Christmas Eve 2011- At home with my girls!

Let the Ivie Christmas traditions begin! Chris and I decided when we had kids that we would ALWAYS spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning at home. We both agreed that we wanted to make our own rituals and traditions. We also feel that it is better for the girls to be at their own home, in their own bed and experience everything at their own pace. So far it is one of the best decisions we have made. And boy is getting to be fun! This year we got to add a lot of things to our tradition. Chris had to work on Christmas Eve, so the girls and I spent the day together getting ready for Santa!

Emma ready to go to the candlelight service at church.

I thought they had childcare, I was wrong. We only made it through half of the service.

Handling a one and two year old by yourself at a church service is not easy!

I had planned to take Ryan to the candlelight service, but not Emma.

We didn't make it to the candlelight part of the service. Thank goodness.

We may have needed to call Daddy to put out the flames!

Instead, the girls and I hit the indoor play scape for a fifteen minutes.

After church, playing at home!

Ivy enjoying her bone from Mamaw and Pa.

Murph!

Reindeer food from one of Ryan's classmates.

Ryan sprinkled the glitter reindeer food out front so Santa would find our house.

My favorite picture of the night.

Emma helping me make Santa's cookies.

Ryan tasting the reindeers carrots.

Cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer!

I wrote the letter that Ry said for Santa, and Emma added some red to it.