Christmas Eve

Cortney had a brilliant idea for Christmas this year. As Dean had to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, trying to do things the best for everyone was a dilemma. So we had dinner about 5:30, just after Dean got home. After we ate, the girls opened their Christmas Eve packages - new pajamas. Got their pajamas on. Then the girls and I went upstairs. We had bedtime stories and songs. Then the 3 of us curled up in Riley's bed and pretended to go to sleep. It was hard to get Alexandra to be quiet, even when we heard Dean coming upstairs to get us. While we were "sleeping," Cort, Dean, and Aric were sorting gifts and stuffing stockings. So then it was "morning" and we could come back downstairs to empty stockings, and start the wrapping paper ripping. Our tradition for unwrapping gifts, is to go around in a circle, taking turns opening gifts one at a time. That way everyone can see what everyone else got. It was fun watching Riley's face when we were each opening her gift to us. She had made the cutest, pom-pom bears for everyone. This was her first year to make gifts (she's written stories and drawn pictures for us for years), but this was different in her anticipation. Cort's bear was green - her favorite color. Riley wrote and illustrated a story about her family at school. Hopefully, Cortney's blog will have the story and pictures posted. It was neat, and touching, and funny, too. After packages, the girls and I had to log-in their new webkinz. Then Dean and I had pie. Cort and Aric were too full of mashed potatoes. Riley and Alexandra had ice cream with chocolate sauce. Then the girls gave everyone hugs and kisses and went to bed. Aric and I drove home. It was about 9:30, so I just went straight to bed. Sometime later in the night, Sunil called from India and had to leave voicemail, to wish us a "Merry Christmas."