Christmas eve

This year we offered to host Christmas.  At first there was a bit of complaining that it was going to be at our house.  Actually, it wasn't just at first….  Not enough space, no costume closet from which to choose nativity costumes, yada, yada, yada.  But the Giesbrechts needed a break and I really did want to have it.

The night before I made lists for each of the kids as to their duties - plus a few were added throughout the day.  In the morning, I handed out the lists and they all went right to it!  Not a word of complaint, not a bad attitude, and no stalling.  So fantastic.  

We borrowed some folding tables and chairs from the Giesbrechts, some tables cloths and pitchers, they brought along some costumes and we were good to go!

The festivities started around 3:00 with appetizers.  We decided to go a little Ecuadorian and made ceviche and patacones.  We needed to bring a little Ecuador home to us.  It will definitely be a new tradition.  So easy and so yummy!  To save the house from the stench, Eric fried the patacones outside on the grill.  Since it was so mild, it worked fabulously.  We liked our patacones better than the ones you typically get in Ecuador, which most likely means they weren't as authentic.  But they were darn tasty!  Really we just made them thinner, fried them longer (we think) and seasoned them a little more.  And we made a cilantro aioli for a dipping sauce instead of only lime juice and salt. YUM.

The kids played a little Dutch Blitz and whatnot while waiting for dinner time.

Everything was ready to go at 4:30 for dinner, but Jann and Chris were running a little late.  Unbeknownst to us Chris worked until 2:00 and was also up with their sick dog most of the night.  So things were a little on the cold, dried out side - but still quite delicious.  Well, perhaps not so great.  I over cooked the bird (don't think Christmas vacation - it wasn't quite there yet) and over moisturized the stuffing.  So actually, if you ate the two together the moisture content was probably right where it should be.  Next time I'll just try to find a better balance.  Sheesh - you'd think this was my first holiday meal.  Oh well.  I think they all still love me.

After dinner it was time for the real celebration.  Grandma read the Christmas story from the bible and the kids acted it out.  They even had a cameo appearance (unplanned) by a fuzzy four-legged guest.

Maddy and Alex decided to also add an impromptu accompaniment by bursting into song with every line or tip to a new Christmas carol.  

Bentley was very eager to see baby Jesus.

Then Grandma shared a brief devotional.

And then gifts.  Cade initiated a new method of selecting who was to open a gift.  Usually it is youngest to oldest or oldest to youngest or something like that.  This year he wrote down everyone's name (well, he forgot his parents and an aunt or two but we didn't have anything anyway…) and then drew a name out of a pot to say who was going next.  Not sure if everyone (or anyone) appreciated a change, but I thought it was fun that he took the thing on.

Cole loved his marshmallow gun (safety goggles, and full bag of ammo) and Cade loved giving it to him!

Lucy got a bedazzled mirror from Cole.

Timaya was quite thrilled with her owl pj pants.

Maddy got the mother-load since Lauren had her name.  She got a bowl made from a record and a picture painted from a photo taken at the beach in Ecuador.

Alex loved her infinity scarf that Maddy made (I'm kicking myself for not getting more fabric to make one for myself - it was so great and cozy!)

Riley loved her pj pants and pillow from Lucy….

Cade got a cute little green clay Creeper (??) from Riley.

And Mia got a clay momma and baby elephant from Shandy.

All of our kids received a devotional book from Grandma.  Mia had asked for one for Christmas and I thought that would be a great gift for them all.

Kim received an unfortunate hair-style from Tweedle dumb and dumber (aka: Riley and Lucy).

She also got Edward Scissor Hands for a son.

Then it was time to just hang out and play.  Lucy and Riley disappeared and we found them probably an hour later playing outside in the snow (we received a little here and there in the previous few days).  It was so beautiful outside - not too cold with hardly a breath of wind, that they lasted out there for a long time!

Everyone headed for home - I don't have a clue what time it was when they all left - and we did a little (but not much) clean up.

It was such a great day and I am so thrilled that we got to have it here.  I would love to host every year - although I don't know if the rest of the family would want that.  The standards are pretty low and laid back around here.  But we loved it - fun and relaxed.

After the kids were in bed I got to the Santa work… stuffing stockings and wrapping the Santa gift.  Eric thought it necessary to take some pictures of me since I am rarely in any photos.  I was thrilled with the pajama shots.  But I worked it anyway!

I definitely know how to work a camera.  Should have been a model.