Christmas Eve

Christmas was a little different this year for us. Every other year we spend Christmas with the Huseby's on Christmas and we usually spend Christmas with the Redfield's on Christmas Eve. But this year we celebrated Christmas with both sides of our family after Christmas. So Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were a little quiet. Christmas Eve I decided to bake some cookies with the kids. They were excited. I'm not a big baker so I usually try to find something easy to bake so its not stressful! A few years back I bought a spritz machine so we made spritz cookies. I let the kids decorate them with sprinkles before we put them in the oven. Several times I had to dump some of the sprinkles off the cookie sheet when MaKena finished as she liked to completely cover the little cookies! While the cookies were baking Jacob built a fort in the living room. The kids had a lot of fun playing in the fort all afternoon.

After we finished baking cookies we got ready to go to church. I love the Christmas Eve service at our church. I love all the Christmas songs we sing and just everything about it. After church we came home, ate supper quick and opened our gifts. I couldn't get the table cleaned off fast enough for the kids. They were eager to open presents. I enjoy watching their little faces light up after they opened a gift. Both kids got a big present this year and a few smaller presents. We saved the big presents for last. MaKena got a doll house and she was thrilled. Jacob got a new bike. He was very surprised and excited. He really needed a bigger bike! After the gift opening we let the kids play with their new toys and then it was time to call it a night so Santa could come and drop off their gifts. It was a great Christmas, a little quiet but still great.

The tree before all the presents were opened.
Jacob and MaKena playing by the fort.

MaKena decorating the cookies while Jacob watches like a hawk!

I decided to help to speed the process up a little!

MaKena reading the tag to see who her present is from. No, she can't read but she knows her name, Mommy, Daddy and Jacob so she could tell who her gift was from.

A Tinkerbell Puzzle. She loves puzzles and Tinkerbell!

Jacob ripping into one of his gifts.

MaKena with her My Little Pony.

Lane opening his new Bison sweatshirt from the kids.

My new Under Armour sweatshirt.

MaKena with her new pony shirt.

Jacob opening another gift. I think MaKena wanted to help him!

Jacob with his new outfit.

Lane with his new desk calendar.

MaKena and her jewelry making kit. She thought it was a game! Silly girl.

Jacob with his new book.

Me with my new desk calendar. Great minds think alike!

The kids by their big presents.

She was one happy girl when she saw her new doll house. She was jumping up and down. It was cute. Too bad I didn't record it.

Can you tell she was excited. Look at her grin!

Jacob opening his big present.

Jacob wasn't sure what his big present was right away. He didn't jump up and down like MaKena did but the grin on his face sure let me know he was more than thrilled with his new bike. That made my day!