'Twas the Night Before Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house...Not a creature was stirring...

--Especially not this mouse! (this poor little guy apparantly couldn't get out of this vase that he crawled into)

The rats were nestled all snug in their bed...

While visions of sugar plums (I.E.--hideously decorated Christmas cookies--I forgot to buy red hots, Christmas jimmies and colored sugar to embellish them with)



and monkey bread (for Christmas morning) danced in their heads...



The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas
soon would be there...

(I love these stockings, Katie!--I think of you every year we put them up)

The Christmas Eve table was set for the brood...

with shrimp, jr. league salad and rice...it's their favorite food!

I'm feeling a little like the cat in the hat with all of this rhyming...plus the fact that I don't have a picture of me in a kerchief and Brian in his cap...(note to self--better planning next year!)

Other than the fact that Jake was cranky most of the day (he wasn't feeling well so I think this was part of it), and there was some fighting over who was going to get to be Mary for our nativity reenactment, the day went pretty well...

We all watched Mr. Krueger's Christmas and then the Nativity afterwards...

I made the mistake of showing the kids the wrapped gifts (pj's) that they would get to open after we watched the movie and all Ellie did during the show was obsess over which present was hers...

Serenity Now! Serenity Now!

Here was our weak attempt at portraying Luke:2

(If only child birth could be that easy!)

Merry Christmas to all, and to ALL a good night!