In the wee hours of Christmas Eve morning I was awoken by Mimi who had a tummy ache.
I won't go into details but by the time the rest of the family awoke we were wondering if our plans to visit my in-laws for Christmas wouldn't work out.
After making an emergency run to Costco and the grocery store for preparations to make our own Christmas Eve dinner, she made a miraculous recovery.
Another Christmas miracle perhaps?
I am counting it as such because we made the decision (with the okay from my in-laws) to risk it and make the trip up.
No one was sick the entire weekend!
(I am still crossing my fingers about the rest of the week)
We had a wonderful Christmas dinner, complete with my Father-in-law's awesome cheesecake (waay better than the Cheesecake Factory in my opinion) and then let the kids open their Christmas Eve jammies.
Soren really couldn't have cared less (although he loved jumping on the boxes) but both Bub and Miriam were excited about their new jammies.
Bub ran around showing us some pretty impressive ninja/jedi moves.
I knew Miriam would like what I had picked out, but I was shocked when she ran to me with a squeal of delight. She said she felt like Clara from the Nutcraker while she twirled around the room. She whispered in my ear "Do I look as beautiful as I feel?" which is just about the most darling thing I have ever heard.
We did a few Christmas Mad Libs. The kids roar with laughter over those which make them even funnier to the rest of us.
Miriam insisted we open the gift she had made at school which was a book she had colored of The Night Before Christmas and a CD of her reading it.
She recited/read the poem to us. She had the first 4 paragraphs memorized.
until it was time for the Nativity.
Darin was our narrator, Bub sang (with help from all of us) When Joseph Went to Bethlehem, Miriam played Angels We Have Heard on High and Silent Night, we all sang the rest of the hymns. Soren always sings when we do. It's the sweetest thing, he just makes la la lo noises and moves his head back and forth. He picked up the music and followed along with the rest of us. When Miriam went to the piano to play her pieces he went with her and played the low notes while she performed. He won't let himself be left out of anything.
The kids left out a plate of cookies and carrots for Santa.
{he left a thank you note, sweet guy}
Last but not least, we carried on Darin's family tradition of reading "How Mrs. Claus Saved Christmas" before tucking the kids into bed.
They were all snoozin' in 5 min.
I am pleased as punch about the whole night.
