Our Christmas Eve 2012

Our Christmas Eve looked a bit different this year as it was the first time we have spent this day just the three of us. We wanted to just keep it low-key and spend quality family time together. So somehow we came up with the crazy idea of taking Shelby to Chuck E. Cheese for the very first time! It ended up being the best idea ever! Shelby loved it! And the best part was that we had the whole place to ourselves for most of the morning!

After Chuck E. Cheese, we all came home and took a good nap. :)  We stayed at home that evening and just had more family time. We finished up Shelby's gingerbread houses, ate dinner, and watched Christmas movies together. Then before bed, we got out the cookies Shelby had decorated to leave out for Santa, did carrots for the reindeer, and read Twas the Night Before Christmas.

Carefully selecting Santa's cookies. We were very surprised that Shelby really seemed to
"get" the concept of leaving the cookies for Santa and didn't ask to eat the cookies herself once
throughout this process, which is very shocking considering our kid LOVES cookies. :)

Shelby was running with excitement to put the carrots out for the reindeer :)

Shelby posing in front of the cookies, milk, & carrots with her post-bath wet hair. :)

Shelby was being a stubborn 2 year old and refused to sit in Daddy's lap for our
traditional reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas. She preferred to strain her
neck to listen to the story. ;)

After Shelby got to bed, Mommy & Daddy had so much fun getting everything ready for Christmas Morning as we watched Polar Express together. It was a perfect Christmas Eve for our little family!