Pre-Christmas

Ben came home from school with a fun Christmas gift. Each child had brought in a recipe and copied it in their own handwriting. The teacher then made a book of all the recipes from the class and gave it out. The first recipe Ben wanted to make was for Peanut Butter Blossoms, which we have never made. Now, the night before, my book club had a surprise baby shower for me and had all these Hershey Kisses that were blue and said "It's A Boy" on the tag that they sent me home with, so we actually had all the ingredients at home and decided to make them. Mama Kay and Papa came that afternoon too, just in time to help! Our finished product!

The next day Ben had a basketball game and I realized I hadn't taken any pictures of him playing all season, so here he is.  And, he just so happened to make 2 baskets during this game, which was fun for me to see and for Mama Kay and Papa too!  Look at this shot...

He made it!

Ben also signed up to be in the Christmas Eve Angels and Shepherds Mass, so he had a dress rehearsal on Sunday before Christmas.  Luckily, we had a great costume from when he had to dress up as his Saint in 1st grade!

They told us to take pictures at the dress rehearsal in case we couldn't during mass.

 

Mama Kay helped the kids make their gingerbread houses!

And before we knew it, we were getting ready to go to Christmas Eve mass!  This is a good looking bunch I'd say!

Paul and Papa went to Church early to save seats.  About a half hour before mass was to start, we got bundled up and headed to meet them...except the car wouldn't start!  Luckily, Mama Kay had her keys and could drive us.  By the time she got her keys from the house, the kids had gotten their car seats out of the van and were waiting at the end of the driveway to get into her car!  It caused for a rather frantic ride to Church, but we got there just in time for Ben to get to the back and walk in with the Shepherds.  Whew - a Christmas miracle that we made it in time!  But here we are taking pictures of the kids killing time before finding out the car wouldn't start!

Just in time!

Unfortunately though, our being almost late caused Ben to be in the back (he was supposed to be on the risers) and we couldn't see him for half of the play.  Only when the appointed shepherds moved up to honor Baby Jesus did Ben become visible.

But he did a fantastic job!  By the way, when I asked him if he wanted to sign up to be in the mass, he said that he wanted to do it because Mama Kay and Papa were going to be at the mass and they were very Holy, so he thought they would like him to do it!

2 out of 3 cuties...my other one was in a mood of refusing to take pictures, go figure!

After we got home and had a yummy chile dinner, it was time for PJ's and getting ready for Santa!  Abbey's teacher had given all the kindergarteners some reindeer food to spread on the lawn so they would know to stop at our house!

Luckily Papa happened to have three flashlights to help the kids spread the food out.  

Good spreading!

And very nice sharing on Abbey's part to let her siblings spread some food too!

Then it was time to lay out the cookies and milk, the notes the kids wrote to Santa (Abbey wrote a preemptive thank you note) and the stockings right by the fireplace.

Daddy read, "Twas the Night Before Christmas"

And then it was upstairs and off to bed!