Christmas Eve

I LOVE Christmas Eve even more than Christmas morning. I like the anticipation. After all the presents are opened on the day, it's over, and I'm sad. But tonight, I just get to be happy about what has yet to come. This year, we decided not to get each other presents, in order to save money, and I am totally fine with that! To me, it truly is more about giving than receiving on Christmas. My birthday, on the other hand, is a different story. LOL

I have been so bad about taking pictures lately, but tomorrow morning, I will try to make up for that. As soon as I finish writing this, I am going to find the batteries for the camera, and get it ready to go for morning.

Tonight, we read the Christmas story in the scriptures before bed. Of course, I paraphrased in some places and added some extra explanation for a 4 year old mind. But it really brought a nice spirit to the bedtime routine, and I plan to make it a tradition. Other traditions we enjoy are: leaving milk and cookies for Santa, and carrots or celery for the reindeer, and I want to start doing the Christmas Eve pajamas too, but we'll start that next year.

My kids are growing up so fast. I hope I can teach them the true meaning of Christmas. We did the Angel Tree thing, and tried to involve Nate as much as possible, explaining to him why we were buying gifts for some other kid that he had never met. But the message got through somehow, he brought it up afterward when I didn't expect him to remember. Ben won't remember this Christmas, but hopefully Nate will.

We have an ornament on the tree that says "Nate's First Christmas 2006" and he is so proud of it. Amid all the craziness this year, Ben didn't get one. But don't worry, Nate was so concerned, he made one for Ben. Nate's is a snowman, so he thought Ben should have a snowman too. I cut it out of paper and Nate decorated it. He even wrote Ben's name on it. I love that he can do that. He can write all our names now, and a few other words too.

I love this little family so much. They make me happier than anything else ever could. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!