We had a pretty low key Christmas Eve. Dan took David and Colleen out for lunch and ran some errands while I did my last minute preparations around the house. When they got home, we all got dressed up and headed to the Christmas Eve candle light service.
Lucas usually does really well at church and, true to form, he did great at the service. I took him out into the narthex before communion to let him stretch his legs a little and when we came back into the sanctuary, he was quite concerned to find his dada. He called out, "Daddeeeeee? Daddeeeeeee?" for all the congregation to hear, which I think put a little feather in Dan's cap. When the time came for the candles, they let the kids have glowsticks to participate.
I'm not gonna lie, I got a little teary eyed as we sang the last hymns before the benediction. I'm pretty sentimental and it makes my heart so full to be continuing all the traditions I remember fondly as a kid with my own family. The holidays are such a magical time!
A big Nelson Christmas Eve tradition is chili for dinner, so I had a big batch of my chili cooking all day that we came home to. I whipped up some quick corn muffins and we had a yummy feast.
We let Lucas open one present, which I'm sure will become a tradition going forward.
It was a nice trial run for the big day and Lucas had a great time tearing into his present.
Exclamations of glee were had.
This sweet book has stars that light up and it plays Oh Little Town of Bethlehem.
He was a fan.
I love his little red socks poking out the bottom!
He also got a book with a singing cucumber who serenades Away in a Manger.
I've always loved the luminaries back home. It must be a Southwest thing, because I've never really seen them in Iowa or here in Washington. Keeping candles lit and bags dry in the snow and the rain may be the main deterrent. Still, I wanted to pay homage to home, so I put out a few luminaries on our porch.
Grandma did her prep work for her side dishes and I got Lucas bathed and dressed in his new Christmas jammies and it was time for books, some Christmas carols and snuggles and it was off to bed to wait for Santa to come.
After everyone else was in bed, Dan and I opened our stockings together. It was nice to have a little Christmas moment just between the two of us before all the hooplah of Christmas day.
Before Santa's arrival, mama had a few things to finish. Once pies were done baking, a few last presents were wrapped and the table was set for the next day, it was off to bed! It was a lovely Christmas Eve.
December 24, 2012
It's so cute you called it a singing cucumber! I forget that I too was unaware of the veggietales and many other characters and stories. You will learn so much from Lucas.
Posted by: Becky | February 01, 2013 at 10:27 PM