Happy Birthday JESUS!!!

I am DETERMINED to get caught up on all my Christmas pictures this weekend!  (mostly because it's Tyler's b-day Monday and then I'll really be behind, if I don't!!)  

Dec. 22nd is Steve's b-day--so we always celebrate that with his family!

Dec. 24th is Christmas with the Balzer's and

Dec. 25th is Christmas at the Roth's!

SO----December 23rd has become our FAMILY NIGHT!!!!

Some years we let each kid open a small gift like new PJ"s, one year we got a new game to play, and one year they all got a movie for movie night!  

This year---we had a Birthday PARTY of Jesus!!!

First we made a HUGE Birthday sign!!!

Can you see the stable and the manger on the left.  Of course the cross.

and I think those are crowns---I can't remember!!

This is Jaden's section!

Tyler likes to WRITE!  and sing!!

YES!  This is Paige's corner of the poster!

THEN---we made cupcakes, frosted them, and SPRINKLED them!

YUMMY!!!  or YUMMY??

It was a FUN FAMILY NIGHT!

The kids asked if we could "Act out the Jesus story"  

So, we read about Jesus' birth and all took turns acting out the different parts!  

I bet we did it 5 or 6 times!  They loved it!!!  

And then a week later or so, I heard Tyler ask his friend, "Did you have a Birthday party for Jesus?"  His friend said no, with a questionable look on his face.

Tyler then looked at me and said, "we did, didn't we mom---and we're going to do that every year, right?"

SO---I guess we will do it again!!!

Next year I am going to have each kid take 3 things from their rooms to give away to other kids.  This will help get rid of toys before we get NEW toys, help them to remember to GIVE,

 and remind them that Jesus got 3 gifts at his birth!!!  

It will also remind us to GIVE as Jesus GIVES TO US!!! 

And, I think the evening took place with no major fights or anyone being sent to their rooms!

AHHHH-----Happy Birthday Jesus!!!