Christmas Eve...

Christmas Eve is my favorite - I am not sure why, I guess because most of the day is laying around and getting all the last minute things ready for Christmas and there is still just so much excitement. I know as a kid I was always so excited for this day - We always had our big family dinner with the entire extended family, and then went to my Great Grandma's house for dessert and presents - I really miss this tradition, but with all the families growing it just had to end. And then of course I was always excited for Santa, so I guess as an adult I just still feel that same excitement, especially now that I have my own children to create amazing traditions for! This year we started some new family traditions. We had the Trujillo family over to our home for Christmas Eve. Everyone came over and we played Scrabble - Sandy WON! watched Elf, had a wonderful dinner, steak with lots of other great dishes, and then opened presents! This was the first year Ashtyn could really open a presents, which she finally figured out what to do although she was very slow at opening her presents. She would open one and the would have to play with it before she would consider opening another one - so it was a long process, but very fun to see her eyes light up with every gift she opened. Ashtyn got tons of new toys, a real digital camera, an ATM machine, baby stroller with matching swing and play pen, a cute outfit, a blender, a coffee maker and her favorite thing of all a light box that looks like an aquarium - she LOVES this thing! It is her new night light in her room, and she had to show everyone who came over. After opening presents we played "White Elephant" a new tradition with the Trujillo family - which I think was more fun then getting real presents. The gifts definitely made us laugh and I am sure there are some gifts we will see over and over for years to come - especially the Santa shorts! It was a wonderful Christmas Eve and I wouldn't have chose it to be any different, I hope my kids get as excited for this night as I did which I was a kid.