Christmas Eve

I know--I am behind the times! I have a slew of things to share with the Internets, so I best get started, huh? I wanted to write about the Christmas activities before I forget some of the details ... and before New Year's gets here.

So ... here we go. We'll start with Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve morning, Kate and I ran some errands. We had a few last-minute things to pick up. Also, Kate had received a Target gift card from her Grammy and Grampy, so I took her to the toy department. "She" picked this out:


It is the Fisher-Price Little People Learn About Town set. She especially loves the little red "apples" (they are really little red discs that have apples on them) that fit into the tree slots. Hmmmmm ... sounds like another game she really enjoys lately.


I like the fact that this folds up nice and neat.


Have you ever been to the grocery store on Christmas Eve? That place is NUTS! We went to one Publix and could not find a parking spot (SERIOUSLY), so we drove to another. That is one good thing about living where we do ... plenty of grocery stores close-by.


Kate took her afternoon nap, and then Tanna came home from work in time for us to make the 5 o'clock service at church. Here's Kate all dressed and ready to go!


We attended the family service (children of all ages are welcome), but we opted to put Kate in the nursery because she would not sit still for the entire program. Maybe next year, though! Everyone (children, adults and animals!) did a great job with the Christmas pageant, and the candlelight part of the service was just beautiful.


Tanna's iPhone even participated. Note the lady in the folding chair by the pew. haha! Our church has several services on Christmas Eve, and this one was PACKED--there was overflow seating, too.


Afterward, we picked up Kate and took her out to see the animals. It had started to rain some, so they were a bit wet. The camel wasn't out at that point--but it was neat to see the big guy (?) during the program. Tanna was like, "Animals in church!" (Said in a funny kid voice--I was cracking up, but I guess you had to be there.) There are animals at Easter, too--well, at least a donkey on Palm Sunday, if I remember correctly.


When we got home, Santa stopped by! Bet you didn't know he was Asian, huh? To be more specific, he's Korean.


Ready for a long night of traveling!


In our PJs and ready for bed!


We put out a little something for Santa and his reindeer.


Before we watched It's a Wonderful Life, Tanna and I had roast beast for dinner. It was delish! It smelled so yummy, too!


This photo was taken just a few moments before Kate fell out of her crib! We knew it was just a matter of time before our crazy climber scaled her crib slats. The loud thump and then the screams were so scary. We had just put her down and were getting ready to eat. She was on the floor when I got to her room--we think she stepped on her baby doll's head for a little extra height (just enough to get her leg over the side). Her mouth was bleeding a little where she bit it when she fell, but thank the Lord she was OK.


Sometime during the night, Santa stopped by.
Merry Christmas!