Christmas Eve

 What a Christmas!  Tonight as I sat comfortably on the couch, feeling the last of those Christmas feelings and watching Kyle enjoy his favorite card from Aunt Verusca that plays music from "The Grinch" over and over as he opens and closes it, I felt gratitude for all the blessings that we have.  We have a lot of good friends and family!  And we miss those live far away so much!  It was nice to talk and skype with a few of them.  We even opened presents from them and got to watch them unwrap our gifts.  I asked my Grandad yesterday how on earth they survived without the technologies that we now have.

We got these photos from our ward Christmas party back today, and added them to our Christmas door.  Jace missed out on sitting on Santa's lap and asking for anything; Maybe that's why he got coal in his stocking.

Kyle and Cami watching Polar Express tonight while I'm on my computer (They got naps today.  It pays to nap.)

Evan's tree.  What good little boys and girls to pose so willingly tonight.  The kids got to put a link on each time they did a Christlike act, beginning on Evan's birthday, Nov. 30th.  Lance really got into this and made most of the links on the tree.  One day he even got to put 22 on it!  He has been focusing a lot more this month on doing Christlike acts like sharing the toys he really likes more willingly, and helping around the house without being asked, and being the "bigger brother".  Everyone else pitched in, too ;)

Reading "The Gingerbread Man", a gift from Kyle's preschool teachers.  It was so nice having Daddy around on Christmas Eve!  They made Gingerbread man cookies for Santa after that.

Christmas Eve Dinner - Glazed Ham, Green Bean Casserole, Yams with marshmallows, and homeade rolls.  Yum.  I love this one of Jared.  Begging for the kids to smile so we don't have to take another picture!

After dinner, Jace became a donkey, and Cami and Kyle were Mary and Joseph.  Dad read the story from Luke Chapter 2.
"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem.
To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

7And she brought forth her ^afirstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the ^binn.

(The shepherd was hiding behind the camera) And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
...And the angel said unto them, (This is Evan's part) "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

(Matt. 2 - The wise men were directed by a star to Jesus);  "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and ^afrankincense, and myrrh."

 (Taken at "Creches and Carols" a Christmas Nativity Exhibit that is put on every year at our church, and this is just one of the fun things they had available)

"Glory to God in the highest!
... and on earth ^bpeace, good will toward men."