We had a wonderful Christmas Eve. Spent the day mostly hanging out and relaxing. Em (the other one) & I did have some last minute shopping to finish up, the cold outside was much worse than the crowds so it wasn't that bad. Mom got rockband for her Birthday back in July, we haven't been here since than so yesterday we pulled it out and Alaina agreed to play with us. I think we make a pretty good rockband if I do say so myself!

We, Em & Em, decided to help Mom & Dad out and make the Pasta E Fagiole for dinner. We ate by candle light, and the soup was excellent!

Tradition in Mom H's family is to celebrate Christmas Eve, this is a tradition she has carried on. It was my first year celebrating Christmas Eve here and participating in this tradition. It was so much fun, the night started off with Dad playing Christmas Carols on the guitar, than opening presents from Oma & Opa. Mark got a beautiful glass and gold airplane ornament for our tree, thanks Opa! Mom also got a surprise....a NEW camera! Dad surprised her with it by giving it to her last night instead of today. She went picture crazy, so check out her blog for more pictures I kind of put ours away after she got hers. A tradition from my family, that Mark & I have to decided to carry on to our own family, is always reading a new childrens book that is centered around Christmas before going to bed and awaiting Santa Claus' arrival. This year my Mom sent us a book,
The Miracle of the Wooden Shoes. Mark read it to us, it was wonderful. After this we gathered as a family and sang Christmas carols. As many of you know singing is not one of my talents, and I am usually very uncomfortable singing around people especially those who could be professionals. Marks family is very musically talented, I am not this has been hard for me to want to sing as part of the family. But last night I realized they don't love me as a wife, daughter and sister depending on if I can sing or not, they love me for me. So I stepped out of my box & sang out loud in celebration of our Saviours birth! What difference the spirits of the night had when the songs of the season were being sung into the air. As I was telling my friend Natalie on the phone later I ust wanted to shout to the world of the truthfulness of the Season and the Gospel. She than suggested we should be able to bottle this up for opening on hard days, so I hope each of can keep this spirit with us for those hard days.

Oh you can just click on our family & friends list Mom H to see her blog, I don't know if she's updated yet or not.