Our "Christmas Eve"

 Having both of our families out of town can be tough. Especially when we want to be at home on Christmas morning for Emma, but want to be with family as well. So, our solution this year {and most likely in the years to come as well!}, was to celebrate OUR "Christmas Eve" as soon as David got home from work on Thursday-which was the start of his holiday vacation. 

We have several traditions & wanted to make sure we had a special time set aside to do them. It worked out perfectly & we had such a fun time as a family.

 Emma was so excited about the "fancy" set table for Christmas Eve dinner. She started singing Happy Birthday as soon as I set it & pretending to blow out candles. Ha! 

{this is her "cheese!" face}

A long running tradition in my family is to have a Christmas Eve hunt {you can read about it on my mom's blog here}. So we had a picture clue hunt for Emma's hunt this year. She did great & quickly got into it! 

 Back to the couch to open her present!

 "A BOX!!!"

{Should have known she'd be content with just that! ;)}

 Here new Christmas PJ's & first "gown!" 

Look at the crazy-curly hair after her bath!

 Our tradition of telling the story of Christmas...

 And the reading Twas the Night before Christmas...

 and putting our cookies, milk & carrots for Santa & his reindeer.

{Can't believe I forget to get pictures of that!}

Emma went to bed, and then Santa's work began!

We had a very Merry Christmas Eve...post of our Christmas morning to come next!