Twas the night before

Christmas Eve always brings so much excitment and anticipation. This year, the closest we could get to family was virtually. We did start the day off at one of our favourite sledding hills and it was a blast. The weather was perfect and the snow was still so fresh.

This hill was fast and had quite a few jumps at the bottom but they were kinda hard to see from the hop of the hill so you really only knew if you were about to hit a jump, when you were basically on top of it!

Not too much beats sledding and the only thing that makes it better is when cousins show up! So SO good to see these guys in person!

After sledding, we stopped by Mom and Dad Reeds house for an impromtu social distancing snow ball fight and to pick up dinner for the evening. Mom and Dad Reed really put so much effort into this unique Christmas Eve Day. They still cooked a turkey big enough to feed their whole family and made each of us a "to-go" package complete with turkey dinner, fresh dinner rools, pumpkin pie, cookies, nuts and bolts, christmas books and games. Ya.. like I've said before... they're amazing.

We took one quick picture with them which I will forever cherish! Poor Penny was upset and refused to look at the camera because Carter threw an extra snowball at her... brothers...

Obviously because of Covid and restrictions, we couldn't get together so we spent the afternoon on a Zoom call doing all the things we would have normally done. Starting with the Nativity.

Each family was assigned costumes and somehow it all came together perfectly!

In our family, Bentley was Jospeh, Penny was Mary and Carter was the inkeeper. We also said Kobe was the donkey.. cause, why not!

We then played christmas BINGO and had a christmas scavenger hunt. We played two truths and a lie and trivia games. All so fun.

Between games and dinner, we did our own little things. Brian and I along with Bentley and Penny set up our annual christmas sleepover in our room for the kids. This time with cot bunk beds (Thanks Dad Reed for letting us borrow them!) and Carter made a snowman!

Next was Christmas Dinner. Because we couldne be surrounded by our extended family, we had their picture there with us and it was good to be together, even virtually, around each of our tables.

Next was the gifts. Poor Penny could hardly wait and had been asking about them all day! The Grunewalds had our family and got us a waffle maker! We are so happy and know exactly what we will be having for breakfast in the morning!

Grandma and Grandma SPOILED the kids! Wow! They are all so excited and happy. They are so particular with gifts for their grandchildren. They know them each so well and pick gifts taylored to each of them individually. Seriously, these kids are so lucky.

When all was said and done we wished everyone a Merry Christmas and signed off. We put out our cookies for Santa, sprinkled the reindeer dust on the front yard and said good-bye to Clyde. The kids got all tucked unto bed and were so excited for our family movie night and sleepover in our room. Our Christmas Eve tradition. Tonight we watched the second Croods.

Tonight Santa comes. Penny is kinda scared to accidently bump into him so she will for sure not be getting out of bed. As for the boys... there's a reason we do a family sleepover in our room on this one special night every year. Haha.

Well, Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house...

Can't wait to see these kids excitement in the morning!