Our Christmas Eve

 

This year it was a crazy day around here! We've been trying to get together with local LeBaron siblings once a month since Neil and Ruth Ann have been gone on their mission. Somehow December got lost in the shuffle and on Dec. 22 Joseph threw together last minute plans to host everyone here for a morning brunch. We kept it low-key with Joseph making Tahitian pancakes and Mary and Tom bringing breakfast casseroles. It was much less work than our fancy Thanksgiving feast was last month and it ended up being a great addition to our day.

We tied in the great LeBaron/Adams tradition of singing a bunch of Christmas carols and thanks to amazing technology we had John, Maggie and Nanny (with Flori and fam with her in Texas) all face-timing on different phones to join in with us!
 

We also opened our LeBaron sibling and cousin gifts. Ours were from the Braun family but those who had theirs shipped in from out of state family brought them over to open all together. We had Bob and Mary this year and made them their wedding DVDs plus sent them fancy little fries and fry-sauce holders for our favorite fry-guy Bob. We also had the Gardner kids and sent them a few games and the Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat DVD. Mag told me they were hoping to grow their collection of musicals.

 

A close-up of this darling's curls. 

The sponge curlers worked like magic on her and these wringlets lasted a full 2 days!

Of course we had our traditional Christmas Eve later that day at my parents' house. They hired some photographer neighbors to come take pictures of everyone before we lost the natural light outside–and because of that I didn't take any of my own! But I will add them in when we get them back. It's such a fun night to dress my littles up and join with family to celebrate the blessed event of our Savior's birth.
 

Big kids eating dinner (Bean and Will making awesome faces...)

Little kids eating (kind of anyway—they have too much fun to really eat anything!)

 Shepard girls ready for the nativity.

Cares told me she is never being one again because the outfits are way too itchy :)

 My only picture with Luke holding still and Brigg being baby Jesus

These funny kids this year: no angels and no animals but at least we had 4 kings once Brigg decided he didn't want to be the baby anymore :) Cec and I tried to fill in the gaps:

 

 My beautiful Olivia. She was a sweet and reverent Mary through the whole thing.

And then it was time for gifts from and for Grandma Bobbi and Grandpa Sherm:

 I sure love my family

Home again later in the evening to read scriptures about the Savior, change into Christmas PJs and set out stockings for Mr. C. Excitement and joy were at an all time high all day. What a glorious holiday!!