Christmas Eve

I kind of loved Christmas Eve this year even more than usual.  Because my mom has been getting really tired and more confused in the evenings, we moved our usual Christmas Eve evening gathering to 11:00 in the morning.  We were able to be with extended family in the morning and then we had the entire afternoon and evening to make additional plans.  It also worked out well for Tanner and his girlfriend Erin to be with our family in the morning and with hers later that night.  

Here are one billion pictures, with lots of explanations, from our Christmas Eve.  It was a good one.

Our family minus Parker (on his mission) and plus Tanner's beautiful girlfriend, Erin Flores.

Brinley was snuggling with Brian and then CJ King joined in...and then the chain continued!  (Laurel, Danielle and Danielle's boyfriend.)

It was fun to have Nate and Beth for Christmas.  They loved catching up w/ Brinley too.

Lauron, Grandpa and Aubrey

Charity, Jake, La, Stevie and Aub

Dave and Emily Martin, Adam w/ Lincoln, Kate M, Jake, Charity and Benja

Ella and Brinley

Kerry, Quetta, Nate and Beth

I think this picture is so cute.  Gram has been pretty zoned out and just not really present the past month.  We have all had to find ways to interact with her and stay connected.  Love seeing Adam Bird joke around with her to see if she would share some of her food with him.  We love this sweet mom, grandma, mother-in-law.

Talent show.  Lauron sang.  She has a gorgeous voice.

Grandpa was the emcee.

Ella and Aub, Charity, Lincoln and Jake
Emily, Lauron (on the stairs) Anna and Alma Merriman (friends from church), me, Shari Martin and Brinley  and lots more in the background

The Gwilliam talent the past couple of years is being a good audience.  I think Aubrey would be willing to put something together, but with her brothers giving her grief...it's just not worth it.

The King family sang a chipmunk Christmas song and used helium from balloons to change their voices.

Chris w/ Gram, Christie Applegate, Grandpa and Hudson

Ang...I can't remember what she shared.

Kate sharing some of her artwork.

The Bird family.  Hud and Braddock played a duet while the family sang along.  They did great.

Stevie decided to be a comedian and share a few jokes.  Silly/brave girl.

This is the video.

Parker also shared his testimony and how he has grown on his mission.  It was beautiful.  We shared it at the Christmas Eve gathering.  

Nativity Time...

Aub and Hudson    We used to have so many little cousins the nativity was for those 12 and under.  The kids loved graduating from that role and watching the younger ones carry on.  However, we have so few young ones these days.  I was impressed with Aubrey, who will be 15 years old in two weeks, for being a good sport and joining in to help out.

Christian is adorable.  He is pretty mild and quiet, but when he speaks, it's in complete sentences.  He is just so cute.

My favorite picture of the day: Hud and Christian

Char and Isaiah as Mary and Joseph    We had no baby Jesus.  Stevie went up to her room and found a little gopher stuffed animal.  The nativity directors made it work.

Add Ella as the angel...  And I kind of love how Isaiah is just going with the flow with that  head piece in his eyes.

Kate, Lincoln, CJ, Char, Isaiah, Hudson (star), Ella (angel), Aubrey w/ Christian, Braddock

Parker's nativity with some of the missionaries in the Ghana Accra mission.  He is an angel in the center right in front of the missionary with the pink wrap.  

Parker is in the back row.  He is fourth from left.  His mission president and wife, Brother and Sister Young

And this lovely picture popped up on Timehop.  See what we are missing with Parker being gone?!  He is a crazy boy and always keeps us laughing.  (This is from a year or two ago.  It was time for dinner, and he needed a shirt.  He came out wearing my shirt....looking good!)

We had a relaxing afternoon.  Aub and Brinley hung out together.  (shopping and a movie from home I think.)  Brian and I took a nap.  Tanner went with Erin's family.  (Plus it was her 17th birthday!)

Later we decided to do some service.  Having a newly returned missionary helps keep one grounded and supplied with great ideas.  We printed "Best Lights Awards" and paired them with some gifts we had on hand.  We also purchased several boxes of candy canes and printed a little card that said something like, "You've been candy caned!  Merry Christmas!"  

We then made a list of those we wanted to candy cane, piled in the car, and started delivering.  We each got to choose a house we wanted to present a Christmas lights award to as well.  It was so fun.  I would love to do something like this every Christmas Eve.  

Aub was being extra silly and painted her face and glued glitter on her lips!

Wish Tanner could have joined in with us but the four of us had fun.

After our deliveries, we came home and played Settlers of Catan.  

Then it was time to go to bed so we could enjoy a beautiful Christmas together the next day.  (Missing our boy in Ghana but so glad he gets to join in with a Christmas day facetime call.)