Christmas Eve - A toast to a perfect night!

Christmas Eve was everything it should be—full, festive, and overflowing with togetherness. Our annual lobster night did not disappoint: brisket, potato wedges, French onion soup, lobster, mussels, crab, and shrimp made for an absolutely delightful dinner.

Paisley gave us the sweetest surprise of the night. We thought she was sick and unable to join us, but just after the six of us sat down at the table, she walked through the door. Pure joy all around.

This year, I assigned everyone a small “dinner task.” Nate was in charge of frequent toasts and, as expected, he did not disappoint. John was supposed to start a slow clap and keep it going until everyone joined in—he chose not to play along—but everyone else fulfilled their roles perfectly, adding lots of laughter to the evening.

After dinner, games, visiting, and plenty of fun, we changed into our pajamas—OOKS T-shirts to mark the year we officially became fans while cheering Jessica on. Of course, no Christmas Eve is complete without the sibling gift exchange, driving around to look at Christmas lights and watching The Polar Express before John and I laid out the gifts and filled the stockings.

It truly was a perfect Christmas Eve together. I fell asleep that night with a heart fuller than ever.