christmas eve

Bryce was excited to open the last clue for our Truth in the Tinsel Advent activities this morning.

 

 

We immediately went downstairs and made our last ornament, the cross.  Jesus' birth is so important, but His death on the cross and the events following, are what give us hope!  I have had so much fun going through this with both kids this year!

 

Hanging the last ornament on her tree.

 

The last ornament makes for a full tree!

 

The kids were excited to finally decorate our Christmas cookies after breakfast.  I was pretty pleased with all the fun icing colors I mixed up for them!

 

Bryce could have done this all day!

 

So proud of their creations.  They both chose to leave their star cookies for Santa!

 

My family has always opened presents on Christmas Eve so the kids were excited when it was finally time to go to Nana and Pap's.  We had a yummy meal before opening presents.  Bryce was super excited about Emmy's sleeping bag that he crawled right in with her!

 

 

He was even more excited when he opened his own sleeping bag next!

 

Even Macy enjoys opening presents.

 

When we finished at my parent's house, we headed to church for our Christmas Eve service.  Since Christmas Eve is on a Wednesday this year, it only made sense to have a camel start the show!  Jason was the rear, ha!

 

The kids performed one of their songs from their Christmas play they did at our hanging of the greens service earlier in the month.

 

Bryce was asked to read the Christmas story again for this service like he did at the hanging of the greens service.  I just love this picture.  It's a family affair (Jason holding the mic for Bryce and our niece and nephew as Mary and Joseph).  I'm so glad our family is so involved in our church and that they are understanding the importance so early.

 

Bryce and his friend Aiden sat in front of us and I just couldn't resist this picture. 

 

The kids couldn't wait to get home from church and go to bed.  I had told them we could start a new Christmas Eve tradition this year.  I thought it would be fun for them to have a sleepover in Emmy's room with their new sleeping bags!  They loved it!

 

It took them a little while to get to sleep, but they did great!