Christmas Eve 2012

It's Christmas Eve!!  We had such a fun time!
First off, we went to our good friends home (Anona &Trevor Davis) from 4-6pm for a soup and bread bowl dinner.  Our friends Jenny & Randy Balmforth, Melody & Paul Aanderud, and Nancy Baldwin were also there, along with the sweet missionary couple from our ward, the Belnaps.  We ate dinner together and had a great time. Then the kids watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer while all the adults sang Christmas Carols together.
 
When we got home, we listened to the audio book, "The Polar Express" and rang our bells at the end of it!  Ben and Eliza have been really excited about this all month, since the book has been displayed on a stand way up on a high ledge, just waiting for our traditional reading of it on Christmas Eve. :)

Then Jed read us some of the special Christmas stories that we have been saving just for tonight, including "The Man Who Missed Christmas" and "The Solitary Gift."

The kids got ready for bed, and then we watched the special 5-minute Nativity video that the Church produced, which we watch every Christmas Eve together.  After that, Jed read Luke 2 to us.  Then we had our special Christmas Eve treat - hot chocolate along with chocolate dipped spoons with peppermint sprinkles, which we prepared earlier in the week together. 

The kids sprinkled Reindeer Food out on the front lawn, and made a plate of treats for Santa, and Ben wrote him a note. 

We all set out our stockings and we tucked the kids into bed. Then Jed and I pulled the couch up to our TV and we watched, "A Christmas Carol" starring George C. Scott (which is the BEST version in the world!). This is my favorite thing to do with Jed after the kids are in bed on Christmas Eve. I just love the story of A Christmas Carol.  Christmas would not be Christmas without this uplifting, happy movie the night before! :)
We stayed up a little bit longer and then went to bed, ready for a big day the next morning!!