Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Talmage participated in a Christmas pageant at the Church of Heavenly Rest on the Upper East Side on Christmas Eve. I proposed the idea to T around Thanksgiving after emailing the church and learning that you didn't have to be a member of their congregation to participate and he immediately wanted to do it. We attended last year and he remembered all of the live animals, the dancers, and the children singing their praises to Jesus! He was cast as a page to one of the wisemen, and he took his role very seriously. They practiced A. LOT. during December so that they would be prepared for the show, and I'm very proud of our little 5-year-old and all of those kids for doing such a great job! There were two performances on Christmas Eve and after the first one T was tired and really wanted to go home, but then we talked and he later told his Dad, "I remembered that there were people in the audience who wanted to feel the Christmas spirit and I had to do my job." I'm so glad that we were part of such a terrific pageant and spent all of Christmas Eve focusing on the true meaning of this season.

Christmas day was extremely low-key. We opened presents, ate good food, and spent the day lounging around the house enjoying new toys and each other.

Christmas cookies and milk for Santa on the left. And on the right, a picture I snuck Christmas morning before the kids woke up!

How cute is this kid in his new Batman costume?

Santa brought her a Sophie giraffe and her smile says it all!

I don't think I've ever seen T laugh harder than when James read him "The Book with No Pictures." Let's be honest, anytime someone says "butt" it's just about the funniest thing ever!

Merry Christmas 2014!!!