Christmas Eve

It's already Christmas Eve, we can hardly believe it. I know each year, I write that time flew by but this year, I tell ya, it REALLY flew by. It feels like it was just Thanksgiving a couple weeks ago. While we did skip some of our annual Christmas season traditions, much of the actual holiday was left the same. We began the day with a Christmas Eve service at Grace Church. It was a beautiful way to honor the birth of our Savior. There is nothing that I'd rather be dong than celebrating the one, true, gift...Jesus! The worship music and percussion team was AMAZING, Pastor Ron's message was filled with hope and it was all brought together with a candle lit singing of Silent Night. We are so thankful for this church. 

                                         

Blake had to work so we decided to wait until he got off, to celebrate any further. Billy put together my present and Taylor helped to light it up to make sure it was ready for the evening. Then we spent time making our appetizers and getting ready. We made some fried shrimp, toasted raviolis, spinach artichoke dip, deviled eggs, bacon-wrapped chestnuts and everyone's favorite candied bacon! We did possibly ruin two of my good sheet pans in the process but even burnt, they were a fave! We prepped some food for Christmas dinner and before we knew it, Blake was pulling in!

We tried to grab a quick family photo session but we couldn't quite get it right with the lighting. Oh well, we still got a few shots.

We started with a prayer of thankfulness and some wild pet gift-givings! Millie got a little chewy bone and Kitty got a new scratch pad...Millie took off with hers like a bucking bull, Kitty took a second to realize that it was actually OK to rip of the wrapping paper so Tay had to help. Once that scratch pad was open though, he immediately started ripping on it, laying on it and rolling around on it..he loved it so much. One gift was a combined gift for them both, we opened the play tunnel and called Millie back in, she came bounding in, ran around it and then ran into it but never came out the other end, instead, she started doing tiny circles, around and around, inside the tube! We have never seen her so crazy! 

Then we began our gift exchange. My all time favorite is when Blake and Taylor both held up their new Bibles. This is so awesome because they both have been growing closer to Christ, this was the perfect gift that will last a lifetime.

A couple things that Blake got was a pull-up bar for his bedroom door, an alligator onsie and Link plushie from Tay, a Pokemon DS game, a Buffalo Wild Wings gift certificate and an ear cleaner ( since I won't be in Columbia to help with this..lol!)

Some of Tay's gifts were a murder mystery game, a digital notebook & monitor from Blake, Infinity Train movies, a music stand and a spotify giftcard. 

Billy got some Chiefs Pj's & a hat, a soundbar, some saw horses, and the new Alex Jones book. I got some Ryze mushroom coffee, a sourdough starter with bread bowl kit, and of course the gas firepit table! I'm so excited to sit outside by it! 

After gifts, we settled in the recliners with dessert to finish watching A Christmas Carol and called it a night. It was a wonderful Christmas Eve.