Christmas Eve '11

Christmas Eve was fabulous(as Laila would say it!). We started our day with our Annual Christmas Eve Brunch at the Goad's house. Somehow, we spent the whole time and did not get one picture. I will just have to remember our time by the good food and great friends that we were able to hang out with. Truly, it is one of my favorite Christmas traditions. The food was absolutely scrumptious!!

Afterwards, we came home for the afternoon. The Cowboys game was on. There was food prep for the evening to be completed, and the Christmas Eve service at church.

Our Annual Family pic in front of the trees at church

I had to share these next 3 photos to give you another sampling of Isaiah's personality. This kid is ALWAYS "on."

He is truly a performer at heart.

He has his own style.

He does not fit into a box.

That whole little photo shoot gathered an audience. I think he was the highlight of the night!

Back to the house to finish the Cowboys game and cook the food for our Appetizer Feast!

Look at all that yummy food!

On Christmas Eve, the kids get to open their ornament gift. Each year the ornament represents something about their year.

Lauren's represented her first trip to Africa in June

Cody's represented his first cell phone for his 13th bday.

(This is actually a print out of the ornament. It did not arrive in the mail in time.

I have no idea why he is making that face.)

Abby is loving piano lessons and wants to learn the guitar.

She is our musician with her jingle bell musical note ornament.

Sam loves tools, building, taking things apart, and fixing things

His ornament is a tape measure that says, "Merry Fix-mas"

Isaiah's is a composition book with a place for his picture

representing his first year of school!!

Laila loves Rapunzel!!

Cookies and milk were set out for Santa.

The big kids think it is hilarious to put the biggest cookies

we have out so that Santa will have to eat a lot!

For the next 5 hours, Rick and I did this:

We made it to bed around 2:00 AM. The kids have strict orders from Dad to not come in our room before 7:30 AM where the Christmas Day activities will begin!