Christmas Eve!

Christmas Eve was another great hit for the Asbell clan!

The cousins, though....they stole the show. They were so happy to be back together again!

We love having family all in one spot during the holidays! We are so big, it's hard to do!

Nonna and Pop love being with all their grands!

Nonna got her 'bow picture'. This tradition harkens back to 2008 when Evan was born. 

2010 and 2011 Luke was already in bed for the picture, but starting in 2012, I was able to get both of them together! And we have taken this picture ever since. Last year, there was some resistance. Thankfully this year, the boys were just fine participating. I think while we were in New York, Nonna was able to show Luke and Evan all the pictures from all the years and explain how special this tradition was for. The sweet boys didn't want to disappoint. 

This year EVERYONE got in on the tradition!

Then it was present time. And boy or boy, do these kiddos know how to rip into a present!

And Evan. Oh, my excitable one. He knows how to open a present.

Christmas Eve can't be Christmas Eve without reindeer food. Or can it... This year was the FIRST year in either of my boys' school careers that they didn't bring reindeer food home from school. They are so big!!!  This, of course, means I completely forgot about reindeer food being a thing, until my sweet precious almost 3-year-old niece asked her mom in the sweetest voice if Aunt Amanda had reindeer food this year. 

Oh, crap.

So I scavenged the pantry and came up with about 1/8 cup of oatmeal....for 4 kids. Cue Aunt Amanda freak out. Thankfully, Jason recommended putting some cereal in it! I found some mini wheats, crushed them up, and viola! Reindeer food filler. Oh, but wait. It's not reindeer food without magic. What makes the reindeer food magic?? Glitter, my friends. 

Glitter...I don't own glitter for a reason. You know what they say about glitter right? If not, ask me later. I can't put that in print.

Cue second Aunt Amanda freak out. Thankfully, the other Asbell, John, suggested sugar cookie crystals. PERFECT!!! Now each child had their own hodge-podge reindeer food to put/drop/throw on the soaking wet lawn.

But NO Christmas Eve can be complete without leaving out milk and cookies for Santa. Each kid got to pick out one cookie for the plate. And it had to be on our "Cookies for Santa" plate. I think Skylar might have snuck a cookie for herself.