CHRISTMAS EVE............:)

Christmas Eve has to be my favorite day of the year.  Growing up, it was the night we all got together and had snacks, opened gifts, and prepared for Santa.  Now it means going to Christmas Eve church service and preparing for Santa with my own kids.  We listened to Christmas tunes all day and messed around the house, got several packages, then got ready for church.  (They loved the boxes the packages came in!!!) 



Looks like Carter's had enough!!!

Snacks before service and a runny nose.

How beautiful Caroline looks!!

The beautiful church where we got married.

LOVE this one!!  This was about as still as Carter got. 

I love going to church service at the church where we were married.  It is so pretty with the wood work and the stained glass windows.  That may be why I picked it in the first place.  Carter couldn't sit still so Jeremiah had to take him out to play on the stairs, but Caroline was pretty good through the service.  When she got antsy, I would tell her to listen to the preacher's stories and then we would go up and have a bite of bread and a sip of juice for communion.  A little later she asked quite loudly, "Momma, when are we going to go up and have our snack?"  When the preacher explained what communion meant and showed the breaking of the bread and held up a cup and said it was the blood of Jesus, Caroline must have been listening.  About 5 minutes later she asked, "Momma, so we are going to drink blood tonight???"  I could hardly keep from cracking up.  I couldn't believe she heard that part.  She did great when we went to the front for communion.  We were the last ones to get up because it took her a really long time to drink that tiny cup of juice (the blood), but I didn't mind.  She looked like a little angel knelt there.  Then we got our candles on the way back to our pew.  We ended the service as always with the singing of Silent Night.  On the last verse, they dim the lights and everyone holds up their candle.  I just can't help but cry every time because of the sweetest image in my head that I will never forget.  It's of the year that sweet Grandpa Starkey went to service with us and sang Silent Night so proudly and held his candle up.  Every year I'm back there for Christmas Eve service, I can't wait for that part because it brings me back to that special night when he was there with us.
After church we drove around Chesepeake and saw their lights.  All they do is light up trees, but it's amazing.  Caroline loved it!!!

 Too bad it's hard to tell from the picture how pretty it really is, but the trees were everywhere and covered in lights.  This will definitely be a stop every year!!  Then we went home to open tons of  presents.  (this did not even include Mimsy and Kaci's gifts)  These kids sure are spoiled by their aunts, cousins, and grandparents!!!
Caroline had lots of fun opening her presents and most of Carter's too.  Poor little guy didn't feel too well.

He really enjoyed climbing on the boxes!!  The easy bake oven.

Tinkerbell night light!!

Caroline trying to get Carter by the tree for a picture.  

Hello Kitty watch!!

New footed pj's. 

Caroline got some too and was so excited!!!

Trucks, trucks, trucks!!!!

Where's Carter????

There he is!!!

Carter got a snow monster!!!

Caroline got Clarice and I got her to hold the monster.  Progress!!!

Oh no.  Time for bed for the little guy!!!

Meanwhile...............  Caroline prepped for Santa.  I asked if we should leave food for the reindeer and she excitedly said, " Oh yes, let's give them carrots.  They would love carrots!!"  Oops.  We didn't have carrots, so I said how about lettuce and she was ok with that.  Thank goodness!!!

Two ice cubes was what Santa told us!!

Thumbs up!!  We're ready for Santa as soon as we put out the reindeer food.

The last step was to check out the Santa radar. 

He's on his way!!!!!!!!!  
(Haha.  Look at the Christmas blocks all messed up. Who do you think was responsible for that??)