Not a Creature was Stirring...

This Christmas Eve I decided to change things up a bit and start a new tradition with the kids. Instead of going into Detroit for the family Christmas party at my Uncle's house, we stayed in town and celebrated with just the 5 of us. We kicked off the evening by going to our church for the Christmas Eve service.

Pastor Lee reading The Best Christmas Pageant Ever to all the kids...

Aaron was a little upset I couldn't sit up there with him...

After church, we headed home to continue on with the evening's festivities. Aaron and Austin had each made reindeer food at their school parties that needed to be sprinkled on the lawn, so outside they each went to cover the ground with oatmeal and glitter.

Once that was done, it was time to open up an early present from me. They kind of knew ahead of time it was going to be clothes since I told them the only thing Mommy's and Daddy's get their kids on Christmas is clothes, while the giving of toys is saved for Santa. They were a little bummed, to say the least!!

Ready to open up their gifts...

Tearing into them...

Matching Christmas pajamas...

After they changed into their (awesome) new pajamas, it was time to put out the letter to Santa along with milk and cookies. The kids thought it was so hilarious that we gave Santa cookies of himself to eat :)

Finally it was time for my favorite tradition I have done ever since Andrew's first Christmas Eve... gather them all around my lap and read Twas the Night Before Christmas. Before I knew it, it was time to say prayers and tuck them in for the night. At first they were anxious about what Christmas morning would bring, But after 5 minutes of them being snuggled in their bed, they were fast asleep and the house was silent. And so "Santa" went to work on getting all the presents under the tree.