Despite illnesses throughout the family, we mustered ourselves together for a photo shoot.  We get dressed up, except this year we begged off with dh on getting completely dressed up.  After all ds and I had colds and dh had a stomach virus.  So we got to wear bluejeans this year!  We discoursed on how to take the photo, without my face looking red.  I don't think it always looks this red.  I think it has to do with the flash, but dh insisted we needed the flash.  I can't stand that redness in my face.  Anyone know how to keep it from showing up in the pictures.  When ds took tons of pictures of me in my new earrings, we learned my face looked better without the flash...but then it was blurry.  So we opened all the windows and turned on all the lights and that helped a bit.  I also wish I still wore contacts...but that's another story.

Some changed into more comfortable clothes, while I got the snacks/dinner ready.  While tamales were steaming, mozarella cheesesticks were baking, and shrimp was thawing, dh put a fire in the fireplace.

Then dd read our devotion with the Advent Candle.  She and ds had been sharing a lot of the reading this week, which was new.  I was trying to save my voice, with the cold.  Even though we have done this advent candle book for years, the children noticed things for the first time.  Like, there were extra readings, depending on how late in the week Christmas falls. They had never thought of that before.

Guess who showed up for the reading?

Slipper kitty adores laps and books to climb over and edges of books to rub her chin on.

There's just nothing like trying to read while the book is bumping up and down and while getting a furry tail in your face.

Of course kitty acts offended and wanders off...but can't bear the temptation...

Guess who's back?  It never fails.  This is what I put up with all the time!  Maybe she'll be more content if she gets a big hug and her picture taken!

Now she is just too irresistable and ds has to grab her away from dd!

After resuming our reading, we discussed on how people reacted to Jesus' first coming...and how they perceive His second coming today.  This is always interesting, talking about the reading and applying past events to the present culture.  We've discovered that things haven't changed much really!  Then it was time for the snacks.  Since dd was the only healthy person in the room, she got to blow out the candle on the fruitcake, after singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.  (That picture came out blurry.)  You can see the lit candle in the back left corner.

We settled down to eat while watching "It's a Wonderful Life."  We all love this movie.  We are big Jimmy Stewart fans and the story line is wonderful.  By the way, if any of you wonder what my brother is like, he could pass for Jimmy Stewart in a look a like contest!  He can even impersonate him....grunts and all!  =)  Of course, now that I'm settled, kitty is ready to invade my lap with her furry presence.  However I have food I am trying to eat.  It was so funny, I'd just put her down on the floor and ds and I would wave our hands to under the tree, and under the tree she would go.  She kept popping out every few minutes to see if my lap was free yet, then she'd go back under the tree when we pointed to it! 

Finally, I was done eating and my lap was ready. Of course she's not content until I stretch out and lay the blanket on top of my lap. 

Now isn't this cozy?  DD likes to lay against me too...

Usually ds is squeeze in here too, between me and the couch.  Back to the story, I do think this is a classic.  I have felt like George any number of times.  Why am I here?  What is the point?  What good am I?  Of course this has a Christian worldview and can be better adapted...Am I doing God's work?  Am I being God's person?  Am I allowing Him to work through me?  Am I planting the seeds and leaving the fruit for Him to develop? 

After the movie, the kids were ready to open their presents.  DD got an itty bitty origami kit, which I think will be too difficult for her. She has trouble with full size origami, whereas my son is terrific with it.  He got a snowman kit from the same recipient and I suggested they trade out.  But dd is going to give the origami a try.  DS's gift for the night was a group of several books from me and dh.  I'm not sure he seemed to excited about them, but he started reading one of them in a few days, TwentyOne Balloons.  I knew he would like that book, because I did some teacher projects with it when I was in college and I had vague wonderful memories of it.  Sure enough, he loved the book.  That is all he could talk about. 

This is a typical Christmas Eve for us...staying at home, enjoying each other's company, reading and talking about the Reason for the Season...Silent Night...