Journey of the Spirit 2: Christmas Eve (December 23rd)

Since the boys visit their father for the 2nd half of winter break, we bump Christmas up a bit early so that we can get a full celebration in!

Christmas Eve (which is actually a day early for our gang) - Kevin and Teresa worked SO hard in the kitchen to get an amazing spread prepared for the family. I was so grateful, as I was still working my way through the doom and gloom of having to say goodbye to my sweetheart just days before. Mel helped out, too - with some...umm....festive deviled eggs. ;) Thanks, guys!!!

Auntie Brit, Margaret, her son PJ, his girlfriend and Jon and Lindsey joined the rest of the Wiley Winter Gang for an the evening. After dinner, we hung out in the living room and played with Trixie...

Wrestled Uncle K & Auntie Chaweesa...

And opened ONE gift each (a tradition from my childhood - one gift on Christmas eve!)

Andrew got a TON of DS games from Mike...it's a card that you can load up with 20 or so games. He was in heaven!

Matthew got cozy in Auntie's robe (yes, it's child sized!)

Goofy kid!

Doing a strip tease for us...ha ha!

Before bed, we left special cookies out for Santa (that the boys had decorated earlier) and some carrots for the reindeer...and don't tell the boys, but I'm pretty sure that Santa's naughty, black, hairy elf (aka Trixie) helped herself when we turned our back...