Monday, January 9, 2012

Christmas Eve...

I am going to be honest...I hate blogging Christmas posts! We have so many little celebrations I want to remember about...but by the time I upload and edit all the pictures I have a little Christmas burn out! But, since this blog is our online Family Journal/ scrapbook and Elsie loves to look at all the Christmas celebrations in the archives, I will blog about Christmas!
This year after we opened Stocking Stuffers at our house, we got dressed up in our fancy Christmas clothes and went to church with my family. My family attends a Catholic church a couple town away...we got there early, but it was so packed we all sat in several different pews! Elsie loves going to church with the aunties...she will probably always remember {with warm fuzzies} meeting her aunties at Church for Christmas eve services...
After Church everyone went to my parents for the traditional Christmas eve meal. In my family we always had a more formal evening on Christmas eve and a casual day for Christmas day.
While my parents were in the kitchen preparing all the food I was keeping everyone entertained by taking pictures in front of the tree...we had the tri pod set up with James acting as the shutter button guy again!
I am not sure what was happening here...but it is funny...
group shot...
Ceara and Ted...he loves to pose for pictures by kissing...as you can tell Ceara doesn't like that pose too much!

Laura and Ryan. This was Ryan's first Christmas celebration with us...these two are so sweet together...
Jon and I...this is the first picture of us in front of the Christmas tree ever...and it isn't even our tree! We are always rather dorky on Christmas and usually forget to take pictures in front of the tree...
Our Family in-front of the tree! {mom, I just love those blue lights on your tree..haha..I had to make a comment about them!}
The prayer before the meal. I know, I should have had my hands folded and eyes closed to pray..but I really wanted to photograph this. This is what we always do before a meal at my parents house. Everyone gathers in the kitchen/dining room...and my dad says the prayer. It is a simple act..but a special one...and I wanted a picture to remember it by. We enjoyed the traditional dinner of potato sausage {homemade by my dad} mashed potatoes, pigs in a blanket, oyster stew, broccoli salad and pickled herring for those daring few! Yum...no going away hungry!
Hanging out. As a hobby Ryan makes bracelets out of bicycle spokes...so his Christmas gift to each of the little girls was one of his special bracelets. Elsie loves her little bracelet..she says she is now part of the "club"...meaning the few people Ryan has made those bracelets for...she feels pretty special!
My parents gave the kids and Jon and I our gifts to open on Christmas eve since we were doing our own thing Christmas day. Elsie was so excited to see she got a brand new dolly! She still plays with that new dolly everyday!
James got into the gift opening this year...
Typical...the kids open the toys and the guys have to go through the 50million steps to get them out of the boxes and put together!
James got a little t-ball set from my parents. I have a few issues with "organized sports" and will not be expecting James to be in those type of sports...but I have to say his t-ball set is by far his favorite Christmas gift of all!
Just check that smile out...He was giggling so hard every time he would hit the ball off the stand. It was adorable! He plays with the t-ball set almost every day. Plus the bat works wonderful for hitting his sister when she doesn't give him his way...at least that is his way of thinking!
Jon opened up some headphones...and James fell in love! He was having fun listening to the music on Jon's phone!
Elsie had to have a turn too!
We ended the evening with a quick dip in the hot tub...and I wore my sister's very skimpy bikini...no pictures were taken because of that reason! We got home rather late...way past bedtime...but it was worth it...who has time to sleep when great memories are being made!?

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