Christmas Eve

Ashby & Dalton in their new Christmas Eve Pajamas. The kids love this tradition.

This year was kind of different with my parents & my little brother David gone on their missions, and my sister Shelli and her family and not being here for Chrismtas Eve. Ryan and I had all the family who lives here over for dinner and a special program. It was really nice just to be together. We had a wonderful dinner and the program afterwards turned out great. All the kids got to dress up if they wanted, and place a piece of the nativity into the empty Stable when we read their part in the Christmas story in Luke 2. Afterwards we completed the evening with a sibling gift exchange. My parents also ended up calling before we ate dinner and sang a special Christmas song they had made up about their mission in the Bronx. It was a riot!

This is Ashby saying her part in the program, "And the angel said unto them, Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger."

It has become a tradition that Ashby plays the Angel and memorizes the part of the Angel in the program. She did a great job again this year and said her part by heart. She worked really hard every day memorizing her part. She loves being in the spotlight and public speaking. She certainly does not get that from her Mom!!Ashby & Dalton both love to sing. I had words printed out for the songs in the program. Ashby loved it because she could read the words and sing the song even if it was a song she wasn't familiar with. I thought it was so cute.