{Christmas Eve}

We are going to pretend for just a moment that it is still 2013....Ok?  Just this once!! 

For Christmas Eve this year we thought about doing something a little different.  We did the usual sugar cookie decorating, homemade pizza for dinner and Nativity story with puppets and all that, but one thing that was new this year was the National Christmas Tree.  With this being our last Christmas here we wanted to do something we would remember and that we wouldn't be able to do any where else.  So after dinner, we hopped onto the Metro and headed downtown.  It was COLD!!  Seriously bone chilling.  The wind was awful and if you could for even just a moment stand behind a tree or something so as to hide from it you told yourself it wasn't too bad.  But is was!!  The kids were troopers and were really excited to see the tree.  That is probably the only reason that they didn't rise up in mutiny against Ryan and I!!

The Washington Monument is almost done with repairs.  The scaffolding went all the way to the top and now it only has that bottom portion left.  We are hoping to get to tour it before we move.

Finally, after what felt like an epic arctic expedition we made it to the tree.  It was pretty amazing all lit up with lights.  All around the base of the tree they had set up an entire model town complete with trains.  Wyatt was fascinated with that and we barely got him to come home with us when we were done looking.  We bribed him with hot chocolate and then and only then did he agree to leave the trains.  It was a pretty cool set up.  We saw the Nativity they had set up and then made our way out of the crowd and trudged off to hop on the Metro to head back home to warmth.  We are glad, despite the frozen toes and noses, that we went down to see the tree.  Something we will remember for sure.

Once home the kids got to open up the traditional Christmas pajamas.  Of course they had to suffer through Mom's pictures.  Poor kids.  To keep them happy I allow one crazy picture and then they don't seem to mind pretending to be normal!!  As I look at these pictures all I can think is STOP GROWING!!  These darn kids won't stop eating and growing!  Man time is flying!  

He is as tall as me!

She is almost as tall as me!

Thankfully the stars have aligned and this one most likely won't ever be taller than me, but perhaps just the same size!!

This one will most definitely be taller than me.  He is almost taller than Lauryn!

With that the kids were ready for bed, so were Ryan and I!  Each and every year we are amazed at how blessed we are.  Merry Christmas Eve!!