Christmas Eve 2009.

Ever since creating this blog, nearly 4 years ago, I have loved chronicling all our adventures here ... especially our holidays. But this year, I have really slacked on the Christmas sharing. And perhaps you are not feeling as though you are missing out on anything (admit it!) - but because I basically use this blog as a substitute for any kind of tangible family scrapbook - I am now going to write a few posts in reflection of our 2009 Christmas joys.

Let's begin with Christmas Eve ... one of my favorite days of the year. The day is filled with such wonderful anticipation for the morning to follow ... and includes some of our most cherished holiday activities/traditions. Each year, I write a list of all the activities that we want to accomplish before bedtime. Usually Daddy doesn't come home from work until mid-afternoon, so we wait till he joins us before we begin accomplishing our Christmas Eve "to-do" list. (Everything is better when we are all a part of it :)

This years list looked much as the same as previous years. And it went exactly like this:

* Make brownies for Santa

* Make Reindeer food

* Make mixed drinks for Mama & Daddy / chocolate milk for Isaac

* Go out to the barn to see if the goats can talk

* Take showers & put on fresh jammies

* Take pic by the tree

* Start pot roast in crock pot

* Wrap Daddy's gifts from Isaac

* Get Bobo & Poppy's gifts ready for morning

* Change bed linens

* Hop into bed and read all our favorite Christmas books together

* Sleep so Santa will come.

Isaac and I made the above list together. And we checked it often to make sure we were on track. The brownies Isaac made for Santa were organic ... because we are just that cool. And the Reindeer food was a recipe that Isaac created from scratch ... a mixture of oats, cut carrots, magic flying dust (sparkles) and loads of maple syrup. We placed the food carefully under an outdoor light so the Reindeer would be sure to see it glisten. Then we paid a visit to the barn to see if Emily & Me were going to talk to us --- as animals have been reported to do on Christmas Eve. Aside from the "Maa-ing" - they were mute. Once inside, the mixed drinks put Daddy right to sleep. Isaac and I took showers and then put on some snuggly, new jammies. Daddy fell asleep in whatever clothes he wore that day. Isaac took his customary pictures by the tree (yes, that is the "Charlie Brown tree" that we cut from our front yard - by far my fave Christmas tree ever). After 12+ hours in the crock pot, I was told that the pot roast was good ... but I didn't eat it, so I have no idea. All gifts were wrapped this year (kudos to Mommy - I think this is a first) - with the exception of a gift Daddy forgot in the car. Isaac and I read all our fave books with wonder and delight at what was to come for us in the morning --- from good 'ole Saint Nick. Oh yes ... and the sheets were changed prior to Daddy's belly flop onto the bed ... So ALL Got Done!

Oh, and Daddy even started a new tradition that will now be listed on our Christmas Eve "to-do" lists for years to come. He created a fireworks display outside in the snow ... just for us ... even though the area cop parks right across the street every night in an attempt to catch speeders. As soon as the fireworks were over - we ran inside as fast as we could to avoid detection. Good Christmas fun, I say!

We even got a picture of Isaac's missing front teeth!

Christmas Eve rocked. It was just the three of us ... oh so cozy and in love with one another ... and it felt so darn good. I love this family of mine ... and every year I am reminded that before Isaac came along ... there were years and years that all I wanted for Christmas was a child ... my child ... and he is here. Every year now, I receive the same gift over and over again ... the gift of being Isaac's Mommy ... and of sharing all these wonderful joys with him and his Daddy.

I hope you all felt the warmth and beauty of your own families & traditions this year ... and for the new year to come.

xoxo,

Jodi