Christmas Eve is just as special to me as Christmas Day. I love the excitement and anticipation for the following day and this year didn't disappoint.
We spent the morning at home-Rich and I both went for a run, the kids played, and then we got ready for the night. We met Nani, Poppa and the Ozecks at church for the Christmas Eve mass at 4:00 which meant leaving the house at 3:15...and we were still in the hall, close to the back but at least able to all get seats! Msgr. Dennis was the priest that said mass and he did a great job directing it at the kids even calling them up to the altar. At the end of the service he riled up all of the kids by saying that he gave them all permission to open one present tonight-the kids went crazy! During his homily he told a story about how it is important to hold your parent's hand when you are small and how that is the same as holding God's hand so you won't get lost. We didn't talk about the homily on the way home or later that night but two days after Christmas Julia and I were walking up the stairs and she said to me, "I have to hold God's hand so I don't get lost." It almost brought tears to my eyes that she remembered and really seemed to understand it. Sweet girl! Even when we don't think they're listening, sometimes they are!
After mass everyone came over to our house where we had all sorts of delicious appetizers for dinner, played and hung out together.
Merry Christmas Eve from the Ducotes!
Bribed them for this one!
Christmas karaoke with Poppa
I had heard about a street in Westwood that goes all out with their lights and on Christmas Eve Santa is around giving out cookies so we decided to check it out and it was great! The houses had free hot chocolate and cookies for everyone and it was a great way to end the night with the Ozecks and Nani and Poppa.
We then came back home and let the kids open up their gift from Nonna and Pop Pop since the Ducote tradition is to open all gifts, other than Santa gifts on Christmas Eve. The kids loved opening their special gifts and got everyone even more excited for the following morning (and harder to get to sleep! Ha!)
We left some cookies and carrots for Santa and the reindeer and a note from Julia that said, "Pull String". The kids have heard the story numerous times about when I was a little girl that I tied a string to my wrist and asked Santa to pull it in hopes that he would pull it so hard that I'd wake up. Unfortunately, it didn't happen for me but this year Julia was hopeful it may work for her...you'll have to read the Christmas entry to see if it worked ;)
We also all said good bye to Jingle who will be surely missed but are thankful for such a wonderful Christmas season full of memories with her!
Love, love, love Christmas Eve and am so thankful for these amazing memories and times with our family.
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