Twas the Night Before Christmas

Santa says... 1 day til Christmas. Squeeeee!



First, I would like to show off our cookie plates for the holidays. On the top tier are Russian Teacakes and Chocolate Snowstorms.

Down below: butter spritz cookies, rugulach and salted chocolate shortbread.



And cutout cookies. Yum.



The pugs were getting a little restless...



No, Mom! Please don't call Santa! We'll be good! Promise!



It was kind of a lazy day. Turtle and DH went out for some last-minute items at Publix and brought home Sonny's for lunch. Then, after a nap, we attempted 4:00 mass.

We got there at around 3:20, anticipating crowds. We got a great seat - on the side of the church, near the back, on the end.

Turtle was not doing well. He was teething pretty badly. He wanted to walk around, check out the nativity (loudly announcing "donkey!" to anyone who would listen). He couldn't settle.

Five minutes before the mass started, we decided to move into the children's chapel. I'm not a fan, but I would also hate to be the cause of any disruption. It was crowded in there, but we got a seat and the mass began.

Turtle decided he wanted to spend the hour climbing up and down the three stairs that led from the door to the main area. Up and down. Up and down. Up and down. He ate some goldfish (which reminds me that my pockets are full of goldfish that managed to fall on the floor - I had to hide them), and also tried to make a leap for the lightswitch, crying "Lights! Off!" to the delight of another dad.

Longest. Hour. Of my life.

We left immediately after communion.

But at least we tried.

We hurried home, gave Turtle his dinner and his bath and then it was time to select the cookies for Santa.



DH, Turtle and Bentley all pitched in.



Of course, we couldn't forget carrots for the reindeer.



Supervising.



Hanging his stocking by the pass-through with care.



Reading Twas The Night Before Christmas.



I love this story, Mommy.



We snuggled our little man into bed, and then it was time to play Santa and enjoy the rest of our Christmas Eve. We opened a bottle of pinot noir and I whipped up this yummy carbonara.



We set up the toys and presents and went to bed with visions of sugarplums dancing in our heads.