After all the anticipation of Christmas, the Advent countdown, the parties, the family outings, the big day has arrived. Christmas with a 3 year old is hands-down, one of the best ways that you can experience this holiday. Aaron is still a little young to "get" it but he enjoyed opening up (other people's!) presents.
I sang in the Christmas choir this year, which performed on Christmas Eve. This meant that I had to be at church at 3:30. While the kids napped I threw together Boeuf Bourguignon which could simmer on the stove until we were home from the Christmas Eve service. The service this year was lovely. Very traditional: carols, a message on how Christ's birth can bring us peace, joy, and love, and a candle-light singing of Silent Night. The kids were good, but it was hard to sit on stage and be able to see them goofing off and not be able to do anything. I tried the teacher-glare, but I don't think they noticed. Or cared!
After the service we came home to a lovely smelling stew, which we en enjoyed with my Mom and Duane, Kent, and church friends Rene and Ginny. It was low-key but enjoyable.
One of our Christmas Eve traditions is to open up a Christmas book and Christmas jammies. The books are stored in those boxes on the ground behind the kids. When Christmas is over the boxes get packed up along with the other decorations. This year Aaron was given Room for a Little One and Liam got Mortimer's Christmas Manger. I loved both of them very much.
It's Christmas morning and that means it's time to open stockings. Everyone climbed into our bed and one at a time (I think this might be the last year we can make the kids wait!) opened up stockings.
I can't get over how grown-up Liam looks in this picture.
Ryan's one and only request for Christmas is cinnamon rolls for breakfast. My Dad and Pam enjoyed our breakfast (or rather watched us, since they had an early breakfast with my grandparents!) with us and before we knew it, it was time to get ready to go to church.
Christmas on Sunday made things a little unusual. Instead of opening gifts after breakfast we all got dressed up and headed off to church. I was a little nervous because I was welcoming everyone to our church and reading a story to the little tots. It's always funny to hear your own voice through the speakers.
Can you believe that this {mean} mommy made her children take a NAP on Christmas?! And can you believe that this same mommy also took a nap on Christmas?? I'm telling you, this was one of the most unusual celebrations for our family. I've never had one like it, and probably wont see one like it again.
Here's when the fun starts. Everyone (I sent out an all-encompassing invitation to my house for soup dinner. Those who took me up on it were my grandparents, parents, and brother) came over around 4:00, the kids were up, soup was on the stove, and it's present time! The kids were showered with love from all sides. Ryan's family is in Cambodia and even they were able to send gifts for the kids. Gotta love Amazon! Liam's special gift this year was a big boy bike. Of course he loved it and is pretty good at it already. Big Surprise. Not really.
Thank you to everyone who was able to join us in our simple celebration. We missed all of our family, both far away and near who couldn't join us. We love you all and we feel so blessed to have so many wonderful people apart of our lives.
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