Merry Christmas

"Tomorrow is Christmas! It's practically here!"

Jarin started the day off yelling this phrase and repeated it every hour or so. It sounded vaguely familiar to me, yet, after the zillionth time of hearing it - I blocked it out of my brain.

Someone mentioned sledding. I took that opportunity to kick Cameron out the door with bundled up kids from head to toe to go find the closest hill. They were only gone for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

The girls reminded me that we needed cookies and milk for Santa. The last thing I wanted to do was to make cookies. I suggested string cheese and an apple - nope. Just then, the doorbell rang and there stood my saving grace holding a plate of sugar frosted Christmas shaped cookies.

Our Christmas Eve began with it's traditional Shepard dinner. After a few complaints, it was upgraded this year from dried fruit, dried fish, nuts, olives and bread to baked fish, green salad, rosemary bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, humus and crackers - mmmm.

We opened our first gift of pajamas and modeled them for all to see.

Lively entertainment was provided by the Jensen children at the piano with Christmas carols.

We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus and ate cake.

We all played with Oreo and watched her chase after her toy a million times.

Jarin rummaged through books and pulled out How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and read it to us using his famous vocal expressions. During his read, he stopped to look at me and said,

"This is my favorite part.....'Tomorrow is Christmas! It's practically here!"' Oh yeah - now I get it - duh.

Makayla read the story of Jesus' birth from Luke 2.

Family prayer was said and a special blessing was given to Santa.

Everyone went to bed without being asked - I am in awe!

I just checked the Santa Tracker - at the present he is in Montreal, Canada.

It's off to bed I go.

Merry Christmas!