Christmas cookies this year took on a life of their own.  Although we have a range of holiday inspired cookies cut we somehow end up with quite an eclectic collection of cookies.

Zoodle continued his shenanigans throughout the month of December till he flew home on Christmas Eve till next year.

When we lived in LA we would regularly go on a hike paired with other activities on Christmas Eve and have missed it since moving to Illinois.  This year we picked it back up and went for a morning walk and had the BEST time.  

Later that afternoon we began to get dinner ready.  Gnocchi and Bagna Caulda, filling the house with family and garlic.  Before laying down to sleep, some gifts were unwrapped, Heath placed baby Jesus in the nativity crib, and Steven read "T'was the night before Christmas" to the kids, a perfect Christmas Eve.

Lights out, cookies, carrots, milk, and a shot waiting for Santa and the kiddos snuggled up dreaming the night away upstairs in anticipation for the next morning.