Christmas Eve!

 

Another Christmas Eve means another Christmas Eve party on "the Lane."

Some traditions like the girls sleeping in rollers the night before so they have pretty curls still stands.  Other traditions, like having Luke wear a cute Christmas outfit have been broken.  Considering he spends the entire Christmas Eve party with his friends playing soccer and football and this particular Christmas Eve was 70 degrees, we were just glad to slap some deodorant on him before he changed into nice clothes for Christmas Eve church.   

 

I can still entice one of my kids to wear cute Christmas outfits.  And Addison has about 20 of them!

 

Addison was performing some song to the "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake we get every year.

 

Nell and I needed a pre-party beer this year but the party went off without a hitch.  Well, a few hitches, like a stained blouse and a burnt hole in the tablecloth as I ironed it.  But, despite that we had a great time with all of the church families that spent Christmas Eve with us and there was laughter and joy all around which is why we have the party in the first place.   

We were lucky enough to have about 25 families celebrate with us as we enjoyed soup, chili, and lots of goodies. 

 

Some quick pictures before the craziness began.  

 

 

 

Addison has such fun with her sweet friends, Abby and Izzy.

 

Besides football and soccer, ping pong was a big hit this year.

 

We have been having this party for so long, it has become a tradition for so many families to come to our house for Christmas Eve and I love to hear the stories about previous years and how our friends kids always make sure they are coming to our house for Christmas.  It is so special to hear and our kids LOVE this party.  It has been bittersweet to watch my kids turning into the "big kids" at the party.  They used to be the little ones, that the big ones would come and play with.  Now my kids are playing with the new generation of babies at our church.  So sweet, to see them grow up together.  

Here Amelia is playing with sweet Maggie, our youth pastor's  little girl, who is about to be a big sister any day now!

 

Max and Luke who were dripping wet with sweat by the time we needed to leave for church.  Look at sweet Max.  We suggested maybe a quick shower before church and he looked at us with horror and said, "A shower?  Why would we need a shower?"

I guess Jesus was born in a stinky stable so we could sit next to our stinky boys at Christmas Eve church.

 

It is definitely a tradition to have the kids sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and it is so sweet, I will still make my kids do it when they are 30.  

 

LIzzie, Phoebe and Amelia playing with little Beau Ryan, who is about to be a big brother AGAIN any day now!

We have LOTS of pregnant bellies at our church. 

 

And look at Lizzie and Amelia, not that many years ago at this same party!  Stop getting bigger!!  

 

These big kids!!!  

Mckenzie, Hayden and Amelia have gotten to be so old!  Teenagers!

 

Look at them just a few years ago!  

 

We barely had time for some family pictures this year and the curls have all fallen out due to the humidity but it was a very Merry Christmas Eve indeed!

 

Mckenzie, Amelia, Hayden, Sophie and Ben, love these kids.

 

After a beautiful Christmas Eve service including our favorite Silent Night by candlelight it was back home to get ready for Santa to come visit!

Merry Christmas Eve!