Christmas with the Blaylocks, Part II (Christmas Eve)

Here is the Christmas Eve post! We had so much fun.  I didn't get a whole lot of pictures, but here are the ones I got:

Theses are actually from the 23rd.  Elisa and Aaliyah enjoying the Barbie Jeep.

While Erik was at work and Eric was relaxing, Lisa and I took all the kids (except Gabe) on a little walk/hike along a path in the neighborhood, right along the canal. We have lived in our house 2 and half years and that was the first time I had set foot on that trail because I didn't even know it existed.  It was warmer than we thought, so we overdressed the kids and they were just too hot.  We didn't stay too long because of that.  Calvin was like a wild animal let loose out of it's cage on the trail, and he ran faster and harder than any of us.  Aiden was the slowest.   

I enlarged this pictures so the little notes are readable. The kid's last-minute requests for Santa.  Santa has difficulty taking last-minute requests (he prefers to take requests by Thanksgiving), so some of these weren't fulfilled, but I think for the most part, the kids got what they asked for. We found some cookies for Santa that were most certainly past their expiration date, but I'm sure Santa understands.  Sorry Santa. 

Lisa, putting out some of her presents to the kids, sometime before Santa made his appearance. 

Santa came! He came!!

He came and drank the milk and old cookies from the special plate and glass we bought for him this year.

Santa filled all the stockings, some to overflowing! He sure went to a lot of work to make the kids happy this year.  He found great things for the kids.  The kids know that Santa no longer makes toys from his workshop because there are just too many kids in the world and that would be too hard to make all of those fancy toys, so he buys them from toy-making companies instead and they give him a really good deal since he's Santa. Also Santa will not bring anything the parents won't allow (i.e. pets, super expensive things, and of course any inappropriate).