Christmas 2013

Christmas was a really special time for us this year.  Both children were immersed in the biblical story and I was so excited to see them interact with all of the amazing opportunities to learn and experience the birth of Christ!

We allowed the children to pick a gift for each other.  Noah remembered a My Little Pony Maeve wanted and Maeve wanted to get Noah is favorite Root Beer.  Here she is wrapping his gift!

On December 23rd we allowed the kids to open their Icelandic presents.  They received awesome monogrammed suitcases filled with books and goodies from Iceland.  They spent the entire Christmas week carting everything around in their luggage!

On Christmas Eve I had to head to church very early to get ready for 6 services from 1pm to midnight.  It was so exhausting but so amazing to see so many people at worship!

Here are the cuties all dressed and ready!

The 3pm service is the children's pageant.  Maeve was there early and got to pick the Mary costume.  She was so excited. 

Maeve's choir sang three songs before the pageant began and she was adorable!

A few children had speaking parts but for most of the play children came just in costume for their part and joined the nativity.  We had shepherds, angels, magi, and animals in a great surplus!

As the worship service continued, Noah was able to read the Christmas prayer and he did a wonderful job.  Part of the set was a bed and we used Maeve's bedding.  At the end of worship, right before the benediction Maeve walked up on the altar area and laid down in her bed and started reading a book that was a prop.  Hilarious!!!!

She and I walked out after the benediction together!

We went home and put the kids to bed full of excitement and joy.  On Christmas Day they woke up and raced to begin the day.  We sang Happy Birthday to Jesus in blueberry muffins and then started opening gifts.

Christmas was much calmer this year than it has been in the past which was a welcome addition.  We casually strolled through the day, opening, playing and eating with our family.

A big part of our Christmas celebration was giving the kids gifts of family time.  The first one was a trip to Disney on Ice, the second an overnight in New York and the third tickets to see the Wild Kratts, our favorite PBS show about animals.

It was a great Christmas!!!!