Christmas Eve 2014

Christmas Eve was filled with lots of fun this year! We were in Utah. Here's a quick run down on the day so that I don't forget! I took way too many photos so I want to make sure that they help document the day. If you feel like seeing more, my Christmas Eve 2014 album is here.

We started off the day with a trip to Magelby's Fresh for breakfast with Grandma Shari (Kevin's mom). The kids inhaled pancakes and orange juice and we made a quick escape as soon as a brawl broke out between Catie & Andrew over something silly.

We spent the rest of the daytime running last minute errands to get gifts and then helping my mom out over at her house to get ready for Christmas Eve dinner.

Ryan took a nice long nap, Andrew played Connect Four with Grandpa, and Catie got to spend a few hours playing with Grandma Shari at her house and getting some much needed 1:1 time and attention! I wish I could've gotten a nap! After staying up till 4am the night before I was EXHAUSTED.

The Christmas Eve festivities kicked off around 5pm and we ate lots of yummy food. 

After dinner the kids did some dress up in silly Santa and elf clothes and then we re-enacted the nativity using these awesome nativity costumes that Elise got my mom for an early Christmas gift. 

Catie was an angel, Andrew was Joseph, and Ryan was a donkey.

Elise was the narrator and read from a script while the kids acted out the story of the first Christmas. I was so impressed with how smoothly it went! Three years ago when we last tried it it was quite a disaster even though it was so cute! :)

Catie had the biggest role as the angel because she was the only one who got to speak. It was so cute listening to her! She really was so excited about her job.

Baby Lauren was the cutest little lamb, even though she hated her costume.

After the nativity show the kids played for a bit while we cleaned up and then we did a Santa pinata and played "jingle in the trunk" and did a wreath toss game.

Jingle in the trunk is when you strap an empty kleenex box to your waist with the box in the back and fill it with jingle bells and candy. Two people complete and try to see who can get the bells/candy all out of their boxes first. There was a lot of jumping and shaking. It was hysterical.

We ended the night with our usual sub for Santa drop off. The oldest four kids plus Jess & Ben (Jessie's fiance) and my mom got decked out in Santa gear and drove off to drop off some special presents to some friends who needed some extra love this holiday season.

Mr & Mrs Claus

The crazy kids in the car

We ended the night with some mint chip ice cream pie with hot fudge and chatting with Elise and Dan over at the house we are staying at in my parent's neighborhood. The kiddos all went to sleep pretty quickly and since we had stayed up SO LATE on Tuesday night wrapping gifts we barely had anything to finish up on Christmas Eve and we got to bed before 2 am! How awesome! I will definitely be doing that again next year. 

Merry Christmas Eve!

Buskirk Cookie Exchange 2014

This year's annual Cookie Exchange was a hit! We had a great group of judges that kept things lively and the food was delicious! I made a bunch of appetizers that were so yummy too. I am still dreaming about them! I have no idea who won... but I do know that Cat was robbed and her brownie trifle should've won. Here are a few pictures from the big day! A few minutes before the event started Ryan slipped in the bathtub and almost knocked himself out. He threw up all over the bathtub and totally stressed me out! Fortunately after a call to the nurse help line we got him to bed and he felt fine and the party got to go on!

What a yummy tradition! I already can't wait till next year!