Merry Christmas!

On Christmas eve we went to our Church for a unique Christmas Eve service. There were two narrators one told of the Biblical Christmas story while our Pastor told of practical present day stories. In between the band played Beatles songs relating to the stories. The kids went to a Jingle Jam suited for them it was a play and game show and songs. Afterwards we came home for dinner and a quiet night. We watched the Little Drummer boy and Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol. I hadn't seen either in years, I was having childhood flashbacks! It was weird, I remembered some things that caught my attention as a little girl, it was all brought back. I hope to watch some other Christmas stories today or tonight. Every year I say I want to watch it's a Wonderful Life and in all my years I have never seen all of it. Unless I watched it as a child and don't remember? I will attempt to watch it again this year. I would also like to see the Nativity Story that came out last year.

Christmas at our house began at 7:45 AM. The kids were excited and wanted to get up, they went downstairs but didn't wake us up. We were actually awake and in bed wondering when they were going to get up :) The timing was good for all of us!

Grandpa (my father-in-law) came over about 1/4 of the way into our festivities of opening presents. It's always sweet to see what the children choose to give as gifts. My daughter gave me a beautiful cross with an amethyst in the center. She also made me an awesome accordion book at school and it says I Love Mom and has Fabulous in rhinestones on the front, she did a great job and was very proud of herself. My son gave me some sweet silver earrings he was excited about giving to me. He also claims that the humming bird feeder that was labeled from our dog Liberty to me was actually from him :) Afterwards we enjoyed coffee and cinnamon rolls and had a relaxing morning.

We don't really push Santa, but teach the kids about having Christ as the main focus and reason for our Christmas, He is the reason for the season. However kids will be kids, the kids pick up on Santa all on their own and of course the media and advertisements.... The other day my son said he needed to sit on Santa's lap and tell him that he'd like a Laboratory for Christmas. He has never sat on Santa's lap, never had the desire to. It was too cute to hear how he was going to tell Santa about the Laboratory and how it would have a secret code of 55555, apparently this would be in his room. We let him watch Dexter's Laboratory and this is what we get for it :) Well the lines at the mall were to long, he didn't sit on Santa's lap, but he hasn't brought it up again. He's happy and is having a Merry Christmas.

Later today my Father-in-law will join us again and my Mom and we'll have Christmas dinner together. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Remembering that Jesus is THE reason for the season.