The kids were so eager to get home and get to their advent calendars for the last day of the countdown. They knew what was to come...their scavenger hunt. ON THE LOOK OUT FOR BABY JESUS!!!
The first one says to go to the place where we put Christmas pictures from friends....THE DOOR!!!
What does Daddy use to workout his big muscles? THE WEIGHTS!!!!
Time to watch a DVD...The DVD PLAYER!!!!
Beer! To the BEER FRIDGE!!!
OUR NATIVITIES!!!!!!( along with a few toppled beer cans and weird green substance) Yup, I thought it would be just fine to put the Holy Family on ice with the beer for the hunt.
The kids love getting their Nativities-which they keep under their Christmas trees by their bedsides until Epiphany!
Christmas Eve morning, the kids ( and mommy and daddy) get their new PJs that they will wear Christmas Eve night and ALL day on Christmas. The kiddos also get an ornament that commemorates the past year. Alaric got a Yoda and Amara got a pink princess! They have their name and year on them too!
Oh, then Alaric's tooth fell out while brushing! Yeah!!!! Big Night- Santa AND the Tooth Fairy arriving on the same night!
After laying around most of the day, we all bathed and got ready for Christmas Eve in Champaign at Grammy & Papa's!
The Fultons
with Grammy & Papa
then with Jack and Veronica
The Bechtels
All the kids love being together, especially at Grammy and Papa's where there are always interesting things to explore- like a light up wall decoration.
Sweet Bechtel Grandkids!
Not sure Grammy & Papa could be happier!
All of us!
This year we simplified Christmas Eve greatly and had dinner together and only opened stockings at Grammy & papa's. The rest would be opened on the 26th. It was a nice treat for the night and the children ( and adults) loved opening the stockings to discover all the small treasures!!
The, as Bechtel Family Tradition has dictated for the past 30 years or so, Grammy and Papa read The Night Before Christmas to all four grandkids. With more than 30 years of practice, we've recited it many different ways...taking turns reading, rapping it, acting it out, you name it. This year's ultimate goal was to simply keep Jack in place long enough to get a good picture of the event ( also required each year). Dan and I decided to be the actors this year....
and while Grammy recited and Papa held down two of the kids, Dan and I put on our show-acting out every part of the story ( and getting even more dramatic for the brief moments of page turning or silence to keep the kids engaged). The kids LOVED watching us as did Grammy & Papa. One of my favorite years yet...simply to be able to see the faces of FOUR beautiful children I love so much enjoy my favorite story of Christmas!
After some hot cocoa and cookies, we headed to church together and then home to get tucked in so Santa could get to work!
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