Christmas Eve & Morning 2013

 Christmas Eve was just as wonderful as every other year.  The Heathens put on their Christmas outfits and we spent the evening sitting as a family at church.  Christmas Eve, along with Easter morning, are one of my favorite times to attend church as a family.  While some families only surface at church on the holidays, these are the days that help us remind the Heathens that God is part of those important holidays.

This year, the Heathens decided they were all wearing suits to Christmas Eve service.  This is the first photo EVER taken where all of my Heathens were wearing suits.

A photographic FIRST!

After church, we headed home and put the Heathens to bed.  After several hours, and waiting for everyone to fall asleep, we sent out the signal to Santa that all was safe at our Zoo for his arrival!

Christmas morning dawned early, however the Heathens followed the Zoo rule that they are NOT to wake us up until at least 7:00 am and NO ONE is permitted in the living room until the entire Zoo is present.

Merry Christmas to Everyone!

Christmas of the Cows, Shepherds, and Bells

The Heathens had a BIG weekend at church!  It was the weekend of the Christmas pageant - and all three Heathens were involved.  And the younger two Heathens were thrilled with their costumes!

Heathen #3 was a COW!
And he had a speaking part!

Heathen #2 was a shepherd.

Right before the pageant began.

Heathen #1 played the part of a narrator.

And Heathen #2 made his debut with the bell choir!

He was right on beat!

All three Heathens did a FABULOUS job.  Well done, Heathens!