Christmas Eve

We have had quite a lovely Saturday in preparation for the Christmas holiday. The day started snuggly and gloriously at about 8 am, when Alex crawled into bed with Mike and me, snuggled down between us, and happily chattered with us about the new fan Pop Pop had installed the day before. We got up and had a leisurely palacinta breakfast, and then Alex and Nani and Mommy rolled out and baked some lovely Christmas cookies so we would have them to leave for Santa. Then Alex went outside to help Daddy prepare the luminaria for the evening. This job included going to the beach to pick up sand, and then bringing it back and filling about 50 bags. Alex had quite a system going — Daddy would open the bags and fold down the sides, Alex would scoop the sand out of the bucket (just the right amount, too!) and pour it into the bags. Then they put them in place around our house in preparation for the evening. We had a wonderful pork roast dinner, after which we went outside and lit up all of our candles. They really looked awesome.

After the luminaria were lit, Alex took a nice bath, got dressed for church, and we headed out to Carrolwood to check out what a whole neighborhood full of luminaria looks like. Very, very pretty. Alex slept, which was just what we all needed, until we headed out for midnight mass. Alex slept through that too, but it was a wonderful ceremony. He woke up just enough to help put cookies out for Santa when we came home, and then went back to bed for the night.

All in all, a picture perfect day!