December 24 we always do at Jannie and Grampa's house with all of my mom's family - and there is always way too much fun and craziness to pack into one night. The Kreefts always swear they will make midnight mass and 12pm rolls around and we've still got presents to open, contests to win and swaps to be had. This year was no different!

Jannie's pretty tree

Emmy and Tiny

As my sister texted me "You managed to ruin Christmas and save Christmas all within the same hour." Since crab was hard to get this year with weather or something we told my Dad we'd order it through our Bumble vendor who does our Ciopinno night seafood. We set it all up for delivery at Bumble even though we were closed and when it wasn't there as promised by noon Heff called the vendor. The lady who finally answered in accounting kind of listened to the problem and promptly hung up and never answered the phone again. None of the 38 times Heff called them!

We were hoping and praying they would manage to deliver since they are always late anyway and just kept checking Bumble over and over until 4pm when we realized this was a PROBLEM. Jannie was freaking out - no live cracked crab on christmas eve? not possible. My dad scrambled to get some cooked crabs (which Jannie barely let in the house) and I called around EVERYWHERE looking for 11th hour live crabs, most people laughed at me. Found them at some place in Half Moon Bay right off a boat at 4:20pm. Posted a task on TaskRabbit at 4:21pm, task was claimed at 4:24pm by some awesome dude already driving on 280 (taskrabbiting while driving MUST be doubly illegal, but whatever) and we had 12 live crabs delivered to Menlo Oaks by 5:45pm just in time to throw in the pot. Christmas saved by my iPhone and Kris W. He got a tip.

Andy and John at their usual positions by 6:30pm Dec 24th every year. Francie and I both tried all the crab butters this year (if you don't know, you don't want to)

the biggest kid of the family - Aunt Mimi couldn't wait to give Francie some new PlayMobile! (Drew's friend claims to have gone over to their house once not that long ago and found Mimi playing with his Playmobile zoo, lining up the animals :) Come play here Aunt Mimi!!!

Ann and Pat decked out for the Mr and Mrs Christmas contest - fourth annual

Aunt Kim's artichoke dip and the vultures swoop in

pretty "big kids" table Jannie set

Mimi couldn't resist - building toys with the girls

Daddy and Angry Tess (probably mad because I put a onesie with sleeves under her sleeveless dress #magicunderwear)

Gotta love the JJ signature "Lady pose" and cheeeeeeese.

the blond bombshells ready for the contest!

Mr Jerry Christmas - double winner and his biggest competition this year - Drewby

Duke it out guys

the ever-non-partisan judges

Francie was ABA's BFF all week and STOLE Pat's place in the show (he was really upset having to bow out of singing a duet with his wife ;)

Mr Jerry Christmas leading us off - and last years winner Darth Xmas not so happy in the background :)

Em's very creative entry - the 36 week pregnant sparkly ornament

Em-azing as usual!

but these guys stole the show singing "Baby, It's Cold Outside"

SO cute (once we all got over Drew singing a love song to his sister and cousin ;)

Pat couldn't wear the pants without talking the talk - backwards slide into the room for some awesome 70's dance moves

love it Pat

and my personal favorite - Francie and ABA singing "Oh There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays"

winners in my book!

Jannie helping coax the little girls down for a Twinkle Twinkle

JJ was not so happy Sophie kept interrupting her

Sister sing "We Wish you a Merry Christmas"

Luke doing his best to keep these three in line

Sweet Maisie

The girls couldn't hold back and gave Emmy her Instagram collage we made her - titled "Mornings with Emmy!" :)

and after a big dinner and the kids clearing the table (well that is what is supposed to happen - did they?! not sure) SANTA was heard on the rooftop and the kids ran upstairs to hide! It's so weird to be an adult now and not go up there - I'm like "see you guys!" and then I remember I have four kids and have to "help Santa" now. Francie and Maisie got a Playmobile castle (wrapped), JJ got her one and only wish - a TuTu, and Tess got a music mobile

I made them wait even longer (but not as long as that year when I was 11 and Santa had to run to 7-11 to get batteries while we waited impatiently upstairs!) so I could snap a picture.

THIS happiness is what I remember as the best few minutes of being a kid growing up (and there were a lot of great moments thanks to Grampa and Jannie making just about everything fun but nothing beats the anticipation of Christmas Eve) Francie's feet are actually off the ground!

here they come running down the stairs - like a heard of screaming elephants

Most satisfied customer goes to...

"Backawa! I got a TUTU!" (just noticed their perfectly opposite coordinating outfits)

then on to the swap and I think I put my camera down :) we had another few hours of swaps (themes this year were "warm" for adults and "neon" for kids. We took home a Katniss action figure - the warm submission by James since she's on fire, Francie called it a "Bow-and-arrow" girl and a cozy blanket and some neon goodness) and JJ took the time to fill this box with her attempts at circles - that was dedication JJ