christmas eve with the wesslers

this year we celebrated christmas eve with the wesslers and it was absolutely wonderful! some things i want to remember about this christmas eve:

• we visited grandma lorrie at the rehab center where she is currently staying. it was really special to be there with her. she gave each of the kids a special christmas book where she had recorded her voice reading the story to them, along with a special message for them. it will be a treasure for each of them long after she is gone.
• pete smoked the most incredible pork loin for dinner. i could have eaten it all night, but there was so much other good food (and treats) that i had to exercise a little restraint so i had room for everything else.
• pete and kathy spoiled the kids. i guess that is a given though.
• each of the kids' presents were wrapped in their own special wrapping paper. i think that is a fun thing that kathy does (and the presents are always wrapped beautifully) 
• emma looked so cute in her santa hat and jacket. it is [part] of the same santa suit logan wore his first christmas
• emma resting her feet on the table as we ate
• logan, dave and pete flying pete's remote control helicopter around 
• checking out some christmas lights on our drive home
• logan putting out milk and cookies for santa for the first time
• receiving the last piece, baby jesus, to our little people nativity set. someone did the 12 days of christmas to us this year and gave a piece of the nativity each night. i think i was as excited about it as logan was (actually, probably more excited). i couldn't wait to see what piece we would get next. it was neat to read the scripture they included each night and focus on the birth of our savior.
• finishing our christmas book advent. i loved reading a christmas book every night during december.

while not fun, still worth remembering:

• logan was a little under the weather, so he was a little "off" for our christmas celebrations
• logan having an absolute melt down when we got home and it was time for bed (i can't remember him ever having such a bad one. he was inconsolable). i think it took us about a half hour to calm him down.

and now for the pictures ( a lot of them):