Christmas 2010

On Christmas Eve, I posted all of our traditions.  So I thought I would re-post them here with an attached picture.......

* 1st we will be heading to church for our Christmas Eve service

* Then we head home to our traditional CE dinner (shrimp, cheese...yummy good cheeses, summer sausage, crackers) and talk about all the ways that God has blessed us this year.

* after dinner my kids will share their letters to their siblings and exchange their gifts (I will cry!)

and yes, I did cry!

This is a tradition we started when they were little.  They each write a letter to the other telling them why they love them and what they appreciate about them. We started when they were too young to write, so they drew a picture at first...so sweet.   It is one of the best traditions we ever started and I am praying that as they get older, they will continue it no matter where they live!

* We will enjoy the evening and then send the kids to their rooms (they all start out sleeping in one room every year, but end up in their own beds...even now and it cracks me up)

 

*  Steve and I will put their stockings together and then exchange our gifts to each other and of course, our love letters to each other....my favorite part!

Guess what's in mine?!
this tradition was started when Steve and I were poor seminary students.  We couldn't afford presents one year and unbeknownst to the other, we each put a piece of fruit and a love letter in their stocking...and it became a tradition!!! This is also what started the kids letter writing years later.

* Christmas morning, we will get up early (the kids STILL get up by 7:00am....no kidding..college kids!) and make coffee...I will get one chugged down so I can be pleasant...

 You don't want to see this picture...it wasn't pretty!  
Steve woke me up at 6:55 AM, from a DEAD sleep, to tell me the kids would most likely be coming in in a few minutes.  It wasn't 5 seconds later that they all came in and jumped on me!
They are lucky to be alive.

* the kids will do the "Bowyer dance" out to the advent calendar and put the angel on top

 This year we got sprayed with confetti poppers as the kids danced by!!

* We will start with stockings and Santa bags (from my mom)

* and then head to the gifts

 Jared wanted a new robe.  This kid is always cold...maybe it is the fact that he has zero body fat?

 Jason was pretty excited about some gadget for his guitar.

 it's amazing how fast a room can get destroyed!

* and the BEST part....hear how each person gave their $$ away!!

 stories to come in another post!!!
This one is already getting long!

* then we will eat our cinnamon roll Christmas tree

* hang out all day in our PJs

 Alyssa watching some movie she got, while popping the bubble wrap.

 Jason got new strings for his guitar....love this

 board games...always a must for the Bowyer house.

* and end the day with a wonderful dinner of beef tenderloin

After cooking, I didn't get ONE picture of the dinner!!  
But it was DEElish!!

What a wonderful Christmas we had....full of fun and lots of memories.
But now I am done with all the Christmas stuff and we took it all down yesterday!!  The house always seem a bit bare without the decorations but at the same time seems cleaner and neater.

Now on to New Years!