Santa Visits!! Christmas Eve 2012

Last year Nicole asked to stay home and have Christmas at her house so that's what we did. Thankfully, my parents were able to be with us. They arrived the afternoon of Christmas Eve. Allyson was most excited, I think, to see Marrie.

That evening we attended a Christmas Eve service at Central Assembly of God (our church doesn't have one). Trying to get a picture of them together almost ruined my Christmas spirit. 

After service my parents noticed Allyson singing out of the hymnbook. It was so cute.

When we got home the girls were SO surprised. Santa was in the house!!! 

Santa had a very special gift that requires a lot of responsibility. 

(The playroom was a mess - it's since gone through stage one of the post-Christmas "purge.")

We also had a gift for Santa. A beautiful musical globe (that the girls had played almost non-stop since we bought it). He liked it very much.

Then he tucked the girls in bed. 

And Marrie.

He even posed for a few pictures with the adults.

And showed off his homemade bag from Mrs. Claus.

After Santa left we actually let the girls get up as we had promised them a candlelight service. We had attended one a few nights prior and Nicole wanted to do this. So I saved the candles. Papa read the Christmas story and we had prayers by candlelight. At one point Allyson almost lights herself on fire but, thankfully, it was a near-miss. I know... what was I thinking giving a 4-year-old a lighted candle?

We also sang a couple of carols. Be warned before you hit "play" - these are not available for download on iTunes, even though I know you'll want them so bad.