Christmas Eve

Dear Michael,

Christmas Eve was pretty fun. It wasn't anything like we had planned for it to be, we stayed here instead of going to your families home and you weren't here with us, but it was still very enjoyable. This year was supposed to be the "away" year for our whole family. Kara was in California, but Scott and Amber were able to spend Christmas eve with us and brought their whole family along for the party. :) It was nice to just hang out and eat great food while the kids ran around and had fun playing with each other. We had the most delicious dinner; steaks, potatoes, rolls, and salad. Then we ate Amber's frozen pie deserts which were sooo yummy! I loved the mint flavored ones. :) I could have eaten a whole pie by myself.

After our laid back dinner we went downstairs and I told the Christmas story to the 2 year old's because my Mom told me I had too.  Apparently I am the best at translating into 2 year old-ese. I used the soft nativity and the story went something like this:
Once upon a time there was a woman named Mary who was going to get married to a man named Joseph. One day and Angel appeared to her and told her she was going to have a baby. Then she told Joseph and he said "I'm not sure how about that". But then the angel appeared to him and said "its ok, she is going to have a baby and your going to name him Jesus." Then they had to go Bethlhem to pay money to the king. But so many people where there that there wasn't any room at the hotel. So they went knock knock knock (I would use the doll to knock on each of the girls tummy's) and said "do you have room for us" then the inn keeper would say "no we don't have any room for you." So finally they ended up in a barn where animals like horses lived. Then Pop! out came Mary's baby (that was inspired by Little E saying Little M "pop came out" the morning I had him.) The angel's sang songs and told the Sheperds to go look for him under the star. The wise men saw the star too and came on their cammel to give him gifts. And that is why we celebrate Christmas. Because its Jesus' birthday party.

That isn't exactly how it went but its close. The girls really liked my knocking on their tummy's and all three wise men riding on one camel. It was really a fun story for them.

After we finished with the story we played duck duck goose for a while. Scott, Kevin, and I were right in the circle with the girls and it was so funny to watch them scream and run around when they were the goose. They still don't get the game all the way and will run any which way if you let them. So I had to guide them around the circle and often ended up snatching Little E as she ran past to get her into her seat before Kevin or Scott caught her. We all had a great time. :)

After the game we went upstairs and let the girls and Little M open a few gifts. Kevin and Laura had hand sewn towels for each of them. There was a duck for Little E, a pig for Little A, and an elephant for Little M. They were so great and the girls were really excited. :) Then Little E and Little M got to open their Christmas p.j.'s. Little E's were in a Dora backpack and she was pretty excited about that too.

Then it was time to put out Santa's cookies and the reindeer's carrots and put the girls to bed. Little E aloud me to put out a couple of her toys that she helped "clean up" for Santa. They are supposed to talk to him and tell him she takes good care of them so he will leave her more toys. This is a tradition from Michael's family, but she wasn't so sure about it this year. She had it in her head that Santa was going to take those toys away and leave her new ones to replace them and she really didn't want him too. It took a lot of coaxing and me choosing toys that weren't her favorites to finally get that part of the night done. :) She is so funny!

Once the girls where asleep the adults stayed up late and watched date night. It was a pretty funny movie and I enjoyed it. But I was very excited to get to bed when it was done. I was pretty darn tired by that point.

Anyways, Merry Christmas Eve honey. I know its a week late, but I kindof feel like you were ther watching over us all anyways. I think that's part of the reason it went so smoothly and that I felt so happy the whole time. Thank you for that. :)

Love,
Jenny

P.S. The stockings have a fun story behind them. Our first Christmas we went and bought stockings at the dollar store. Then we came home and embroidered them for each other. I did Michael's and he did mine. We sat in the living room of our first little apartment together laughing and talking while we sewed. Then we gave them to each other. I had drawn on a cute M with swirls and did a pretty good job on it for having never embroidered anything before in my life. I am using it for Little M now.

Michael used the same technique he would use to stitch up a hole in his pants. When he finished and handed it too me we realized he had done the J backwards. We both laughed and I told him to leave it because it would make me happy for years to come. So he did. It makes me smile every time I see it. :) I absolutely treasure it! I love remembering him with his tongue sticking out a little holding the thread and needle in his big hands trying to make my J. Oh how I miss those hands...