Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve day was spent by Alex working with Me, Emma and Ethan braving trips to both Walmart & Publix...I'm not sure just what I was thinking, other than the fact that I needed those chocolate chips for our cakes we were baking! I will NOT make that mistake next year! :) After our lovely, fun filled shopping trips we stopped by my parents to visit with my Aunt Val (Dad's sister) for a few minutes before heading home and getting the kids down for a nap while I baked.

As tradition we always attend the Christmas Eve Candelight service at our Church on Christmas Eve night, we appreciate that our church does it at a reasonable time (6:30 pm) and not at midnight (which would be nearly impossible with small children!). We went with Mom, Dad, Jenny, Ashley, Kaley, Aunt Val, Uncle Randy, Caleb and Kristin. Alex had just gotten off work at 6:00 so he was able to join us as well. It's a fun time of singing Christmas songs, having family communion, and then Pastor Blackburn sings some fun songs with the kids and reads the Christmas story. All the kids always attend in their pj's (sorry...forgot the camera in the car!). Although this year was a little special for us as a family as this was Emma's first time taking communion. She asked Jesus to come into her heart back at Mother's Day (you can read about that post Here) and this was the first time we had been all together in a service with the kids during communion. It was special as I got to watch and listen to Alex explain everything to Emma and very special to watch our little girl participate with us. Ethan on the other hand was a little jealous...so he got to eat goldfish, thank goodness I had a stash in the backpack! :)

After the service we headed to my parents house for some White Chicken Chili and Cuban sandwiches and also to spend some time with the Brooks extended family. My grandparents were in Tennesse with my Dad's brother this year but Aunt Val, Uncle Randy, Caleb & Kristin, Aunt Pam, April, Mike, Holly, Timmy, and Tryston came over to enjoy some food and fun with everyone.

While we were there Ethan and Emma got a phone call from Santa Claus! My Dad went outside and called them from his cell phone "disguising" his voice..and my Mom had her phone on speaker letting the kids talk to "Santa" while he was preparing to come to our house. It was so funny listening to my Dad trying to make sure the kids didn't realize it was him calling! Ethan and especially Emma are very much into the magic of Christmas time this year and Emma was SO EXCITED to have talked to Santa.

Everyone enjoyed good food, Ethan got to eat some choc ice cream with his Papa, and April (my cousin) helped Emma with her dress up stuff. The last photo Emma is sitting beside Alex being silly and hiding.

My cousin Holly and her husband Timmy have a little boy named Tryston. Ethan and Tryston are about 7 months apart and they had so much fun playing together Christmas Eve night. They built with blocks, played the drums, and played with Ethan's shake and go cars.

After a fun evening with all our family it was time to head home around 10:30 PM...so we could get the kids in bed (that's for the next post...a whole other story!) and so Santa's Elves could get started on a few things that needed to be assembled!