A "Happy" Christmas Eve
Christmas Eve we were finally back in Texas. In continuing with last year's tradition (and yes hubby if you do it 2 years in a row you have now made a tradition) we split up the boys and took them each out for a one on one. After all that togetherness of the last week we all needed a little break :-)
Eli headed out to do some errands with dad who did not take any pictures but I am told they tried out every single tent at Gander mountain.
Beckett was my buddy and we hit the grocery store and a couple of last minute Christmas errands.
It was simply the most beautiful day. When we got home our other boys weren't home yet (they stopped by the park) so I got busy unloading groceries and opened all the windows to the house. Beckett was looking out and talking to the dogs and said " I want to go out there" Sure! He played so happily out on the back porch for the longest time before brother came home and wanted to play too!
After lunch we went next door and did our gift swap with our best neighbor friends, The Hensley's. It was so incredibly gorgeous in their back yard and the boys played with their "girl friends" in their fort.
After nap, the boys decorated their Happy Birthday Jesus cupcakes and we took some to the neighbors too.
We went to the 6pm service at our church. We love love this tradition. And we love that they have their regular Sunday school class too. The boys at cupcakes and had a happy birthday Jesus party. Beckett was so sweet. We walked in to church and there were these gorgeous trees and lights hanging from the season. His eyes were so bright and huge taking it all in and he looked at me and said "mommy, this place is amazing" I agree sweet boy.
In an effort to keep things real around here on the blog, I am going to be very transparent of how things went down after church. This is my version. Hubbies might not be quite the same. We are leaving church and the plan was to get pizza for the boys and sushi for us. Well, the pizza place was an hour wait and the sushi place was so busy when I called they weren't taking phone orders. Plan B. Boys said they wanted french fries and chicken so Justin was going to go to Zaxby's on the way to the sushi place. It's 7:30 and they are crying they are hungry. They can eat in the car while we wait on our take out. Great plan. Except while I am reading the sushi menu out loud, Justin forgets and drives by Zaxby's. We are so far past we don't turn around so we decide to take the boys in to eat. We stop at the first place but they don't have chicken fingers. We go to another place. Beckett has a melt down. We are now arguing over what to do. The boys are absolutely red faced, crying, screaming at the top of their lungs, and kicking the seat. Justin pulls in to a parking lot and gets out and says " you drive" Done. I get in the car and head straight back to the one place between our house and where we were. McDonald's. Yep. I did it. I knew all we need was food in their bellies and I could take a little chemical chicken if it would make them stop crying. It was literally as if valium was in those boxes. Keep in mind this is the second Happy Meal my kids have ever had. Ever. They opened the box and Eli said "Is this my Christmas present mom?" They giggled, they ate, they laughed, they kept saying "and there's french fries! And dip! And apples! And a toy!" They would say "It's a treasure box. No a lunch box. No a present"
They even asked to sleep with them that night. I am serious. We came home and Justin got our take out. While he was gone I set the table and we had a peace making happy meal ourselves when he got home. I'm telling you. Christmas was saved by the happy meal.
After our dinner, we skipped the precious candy cane footed pj's that I love so much because honestly we were running the air conditioner and it seemed a bit much :-) We gathered in the boys room for our last Christmas advent lesson. We finally got the baby Jesus out of our book for the nativity scene. I had Justin record it because honestly it has been the sweetest time with my boys each night. There are so many things I love about this video. #1. Eli tries to set things on fire and I try to ignore it. #2. Sweet Beckett does great from the start and I don't want to stop. I think he says the sweetest "Bethlehem in the whole world." You can see that my learned technique with Eli is ignore. After ignoring him for 1/2 the book, he finally comes in and participates. #3. The prayer time. Do you hear Beckett say "let's pray" at the end? #4. The random thank you's I have blogged before. Tonight it was "Thank you for Mary from Beckett" and "Thank you for my pajamas" from Eli.
Every night for me my heart says thank you Lord for these boys, this family, your son Jesus, and now I can add "Thank you Lord for the Happy Meal." Amen.
Love,
The Riley's
Eli headed out to do some errands with dad who did not take any pictures but I am told they tried out every single tent at Gander mountain.
Beckett was my buddy and we hit the grocery store and a couple of last minute Christmas errands.
 |
| Merry Christmas |
 |
| My helper ready for shopping |
 |
| Thinking about touching one |
 |
| He did it! |
After lunch we went next door and did our gift swap with our best neighbor friends, The Hensley's. It was so incredibly gorgeous in their back yard and the boys played with their "girl friends" in their fort.
After nap, the boys decorated their Happy Birthday Jesus cupcakes and we took some to the neighbors too.
 |
| putting in his "flags' |
 |
| sprinkles |
 |
| colored sugar |
 |
| "I loves them mommy" |
 |
| all wrapped up and ready for delivery |
In an effort to keep things real around here on the blog, I am going to be very transparent of how things went down after church. This is my version. Hubbies might not be quite the same. We are leaving church and the plan was to get pizza for the boys and sushi for us. Well, the pizza place was an hour wait and the sushi place was so busy when I called they weren't taking phone orders. Plan B. Boys said they wanted french fries and chicken so Justin was going to go to Zaxby's on the way to the sushi place. It's 7:30 and they are crying they are hungry. They can eat in the car while we wait on our take out. Great plan. Except while I am reading the sushi menu out loud, Justin forgets and drives by Zaxby's. We are so far past we don't turn around so we decide to take the boys in to eat. We stop at the first place but they don't have chicken fingers. We go to another place. Beckett has a melt down. We are now arguing over what to do. The boys are absolutely red faced, crying, screaming at the top of their lungs, and kicking the seat. Justin pulls in to a parking lot and gets out and says " you drive" Done. I get in the car and head straight back to the one place between our house and where we were. McDonald's. Yep. I did it. I knew all we need was food in their bellies and I could take a little chemical chicken if it would make them stop crying. It was literally as if valium was in those boxes. Keep in mind this is the second Happy Meal my kids have ever had. Ever. They opened the box and Eli said "Is this my Christmas present mom?" They giggled, they ate, they laughed, they kept saying "and there's french fries! And dip! And apples! And a toy!" They would say "It's a treasure box. No a lunch box. No a present"
They even asked to sleep with them that night. I am serious. We came home and Justin got our take out. While he was gone I set the table and we had a peace making happy meal ourselves when he got home. I'm telling you. Christmas was saved by the happy meal.
After our dinner, we skipped the precious candy cane footed pj's that I love so much because honestly we were running the air conditioner and it seemed a bit much :-) We gathered in the boys room for our last Christmas advent lesson. We finally got the baby Jesus out of our book for the nativity scene. I had Justin record it because honestly it has been the sweetest time with my boys each night. There are so many things I love about this video. #1. Eli tries to set things on fire and I try to ignore it. #2. Sweet Beckett does great from the start and I don't want to stop. I think he says the sweetest "Bethlehem in the whole world." You can see that my learned technique with Eli is ignore. After ignoring him for 1/2 the book, he finally comes in and participates. #3. The prayer time. Do you hear Beckett say "let's pray" at the end? #4. The random thank you's I have blogged before. Tonight it was "Thank you for Mary from Beckett" and "Thank you for my pajamas" from Eli.
Every night for me my heart says thank you Lord for these boys, this family, your son Jesus, and now I can add "Thank you Lord for the Happy Meal." Amen.
Love,
The Riley's