'Twas the NIght Before Christmas...

What  doozy of a day! I was wide awake and excited first thing this morning. I tried to sleep in a bit. Unfortunately my mind had already started listing all the to do's for me! So at 7, I gave up and decided to get started on stuff. I baked a red velvet cake & put together some Icelandic Delight for supper. I also baked the sweet potatoes for the casserole for tomorrow. The kids ate breakfast and then I headed to the gym for my 9:30 class, thinking I was ahead of the game.

Class was fairly demanding but no more so than usual but by 11:30 I was exhausted. If I closed my eyes for a second, I started to drift off standing on the spot. I ate some lunch and desperately wanted some sleep so I asked if Murray minded if I checked out for awhile. He gave me the go ahead and once the kids finally stopped hollering, I was gone for a solid two hours. I had to force myself to get up because supper was waiting to be prepared.

Finally everything was ready, Mum & Dad had arrived and we ate not too long after I'd planned! Supper went well, everyone ate. It helps when I make a favourite, Swedish Meatballs. I'm not sure if Lovey was feeling too well, she only ate 2 meatballs and didn't feel like having any dessert but when she's full, she's full and she just doesn't want anything else, even if it's her all time favourite supper.

We got ready for church and made it there in good time. We were greeting at the door,  handing out bulletins and candles. The kids were tripping over each other to get THEIR candle into the hands of whoever was coming through the door! Enthusiastic greeters are festive right?

Lovey did a violin solo at the beginning of the service, Away in a Manger and did a great job. What I noticed most of all was how COMFORTABLE she was in front of that big room with over 450 people in it!!!! It didn't even faze her, I'm not even sure she gave it a thought at all.and she's only 7½!!! Wow!. I had to do a reading and wasn't entirely sure I'd be keeping all my meatballs!!!

We sang Christmas carols the whole way to and home from church. I've never heard Partridge in a Pear Tree quite that fast before but they were belting it out and not trying to kill each other so I can't complain!

When we got home, they raced to get their jammies on but were NOT the least bit ready to go to sleep! Lovey had to wrap her presents for her sisters and then they settled down to read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas with Murray. We finally got them in bed and tucked in, prayers said a bit before 9:30 but the energy was still buzzing. Someone came to drop off a Christmas card at 10pm and RANG the doorbell! BOING! 3 little heads popped over the bannister, NEEDING to know who was here, what was going on etc. So the settling down process was totally blown out of the water! LOL Everything was calm and silent shortly after though so I think they finally crashed!

Tomorrow should be pretty wild! Hopefully they get some decent sleep. Honey had several moments of misery today over very minor upsets and a 2nd day of that won't be pretty!