T'was the night before Christmas...

So this year we spent Christmas eve at Michele's! We met some new friends (with the exception of the George's and some of their extended family who we already knew), enjoyed some great food including my all time favorite prime rib, watched a mini talent show and broke out new pajamas for the kids!

My shoe loving friend and host...



Here the kids are performing their talent which included Ty doing some yo yo moves to their football theme song (thankfully all vases were still intact at the end of his performance), Sage singing I've got a Feeling by the Black Eyed Peas, and Connor having a staring contest (which he did indeed win). True talent at it's best...




Michele had all of the parents bring along new pajamas for the kids so they could all unwrap them and wear them home. Since the majority of the time the boys pj's are spent on their floor rather than on their body, I went with long john's that they could use when skiing or under clothing. I knew I'd have to spice them up somehow though so got them their first pairs of slippers. Who knew claw slippers would be such a hit?!?



Then it was time to come home and have our own small family home evening focused on the birth of Christ and his role in our lives. After doing some reading, the kids select one present to open. Sage and Connor opened up Ty's gifts he had purchased for them. This was an especially sweet gesture since Ty still wanted to buy them something knowing that Connor and Sage didn't have enough money to buy him something. He didn't mind one bit and was so excited to give them the gifts he had gotten for them! He was smart though and selected the Mashoonga's for Connor which wouldn't be much fun without a 2nd person to beat up on...




After a late night out I was so thankful to have been better this year about getting most of my wrapping done before Christmas eve. At around 11, the kids finally made their way to bed. Thankfully they did so without checking out the Norad website or they would have been very disappointed to see that Santa had come and gone through Seattle right as they were making their way up to bed.

Here at home it was a busy year for Santa so he could be heard snoring at around 11:30 while Mrs. Clause finished up some last minute work. After her work was complete, she enjoyed the calm before the storm...