Christmas Eve at Grandma's

We started off Christmas Eve with a slow morning for the kids and Ron since we didn't have church until 1 p.m.  I spent the morning in the kitchen baking while the rest of the family relaxed and watched T.V.  We then got ready for church, ate lunch, and headed off to attend just a special sacrament meeting.  I was grateful for this as I really wanted to fit in a nap for Ella since I knew that we would be staying up late tonight.  Luckily, she fell asleep rather quickly after we got home and slept for about 1.5 hours before we had to pack up and leave for my parent's house.  The weathermen had been talking about snow on Christmas for a couple of days, but I always have a hard time believing them until snowflakes actually start falling from the sky.  So it sure was a pleasant surprise when it actually started happening as we were getting ready to leave around 4 p.m.  The snow kept on falling the entire drive up to Issaquah and there was already an inch or so on the ground by the time we arrived.  We were all so excited!  We then spent a fun and busy evening at my parent's house with lots of delicious food and cousin commotion.  There is no other place I would rather be on Christmas Eve than at my parent's place eating my mom's turkey dinner!  And it was especially fun to be participating in all of  this while the snow continued to fall outside.  We ate a delicious dinner and had our traditional, Christmas program in the living room before finishing up the evening with dessert.  It was almost 9:45 by the time we packed up the car and pulled out and we didn't get home until 10:30.  Needless to say, Santa didn't get to bed until midnight!  What a day!

Logan, Lia, and Ella all dressed in their Christmas best before we left for church.

Mom posing with the three, best presents she's ever received!

The snow beginning to fall as we left our house.

What the snow looked like at my parent's house when we arrived a little less than an hour later.  We found Trenton playing outside with Chris when we first walked down to the house from the street above.

Two best buddies in the snow.

Ron helping Ella walk down the driveway.

Our traditional, family picture in front of my parent's Christmas tree.

Another shot of the Hartland fam.

After dinner, we started the Christmas program.  Several of the cousins played music first.  Here is Lia playing one of her Christmas songs on the piano.

Aunt Natalee led us in the "ringing" of some Christmas carols with her bells that she always brings each year.

Next, the children acted out the nativity story while Ron read it from the Bible. For the second year in a row, Ella acted out Mary and put on the most adorable performance!

Lia and Trenton delivered the message of Christ's birth to Riley the shepherd.

A picture of the kids in action while Ron was reading the story.

We got a group shot of the entire gang once the reenactment of the story was finished.  Brynn played the role of the wise men, Riley was the Shepherd, Vivi was Joseph, Ella was Mary, Lia and Trenton were the angels, and Cali was the star.

A darling close-up shot of Ella and Vivi.  Ella decided to link her arms around Vivi right before I took this picture.  I just thought it was the cutest thing!

We sang "Silent Night" in the dark after my dad lit the candles on the Christmas tree.  This is always one of my favorite traditions of Christmas.

Lia helping grandpa snuff out one of the candles.

Ella taking a turn after Lia.  Look at the snow through the window in the background of the picture.  What a special treat on a special night!