Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night!

 Since the Keenan family scary elf caused too much stress for the kids, we switched to Elf on the Shelf. Our elf, Jack, wasn't naughty or creative but the last night he did leave a message for the kids.  The girls would help move him each night so they obviously caught on to the game but the littles were obsessed with Jack and would wake up extra early to go find him.  I'm sure they will sleep in late now that he has gone back to the North Pole, right?  Right?!  Which reminds me that I need to go put him away...

 We made it to the 4pm children's mass on Christmas eve and got good seats up by the piano by going about 45 minutes early.  Emily has been amazingly and shockingly good in mass the past few times that the nursery wasn't open for her, but apparently having Patrick with us instead of at his usual Sunday preschool, was not a good formula.  Sean spent half the mass out in the vestibule with the littles.  At the end of mass when people were leaving Megan got up and played Hark the Herald Angels Sing on the piano and did a great job.  This was entirely her idea, never occurred to me to suggest she volunteer for that.  Piano is her only activity these days and we're going to encourage her to keep it up. Helps that she has such an amazing teacher of course, with such an amazing sidekick.... Roxie the dog.

 Of course by the time we got home from mass the kids were starving and demanding food immediately.  We stalled by giving them their fancy drink, sparkling grape juice, while Sean and I had a different sparkling beverage.

 I learned from Nana and Barefoot Contessa that prepping the meal in advance is key so we actually ended up with a decent meal by 6pm.  I have to admit that a year of not much real cooking has lowered the bar so much that what used to be a regular dinner for us is now a special holiday meal.  Lemon pasta with festive broccoli and cherry tomatoes, not a huge hit with the littles but Anna choked it down for presents.

 Already discussing who gets to blow out the candles.

 I put this rare shot of me in black and white because I hate the way my new macbook iPhoto fixes red-eyes and this is one way to get rid of them.  The lazy way!

 As always, everyone got to open one present on Christmas eve, pajamas from Aunt Caroline and Uncle Andy.  Was more fun in person last year but every other year Sean has to work on Christmas, so here we are.  Grandma Marjie and Grandpa Paul will be here in a few days after stopping to see Stephanie in Michigan, and Andrea, Ryan and kids in South Bend.  They are on their way to Texas for the winter and will stay here long enough for Sean and I to enjoy our post-deployment trip to Miami.  Merry Christmas indeed!

 Back to pajamas, the girls are old enough for lounge wear instead, these were a big hit!

 They are loving the new pajamas!  Do you think anyone is thinking about Santa here??

 Here they are getting cookies ready for Santa.  Santa's helper has already had a few tonight...  Maybe the other helper will finish them off when he gets up at 2am for his shift.

 After all this sugar it's shocking how quickly he fell asleep on the floor in the girls' room.  They wanted to do a sleepover with him tonight, first time ever.  They know they can't get up until Sean comes in from his shift at 7am so we'll see how that goes...

And the traditional reading of The Night Before Christmas, given to Sean by his Aunt Maureen back in 1976.  He is very particular about only reading it on Christmas eve and not letting it sit with the other Christmas books for fear that it will be damaged or lost.  He's no fool, he knows how these kids operate.  Hope everyone has a Happy Christmas!