Christmas Eve.

From my own family, we have carried on the tradition of drawing names, and making something homemade to exchange with the chosen person on Christmas eve. It's a wonderful idea...but often-times we wait until the afternoon of Christmas Eve to start putting our items together. They are rarely top quality...but are always made with love.
As I was helping Tia make her gift for Hayley, the top of the paint bottle popped off, and this happened.



A generous amount also landed on the white carpet, the white wall, picture frames, and both of our couches.

Also, on Christmas Eve, we act out the nativity. Unfortunately it's never a spiritual event. But it's ALWAYS entertaining.

Here is the cute boy who is getting ready to play the baby Jesus.

It's nice to have a real baby boy for this part instead of a doll.

Here comes Mary, Joseph, and the donkey.

Pay no attention to the baby...he's not supposed to be in the picture until the next scene.

Here is Mary, and the perfect baby Jesus. Hahaha. In the manger, of course.

The angel, proclaiming the great news to the shepherds. (J is SO funny)

One of the wisemen.

The other wiseman.

Sit DOWN baby Jesus. You're ruining the whole show.

Here are our homemade gifts.

]This one was from me to J. It's dutch for 'I Love You.'

This was from Hayley to Tia. A beautiful friendship bracelet.

This is from J to me. Hahaha. I'm laughing because he started this like 2 hours before our exchange and was in the room for like an hour making it. He cut up my sweatpants for it...and had to come in the room real quick and ask to trace my hand.

He is the cutest. The funniest. And obviously the most creative. ;)

This was Tia's gift to Hayley.

Obviously, I'm the one that did the painting. AND actually the one that made Tia's friendship bracelet. So really I almost did everything. I'm thinking we may bag this tradition in the future.

And here are my girls' notes to Santa before they went to bed.

Yes that is money you see next to the note. They (and I) are not above bribery.

Man, I love these kids.