Life is a test. We are not present on earth to just exist; we are here to learn. Life is a lesson. Love one another unconditionally. Love thyself unconditionally. We spend our whole lives learning to do this. Some succeed and some never have a clue. I'm trying. Love my fellow man. Don't react and don't always have to be right. This is one I'll have to work on for the rest of my life. Appreciate each day and recognize positive and negative as a part of life's experiences. Look around me and see life at it's best. The joys of living come as you strive to achieve your dreams. Its the quality of each day that is important, not the distant dream once achieved. Teach and nurture my children. You can never give them too much love. -Randa Jex 1/1/94

Wednesday, January 8

A Magical Christmas Eve

I will go to any lengths to give my kids a magical childhood! And Christmas Eve is the Olympics of childhood magical moments. Seriously people, imagine the excitement of thinking that all in one night a big jolly man with tons of gifts would visit you, a group of flying reindeer would be flying to your home, and a baby in a manger is having a birthday.  Okay, so that is the over simplified version however this sums up the simple joy in our 2 year old's heart this Christmas season. This year I knew we had to start some lasting traditions since Austin is now old enough to remember EVERYTHING you say.


I don't think this sweet boy stopped smiling all day he was so excited.
Here we are right after Christmas Eve candlelight service (my favorite Christmas tradition) at church.  As we arrived home, we had a huge surprise.  There were muddy prints on the front porch which could only mean one thing, the reindeer made a delivery to the house (I wanted the horse drawn carriage to do it but they weren't running that day...maybe next year!).  Prancer and Dancer delivered Christmas Eve boxes from Santa complete with notes to the kids and other goodies. 

This year the boxes included popcorn, a movie, gingerbread men, Christmas PJs, a book of the Christmas story, a book for Maddy from the Madeline series, cake mix, icing, and candles to make Jesus' birthday cake, candy, notes from Santa, stationary to write Santa, reindeer food, hot chocolate and a mug, etc.


Letters from Santa telling the kids how excited he was to be making the trip to Natchez.



 Stationary for the kids to write and draw for Santa.

We sprinkled this on the front yard to entice the reindeer



Reading Austin his note from Santa

He was so excited about his box of goodies

"Writing" Santa his letter.  There was a box he had to check for Nice or Naughty and he sure did check Naughty.
   
Reading Maddy the Christmas Story.  Every page he would "read":  "and then Jesus was born"


 Maddy was so excited to go to sleep so Santa could come!

Santa dropped off bags of toys for the kids.

And read the kids letters and wrote back a very sweet note...and of course gobbled up the cookies we made him!

It was such a special night for the kids and us and I can't wait to continue this tradition every year.



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