christmas...

Christmas Eve was spent eating a yummy dinner at my parent's house. I look forward to Christmas eve dinner and Christmas day dinner. Eve we always have Turkey, veggies, potato rolls, etc...and on Christmas day we have ham, potatoes au gratin, rolls, holiday punch, etc... sooooo good! Following dinner on Christmas eve we headed to our house to do jingle bells. A tradition that I grew up with. We don't ever put any presents under the tree until Christmas eve. Each person takes turns with the jingle bells while everyone else sings carols...they go up stairs to the pile of presents and bring an arm load down and place them under the tree. When the jingle bells stop ringing everyone opens their eyes and ooos and ahhhs!

I believe it will be years before I get a picture of the kids that is cute on Christmas eve. They are such busy bodies that they won't hold still long enough. I also need to figure out how to take pictures with my camera...with out the hated flash...that won't make anything moving blurry....oh well!

We have it on good authority that Santa loves Little Debbie snacks!

Santa arrived at our house...he brought a table and chairs for Bailey, cars for Max, and "secret boxes" for the boys.

Waiting at the top of the stairs for dad to put on the Little Drummer Boy song sung by Johnny Mathis...

Opening stockings...

Santa also brought the boys watches...

After stockings we wait to open more until after Christmas breakfast. Travis did a great job with the bacon and sausage.

Noah was waiting ever so patiently...

It was cute to see Max enjoy the wrapping paper.

Max's beloved present is a new fire engine to sit on and push buttons...

Next it was on to my parent's house to open extended family gifts...followed by my mom's glorious homemade cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate!

Can I just say that Christmas makes me so happy. I LOVE having Travis home from work for almost 2 weeks....I LOVE the spirit that fills our home...I LOVE being together as a family... I LOVE making memories...