Christmas Eve

I really wish that I could have finished posting about the Christmas holiday by now. I am not the best with technology, and it was a battle to figure out how to get the pictures off of my phone and onto this computer. Grrr. Luckily the tech support lady was very helpful, so I can proceed with my blogging :)

Every Christmas Eve we spend half the day with Joseph's family, and half with mine.  For some reason I didn't take any pictures with the Jennings. But there was definitely fun and food and barbies for the girls!  We headed off to my parents where we got to build graham cracker gingerbread houses and have an annual Passey Family Christmas program.  I wish that Phillip and his crew could have been here! We were lucky enough to have Andrew and his family though.

Classic Maddy face!  She built a beautiful gingerbread house with Aunt Sarah's help

Uncle Kevin got Sarah started...

Aunt Sarah helping Jake and Maddy

Sarah realized that she could just squeeze the icing into her mouth, and so she did!

I wish I could tell you what Ben was eating in this picture... I hope it's not a dog toy.  Needless to say, he was not interested in making a house.

I realized that Sarah was very sad, and when I asked her what was wrong, she pointed out that she needed some candy INSIDE her gingerbread house.

 Problem solved.

Uncle Kevin supervising while Maddy, Reagan and Ryan make their houses

Jake was SO proud of his house!! "Aunt Shawna!  Take a picture of mine!!"

I just felt the need to document that I was infact present...
Having a good time with my Ben!

I flipped through a Wilton gingerbread booklet, and decided to recreate a house I saw, to my family's amazement.
I think it turned out great.

 Each year my younger siblings Steph, Kevin and Scott have a contest to see who can build the best house. Now that Steph is married, her husband joins in on the fun.  I decided to participate and they disqualified me, because, well, I don't remember. 

I schooled them.

Scott made a gingerbread man house.  Notice the peppermint door on the right side of his ribcage... I was very impressed.

I believe this was Billy's. If you aren't a fan of Psych, you won't understand. If you are, it is supposed to be Shawn's house, and Gus's house, with a pool that spans both backyards.  Love it!

Kevin's masterpiece.  I don't know what it is, but I love it! Ben also enjoyed carrying it around like a football and eating the candy corn off of it every time we went to Mamacheri's!

Last but not least, Stephanie's horrific and bloody battle scene from Harry Potter. Hello?? Is this what Christmas is all about?? :)

 My grandparents came over for some finger foods and our Christmas Program. My grandpa rolled up to the house looking like this:

My little shy Sarah doesn't usually speak to Papa. But when Papa came in with this, she sat at his feet and began talking up a storm!  Telling him everything she wanted for Christmas! It was so funny.  Maddy was fooled at first too. I love kids!

 We had our program and enjoyed our family's talents and everyone's sense of humor.  Dad and the boys were crazy! We sang songs, violins were played and stories were told.

Normally this is where the night ends. But this year Andrew and his family were with us, and they brought their trailor and we rounded up some bales of hay so we could go Christmas Caroling!  What a blast!  We bundled up, filled up an insulated igloo drink thing full of hot chocolate and Andrew drove us around the neighborhood while we sang our lungs off.  Sippin' hot chocolate and singing anything from classic Christmas Carols such as Away in a Manger, or Angels We Have Heard On High, to I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus or Grandma got run over by a reindeer!  People were coming to their windows and waving, and even coming out onto their porches to listen.  I have never had so much fun on Christmas Eve. Highlight of our night!!

It was a fantastic Christmas eve.  The only thing missing was Phillip and his family...