Christmas Eve 2008

At the Hardeman's

With Kristel and her boys

Feeding the Reindeer

Mimi, Papa and the boys

Making sure the cookies are out!

Christmas is by far my favorite time of year. I love when the FISH starts playing Christmas Carols or when it finally gets a little bit colder outside ( a rare occasion in SoCal), when my mom pulls out my grandma's Christmas cookie recipe, or shopping and imaging how excited family will be when they open their gifts. I love church services and the joy that seems to fill the pews as we all anxiously await the celebration of our Savior's birth. This year Christmas was extra special. Trav and I got to spend it together with our families, something we were never able to do while dating.

We both come from families that have carried on traditions for many, many years and I love it. I look forward to the years to come where our kids will be joining in on them. Trav had to work till 7pm but I was off at 4 so I joined my parents and my sister w/ her boys for church. It was perfect because we went to the children's service and I was able to take my nephews up front for the message. They had saucers for eyes as they listened to the pastor and sang "Angels We Have Heard on High" Afterwards, we went to my parents for dinner and Trav met up with us after work. Every Christmas Eve, we read the Christmas story from Luke...we take turns reading it each year. Even though I hear it every year, it still has this magical feeling to it. I love looking around and seeing my family snuggling together as we listen to the greatest story. After that, my dad reads the "Night Before Christmas" and now the kids put out cookies and milk in hopes that Santa will come! This year, my mom added the "reindeer food" for Parker and Kody. They sprinkled glitter and oats on the grass...it was pretty cute!

After that, Trav and I headed over to his parents house. As we all curled up on the couches in their living room, his mom got ready to pass out the packages. A Hardeman tradition, that has been passed on since Cindy was little, is that on Christmas Eve everyone receives their first Christmas present, new pajamas. I have to say, this could very easily become one of my favorite traditions as I LOVE pajamas! I also love that everyone's pajamas are matching. The boys were given black sweats this year while the girls showed true Christmas spirit in red. Another tradition is a new game to be played. Thankfully, I grew up playing games and love them because they are definitely a game family and I love it! Snowboarding for Wii was the game this year! Not only is it fascinating to feel as if you are really snowboarding, but you can't stop because you just want to meet the goal or try new tricks! Thanks to that game, Trav and I have had the itch to go "real" snowboarding which we are planning for the end of January!