A Merry Christmas Eve to All

We had all of our shopping done and almost all of the wrapping finished by the 23rd and I really just wanted to relax on Christmas Eve.  The only real thing I had to do was make my MIL's amazing bolognese sauce for dinner that night.  {It is intense...it takes about 4 hours of cooking time and at least an hour of prep time.}  Well, I threw a few more things into that day, and well, let's just say Christmas Eve was anything but relaxing!  But, still, a fun day.

We made salt dough ornaments the night before, so we spent Christmas Eve morning making a mess painting them.  Once we got that cleaned up, the girls helped me make Oreo cake pops.  And then once that was cleaned up, David and I went to work on the bolognese sauce.  I was a nervous wreck trying to make sure that we did everything just right.  And, I have to admit, our attention to detail paid off because come evening time, the sauce was perfect!

I, of course, got zero pictures of any of that mess making, but I did get a few of the most important parts -- the opening of the first few gifts and what the stockings looked like once the kids were all tucked up in their beds.

 ➹ Our first year to do Christmas Crackers and they were a hit! ➹

➹ This is the smile I get 99% of the time my camera comes out. ➹

 ➹ Sleeping bags from Nana and Poppy! ➹

 ➹ My mom thought it was a come that a little girl wouldn't get a doll on Christmas, so she got Sydney this one that sings Ring Around the Rosie.  She loves it! ➹

David and I spent an hour or so stuffing everyone's stockings {Mom had already stuffed theirs, but we had extras to add} and then crawled into bed around 11.  Still waiting on that day to relax....

I'd say we were all on the Nice list this year!