Robertsons & Daughters: Christmas Eve +

Elden put it best: "I think I like Christmas Eve better than Christmas because it's so exciting waiting for Christmas!"

We bought a Dyson AND it came used. Ugh. So after contacting customer service and shipping it back the NEW, correct Dyson arrived on Christmas Eve! Just in time to freshen up the floors before Christmas!

Haley has been making some AWESOME homemade hot cocoa. And it's so cute how she does the presentation as well!

Not sure if Elden is taking a nap? Or just pretending?

Another picture of the house with the snow! Sadly the expensive LED last-forever lights don't work so well. Part of them are out. Ugh.

Gift deliveries one night!

More cocoa fun!

Before Christmas Eve we had a piano recital on Zoom so Shanna could perform in a recital. All the kids participated as well as many cousins. It was fun to all get together. Lee's mom joined in as well.

Our quick one-time timer photo from Lee's phone. Turned out okay!

On Monday before Christmas we headed to North Carolina to visit Daniel and Amy and family and drop off Christmas gifts.

It's alwasys so fun visiting with them. I waited to go down till Ila and Lizzy were there so I could see them as well while they were on break.

We then headed down to Sam's house. He moved during COVID so I hadn't seen his new house yet. I didn't get a picture of him, but did of the house. We loved visiting with him and getting a tour of the house! He fed us lunch and gave us yummy snacks to go. It was really cute while we were eating lunch Elden was sitting outside by the firepit. Just eating and sitting. Loved that. He can sit and enjoy being with himself with nothing else going on.

Sam made these awesome cookies--I thought they were refrigerated dough. Sorry Sam! But he made them from scratch and used this recipe! I'm going to have to try it! YUM!

We had started Monopoly the weekend before and Lee and Clark were the only ones left. They finished the game and Lee won. I was third place and put Cal over my estate. We didn't last long.

I don't know why I'm always surprised but every year Lee's team members get us a Christmas gift and I always forget that they do this for us. It's always fun when he brings gifts home from the office.

SO CUTE, right?! Inside were Hershey bars--that help make the "snowmen" and then a $15 gift certificate for each person to Route 33, a burger place.

Clark worked Christmas Eve so we did everything early which was actually quite nice. That morning it was warmer than it had been and I went running--8 miles, even though it was raining out.

Lee made yummy pumpkin cream cheese muffins from Mel's Kitchen Cafe and for family scripture reading that morning we did the Nativity story. Shanna did a little "play" for us with this Avon nativity set.

Christmas Eve we always have a "fancy" dinner. But maybe it's not fancy? It was sad not to see my Dad on his birthday--Christmas Eve--but we visited over Zoom that afternoon.

I tried a new recipe for the ham. I was a little worried about it but pretty much everyone loved it and want me to make it again! It's Mel's Kitchen Cafe recipe for sweet ham. But I used 1/2 cup of brown sugar instead of 1 cup. I don't like really sweet, savory things. Like baked beans. Wow, way too sweet! I think next time I'll cut back on the brown sugar even more--to 1/3 cup, and cook it in the instant pot for 40 minutes. I had a 5 pound, bone in ham. You cook it in the instant pot with 2 parts water, 1 part vinegar. And let the steam release naturally. Shred it up. Then in a 9x9 dish sprinkle on the brown sugar mixed with 1.5 tablespoons ground dry mustard on half the shredded ham, put the rest of the ham on top--sprinkle with remaining sugar. Then bake, tightly covered, for 1 hour, at 325 degrees. https://www.melskitchencafe.com/sweet-baked-ham-the-most-unique-and-delicious-ham-ive-ever-had/

We had cheesy potatoes, ham, green beans

Rolls, deviled eggs, pistachio jello salad, and strawberry pretzel salad. Clark worked from 12:7:30 that day. I wanted to eat at 11:00 but we weren't ready. Ugh. But we were in full-swing eating by 11:40ish. We had people get the salads, rolls and eggs first. But he had dinner and was to work on time. AND he got home at 6:30!!! What a great surprise!

I signed up to bring the missionaries dinner that night. I threw in two chargers, two stem glasses and bottle of soda to make it more festive. Oh and some peppermint Joe Joes!

It's been so fun having a "fancy" tree the past few years.

Next year I might coordinate fancy outfits for everyone!

Lee played Magic with Cal and Haley. Shanna and I played Mancala.

Shanna requested a Christmas Eve dance.

We also dropped off dinner to the missionaries. That night we watched the cartoon "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". The kids were settled in their hallway by about 8:15pm!