jammies for stories by the fire.

These are actually from the next night (just realized the jammies don't match).  Oh well.  It gives you the idea :)

Then they left cookies for Santa and snuggled into bed to rest up for the big day!  Of course the big people still had to build a trampoline and a dress-up center and put out all the gifts, but that's OK.  All in the name of Christmas!