Friday, December 26, 2014

Christmas Eve

Every year, Jason makes the most incredible meal for Christmas Eve.  However, we decided to try something different this year: lobster!  We paired it with artichokes, citrus salad, and bread.  It was delicious! 


 
After dinner, we always head to church for the Christmas Eve candlelight service.  It's the only tradition that I have from my childhood.
After we returned home, we enjoyed a cookie and cup of hot chocolate before sitting down together to open presents.  We decided long ago that this would be our family's tradition, since we didn't want Santa to be the focus of our season.  I hope our kids are learning that it's not so much getting what you want- I hope they're learning the true meaning of giving!
 Our kids' favorite gifts this year: inside this huge box, Grace had wrapped a toy ninja set for Jeremy that we bought on clearance after Halloween.  Grace's favorite gift was the entire book series of Percy Jackson.  She's been wanting to read it and now she has the whole set!

 Darrell and Karen gave our kids special ornaments that were made in Arizona by the Navajo. 
 This was Jeremy's gift to us- a cinnamon spiced ornament he made at school.
 Di Dao sent the kids their annual Christmas book, some Lego mini figures, and some Canadian money.
 This gift touched my heart! On his own initiative, Jeremy made me a lego heart! He even wrapped it and it has been under the tree for most of the month.  Soooo endearing and sweet!  I told him he wouldn't get to have those legos back!
 The kids wrapped up a box full of paper snowflakes for us.  I thought this gift tag was pretty funny!
 Finally, a way to organize all of Grace's rainbow loom elastics!

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