Christmas Eve 2016

Since Christmas was on a Sunday this year, we decided to celebrate a day early so presents and Santa and such wouldn't interfere with church. Because we are cool like that and because I totally know Santa and asked him to come a day early, and he agreed because, hey, one less house to visit on the actual night, right?

An actual conversation I had with Tess:

Tess: But how does Santa know to come early?
Me: Because I emailed him and asked him. And he said yes.
Tess: But how do you have his email address?
Me: All moms have Santa's email address. They get it when they have kids.

And that was that, because this was a totally reasonable and logical explanation to a 5 year old. (And her 7 year old brother, who was also there.)

So on the morning of our Christmas Eve I made my kids help pick up and clean the house, because in my mind the house should be clean and nice for a holiday. And I know the house is just gonna get thrashed over the few days after the holiday, but still. A clean home is not too much to ask.

Only, that's not how my kids felt. Much weeping and wailing and gnashing to teeth to be had over the simplest of chores. Actually, Spencer was great. No complaining and got his work done quickly and well. It was those other three. I was about to switch all the nametags on gifts and give them all to Spencer. Although I'm not sure how he'd feel about getting the Shopkins 20 pack...

Anyways, I finally got them to finish their work, which took far longer than it would have if I had just done it all on my own in the first place. Growl. Then I got to work on baking and cooking and whatnot. I put together a breakfast casserole for the next morning, as well as some orange rolls. Aren't they beautiful here? I par baked them, with the idea that I'd finish them up on Christmas morning, only they weren't as baked as I had thought and were deflated in the middle and not at all pretty. They tasted okay, but not as beautiful and fluffy as they should have been. Sad sad sad! I will just have to make some more this winter.

I also put together a deli tray to go along with our veggie tray. On Christmas day I don't cook, so this (and all the other Christmas goodies) is what we munched on most of the day.

This year I decided to make a Christmas Jello for my kids. Kids love layered Jello, right? It looked so awesome at first... and then it started to slide.

And slide....

And slide. Gosh dang it. (It tasted pretty good, though! And heaven help me, those are the only pictures I took for dinner. I made a lovely tri-tip, mashed potatoes, and yummy Roper rolls, but none of that was documented. (That's because we were too busy eating!)

After dinner Lance and I hid the kids' pajamas. We decided to make the hiding spots harder this year, so it took a bit longer than usual - much to their worry. Because, you know, we'd never tell them where we hid them. Even if it meant no new jammies for Christmas this year. That's just the kind of parents our kids think we are. Tess found hers first and was quite pleased.

Spencer was next.

Tess still likes the ribbon best.

A relieved Cole was third. (As per usual!)

A very distraught Josh was last. He was mad.

Then he opened up his jammies and scowled because he didn't like them. Then he FREAKED OUT about the pajama t-shirt because it was "too itchy". (It was not too itchy. He just needed to complain about something.)

And that's why we have zero pictures of the kids in front of the tree with their new jammies this year - Josh's whining and complaining. We decided to ignore him and start reading our Christmas story instead while he cried and complained in his room.

He eventually calmed down and came out. (Wearing a different shirt. The punk.) I'm not sure how, but Cole read the book this year. I bought the Little Golden Book version of The Night Before Christmas, and he did great with it!

Then it was time for our annual self-timed picture. This first one? Not that bad. (Although Tess wouldn't smile at all this year, the punk.)

Then we figured out that I didn't have to set the timer because I could turn on a setting that would take a picture when you said "cheese". Which was super convenient but also meant that a lot of pictures were taken because our kids could not stop yelling "cheese"!

I think this one turned out the best.

Finally it was time for Christmas Even Bingo! Woo-hoo!

This guy was pretty upset when he wouldn't win. Because, you know, Bingo is all about the skill...

Cole is also a super intense Bingo player. He really liked being the caller.

Tess was the first to win; she chose that blue cup from the fabulous Dollar Store prizes.

I made the mistake of choosing this gun as my prize, having no idea it was coveted by all the boys. Oops.

It was a good evening. Everyone had their moments, but for the most part I think everyone also had fun. We all went to bed excited for Santa and the next morning!