Christmas Eve

Wow!! What an action packed week! We have been soooooo busy! Yesterday was a marathon Christmas Eve :) After bike rides and outdoor playtime, Kirsten and I spent a lot of time baking yesterday. We made delicious "monkey bread" for Christmas morning (a new tradition!) and a beautiful Birthday Cake for Jesus. I am so sorry that I didn't take pictures of it. Kirsten did a great job of decorating it (she decided our Savior would really appreciate lots of sprinkles). Before church Kirsten and Brian made reindeer food to sprinkle in the yard.

The boys needed a little help getting started... but these guys catch on fast! After a few tastes :) they did a great job of sprinkling snacks for our flying friends!

Kirsten was a beautiful angel in the Christmas pageant at the children's mass. She took her position as part of the "Heavenly Host" very seriously and did an AWESOME job!

After mass we came home to celebrate the holiday with Grammy, Grandpa, Aunt Maureen, and Ryan. This year we did things a little differently. Instead of going out to dinner and then home to open gifts (as we've always done in the past)... we had some appetizers, opened gifts, and then ate dinner AFTER the kiddos were in bed. The kids were all spoiled rotten :) and loved every moment of it.

Danny kissed his new puppy as soon as he opened it!

Aunt Maureen gave Kirsten a beautiful new "Hannah Montana" comforter... here are my little fakers hamming it up on the new blankie. (TOTAL fakers!)

Kirsten was really hoping for a violin for Christmas. She has been very anxious to join the violin club at school. She was VERY excited and a little emotional (the grateful little angel :) to open her gift from Grammy and Grandpa!


My poor baby boys were begging to go to bed! Promptly at 6:45 the boys started waving and calling "Night, night!" to everyone... we were able to stretch them until 7:30 but they were very happy when it was time to cuddle up. Here is the whole family getting ready for Santa.