‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through my place…everywhere you look is a warm, loving face.

Hiiiii you guyyyys!!!  Rhyming is my favorite!!!  For the first time in the history of the Beards, we had a Christmas Eve sleepover at mine house.  Also for the first time ever, we weren’t going to be with my sister’s kids on all Santa’s eve so to lighten the mood I invited everyone here for a yummy and healthy dinner, a screening of Elf annnnnnnnnd matching Christmas jommers!!!  Me and my bright ideas!  So, I woke up early Wednesday morning and went to the gym with JB from DC…victory one #survivalmode #noplussignsonmychalkboard, then I came home and set the mood #haha…

and started the pork in the slow cooker.

My house smelled amazing!!!!  I even made some healthy desserts from the blog last week!!!

I have always loved Christmas baking…as evidenced by the ghost of Sara past!

Then I did some last minute cleaning and more dinner prep and all of the sudden it was 5:30 and my family arrived!!!  I’m not sure if I’ve told you guys, but I like LOOOOOOVE my family soooooo much.  Words can’t describe the feeling I get being around these amazing, loving, supportive, caring, funny, joyful, always on board,  adorable people.  Thank you to my family for letting me host…it really helped me stay on track with food!!!  What did we have for dinner you say?!  Well thanks for asking!!!  We had Paleo crock pot maple mustard pork tenderloin from the Preppy Paleo, roasted garlic cauliflower, southern style green beans, a kale and brussel sprout salad and my first stab at paleo dinner rolls!!!! #umyummmmmmm

All of these recipes are pinned on our Pinterest account..Sara and Jenny BeardSmith and under the board Paleo Christmas Eve Menu.  You guys…everything was sooo goood!

Here is our reindeer gang for the evening…my parents, John and Anna, Grandma Apple and my sister Kelly!!! I like to rank food and for sure my favorite was the roasted cauliflower!!!  The dinner rolls turned out well too…more salt next time though but it was so nice to have guilt free bread for once…

and the pork was the living best!!! Now, it’s dessert time!

Then it was time to slip into something a little less/more comfortable!!!  You may recognize these jommers from such posts as our last weigh in!

This brilliant idea came to me a month and a half ago while I was trying to fall asleep…spoiler alert, that’s when I have allll my best ideas and I just knew it would be a home run!!!  Here is a little segment I like to call Awkward Family Christmas Photo…

We also call Grandma Apple, GiGi…isn’t GiGi the cutest!!!  That face, those socks, that little teeeee-iney body…ugh!

 

#seemstomelike #youfraud

The ideas just kept coming…

#whatisthisaweighinshoot?!

And here are your outtakes!!!!

So hard not to laugh when you are having this much fun! It was so hot and sweaty…we turned on the AC and hopped on the couch for snuggling snacks and Elf! #dreamsreallydocometrue

All of the sudden it was 11…time for bed!!! I can never sleep on Christmas Eve…usually it’s because I’m sleeping with my nephews who moved constantly all night, but I think tonight was just excitement! This is what our childhood Christmas Mornings looked like…Santa left our gifts out!!!

In the wink of an eye, it was morning and time to make the yummiest breakfast of all time!  But first I jumped into my mom’s bed…we woke up like this!

#twinning

On the menu for breakfast, Roasted Asparagus with Eggs, Bacon, Sweet Potato Hash Browns with Sriachi (sp!?) Ketchup and for a sweet treat, Coconut Pecan Bars.  Again all of these delish recipes are super paleo and pinned under the Christmas Morning Board on our Sara and Jenny BeardSmith Pinterest account!

Dad helped with the bars, mom with the hash browns and Kel with the asparagus!!! #teamworkmakesthedreamwork

 

I mean who can feel deprived when it’s this good!?!

Everything was a hit! You know I love ranking so Asparagus all the way!!!

#wooooooof…ilooklikeSNL’sPat

Now, it’s almost time for the kids to get home!!!  Let’s part ways and get showered!!!

That’s more like it!!! #iloveahomealone #youcantreaditbcitsamirrorandimdumb #merrychristmasyafiltyanimal And off to my mom’s house for Christmas!  It never feels more like Christmas than at Anna Beard’s house.

Finally the boys have arrived!!! Hi Chase, hi Wyatt!

The adults in my family don’t exchange gifts…we just do for the kids and they wanted to do stocking first!

Uncle Marty and Aunt Retha came…

with sweet Harley…

And as always he stole the show! #matchingbows #someonestopmefromgettingadog!

 

Now on to the presents!!!

I got the kids matching jommers…Awkward Christmas Family Photo part deux!!!

Somebody look at these sweet angels!

 

They even made some ornaments for us…with the help of Santa Anna…

Look at all these fun toys!

Now it’s time to play!!!

 

We ate another amazing and healthy paleo meal courtesy of my super supportive mom!

 

Lemon roasted chicken with spicy roasted brocoli, balsamic glaze carrots and hasselback potatoes and the living best gravy!!!  I survived Christmas without temptation thanks to my amazing family.  We had such a great time together and the kids wanted to continue the tradition, so I ended up spending the night with them!  Best holiday of life.

 

My sweet sweet family…I just love y’all to the moon!

I learned a valuable lesson this year. I can celebrate and enjoy the holidays sober and healthy and still enjoy every single minute with the ones I love the most.  Hope your holidays were bright and shiny and full of loved ones. Xoxo…see you in the new year for our 10th weigh in!!!