So I heard of this great tradition where you give Christmas Eve "gifts" to the kids which are boxes filled with pj's, snacks and a movie (typically a Christmas movie). So I decided to do that this year...even with Emma. She got pj's and a toy. Cash got pj pants, snacks and a movie. He didn't seem very excited about this "new" tradition so we shall see how it goes next year. I may have missed the boat from an age perspective.
We went out to dinner on Christmas Eve to Wildfish with my parents and Andy. It was really a great evening. Good food, good company and a great atmosphere. i was actually surprised there were so many people out to dinner.
After dinner we went back to our house and opened gifts from "each other" so that Christmas morning was all about the kids. It was so fun! We really wanted this to be a special Christmas for my parents and just feel if we can spoil them then we want to as they have always spoiled me, loved me, cared for me and treat their grandchildren just the same. We are very blessed.
We gave Andy a razor and brush from the Art of Shaving which was a really nice set but we had no idea what to get him. He had mentioned wanting an IPad a day or so before so Ben told him that if the shaving stuff was not really something he wanted that he would take him to get an IPad...and off to Target they went...on Christmas Eve. Andy was super happy about his IPad and that's what we wanted. Mission accomplished. While at Target, and very typical of Ben, he is searching for other things to buy Cash. I could scream but I knew he was going to do that. He brought home some remote control boat..which now doesn't work. Its the late night, last minute purchases, that never work out.
Emma had no idea what all the hustle and bustle was about but she was very happy and excited to be in the midst of it all. We had her and Cash in their Christmas pj's...ready for Christmas morning!
We put the cookies out for "Santa", put the kids to bed and Santa's helpers got to work. All the toys were put out after the kids were fast asleep and we were off to what we thought would be a good nights rest before the big day. WRONG! I did stay up a little bit after the gifts were put out just straightening up and Ben kept telling me I better get in the bedroom as he was so nervous about Cash getting up. I told him..."no, don't worry, he's fast asleep". Well, typically, that was the case but not this Christmas Eve. We weren't in the bed 45 minutes and in runs Cash so excited because "Santa" had come to his house already. Our lamps were still on...tv was on and we were wide awake...he had no realization that we had not even been to sleep yet or that it was just 10pm. So up we go..into the living room so Cash can show us all he got for Christmas. It was comical to say the least. After we saw all he got and opened everything we had to tell him that it was really early in the morning and that we would all have to go back to bed for a bit. He never clued in and I told Ben that was the only time I was so glad that Cash couldn't tell time!! He played with his toys for awhile and then went back to sleep. We got up Christmas morning and he was just as excited. Speaking of Cash being excited...this was the first Christmas we actually saw him excited...which was so nice to see. I think we lowered our expectations this year and just hoped that what "Santa" brought him he would love...he did. I always tell Ben that Cash is so much like him in that way. It takes a lot to get Cash excited about something you buy him and Ben is very much the same...but what I did see this year which is so similar to Ben is how much Cash loved giving.
We got up around 7am, which is when Emma woke up, and Cash played with his gifts. It was sort of nice that all of the "Christmas morning" stuff was done already. We got to relax, have breakfast, and prepare for Christmas lunch. Its a tradition for us to have gumbo on Christmas Day so I started the day by chopping vegetables and making a roux. It smelled so good in the house! I couldn't wait to eat! My mom was bringing deviled eggs and the potato salad. I don't know how I learned to make a gumbo..other than trial and error as I didn't spend a day in the kitchen with my mom. Now, that said, I spent many an evening on the phone with her..especially that first time I made a gumbo..so I guess it was enough that she walked me through it and the rest is the genes.
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