Christmas Eve (2022)

 

THE FIRST TRADITION OF THE DAY IS TO HAVE SOME PURDY FRIENDS OVER FOR LUNCH, A WALK, AND GAMES. WHERE ARE THESE SNAPSHOTS, MILLIE?  I think I'm missing her second camera card. When I find it, I'll update this post!

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Even though we have a pile of traditions already, for many years now, I've had a few more on my list that I've wanted to add. On Christmas Eve, along with stocking stretching, we usually eat snacks while watching a Christmas movie. This year, along with the snacks, I added a new tradition by making rice pudding, and in one of the bowls, I hid an almond for a wish, a la Annika's Secret Wish (a book that was given to Annika by our pastor's wife in Buffalo when she was a newborn).

Skylark's discovery of the almond was fun (especially because Luci had quietly discovered it and then switched bowls with her), but I discovered something less fun that night-- a slew of bowls of leftover rice pudding because only a few of the children are huge fans of rice pudding. Whaaaaaaat?! So, next Christmas Eve, I'm hiding an almond in warm, homemade vanilla pudding, without the rice. ;)  (I love rice pudding. They're just weirdos.)

Sigh. Look at all of that delicious rice pudding. 

And then they all went to bed so I could stay up all night Doing Things.