A couple nights before Christmas, our friends Dan and Kristen were in town with their boys because she is from here and we always try to make a point to see them when they come into town. They live in Missouri. Dan was a Pike with Kenny and Jay so we invited the Cooks over too for pizza and drinks and let all the kids play. It was a low key night and was so nice to see them! Their little boys were so cute and Walker enjoyed having boys over for a change.
Group picture with all the kids.
Bailey loves playing with Charlie the kitty.
Christmas Eve was a big, fun and busy day. I spent the morning cooking and preparing for our Christmas Eve meal of ham, destuffed potatoes and green bean bundles. I doubled all my recipes so we would have plenty left for Christmas Day lunch. Then I also put together the cinnamon roll breakfast bake I do for Christmas morning ever year. It soaks overnight.
The kids played and argued haha and we watched movies and then we decorated cookies for Santa before putting on our Christmas best and going to church for Christmas Eve service.
Christmas Eve dinner prep.
Christmas Cookie decoration stations. I once again bought cookies from my friend Sarah.
They are so delicious and it takes the baking stress off of me.
Walker ate more than he decorated as he always does.
Finished cookies for Santa!
We let the kids touch our elf Charlie a little more this year so he got a proper goodbye.
They wanted to take pictures with him in front of the tree before we went to church.
Family picture before church.
Church service was a little hairy. Kids had a hard time sitting still because of all the excitement of Christmas Eve but we made it through. When we got home I had dinner ready and warm in the oven and we had a good family dinner but after that the kids were super tired. I ended up taking Walker up to bed pretty quickly because he was so grumpy and he fell asleep almost immediately and then when I came back down Elle had fallen asleep too. So not the normal fanfare of Christmas Eve at bedtime but that was okay because we had a wonderful and full day of making memories.
Daddy carrying Elle upstairs to bed.
Santa came! Both of the kids got exactly what they wanted from
Santa and lots of fun things from us too!
Elle asked Santa for Julie, an American Girl doll and the basketball goal that comes with her.
Some Babysitters Club books, a Dolly Parton doll and a LOL surprise pod. Then their stocking were chock full of fun things along with socks and underwear.
Walker asked Santa for a Paw Patrol tent, a Paw Patrol boat with Mayor Goodway
and Santa also brought him a Mississippi State football outfit that he had been dying for.
Charlie the elf left a note for them saying goodbye until next year.
Kenny and I's stack of gifts for each other.
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