Christmas Eve

I have been in Ireland for 4 Christmas’ now.  And I always tell people…Xmas is the best time to visit Ireland! Yeah the weather sucks BUT the feeling of Christmas is unlike ANYWHERE else.  The whole country celebrates the holiday…the country basically shuts down for a week between Xmas and New years. Its awesome.  And this Xmas was different…it was very special!

Owen fully gets Christmas now…well the Santa side of things…not so much the whole Baby Jesus part.  And Ella was kinda scared but totally excited about Santa visiting too.  They are getting to be at a fun age for holidays!

But this Christmas was extra special…on Xmas Eve my cousin and his family from Philly surprised my aunt and all showed up in Foxford.  It was such an awesome surprise for us all.  I hadn’t seen my cousin and his family since 2010…it was WAY overdue that we needed to be together!  So it was MORE cousins for my kids to love.

Xmas Eve is always spent in my Nanny’s. You wanna talk about crazy chaos.

There are a hell of a lot of us…all crammed into her tiny house.  24 people in my Nanny’s little front kitchen. We make it work!  And its when Nanny gives the kids all their presents. Its a special evening…not just because of the presents but its not very often everyone can be together!

 

Ann got the kids to all sit and behave SO well…I was TOTALLY impressed. Riley helped Nanny pass out the gifts and the kids opened the presents.  Carmel (my cousins wife from Philly) not only secretly planned her whole trip (also traveling with 3 kids)…but she planned for matching pj’s for ALL Nanny’s great grandkids! All 9 of them! Damn she is good!! haha

Left to right:
Nanny, Maggie, Addison, Molly, Riley, Ella, Jayden, Owen, Collin and Cian. 

If you saw (or heard) the craziness that went on to try and get all 9 of these kids to look and smile you’d shit yourself laughing.  
It was nuts…no wonder poor Molly wasn’t havin’ it!!  BUT we got a half decent picture for a late night on Xmas even…I was impressed!

Then we had to get more pictures…can never miss an opportunity.

The oldest and youngest great grandchild!

Nanny and her grandchildren. Missing from pic is Keith who was working, Jason in Australia and Paul in heaven.

Nanny and her 4 beautiful daughters 
 

Nanny and her “in-laws”…spouses.  Missing my Dad who had already went home.

 

Then the adults headed to 9pm Christmas Eve mass while all the kiddo’s headed home to prep for Santa and get to bed!
 

That was Declan…Elfie’s cousin who met us in Ireland to keep an eye on the kids!! haha

We didn’t get to bake sugar cookies with Yosh this year…but the chocolate chip box cookies had to do! We also forgot carrots for the reindeer…BUT I explained to the kids that they probably got PLENTY of carrots from their cousins house so it was ok this once! yikes!

It was a good night. Santa DID come…and I got to give that Santa a nice little good night kiss!