Christmas Eve.....

Christmas Eve was so nice. We were all together and that is what matters most. I can’t imagine not being with my family during the holidays. I wouldn’t miss it for anything! Monks and I baked Sunday so we didn’t have to spend the day doing it. We made cupcakes, oatmeal raisin cookies, chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies. We also made candies similar to Turtles and two barks. A peppermint one and a peanut butter one. Those were just our snacks! Monday we hung out and watched Christmas movies. Aikman is just like his momma. He loves all the movies. He quotes The Grinch, loved Jingle All The Way, asks to watch Home Alone but calls it that lost kid movie and could watch Elf over and over again if you let him. Pete was off so he came over around lunchtime and spent the whole day with us too. Pete ran to HEB for some last minute things we needed and took Monks with him. He said on the way back to the house Aikman asked him something in a super serious manner. He said “Hey Pete, do you think werewolves like Christmas and Halloween?” Lol. Totally random. Aikman was so excited because Pete took a nap with him. Pete was his first guest to sleep on the top bunk! Devin and I started dinner while everyone napped. We had enchiladas, black beans, tamales, queso blanco, homemade salsa, and I made real Mexican rice! It will be trial and error to perfect it, but I will get there. Everyone loved it so I was happy. We also made sopaipilla cheesecake for dessert to go with our Mexican theme. Pippa loved her tamales! This was her first year to enjoy all the yummy food! Her and Aikman could eat their weight in rice, I swear. They love it! Aikman also loved Daddy’s salsa, even though it was a bit spicy for me. He would just get a drink but wouldn’t put it down. We started eating around 6:30 and since Phil had to close, he didn’t get there until 7:15ish. It was like waiting for my mom to get there after closing on Christmas Eve. Sweet. Phil sat down to a plate of food and who had to sit in his lap? His Pippa Lou’s! She cannot stay away from him and will ask to sit with him. She just sits there, leaning into him. She doesn’t bug, she won’t take his food, just sits. She loves her Uncle Phil to death! Even on the couch she has to sit with him. If I tell her no, that he is eating she will put out that lip and those tears fill up her sweet eyes and he gives in. He always wants to hold her too, I just try to put my foot down but they both override me apparently. It is so sweet to see. I think Phil looks a lot like my dad and I know she would have him wrapped around her finger, so to see Phil and her together makes me think of how my dad would be and it makes me smile. Mike and Jenny and Adrian got back in town just as Monks had opened his one gift for the night. We get him a game each year and this year he got Don’t Break the Ice. He loves it! We all took our turns playing him and then it was time to get ready for bed! We normally go look at lights but the kids were tired and I hated to take them out as cold as it was so we just stayed in. Mike and Jenny left about 10:30 to go put Adrian to bed and the boys stayed until after 1. We were all prepping stuff for Christmas Day and just talking and laughing. Pete said he was too tired to walk to the truck so he slept on Monks’ top bunk again. Phil went home to shower and said he would be back bright and early to see what Santa had left……

How sweet is she? 

Devin did this collage. Similar pose, precious face, loving it!  Aikman's pic is from last year too. 

This pic doesn't do it justice but we had so many presents under the tree! Pete showed up with three laundry baskets overflowing like Gigi used to. Who are Pete and Phil to be Gigi? :) 

Almost ready to eat...

Her first ever tamale! 

My plate.....

His game!