As I mentioned last post we go to Zach’s parents’s house every year on Christmas Eve and spend the night. It’s been a long standing traditions that spans generations. Typically every year there is a BIG Parker Family Football game ON Christmas Eve.
This year Christmas Eve fell on a Sunday so it made planning things a little tricky due to church services. It’s all been a bit of a crazy year in a lot of ways so the people in charge of the football game made the call to just not have it this year (which is a HUGE DEAL for Zach but he agreed it was the right call here). Instead they did a golf outing with those who wanted to participate and turned that into a friendly family competition (which if you know this family means HARDCORE TO THE DEATH COMPETITION ha!).
Robyn and I had matching dresses for Halloween and ordered similar ones for Christmas. We never were able to actually wear them together but I loved having my festive dress for church and loved that I found ones for the girls too!
(My dress here, girls dresses here)
I pulled up to church then freaked and worried if I wore red tights or if they were hot pink haha
Mr Man wasn’t too pumped for his hat!
All throughout our adoption journey I’d look at the attendance cards at church each Sunday and just say a little prayer for that 6th spot to be filled. Finally the day has come!
First church outing for Spear!!!
It was so wonderful to have him meet our church family who have been praying for him right along with us!
We love matching!
Right after church we loaded up and headed over to Mrs. Charlotte’s and Mr. Rusty’s house. Their church gets out later than ours so we had some chill time by ourselves at their home.
Check out ALL the stockings! YES THIS many people stay at their house on Christmas Eve!
So excited for that last one 🙂
It was so sweet to see our preacher mention our family on our church FB page 🙂 We are blessed and thankful!
Finally a matching pic with Tessie 😉
Let the crunk Christmas festivities begin!!!
Payton looks so thrilled about the cookie decorating 😉
Zach sent this video to his dad haha!
Meeting Uncle Brad!
Every year all the grands cuddle up on the floor and we all watch a Christmas movie
Kye haha as Casey said “when the Christmas drama is just too much for you” bahahaha
Just missing Cam!
Everyone was pretty much obsessed with Spear, Carter is a PRO with babies and is such a sweet big cousin! It’s so fun watching all the kids together and seeing them interact!
This year the Santa tracking got an upgrade from the iPad to the TV!
The official Santa Trackers
A super cute, fun tradition that I think G-Mama started was all the kids singing Christmas carols. Casey took full control over the production this year and I have to say it was my favorite part of the day. It was QUITE the performance!
Colt did not participate but was sweet enough to get in the photo 😉 I think his performance days ended with his epic portrayal as The Beast at Disney hahaha
Videos of the caroling:
Spear enjoyed watching but I’m sure he’ll be up there participating soon enough!
All the cousins!!!
Tell me we don’t have one adorable bunch 🙂
My babies…thanks Tessie 😉
The bros
(I love Tess’s sweet hand, she can’t resist loving on that baby!)
Every year we make reindeer food to bring with us for all the cousins to toss out in the yard for the reindeer to eat!
And every year G-Mama ends the day with reading The Night Before Christmas
This year’s crew in the room with Big Papa and G-Mama: Colt, Kye, Payton and Britt
And as a special treat Carter and Tessie got to have a sleep over in Casey’s room!
They were BEYOND pumped about it!
Whew. Long day when you’re running on VERY little sleep with a newborn!
Every year I never sleep very good at their house. I’m sure it’s a combo of Christmas excitement and the uncomfortable mattress. This year I may not have gotten much sleep but it was the best sleep I’ve ever gotten there! Mrs Charlotte fixed up the mattress AND she got Zach and I My Pillows for Christmas and OMG they are LIFE CHANGING! We both slept awesome!
We had such a fun day with the whole family together and just love sitting back and watching all the kids interact. I was a tad nervous about having Spear there because he struggles a bit with too many people holding him and passing him around. He did have a rough time in the evening and I think it was due to just too much “pass the baby” and overstimulation from the day but otherwise he did AWESOME. Usually there is always some sort of hiccup on Christmas Eve. Like the year we all had the flu. Or when Brad had to go to the ER. Or when Tess started puking. But this year everyone was healthy and thankful for our overflowing blessings and each other!
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