The Christmas festivities finally began Christmas Eve afternoon. We started with lunch at Noni Jones's to do our gift exchange with my mom, brother, sister and their families.
There was just so much to love about this day!
And Grayson's cheesy smile was in full effect.
Trying to get a group shot of the kids is always a task, but I appreciate the effort they put forth to try to make it happen...
Next year, Giuliana will be right up there with them. But for now, she sat on Noni's lap pretty as can be.
The kids, of course, loved opening all of their gifts. Seeing their reactions is priceless!
Avery got a new chair!
Double the cheesiness with smiles alongside Aunt RaRa!
And then some smooches!
After we left there, we headed to the family service at church. It was really wonderful this year!
It always ends with a candlelit singing of "Silent Night"....gets me every time. I always tear up at this point...seeing our children's face light up with the candlelight, celebrating the true meaning of Christmas, and being surrounded by family. It's just all so much to take in for Mommy!
Afterwards, we head over to my Aunt Terri's to meet up with the rest of the Jones's for our annual Christmas Eve Eating Extravaganza that gets bigger and bigger each year, as my cousins are all starting families of their own.
Here are some of the "bigger" kids without the three other "baby" cousins.
In addition to the babies that were born since last year, there was another new addition....quite possibly the most adorable little puppy I have ever seen, Mr. Fox.
And here's the whole family (minus one cousin who had to work that night)!
A more recent tradition is that Santa makes a delivery at the front door for all of the kids so that they can each open one gift that night.
It was a long day of no naps and late bedtime, but it was wonderful! We were very thankful that the kids went to bed without a hitch so that "Santa" and "Mr. Clause" could get to work!
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