Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is so much different for us now than it used to be a few years ago.  It used to be that we did not go to Christmas Eve church because we had family Christmas with Mike's side in the cities.  After that we would rush the hour home to get back to my mom's so that we could open presents with my mom and siblings.  Now, we don't have Christmas with my mom because of Dennis and his kids not being able to be there that night and now we aren't able to go to Mike's family's either because Bennett is in Sunday School and the Sunday School kids have their service on Christmas Eve.  So, after Christmas Eve church, the four of us get to come home and have our own Christmas.  Santa comes while we are at church...which is when Santa came when I was a kid too.

 

Bennett was a shepherd in the service.

I did not ask them for this but this is what I got the first time I said 'smile'.  And honestly, it's my kids to a T and I love love love the picture!

Bennett asked Santa for a green combine.  Santa spent a lot on this gift alone so he better play with it and not break it!  ;-)

Ashley's favorite gift was this Little People house and playground.

Bennett's gifts:  combine, grain semi truck, a toy camera, kids bath soap and a book

Ashley's gifts:  Little People house, playground, toy cash register, a puzzle and a hairbrush

Mike's gifts:  a Twins shirt, headphones and a popcorn tin

Rachel's gifts:  a Willow Tree Angel and a wall shelf

 

Overall it was a nice night.  The kids were happy with their gifts and waited patiently and let one person open a gift at a time.  By 9:00pm the kids and Mike (he didn't feel that great that night) were all in bed already so at 10:00pm I went back to church for the Candlelight service since I didn't really have anything special to do sitting at home awake by myself.