Family Togetherness on "Christmas Eve" (December 23)

This year our family celebrated Christmas one day early, and that meant Christmas Eve came one day early, too.  So on Friday, December 23rd, I pretended that it was Christmas Eve and did the things I would normally do on Christmas Eve.  The kids have established a habit of doing something special together instead of exchanging gifts.  Last year, it was a day long event involving a scavenger hunt all over (and somewhat outside of) town.  This year, with the babies, it would have been hard for Katie and Allison to be gone all day, so instead they met for breakfast at Cracker Barrel.  We kept Ben, and Allison's parents kept Jesse, so that they could have some time together without the babies.  By noon everyone was at our house, and the real fun began.  We spent a lot of the afternoon just hanging out, and I prepared chicken fajitas for dinner.

David (Granddaddy) and Jesse

Jeremy, Katie, Ben, James, Jesse, and Allison

The interaction between the babies never failed to amuse us.

Enjoying our dinner and visiting around the table

Plenty of gifts around the tree

In the evening, after the babies were in bed, we played a card game called "Little Boss, Big Boss" around the dining table.

I didn't think to take a picture by the stockings before Jesse and Ben went to bed, but I got a good picture of all of my grown-up kids.

A Visit From Aunt Carol

Carol showed up with gifts for both of the little boys.  She had gotten them board books of the Christmas story.  The boys are just learning to open their gifts, and have to be helped an encouraged to tear into them.

Around the Kitchen Table

 Often everyone gathers in the kitchen, both to eat and to visit.  It is becoming a little crowded since our family keep expanding, but so far, we can still make room to squeeze in everyone.   (Although, I think both Elizabeth and Jeremy were in the family room, and David was upstairs.)  It's always a place for good conversations.  I love having everyone together under one roof!

More of My Grandbabies...I Just Can't Get Enough!

No captions are needed; these pictures speak for themselves.

Ben and His Granddaddy

Celebrating Christmas with the Seamans

   Since the Seamans made the trip to Arkansas early in order to come to the wedding, they decided to leave in time to return home to Tennessee for Christmas.  Their last evening with us, Wednesday, December 21,  everyone came to our house to eat and celebrate Christmas with them.  Susan made enchiladas for dinner, since I was still teaching school that day.  After dinner, we gathered in the living room to open a few gifts with them.

 Susan is surprised with the first season of Scarecrow and Mrs. King.

 Lisa and Steve got a new book from Aunt Susan

 Jacob, Rebecca, Nathan, and Noah

 Terry, Samuel, and Caleb

 Noah

 Hannah

Rebecca and Noah

Ben's Latch Box

   Jeremy made this really cool wooden box for Ben.  It has lots of doors and different kinds of latches.  Both boys were very fascinated with it, in fact, I'd have to say that it kept their attention better than most any other toy.  They really liked opening the doors and closing them over and over, and by the end of the holidays, Jesse was putting a block inside and taking it out over and over again.  Both Ben and Jesse would play for some time, just moving the parts of the latches that they could move.  Obviously, most of the latches were too difficult for them, but they had fun with it anyway.  It is almost seemed like they liked it because it seemed like something they might not be allowed to mess with. 

 Jeremy even made holes in each door, so that you could use the hole to open with door.