Christmas Eve

Our merry little Christmas

At church on Christmas Eve, between the 4 o'clock and 5:30 services at which Leslie sang.

Dinner was ready and waiting for us when we got home. Despite the bling from our dining room tablescape being a little over-the-top gaudy, our evening was about as low-key as could be — just the way we like it.

All is calm, all is bright.

The boys in their new Christmas Eve jammies.

And playing with their new Hero Factory Legos our teenage babysitter gave them at church. Thanks Jonathan!

After everyone was tucked into bed, I ventured out to the 11 p.m. youth-led service at church ... and snapped a pic of our backyard on my way home.

Whaddya think this is, Christmas?!?

I found myself saying that quite a bit the past two days. (As in Jack getting to stand on the leather ottoman — "Whaddya think this is, Christmas?!?")

Dana and Kathy met us at church Christmas Eve, where Leslie sang on the worship team and I read the Scripture readings.

One of our traditions is that the boys get to open new pajamas on Christmas Eve ... and then have their picture taken in them.

Landon's excited to have Papa & Nana here and stay up late — "Whaddya think this is, Christmas?!?"

On my way home from the 11 p.m. Christmas Eve service at church, I snapped a pic of the Christmas lights in our backyard.

After setting out all the gifts ("Not a creature was stirring..."), I took a quick pic before going to bed. And, yes, the clock says 3:34.

Jack was SO excited to have gotten Leslie this gift, was really proud of wrapping it all by himself and couldn't wait for her to open it on Christmas morning.

I realize he's blurry, but Landon was too excited to hold still — "Whaddya think this is, Christmas?!?"

A set of big, hardback Lego books from Grandma Nancy!

A Buzz Lightyear snuggie!

Practicing with packing-peanut "snow." It made a mess throughout the family room, but — "Whaddya think this is, Christmas?!?"

Playing the iPad with Papa Dana.

And relaxing in the afternoon, with a little Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Christmas morn

Merry and bright

Last year, we started a new tradition where the boys get to open one gift on Christmas Eve night — new jammies!



Then, right before bed, we got out a special item that Jack made at his classroom's holiday party — magical reindeer food. The tag tied to the jar read:

The Legend of Magical Reindeer Dust
It has once been said,
That right before you go to bed.
You should sprinkle magic reindeer food,
To quickly bring Santa and his brood.
For many years the legend’s been told,
To boys and girls, both young and old.
Sprinkle the food throughout your yard,
Then finding your house won’t be so hard!
The reindeer can smell it for hundreds of miles,
Just do not leave it in big piles.
Then you must go to sleep very fast,
So Santa and his reindeer will not pass.

And to think, that in all my years I'd never heard of such a thing. But it was brilliant because, as excited as Jack was for Christmas, he immediately went upstairs and let me tuck him into bed! And told us to go to bed right away, too!

But then, AT 3:51 A.M., Jack ran into our room to announce that Santa had come. At 3:51! I don't know if you've ever tried, but there's no use in getting a child to go back to bed when he is six years old, is "highly excitable," it's Christmas morning and Santa has just been at your house. Even if it is 3:51 a.m.

So there we were, opening presents at 4 in the morning. In the middle of a blizzard.

Oh well, time to fire up the Johnny Mathis CD. Here we go...

Jack showing how the wrapping paper matches his new pajamas.

He got lots of old-fashioned, low-tech toys like this slingshot, a marshmallow bow and arrow from Santa, a set of marbles, real metal jacks, an Etch-a-Sketch, a wall calendar, a coloring/activity book, etc. Oh, and a Wii.

Then Landon woke up (at a much more reasonable hour) and we all played together for the rest of the day.

'Twas the night before Christmas

Here are some shots from Christmas Eve.

That afternoon, Leslie and Jack made cookies for Santa — with matching aprons and oven mitts.

Landon dressed up for church that evening. "Helloooo ... ladies!"

Jack divided up the money in his piggy bank between our Christmas stockings and the offering plate.

Back at home, the boys got to open a pair of new pajamas to wear that night.

Landon's such a good baby. He just smiles and coos and laughs. And smiles some more.

The last pic below was right before bed. We tried to dissuade Jack from piling all the cookies on the plate, hoping to convince him that Santa would get full from eating so many. But Jack insisted, "He can take them back home to Mrs. Claus!"

The note that he wrote on the left says, "Dear Santa, I want a dinosaur." Surprised by this last-minute request, Leslie and I feigned disappointment that "the elves were already off work for the year." Whew!