Christmas Eve

I took a little bloggy break and when you read my catch up posts, I think you will see why. We have been BUSY with loads of Christmas fun.

Christmas Eve brought LOTS of guests and gifts, and FUN! The day started early…I mean REALLY early….Jeff left for work at 3am. (He was supposed to be on vacation this week, but got called in. I complained…so did he…but then we decided work is better than the alternative…we got thankful FAST!) By the time Jade and I got up at 7:30, Jeff was re—entering GA after going into to Florida for a pickup of materials.

 

I went over to Jane and Jerry’s to pick up Jenna at 8am. We had so much company coming and I had so many things to do that I had to pick her up early to make it all work.

 

I took all of my pre-prepared dishes out of the freezer. (I started cooking on Monday.) I prepared a breakfast casserole for Christmas morning. I put on a roast for Christmas Eve supper. I put out some appetizers for Christmas Eve guests. (Side note: I did not have to cook ONE SINGLE appetizer for this year. Miss Peggy from church, Jane, AC, AMS, and some students prepared me so many goodies that I was able to skip the baking altogether. BLESSED!)

 

Soon, AMS, Hope, and Derrick came by with a Sleigh CRX of gifts. Bad photographer here….NO pictures of AMS, H, or D. So sorry!

 

Jade got lots of socks. I LOVE when my kids get socks. I operate under the philosophy that one can not have too many good socks. Jade put hers on immediately and …..she is still wearing them 2 days later. (ok, a different pair, but from same pack.)

Jenna, wearing her hat from Grandmama and Papa, got a tote FILLED with craft supplies from AMS and UC. THANKS! I hope this helps with the, “I’m bored, Can we do a craft?” comments that I have been getting lately. This may be one of her favorite gifts all season.

Jenna, preparing to open some really cool shirts from her FAVORITE store, JUSTICE!

Jade also got some CUTE clothes. AMS and Hope can always pick out the cutest things.

I mean just look at this coat from H and D. How cute is that?!

and Pjs with a TuTu from AMS and UC. Yep, love it!

By lunch Jeff's parents arrived. We have not seen them in TOO long and we have missed them. We all headed to the truck stop to meet Jeff for lunch. They love to eat veggies at the truck stop and it keeps me from cooking quite so much.

 

Jeff was home mid- afternoon and the girls and he played.

I love this picture of MeMe and Jade. I was so happy that Jade really warmed up to them. Sometimes she can be finicky and I was worried since we had not seen MeMe We must do better with visits. Budgets have dampened our visits that makes me sad.

AC, UJ, and Anthony came by later on Christmas Eve. The girls got even more gifts. By this point, Jade had figured out that presents were meant for opening and that there would be fun toys inside.

Jenna was ALL smiles when she realized what was in her package.

A printer! She is always wanting to print things and we don’t let her. Now, she can do her own printing. (I picked out a printer with inexpensive ink.)

Jade got a play tent with a tunnel. We laughed at how many dads it took to put it together. She LOVES it! I set it up in the dining room/ foyer and she has played and played. In fact, Jenna has enjoyed it, too. (I can remember that when I was too old for toys, I would always LOVE to go play with Hope and Anthony’s toys. Even though, I had outgrown wanting them on my list, I still really enjoyed the pretend play. Jenna is the same way with Jade and I like it.)

The next four pics crack me up. The McEver men have a way of making a pic special.

Here, I tried to get Ant with Jade….

So, We tried again.

Then, I tried one with Ant and UJ. Jade was gonna kiss UJ…apparently, he had more important things to do…LOL

 

Then , it was time for MeMe and Pappy presents. (Jeff took the camera and the quality went DOWN….)

Jeff, really?

I helped Jade unwrap.

Pappy has gone hi-tech and gotten himself a Droid. We showed him how to use FB and he has since made 2 status updates. Go Pappy!

 

 

Jenna got so many fun things that she had put on her list.

It was like Santa came early.

Both girls got bean bags. Jenna got lime green and Jade got pink. So cute! I loved my bean bag as a kid. Mine was lime green, too.

Jenna got a little video camera. I still have to set it up on her computer.

Jade got lots of dress up clothes. I don’t have a pic, but Uncle Jason sent her a Baby Alive.

She got a baby grand piano that has a mic, all sorts of sounds…Wow, I think MeMe and Pappy hate us and want to make us crazy with the loudness. Just kidding. Jade and Jenna are BOTH loving this gift. Yes, those are opera gloves that Jade is wearing. We go ALL OUT!

Last night, Jade played the piano, sang, and made me play the jingle bells. The volume was ridonkulous. Poor Jeff was trying to balance the checkbook during the chaos. Poor guy.

Jade got a sprinkler….she has BEGGED to open it.

Yes, that’s me carefully cutting open boxes. MeMe always buys cool wrapping and I recycle it.

 

Jade got a camera and she was SO excited.

Here she is in some of her dress up clothes playing and singing.

 

After presents I was ready to cook some rice and green beans to go with the roast, but Pappy mentioned that he really wanted to go to Eenoco. (Japanese) So, I put the roast in the fridge and he treated us all to a yummy dinner. It was win- win for me. I got a yummy supper, clean kitchen, and I don’t have to cook today, because the roast is done. Yippee!

Jade and Jenna were sent to bed so Santa could come. We have raised Jenna right and she knows that strangers don’t belong in the house. For the 2nd year in a row, Jeff has had to meet Santa on the porch because Jenna doesn’t want him in the house. I don’t blame her.

What a nice day!