Christmas Eve Eve



With Jesse's schedule this year we had to adjust our Christmas Eve plans with his family. He was scheduled to work 24 hour shifts on the 24th, 26th, 28th and 30th. So we decided to celebrate "Christmas Eve" on the 23rd with the Smith's. As we were planning it we all started calling it Christmas Eve Eve or Christmas Eve Squared.

 

Since the majority of the Smith Siblings all had to work on the 23rd until about 5:00 we made arrangements for everyone to meet at the parentals at 6:00pm and then we would head over to a nearby Retirement Center to do our traditional caroling to ones who don't get too many visits. Bringing them some Holiday Cheer.

 

We had practiced a few songs the Sunday before (Dec 21) so we could be ready for Tuesday night. Mom had actually bought musical bells so we could play a song with them. They figured out how we could play Silent Night together. We all had one bell and we had a little chart of numbers telling us when to play our "note". Some runs were better than others, but for the most part it was pretty good.

 

My favorite part was Ryker's little solo of "Up on the Housetop". He would sing the verses by himself and then the rest of us would join in on the Chorus. It made me so happy every time he sang for them. And their faces would just light up when they heard him sing. I was so proud of him for being so brave. Especially because it brought so much joy to those cute old ladies.

 

I was still feeling pretty crappy from my cold so my energy level wasn't where I'd hoped it would be. But it warmed my heart that we could bring some Holiday cheer to these old folks.

 

On the car ride back to Mom and Dad's house, Ryker was telling Jesse and I that he was feeling so happy. We explained to him that was because he did a service for someone and that gives you a happy feeling. Also Jesse told him that Jesus was happy that we did something good for someone else, and that is what Christ's wants us to do.  

 

When we got back to the house we all dug into a scrumptious Christmas meal. Heidi was so cute and set the table with her Christmas dishes.  Sadly that's the only picture I took that night. I think it's mostly because I wasn't feeling so good.



After dinner I think we all just laid around. I honestly can't remember if we played a game or not. I think I was in a food/ head-cold coma. I do remember falling asleep on the couch at one point. Haha.