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Christmas Eve 2010

Wednesday, December 29, 2010
We do the same things every Christmas Eve for the most part.  And I feel a strong need to document it all.  So, yes there are a ton of photos here.  I have come to a huge realization as to why I do this and I will share more about this personal discovery in a few days.  But anyway, first, we go to Mass in the late afternoon.  We go an hour early (or else you don't get a seat) and they have a children's choir sing and readers do a lesson on the birth of Jesus as we wait for Mass.  Of course, I always require some posed photos before we leave for Mass.

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No one (inlcuding me) was really in the mood for these photos this year.

This is what my kids actually wanted to do....

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For the past few years, Harry likes to take a photo of us too.  He took the one below.

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After Mass we go out for a nice dinner.  We began this tradition last year.  Our food allergies and the timing of Mass has made us struggle with Christmas Eve dinner and we might try something new next year.

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This year we went to a fine seafood and steak restaurant.  Their speciality is stone crabs (which Dave and Will had).  Harry loves Alaskan King crab and so once (or twice) a year...we let him splurge.  There is so little that my kids can eat that they really look forward to this Christmas Eve meal.  The only problem is that we end up getting home pretty late.

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I love this shot of Kate whispering sweet nothings to Dave.

The kids loved the hot lemon towles our waiter brought us between courses....

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I love that they learn how to behave in a fine dining atmosphere.

After dinner, we came home and got in our Christmas jammies.  Then, the kids opened one gift.  The boys always get a nutcracker and Kate always gets an ornament.

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Kate got a Cinderella ornament since she was so into the princesses this year and since she met Cinderella and had lunch at the castle this year. (Ironically, ever since Disney she has cooled off a bit on the princesses and I am glad;)


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Will's nutcracker has a cross because he really grew so much in his faith this year.  He reads the Bible daily and has become very involved in our church youth group.  Will saw this nutcracker back in October and he actually asked for it this year.

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Harry got a football nutcracker because he plays football everyday at recess and he organized the Turkey Bowl for our neighborhood and he and Dave have a father-son fantasy football team for the first time this year. Also Harry's football nutcracker has a 10 on his jersey (for the year 2010 I am sure) but Harry is 10 years old this year so it seemed fitting:)

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I think they were all very happy!

After that, we needed to finish some cookies we had baked earlier in the day.  They are gluten-free, dairy free chocolate mint.  They were easy and delicious.

My creation

Then we read the story of Jesus' birth and Twas the night before Christmas.  This is the first year I needed reading glasses! I must be getting old.  I also know that I am not looking too good in these photos.  I will admit that the car accident is really taking a toll on me.  I have had lots of pain and anxiety.  I am going to the chiropractor and physical therapy.  I have also had cupping and acupuncture.  I think the cupping is really helping the most.  Aside from the neck and back pain, I have had headaches and nausea (from the neck injury..believe it or not).  I am not 100%.


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Reading from Luke....

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After I read, each of the peanuts read a Christmas passage or poem from the book.

Then all the peanuts went to bed while Dave and I cooked up a storm.
 It was a very late Christmas Eve for us.

I will post about Christmas Day next.

39 comments:

  1. Love your photos Kim...I "borrowed" one of your traditions and we too went out for a nice meal on Christmas Eve...am so glad we did as it was one of the few times where it was just us 3 over the hols! dx
    Have a great 2011!

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  2. It all looks lovely, as a child I loved our Christmas rituals so it is nice to see other families cherish the same.

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  3. Great pics! I love the nutcrackers and ornament. What allergies do your kids have? That is hard to deal with and find recipes that work for everyone. We do the cupping and it does wonders for us. Glad that is helping you. I wish you a speedy recovery! Love the matching pjs on all the kids!

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  4. How fun Christmas must have been for you and your family. We also love going to Christmas Eve Communion...something so humbling and special. :) Merry Christmas! (And yes.... I'm "Christmasing" all the way up to New Year's Eve. I'm always so sad to see the holiday season pass!)

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  5. Lovely traditions and photos! We should have gone out to eat after Mass, but our boulevard does luminaries and there's no getting back in your own driveway after 7 PM!

    Hope you are feeling better soon! You all look fabulous! Happy New YEar!

    Janet

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  6. So curious where you found matching pjs for a little bit older boys and younger girl?! I tried this year to no avail! Loved all of your pictures...I like to document our Eve and morning with scads of pics, too!

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  7. Your children are wonderful! You are doing a great job Mama!
    My 9 near old sang in the children's choir this Christmas Eve at the Children's Mass and it was wonderful.
    Merry Christmas!

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  8. I have a huge collection of nutcrackers myself.

    All looks wonderful.

    Lea
    xo

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  9. I have a huge collection of nutcrackers myself.

    All looks wonderful.

    Lea
    xo

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  10. Beautiful traditions and every more beautiful pictures!

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  11. Sweet family traditions! Glad you had such an enjoyable evening together. I hope you are feeling back to yourself in no time!

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  12. Reading you today gave me idea for Xmas. I'll will borrow them and do similar next year. They are nice rituals for kids.

    Merry Christmas!
    isabelle

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  13. Merry Christmas to all the Peanuts. Hope you have a blessed New Year!

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  14. Beautiful pictures!! And you do not look bad, you look great!! Although I am sorry to hear about all of your side effects from the accident. This past yr. I was introduced to acupuncture and it has changed my health in many ways- I have not had cupping though. I also recently started yoga and am finding that is really helping my core strenth, breathing, and relaxation. Happy New Year to you, Dave, and the peanuts!!!

    Emily

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  15. Love the Nutcrackers... I try to buy a new one every year.

    Also, I love reading about your boys. I have found - especially in this post - how very similar our older and younger boys are with each other!

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  16. These Christmas traditions are so special and mean so much as our kids get older...I love that you document them all...it is YOUR scrapblog after all!! xoxo

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  17. Love ALL the pictures. I so hope you fell 100% very soon.

    Blessings,
    Robin

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  18. Love your posts with lots of pictures!!! I too love traditions--the year before we adopted our daughter, we started going out for Chinese food on Christmas eve--we use to go after mass--but now with a 7 year old and early mas, we go before mass--I know you have a lot of food allergies to deal with--but I would recommend Chinese dinner--it is one of our highlights and we all really look forward to it!

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  19. Your family is so beautiful and your kid's seem so sweet. I love reading about your traditions and I look forward to creating my own with my family in the future. My fiance's family is so huge so I wonder if we would ever have a small family gathering. Yours looks so cozy though - I like the idea. Happy New Year!

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  20. I meant to post something on your car accident post. I am SO sorry to hear about it and that you are not well. I am also in physical therapy right now (not for an accident) and I was making improvements and then this past month when I was in DC I slacked off and have regressed. Sigh. I hope you feel better soon. You have lovely Christmas Eve traditions. :)

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  21. it looks like a wonderful christmas eve! i had a baby squealing in my lap, while attempting to read our christmas books. looks like the kids loved their nutcrackers and ornament!!

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  22. love all of your traditions, and the photos are great. your peanuts are adorable.

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  23. I love all of your little Christmas traditions, and I love Kates dress, that shade of green is so pretty. I also think you look adorable in reading glasses. Looks like you and your family made some sweet Christmas memories.
    Have a wonderful New Year.

    Gin =)

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  24. I love reading your blog and being inspired. I am loving the kids cute PJ's. Where do you get your daugther's cute clothes, dresses and headband?

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  25. Love your Christmas Eve post each year! I smiled when I saw Harry's football player- Cooper got the "10" baseball player to add to his collection this year.

    For Christmas Eve dinner- we do hors d'oeuvres before church...it's easy, fun, appeals to everyone and can be really festive!

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  26. It looks like you had a blast on Christmas Eve. Love the matching PJs!

    Hope you are feeling better soon!

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  27. So pretty! What lovely traditions and pictures. We always read Twas the Night Before Christmas too, this year my mom read it on a recordable book for my kids and we just loved it. (I need to do a blog post about that)

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  28. Love your Christmas Eve..
    And you are BEAUTIFUL no matter what..
    I love the dragonfly ornament on the tree..
    Can't wait to see photos of Christmas day..
    Hugz..

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  29. Such a beautiful and special post - - I love traditions! Our family has many as well.

    I pray that you are feeling well and at peace soon.

    Jennifer

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  30. Your photos are lovely, as always, and those cookies look delicious! I'm sorry to hear about the problems you're having from the car accident. I will offer your name up for r'fua shleima (healing of body and spirit) at my temple on Friday.

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  31. Susan, blessed mom to twinsDecember 30, 2010 at 1:08 AM

    What lovely traditions and beautiful photos to document them!

    "She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come, she speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue." Prv 31:25-26 These and many more from Prv 31 are so fitting for you.

    Wishing you a very joy-filled New Year.

    P.S.I'm sorry to hear of your injuries. I have been there. For my soft tissue injuries, I found myofascial release, done by a physical therapist, helpful.
    I hope you are feeling better soon!

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  32. Hi Kim,

    It looks like you has another special Christmas with your beautiful family! The traditions are perfect and will be the things that the kids remember when they grow up. They might even start the same traditions with their own kids:)

    I love the Nutcrackers that you picked out for the boys.....so cute!

    Happy New Year to you and yours. May 2011 be filled with lots of love and happiness.

    xoxo,

    Lisa

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  33. As always, you are so great at documenting each event...I just can't keep up anymore! I am glad that you had a wonderful Christmas and hope we can maybe meet up again in the new year. Hugs and prayers for continued healing! And you have inspired me to read through the Bible in a year again...it has been a few years:)

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  34. I love these photos. The snowman pjs are all adorable! I love your traditions.
    I am sorry you are still not feeling well. I don't think you look bad, at all. You describe yourself as in pain (which I have no doubt) but you are not seemingly let that interfere with these moments with your family. True mom moments! Feel better soon Kim!

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  35. Love the PJ's, Love your Traditions, Love you Guys,
    and of course I know I would Love the cookies!!!

    Hugs,
    Di

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  36. How super sweet! I love the Christmas pj's they are so cute! I love the pictures of you reading together... moments like those a just priceless!

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  37. I love reading your blog. Hope you have a happy 2011 New Year!

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  38. Kim, I'm so sorry to hear that you are still so marked after the car accident.

    It still looks like a wonderful Christmas Eve anyway. I can't believe how much you got done AFTER Mass! It was like a whole days worth in itself!

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  39. Christmas Eve timing was always tricky for us as well. A few years ago we began going out for a late lunch at our very favorite place. Then to mass at 5. Where we also have to arrive early. After mass we either have a few simple ordeurves at home or everyones favorite dessert. We always open a new game. With the timing of eating early we are able to play the game and take our time still getting everyone to bed early. We all love it like this. I dont spend the day cooking or the evening cleaning a messy kitchen, nor are my husband and I exhausted by the time everyone is sleeping.

    Happy New Year.

    JDW

    (mother of Charlie, Henry, Wills and Grace and dog Scout...so similar to yours.)

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