Christmas Week

Whew, what a week it was! We feel lucky to be surrounded so closely by family that shower our girls with gifts and love. The week of Christmas is always so busy, but fun. We go here, we go there, we see these people, we see those people, we eat lots of this and lots of that. Rarely do we sit, rarely do we get to bed early or on time, but that's okay! It's fun to get our fill of family! The pictures that follow are just a sampling of the fun and activities that took place this Christmas 2011.

Christmas Eve Day
The day and evening was spent with my side of the family.

Christmas Eve morning - anticipating the opening of gifts that's about to happen!

 A favorite gift from Grandpa and Grandma - she immediately crawled right in!

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service

A Cherry Goodbye
Of course, Christmas Eve is when Cherry makes his final return to the North Pole for the next evelen months. Saying goodbye is always a little emotional for Kayla. She loves her Cherry; says he is her best elf ever. She got some close face-to-face time with him to tell him that she loves him and even took pictures of him all by herself. Cherry left that night to a display of fireworks in the backyard! Then we set out Santa's cookies and milk and left out hay and oats and glitter to feed the reindeer. Then it was off to bed - something I don't think children mind doing on Christmas Eve!