"Christmas" Eve

Every year before we head to Wichita to celebrate Christmas with family, we have our own celebration at home.  We decided to do it earlier than most years because of travel plans.  So we had our "Christmas" this past weekend.  These boys counted down the days. And during the afternoon of our "Christmas" Eve a beautiful snow started to fall, setting the perfect mood.

As usual, we started out with our "Christmas" Eve dinner.

Steak with sautéed mushrooms, asparagus, garlic cheese biscuits, loaded mashed potatoes and Apple Pecan, Blue Cheese Salad.  And there was shrimp cocktail and popcorn shrimp for the boys.  Along with sparkling grape juice they got to drink out of a goblet. 

Once stuffed, we moved on to reading the Christmas Story, this year out of the Action Bible.

Then we let the boys start with opening a gift to both of them.

(It was 600 Legos... am I crazy?)

Miles got this spiky ball.  Something he's been asking for ever since he watched the video of "Trick Shot Titus".... now I'll start working on his trick shots. 

They had fun watching each other open the gifts they picked out.

And were excited to see me open mine.

Cooper got the skateboard he's been asking for for months!

And matching jammies...

The boys surprised Daddy with slippers.  :)

Miles got a cross bow that shoots nerf darts.

Cooper got a bow that does not...

And Miles needed something to aim at...  he was so cute when he opened this 'toy deer' that he's been hinting at for a long time.

We didn't waste much time getting around to playing with things.

Miles really like his new pet. 

But not enough to not take aim and shoot.

Once things settled down there were truffles.

And pecan pie. 

We played a game of Headbanz, one of the boys' gifts.

And then the boys tried out their new jammies.

They worked perfectly for snuggling and watching a movie.

(Epic, which we'd checked out from the library)

All while snow was falling peacefully outside.

 A Merry "Christmas"!