Pre-Christmas with the Urbens

This year our family celebrated Christmas just as we do each and every year. The festivities begin long before the 25th with baking and spending quality time together, which for us, is what it's all about. This year we didn't do the full baking day like we do every year, although we did to a few little goodies here and there, like Raspberry fudge and peppermint bark. We also do the traditional chocolate Advent Calendar to countdown to the big day. As I mentioned in a previous post, we make the trek to the Big Christmas Tree in Austin and make the 5mph stroll through the neighborhoods OOOOing and Awwwing over Christmas lights while listing to festive music.

By the time Christmas Eve arrives, the kids (and I) are just giddy with excitement and can tell you approximately how many hours there are until the big day at any given moment. Nana-clause arrives in the evening with her car loaded with gifts and goodies and whatever she's whipped up for dinner...this year she brought her famous homemade lasagna, tamales and a plate full of all the goodies that we neglected to bake this year...fudge, peanut butter candy, molasses cookies, and seven layer bars. It was like seeing an old friend when she brought out the goodies...I was sure I would miss them this year, but good ol Nana brought us together and I'm pretty sure I let out a small screetch of excitement when I saw the shiny plastic wrap covering the sugary goodness. After dinner we all hopped in the car and went on a successful light hunt with the kiddos and even managed a Mars sighting after a phone call from Big Daddy. Alex fell asleep in the car on the way back, but was awake and ready for more excitement once he discovered he'd dozed off.

We managed to work in a movie (A Christmas Story...what Else??) and some egg nog before reading The Night before Christmas and setting out our cookies and milk for good ol Santa, after which the kiddos retired to the basement where I'm certain they giggled and fought off sleep, in effort to catch a glimpse, or a jingle of the old fat man. Eventually, their eyes and minds must rest and they doze off for the last time before the big day.