Christmas Eve

I love Christmas eve. I love loading up the car with gifts for the family, driving out to Salt Lake, eating dinner together, watching movies, opening gifts and just being together. This year we did just that and it was wonderful. After going to see the lights we came home and had dinner. It was a late dinner which is how I like it and it's how we did Christmas dinner growing up. As usual, Christmas dinner was delicious. Following dinner we hung out for a little while. Luke was so excited to watch Jiminy Crickets Christmas with Ashlyn like he did last year. I think this was the thing that he was looking forward to the most because he was talking about it for weeks prior. Every time he saw Ashlyn, he would remind her that that's what he planned on doing on Christmas eve. It was really cute and deep down I was hoping that one of these babies would be a girl, being that he was so dang cute with Ash. 

In years past, we would gather around the tube and watch A Christmas Story as it played over and over again on the tube, but this year we decided to joing Luke and Ashlyn. I loved watching some of the cartoons that we grew up with, eating dessert and sitting in front of the fire. It was perfect and I also loved that no one seemed to be in too much of a hurry to open gifts. We were just enjoying the moment being together. Something about that was pretty magical to me. 

After the feature presentation, it was time to open gifts. The cousins usually just draw each other's names and we all get something for my mom and of course my mom goes overboard and spoils every one. 

Ashlyn was first. Oliver drew her name and got her two Barbie movies. She held onto them for quite a while that night and went around showing everyone. 

Spencer had Oliver and got him some Legos. Can't go wrong with Legos and a Veigel.

Ethan had Jack and got him an Angry Birds game. You can't tell by this picture, but he really liked it. 

 I'm not sure what Ethan got, but I do know that Kade had him. Kenzie had Kade and I'm not really sure what he got. Somewhere in the middle of the chaos, I stopped documenting. 

 Kenzie had Tate, but he had to stay away since he was sick with the flu. 

Ashlyn had Spencer and I'm not sure what he got but I think he liked these girl Leggings better.

And Tayten had Mekenzie and she got a bunch of nail polish.  

 Even though Baby A and Baby B weren't in the name drawing this year, they still got a gift from their Aunt Taleesha. 

There is so much I love about this picture. Oliver is always making my family laugh. In this picture I think he fell in a box...

 My mom loved the Calender we made her.

A lot. She was laugh so hard at some of the pictures I used. 

And Oliver loved the Lego Castle Grandma got him. 

 He was even excited for the gifts that he cousins got too, he just couldn't contain his excitement. 

 And they couldn't contain theirs.

 Hugs all around for such a wonderful Christmas Eve.