Christmas Eve!

Just wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Today, Christmas Eve day was filled with fun! We cleaned and made cookies and got everything ready for the big day!


Baking cookies for Santa...
Hope he likes chocolate chip!
Its the 24th!!!
Hubby cleaned the windows inside and out! I didn't even ask him! What a great hubby he is!!!
The tree and presents are all ready!
Every year I get the girls ready first then I get ready...meanwhile daddy starts taking lots of pictures of them!
Daddy and the little girls!
All ready for a fun night out! We go to our friend's Christmas Eve party every year!
Dinner...dig in girls!!!
Beautiful tree and fish tank!
Enjoying all of the yummy food!
Miss Jamie looking at the Disney photobook! I brought it to show all the people who saw me preparing for our trip for an entire year!!!
My handsome hubby!
Goofy pic of both of us!
Pretty Sarah!
Mary looking at the Disney photobook...
Having fun at the party!
Singing karioke...

We finally headed home around 9:15 pm! We set out Santa's big cookie and some egg nog for Santa....plus some pictures and notes...so sweet! The girls put out reindeer food which Edmund captured on video!
All ready to open the traditional Christmas Eve present..... I wonder what it will be???
Opening....wondering....
Its pajamas...what a surprise!!!



Yaaaa comfy soft flannel easy fits for all! .........and all had a good night!!!
Checking Norad one last time....he is still south of us!
Leaving Argentina to be exact!
Devon was quite worried that they wouldn't be asleep fast enough...she wanted to jump into bed right away!
One final pic before getting ready for bed!
Sleep-Over Tonight!!! Devon sleeping up top now that she is 6!
and Sarah and Brook underneath...in their new jammies!
Getting all nestled in bed!
Sarah's bed with her animals all lined up and neat...just to impress Santa no doubt!

Twas the Night before Christmas Poem

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"