Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve.  It's one of my favorite holidays.  It seems that the spirit of Christmas is always strongest on Christmas Eve.  As a kid, we spent this holiday making cookies for Santa and spending time as a family.  Though we didn't make cookies this year (we had already made over 14 dozen cookies this holiday season) we did still spend time together as a family.  

First, we exchanged pajamas to wear to bed.  This has become our little family tradition.  I was really excited for this this year because I got Dima what I believe to be the perfect pajamas- footie pajamas.  Dima's been saying for years that he wanted some, so this year he got them. Even better is the fact that they are also a sock monkey costume!  Zach and Elijah got matching Santa outfits.  And I got a long pink tee!  

Opening a present like a big boy!

RIP IT!

Santa!

"Oh cool!"

Helping Daddy open his

His face was priceless!

Funniest thing ever!

The Boxes are always the best anyway!

 We then went to church with our neighbors.  The church had a big Christmas Eve party with lots of food and singing.  It was fun, and Zach especially enjoyed it.  He kept us busy by stuffing his face, and trying his own kind of singing.  It was a wonderful evening with great friends.  

Zach loved coloring

And eating cookies!  or "cook" as he calls them!

Wendy and Joey

Love all those trees!

Being silly under the table

Joe and Zach were having a ton of fun!

After church we headed home for the end of our festivities.  We put on our new pajamas and read a christmas book and went to bed.  Daddy and I then went downstairs to leave cookies and a protein shake for Santa.  My sock monkey had a great time- and even posed for some photos.  We then headed for bed with visions of sock monkeys in our heads! 

Cookies and a shake for Santa

Zach tried to steal some of Santa's cookies!

Dima posing

Best pajamas ever!

A few of the presents.  There were more on the way still.  The next morning there was a bike under the tree and lots of presents from one of the Grandma's!  Those boys must have been good!

Here comes Santa Claus!