Keeping Memories Close: Christmas Eve

I just can't bear to not recap Christmas because we literally wait for it all year. And plan. These first two are the day before Christmas Eve. We had a few last minute things to get, so we started with lunch at Wendy's. Chrissie sent us a box of goodies from Colorado, and Jaggar LOVED that hat. I think he looks so cute in it.

At Khols in the double stroller. This went about how you think it would.

On Christmas Eve morning, Travis really doesn't sleep as he has alarms and timers set for hams, turkeys and various casseroles and desserts. Don't be fooled. He LIVES for this, and no one could take that away from him. Missy here is making the birthday cake we make yearly for Jesus and leave out for Santa.

Icing

The elves had taken our car out for a spin and turned it into Rudolph, as you can see. They also put a pretty new wreath on our door.

Baby Bleu.

Travis' eyes don't look right here, and that's because he started running a fever. He kept saying it was in his head because Hadley tested positive for the flu the day before. So I was like, 'You're fine. You're just worried..." but...no such luck. He continued to cook. That shirt was one of my gifts to him. Fitting, isn't it?

And the crowd arrives. The girl towards the front in this pic is named Brianna. She and her husband were expecting a baby, but it had some gross birth defects and would die at birth or right before. They'd just had his funeral not long before this day. I was so impressed with their strength and grace.

I forgot Travis' sister and crew were in town for Christmas. We had well over 20, and there was a lot going on. Kids opening presents.

No one loves a present more than this one.

Costner waiting for his moment to snatch what is not his.

Day made: He got the Jake hideout.

Jaggar is the infomercial child. He got stompees and whatever the corresponding hat is to match. You squeeze the hat or stomp the slippers and the ears pop up.

Sage and I had issue about what she'd ask for for Christmas. All she has talked about for almost a year (now) is this mermaid tail that you can actually swim in the pool in. I didn't think this was a wise choice because she can't play with it in winter. And if it didn't fit by the time summer got here, that was a really nice gift that was wasted and never got played with. So I told her that I KNEW she could save her money for a mermaid tail in 10 months. She was okay with that...eventually.

Packing those elves up. We were all done. Costner is just the only one expressing the sentiment we all felt.

And during our reading of the Christmas stories, this was Travis. He was actually doing this way before anyone left. I was so irritated because there was SO much to do, and I couldn't physically do it all. But he did, indeed, have the flu too...and Costner joined him on Christmas morning.

Sage took the reigns.

The notes and cake and cookies.

I got the BIGGEST kick out of Sage's letters. Oh, instead of a mermaid tail, she asked for an ipad mini. Santa told her if she asked for that to not expect as many presents under the tree because that was such a big gift. I appreciated that Santa.