Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve was extra special this year.  Papa and Mama Jo were here to enjoy the holiday with us.  We all got ready to go to church for the Candlelight Christmas Eve service.  Time for a few pictures in front of our tree at home.

At Church in front of one of the beautiful trees.

Up on stage for the children's time with Pastor Clay.  Yep, you guessed it only Mary Ellen went up.  Michael preferred staying on Daddy's lap.  Hard to believe they are old enough to go up for children's time...what happened to my little babies?!

Snuggle time waiting for the service to start!

Finally...back at home in our Christmas PJ's and ready to open some presents!

We have such generous friends.  Here M&M are opening presents from the Peyton's.  EmmaLee and Cody helped pay for them with their own money.  What great friends!

Opening presents from Uncle Jamie, Aunt Amy, Ryals, Pryce, and Brygs.  Can you tell Michael loves his flashlight?!!!

Now for the big gifts from Papa and Mama Jo...close your eyes!!!

WOW, our very own BB guns!  Yep, Mary Ellen's is pink!  What a fantastic surprise!  It was just like  A Christmas Story.  Hopefully they won't shoot their eye out, LOL!  They were so excited...thanks Papa and Mama Jo!

Kingdom Kids Christmas Program

The stage was set and the kids were ready to enter stage left.  We had been practicing for weeks singing all the songs and they were ready...well Mary Ellen was.  Michael was still refusing to sing anymore than just a few lines at home.  I found out later he was doing the same at school.  He told me after the program, "I just don't sing Mama".  What do you say to that?

Each class dressed up.  3B dressed as gingerbread men...aren't the aprons adorable?!  This was the only picture I have of Mary Ellen AND Michael on the stage.  After one song Michael walked down to his teacher on the front row and said, "Ms. Dawn I don't want to sing and I don't want to be a gingerbread man.  I'll just go sit with Mama"!  Although he did sit there with her he never went back up on stage...just not his thing I guess. 

Mary Ellen on the other hand was so excited to sing AND be on stage.  She sang every word to every song and smiled like a little angel (well OK I guess like a gingerbread man not an angel but you get the idea).  Her favorite song was Go Tell It On The Mountain, and my oh my was she ever cute singing it!

Michael getting his Christmas presents from Ms. Dawn.

Mary Ellen getting her Christmas presents from Ms. Kristina.

Now this was the part of the day that Michael could get into...the eating!!  There was so much yummy food afterward for lunch.  It was nice to all fellowship together.  I love Kingdom Kids and so do Michael and Mary Ellen!