Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve morning was spent in jammies. The house filled with yummy smells and these two just enjoyed time playing especially since Grandma was staying with us.

Another big smile face from Emma!

 We had a late lunch/early dinner to make sure we had plenty of time to make it to church. New friends, the Bernets joined us along with the Barlows and Grandma. The table was full of ham, sweet potatoes, and green beans. The rolls had a twist this year. Each person wrote (or had written for them) what they are thankful for on a piece of paper. These were tucked inside the rolls before cooking and read as each person broke their bread. It was fun to see who wrote what. Our group was thankful for everything from pacifiers and a great work team to a full house and His unconditional grace. This will definitely make the list of repeats.  

Before starting the meal, we used our new trees read the Christmas story from Luke Chapter 2 and Isaiah together. Caleb helped me make these and I can't wait to use them in the future. It was a fun way for everyone to participate in reading about the birth of Christ.  

By the end of the night the kids were exhausted but not too tired to decorate cookies.

The adults enjoyed tirimisu while Caleb and Zoe decorated beautiful cookies to eat.

Before bed Emma opened the last of the Christmas books. An idea shared by a friend has become one of our favorites. Each night one of the kids get to pick out a book to read. This year Caleb sought out particular colors to open. It was so fun to enjoy old favorites and new titles as well.