Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve day was a day of preparation for us. Joseph worked most of the day to try to get more patients admitted and at home we shoveled snow, baked, cooked, cleaned, shoveled more snow, made last-minute runs to the store, played, and baked and cooked some more. We had a beautiful white-out that made for a beautiful Christmas Day. 

When Joseph returned home from work he set up his laptop with a projector so we could track Santa making his deliveries all over the world.  The kids loved keeping tabs on that jolly man and happily went to bed when the time came because they could see Santa was on his way to work his magic!

Joseph also set up the movie "Arthur Christmas" while we made final prepartations for dinner and breakfast the next morning.

This year we voted on pasta and chicken parmigiana for dinner with all the fixin's.  Grandma and Grandpa joined up for our evening. 

I'm not sure why, but in alot of pictures with Grandpa, he makes these funny faces.  Maybe he's just teasing Grandma who is taking the picture. 

The kids could hardly contain their excitement and while we did the dishes, they quickly turned everything into a dance party. 

Because we had read Luke 2 with my family the night before, we decided to talk about Samuel's foretelling of the Christ-child from the Book of Mormon.  The boys were happy to act as Samuel and Nephi as we told the story of a Nephite Christmas. 

Joseph did a great job keeping everyone interested with his enthusiastic teaching skills.  (I hate my gray carpet.  Sometimes I secretly wish something would happen to it so I could replace it, but it's only about 4 years old and great quality, so I can't justify replacing it just yet.  It has a tint of sage in the sunlight, but is a dull gray with the lighting downstairs. I'm thinking they must have gotten a great deal on it. haha!) Joseph gave everyone the chance to share their feelings about the Savior after he finished.  We then opened up their new pajamas and new books and the kids were excited for bed.

Santa's getting closer, better head to bed!

Abby made sure that Santa and his reindeer were treated.  I think she wanted a few extra points with the Claus.  I love how she told Santa to read the directions to make the cocoa and the way she asked if she was on the nice list. 

Merry Christmas to all and to ALL a good night!