Merry Christmas...Part Two!

We are still enjoying the Christmas season at our house and I'm in no hurry to un-decorate!  Jared and I were talking, and we realized that after 7 married Christmases we were finally going to spend Christmas eve and morning at our own house!  We've been attending the same church here for 6(ish) years and have never gone to a Christmas eve service.  We were excited to experience a new Christmas tradition.  Anyway, after nap on Monday, we got dressed up and made our way to church for the service.  Ethan had been coughing, so we decided that if he wanted to stay with us tonight, we would let him.  After much back and forth, he stayed with us...for about 30 min of the service and then decided he wanted to go to the Birthday party for Jesus, complete with cake.
After a wonderful, musical, reflective, candle-lit service we made our way home where a crock pot full of Italian beef awaited us!  Before dinner, we attempted some family pictures in front of the tree..

Daddy and his kids.  

This is the best I could get of the 2 of them

Dancing babies!

Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

After dinner, we did the usual get ready for bed things and then read a Nativity Book.  It was supposed to be an advent thing, but we didn't start it on time, so I decided to do it Christmas eve.  Each page had 3 or 4 pieces of the Nativity scene to set up.  Ethan thought this was pretty cool.

The last thing, before prayers and bed, was to put out cookies and milk for Santa.  We had made chocolate chip cookies earlier in the day just for this occasion!

Carefully carrying the plate of cookies.

Both kids, were out for the count quickly after we put them to bed...thankfully!  Jared and I watched "A Christmas Story" (his first time) and then went to bed to see if Santa would come during the night ;).

Ethan's Christmas Morning!  I think 3 might just be the perfect age for Christmas!  He didn't remember that it was Christmas, so we took our time getting around AND he was excited about everything!  He went from toy to toy all day long!

Going through his stocking, Checking out the Busy Book I made for him, Christmas Morning cinnamon roll, Checking out all the loot and playing with his 'ino-tab' (as he calls it)

Nora's Christmas morning.  She still wasn't too interested in a lot, except whatever Ethan was playing with.  She had a good morning too!

Opening presents with Daddy, Rolling around on the floor pillow I made for her, Checking out her stocking, Opening the pillow and Playing with her toys

Christmas day, for us, was so great!  There was just something about not needing to go anywhere and being able to spend the entire day together as a family.  We made a great dinner and Ethan wanted chocolate cupcakes for Jesus' birthday! So after singing Happy Birthday to Jesus, we enjoyed our cupcakes!

I had a helpful sprinkler...

Enjoying it, icing first!