Christmas Eve

Before Church on Sunday, I took a picture of the boys by the tree because I was so proud of how they looked. Ben and James usually wear a checkered or striped collared shirt, and I convinced them white shirts and ties would be fancy for Christmas Eve.

Millie-girl got a new bow (made by me) and I wore my Christmas sweater to church. My mother-in-law gave it to me 13 years ago after a trip to Hong Kong. I was wearing it each time we told family on Christmas that we were pregnant with our July babies, Maxwell and Millie. I could not wear it when I was 9 months pregnant with our December babies, Benjamin and Andrew.

JB also looked nice, I can assure you. But even on Christmas Eve a bishop is busy on Sundays and I never snapped his picture with us.

We went to Nona and Papa's house for traditional pizza dinner and new jammies.

Everyone with Nona and Papa: back row -- Maxwell, Emily, Spencer, Millicent, Benjamin, Millie, Jane. Front row -- James, Phineas, Andrew, Aaron.  We were missing Kate and Harvey in Idaho, and Carver in AZ.  And two new Richards baby cousins are coming in the spring.

The rat pack blonde crew of boys

The big cousins

The three youngest didn't cooperate very well for a picture together. Mine kept trying to walk away, for one thing. 

I had a lot of memories swirling about of Christmases when I was younger.  Six siblings got together with my parents at my brother James's house in Kansas City, and that left 5 apart:  Rachel in CA, Michael in WA, Peter in Japan, and Joe in Springville Utah. 

Weird that I have 5 children and I feel like my family is large! But it's not half of my growing up years.

Here are our five on the nice list before heading to bed.

I had everyone tucked in at 8 pm even though they begged to stay up later.  And I had wrapped everything the previous two nights.  Some time off work and a weekend meant late-nights with shows and Christmas movies!