Christmas snuck up on me this year. With illnesses (sore throat and fever kinds, fortunately, not the stomach bug kinds) terrorizing our house, we were really pretty lucky to be feeling as well as we were by Christmas Eve.
I just got a new hard drive on my computer, and while I had all the important stuff backed up, I didn't have my files of sorted pictures (that were ready to go on the blog) saved, so I just grabbed all these pictures from Facebook, so they're kinda out of order . . .
But it wouldn't be Christmas Eve without wrestling with Uncle Cody . . .
Or feats of strength . . . (Ellie is one ridiculously strong kid, she could hold this impressive pose for awhile) . . .
Or board games with Grandpa . . .
Out of order, but here's the kids opening their Christmas Eve Pajamas . . .
The girls showing off their new aprons Grandma gave them . . .
My Mom's grandkids, biological and adopted . . .
(My friend Rachel's twins were at the party, even with poor Baby Alex on oxygen while getting over RSV)
My sister Talina with our matching babies . . . 
Owen and Bailey together, and Bailey showing off her Christmas pajamas . . .
Isaac on his new sled that Grandma gave him . . .
My four kiddos in their new pajamas . . .
Ellie and Annie with Grandma Karine . . .
Talina and I with our Santa-Claus-themed babies :-)
Cutest cousins ever . . .
Isaac handing me a tiny piece of wrapping paper. He did this the entire time he opened gifts -- tear off a piece, hand it to me, "Here," then tearing off another small piece, handing it to me, "Here," repeat and repeat. It was really cute, and really slow. :-)
The girls in their matching pajamas . . .
Owen, Annie, cousin Bailey, Ellie and Isaac on Christmas Eve
Just my four . . .
The twins in the picture, but Bailey had wandered off . . .
Owen and Mom . . .
Seven kids in one picture, all looking in the same general direction, sorta . . .
My three oldest . . .
Greg and his boys and Isaac trying out his new sled on his belly . . .
Christmas Eve is interesting with little kids. It's magical and fun opening the gifts. Dinner was awesome as always (my Mom's famous Chicken Cordon Bleu), and the company is the best. But, we also wanted all our kids down by around 8PM, so we didn't have grumpy kids on Christmas Day. So, Greg and I took them all home at a reasonable hour . . . meaning we missed out on card games and visiting, and I have to admit, I miss it and it feels less like Christmas Eve. But, getting them down to bed worked out well, since they woke up at 6AM the next morning . . .
