Christmas Eve For The Parishes

Our Christmas Eve started bright and early for me! I wanted to get some baking done for our trip to Baton Rouge so starting at about 6:30 am I got to work! I made some yummy gluten and refined sugar free apple cake, gluten and sugar free pumpkin bread (ok the chocolate chips I added were not sugar free but the rest was sweetened with honey!) and some banana oat cookies! I still plan to make some gluten free low sugar chocolate chip cookies to take if time allows on Christmas day

Chip awoke to the smell of yummy apples cooking on the stove for the apple cake!

After Elijah woke up from his nap and I was finished baking, it was time to get ready for a visit to Grandmother and Granddad’s and to go to church! My goal had been to make it (big and pregnant) singing in choir until Christmas eve and tonight was the night! (I am going to try to continue until the babies come but I really wanted to make it to participate in the Worship Ministry for this wonderful night). Chip has wanted to join choir as well but has stepped back to take care of Elijah on rehearsal nights so that I could do it because although they provide child care, the night is too late for our boy to be out.  We decided that once the babies arrive, I would take a “sabbatical”  from choir and he would join and we decided that Christmas Eve would be a fun night for him to participate as well! So off we went to Grandmother and Granddad’s so Elijah could go to church with them while we went to prepare with the choir for the evening service. When we arrived, Elijah was surprised with an early Christmas present. (One that I had really wanted him to have! Thanks Grandmother and Granddad!)

What could it be?

It’s his very own nativity! What great fun and a great tool for Mama to use to help teach Elijah all about Jesus!

Elijah showed Mama baby Jesus

Grandmother and Granddad also had a cool new inch worm riding toy for Elijah to use at their house and share with his cousins!

What a neat toy!

….though he is still partial to riding the lawn mower……

While Elijah continued to enjoy time with Grandmother and Granddad, Chip and I headed to church for preparation for the evening service and to sing. It was so much fun having my husband join me in the choir loft.  A passionate music lover/musician himself, it is a love that we both share I loved knowing that he was singing praise just a few rows over. During the service, it was cool for Elijah to see BOTH his parents singing for God. Elijah was so much fun to watch during the service. He was such a good boy, sitting on his grandparents laps the whole time, swaying to the music and signing “more” when it stopped. He loved the lights and the candles during Silent Night.  One of my favorite things about singing in choir is watching my son during the service just taking it all in and for the past several months, since he is older and more fidgety he has been going (and enjoying going) to the nursery so this was an extra special treat for me as well.  The music in the service was beautiful. We sang traditional Christmas songs which I LOVE!

Mama, Daddy, Rory and Patrick got a quick Christmas Eve picture right before the service began.

My precious boy looked so cute in his Sunday best! He was clearly the best dressed at church that night!

I could not wait to get my hands on my little guy after the service!

This year, choir did something a little different and sang carols as the congregation departed to their cars. Since that required a lot of standing, I had slipped out for that portion after we made our exit. It was fun to enjoy this aspect of the service and to watch my hubby in action. Elijah loved hearing them sing as well. He is such a little music lover and I can’t wait to see how this love develops.  It is my dream that one day he will be a leader in the music Ministry of our church!

Showering his Grandparents with a little love….my sweet, affectionate boy!

After the service, we headed back to the Senior Parishes home for a Christmas Eve dinner of yummy tamales and the BEST GUACAMOLE I HAVE EVER TASTED! Chip’s dad apparently has a talent for making guacamole that I never knew about. This pregnant Mama had several helpings and will be requesting on special occasions from now on! Seriously best I ever had!!!!! After dinner, it was nearing bedtime for Elijah….and time for Santa to come to our house so we headed home, followed by Granddad who spent a little more of the evening with us.

Wrigley enjoyed getting in on some of the loving action.

While we were visiting, we heard a strange noise outside and you will never guess who it was……..

SANTA HAD COME! And he was building a present for Elijah right in our backyard!

He must have come while we were out because he was using Chip’s drill.  We didn’t mind. We were excited to catch a glimpse of the jolly guy!

I got another quick shot of him as he was going inside to put presents under the tree but then he made us all go to bed so he could finish his work.

It was a fabulous Christmas Eve for our family, shared with those we love, celebrating the birth of our Savior and enjoying great company, beautiful music and some yummy food.  AND catching a peak of jolly old St. Nick! I can’t wait to see what tomorrow has in store for us!