Christmas Eve

Very early, 3:00 am to be exact, on Christmas Eve morning, I finished the stockings!!  This was a big deal to me.  I know it's silly and I'm okay with that, but this year, I figured out what it is that makes the stockings such a big deal to me.  It's the stocking I had as a kid!  The one they brought me to my mom in when I was born.  It was SO SPECIAL to me every year.  It was a link to my childhood, a link to my coolness :).  I was just really happy to see it every year.  I think this has just carried over, even though I don't even use my old one anymore.  (still have it, just don't use it)  But anyway.  Have i mentioned that for the past 3 years I have tried to find the red fabric I used on the stockings I made back in 2010, so that I could make some for the cats (all the girls had red).  Unfortunately, I never could find it.  Well, this year, with a new little girl in the family, I decided the only option was to make all new stockings.  I needed them to either ALL match, or ALL be different.  Took a lot of debate and contemplation, but this was the style I settled on.  I wanted them to all be similar colors, using only a few different patterns, but all different sizes.  I wish our fire place was a little wider so you could see them better, but doesn't matter.  I LOVE how they turned out and I am so proud of them!!  I hope the kids like them.  Got them done just in time to hang them up for Santa to come.  

Most of Christmas Eve day was spent cleaning the house- fun huh :).  I had to finish my gift for Jack, Charity had to finish hers to Molly, Nate was finishing his for Bradley.  Then we all got the house Santa ready.  Not fun, but needed! 

Then it was time to head on up to Grandpa's house!

We were really sad when we got there and found out that Steve wasn't going to be able to be there, he was working.  I texted him telling him we missed him, he requested that we pray for him to be able to come home, Charity asked that Steve be able to be there when she blessed the food, and then about 20 minutes later, Steve walked in!!!  It was a Christmas Miracle!

And apparently I didn't even get the camera out til Steve got there, so must have been when the party started :)

The kids were so depressing until it was present opening time.  I totally remember that feeling.  We had been sitting there waiting for almost two hours before, but that's what makes it so great!  The anticipation!  At least they were grateful afterward to make up for it.

Jack got this cute dinosaur and LOVED it!!  He was so cute with Grandpa Hatch!  He wasn't shy at all that night!  Fun boy.

Good quality Steve and Molly time

Erika got lots of Frozen stuff

Noah got Legos but didn't realize how cool they were until he got home and opened it. 

Giving Grandpa Squeezy hugs- of course I missed it.

Rollerblades!!!

Cool Money origami and a gift card to iFly!!

Sharpies! (And a cool art kit)

Money and a dog training book!

Grandpa got some Molly time  too :).  I got lots of pictures :). (and can I just point out how awesome these pictures look!  I'm learning how to use the flash reflecting it off the walls... I like how these look)

I was so happy with Steve's reaction when he opened his marshmallow shooters :).  He had so much fun with his.  Made me happy.  It's fun when the gag gift ends up being a good gift.

I got a GoPro and Nate got Jazz tickets!  Such a fun evening!  It was kind of a bummer to not be able to talk to Santa at Nate's work, but one year off won't kill us.  We left Grandpa's around 10:00 pm, came home and got our new jammies.  Then went to bed so Santa could come!  Kelly remembered to leave out some treats for Santa and carrots for the reindeer... good girl.