Merry Christmas Eve!!!!

It's the most wonderful day of the year....at least for me. Yes, Christmas Day has it all....but it's on Christmas Eve day that you are still anticipating all of the goodness. And, in that anticipation, there's no bad attitudes, belly aches, or whining....it's all still perfect. Hence today being my favorite.

I will say, however, up until a couple of hours ago, it was NOT John's favorite day. And when your best friend/hubby isn't feeling good - you aint feeling good. John still felt quite a bit under the weather, and with an ear ache coming on, he decided that it would be a better decision to bypass the Christmas Eve service and visit the Urgent Care instead. Thankfully, he doesn't have an infection, but did come home with some good prescription cold-fighting drugs, and a much happier outlook. We are all most thankful for that.

Meanwhile, Mikayla and I took in First B's Christmas Eve service with Mom and Dad and Travis and Stephie. It was quite cozy, this picture shows Dave reading a kid version of the Christmas story to all the children (that just kept coming up!) attending the service.

Back at home, we reunited with the Whites, had our annual Christmas Eve Papa's Pizza together, and then the Rileys posed for our Christmas Eve picture. (The kids know we have to do that first before they get to open presents from the Whites and the single gift we let them have from us). The way Syd is lodged in, she looks like another stuffed sitting next to Mikayla.

So, she got a couple of portrait pics of just her....


On to present opening. This is "Touch and Brush". This was Mikayla's most requested present LAST year - which she got, but it broke within a month. (Maybe even a week). She asked for it again (begged....) - so I asked the Whites to get it for her, as I just couldn't bear to dish the money out again for such a piece of junk! (Her other gifts were very "traditional" - Barbies and Webkinz....just so you know).

I got a kick out of how wide Brayden's eyes are on this one...

While it is not our usual custom, this year, we surprised Trav and Stephie with a special "Pre-Sunriver" present. It was the book we made for all of the families that went to Orlando. The plan was to give it to them on Christmas Eve and to Mom and Dad and the Schillings on Christmas Day. I think we definitely caught them by surprise...

And, to top off the evening - a viewing of "A Christmas Story" - Travis' holiday fave:



MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! May the miracle of Christ's birth bring you great joy tomorrow and hope through the new year!