'Twas the Night Before...

Christmas Eve was filled with tradition. During the day, like all good Santas, my mom and I braved the mall parking lot to pick up last minute stocking stuffers (including a Bridgette-sized Broncos shirt for Kevin's sock).

In the evening, all the Toblers in town tripped over to Macayo's, where we met up with the Tarwater family. Over Baja Burros, we recalled our secret santa feats of the past and reminisced about Linda Black's yummy, cinnamon roll Christmas trees.

After dinner, we scurried home to light luminaries and drink hot chocolate. Though only 6 months old, Bridgette felt the excitement in the air, and like her cousin Jackson (pictured below), who said on nights like this it was hard to get to sleep, she was staying up for all the fun.

In her Christmas PJ's (bought by Dad of course), Bridgette looked like a North Pole Prisoner. Still, she was invited to play the role of Baby Jesus in the annual nativity. Our family's nativity isn't super particular. Thank goodness, because the Sunday before Bridgette was rejected as a Christ-child candidate for the primary's live nativity. In said nativity, Kevin and I were asked to play Joseph and Mary (which was actually a touching experience), but the primary president politely suggested that Bridgette was maybe too old to be wrapped in swaddling clothes and layed in a manger. I think it had more to do with Bridgette's squirminess than her actual age!

As you can see above, at Grandma's house this year, Kevin was a sheppard (the candy cane is his walking stick), Charlotte was his lamb (with pinched toes), and Jackson was the donkey (which he truly chose to be), who carryed Caroline as Mary on his back into the room. Marc/Joseph held the squirmy Baby Jesus with Angel Ellison by his side. Unfortunately, you can't see Grandpa off to the right, dutifully playing the star and shining a flashlight on the cieling above this scene.

Finally, we went home with our little girl, who at last fell fast asleep in the car. Late in the evening, while not a creature was stirring, Kevin had his first fatherly opportunity to assist Santa. He got out his tool box and put together the adorable table and chairs that Bridgette would receive in the morning.