Christmas Eve

Finally Christmas eve was here

We were all getting so excited!

That morning Ella found a package and note under the tree from Santa!

Christmas Jammies for everyone

We also opened the box from my Grandma- Formor!

Every year she sends us a box filled with fun goodies

Ella knows her as our Swedish Grandma

who always sends us the most fun Swedish decorations and treats!

I can't remember a Christmas without sees candies!

Thank you Grandma, we love you!

That evening we drove up and met with Ryan's family for some Christmas eve fun!

Ella and Tori have really become best buddies!

Each mini family made their own gingerbread houses!
I knew that Ella would love it, but didn't expect for Jack to be as into it as he was
They did a great job


Ryan had fun too!

At one point Ella felt that Jack was ruining HER gingerbread house

We had to explain that it wasn't only hers, but for the whole family

This was her response

She got over it soon enough and was back to having a good time

{DRAMA QUEEN! I hope it's something she will outgrow. Yeah right, I can hope anyways}

Tad ah!

Offen Family, Rick and Sandy, US and Andre and Melissa family

We all stuffed ourselves with lasagna and many desserts

before settling down to read

The night before Christmas

But of course ending the evening reading from the scriptures of the birth of our savior

My favorite thing to do on Christmas eve

Because it IS what Christmas is really about

The night was still young for us

Many little parts to put together and then taken apart and put together again

I swear I hadn't seen that part in the box before!

About a half an hour after Ella was in bed {however not yet asleep}

She rushed into our bedroom

"We forgot to put out the cookies!"

In the craziness of the day, it was a detail that was overlooked

After everything was ready for Santa and his reindeer she was finally able to get to sleep