Christmas Eve was so much fun! We packed in lots of fun activities and traditions. In order to do it all and still get the kids to bed on time, we started before lunch. :)
In the mid morning, Jed took Ben and Eliza sledding while I stayed home with sleeping baby Sam. Jed said the sledding hill was pure ice, and they had a BLAST. He said you had to keep your footing at the top or you would shoot down the hill before you were ready. He said Benjamin went up and down the hill over and over. And Eliza happily went down the hill with Jed and then hitched a ride on the sled going back up, over and over. :)
When they got back, we had hot chocolate and read some Christmas stories. Then we got out our Gingerbread House Foam Kit and worked on that all together for a while. That was fun! Jed took the job of glittering everything with the sparkles in the kit.
After our foam kit, we finished up some advent activities that we had been working on all month. Then I 'unveiled' our new 2010 Christmas decoration, which was a Christmas scene frame with a little family picture in it.
We had dinner of Chicken a la King, with little green sparkly votive candles lit around the table. The kids thought that was fun. (Thank you for the cute candles, Mom!)
After dinner, we listened to The Polar Express on audio (complete with sound effects) while Jed turned the pages of the book. The kids really liked this, and were so attentive the whole time. Last year we went to our friends home for Christmas Eve, and this is one of their traditions. Benjamin was absolutely enthralled by it last year, so I got a copy of the soundtrack and book so that we can continue the tradition. It was very fun again this year. They are so cute!
Ringing our bells!
We had a tray of Christmas candy for our dessert. The kids were in heaven, pounding down caramels and toffee and shortbread cookies. :) We made a plate of treats for Santa, and Ben was sure to put one of each thing on his plate. We went to get some carrots for the reindeer, but woops - we discovered we were all out. So we put a roma tomato on the plate instead. :) Ben wrote a note to Santa to go along with the treats.
Jed took the kids outside to spread the 'reindeer food' out on the lawn, so the reindeer could find our house. (Ben made the packet of reindeer food with Jed at parent hour in his Kindergarten class before Christmas vacation.)
We put the kids to bed and then Jed and I snuggled up together to enjoy A Christmas Carol, with George C. Scott in the role of Ebenezar Scrooge. We watched this movie every Christmas Eve when I was growing up, but I haven't watched it in a few years since we haven't been home for Christmas. So this year when we watched it I remembered just how much I absolutely LOVE this movie. Every single scene, every single gesture and word by the actors, I love. It is a wonderful, fabulous movie, and I think I had a smile pasted on my face the entire time, and kept saying to Jed, "Oh, I love this part!" :)
It was a happy, memorable day. I felt truly content. We have such a sweet little family, and so much to be thankful for.
Before we went to bed, Jed duct taped off the top of the stairs just in case. :) We went to bed excited for the big day tomorrow. :)
4 comments:
What a wonderful happy family Christmas you had!! I love how you carry on so many of our family traditions and have added some of your own! your family is so sweet! I love and miss you so much! xoxoxo PS that little Sam is getting so big. he looked so grown up in his plaid shirt!
That was SO fun to read, sis. You just brought Christmas eve to life! I love all your traditions. I think watching the nativity movie was such a good idea. I want to do that from now on. I like how you start so early, too. Jed's a good sport. I think reading stories and singing songs is actually a little painful to Griff. Argh. Oh well.
All your kids look adorable in their Christmas attire. I agree that Sam looks so big! Although, they all do! I love the picture of Ben peaking out from behind you smiling and ringing his bell.
Sledding sounded fun. I thought Eliza was tied down to the sled in that first picture... I was laughing, then I blew it up and realized she was just holding the rope on her lap. :) I've been dying to take Jack. I love the roma tomato, too! Too funny. You should have gotten a picture of that.
I'm happy you had such a fun night! We missed you, as usual, in Utah.
OH Erin, I just loved reading about your Christmas and seeing all the neat pictures. It reminded me of our Christmases when you kids were growing up. We were usually alone, far away from family, but we had such a happy time together with all our precious traditions. It looked like you were so happy - we missed you but thank you for sharing your holiday on the blog. I especially loved seeing Jed reading the book and the little ones all crowded around in their little quilt.
Eric and I and gabe all gathered around to catch up on your blog - it was so fun seeing all the pictures and vidoes (I can tell Eric is fascinated with darling Eliza because he keeps thinking of Nyah in a few years!) Little girls are so special! :) The boys looks so cute too of course and it looks like everyone is doing so well! Christmas sounded wonderful! Eric and I are excited to have our own Christmas next year and create some new family traditions. I sure love you all so much. I LOVE blogs!! THey are so fun! :)
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