When the Girls Awoke

My girls finally woke up, and our glorious Christmas Morning began.

Below is the classic Christmas Morning Hallway Shot (perfected by me and my siblings in our youth).  It's the first we've had in our family with siblings lined up together to race down the hall and open presents.  

Dad, of course, had to help Vivi do her lining up this year, but Bridgette was full on ready, even wearing her beloved "Stompies" ( a yuletide gift from Amanda - which was apparently advertized like mad on the kid's TV channels leading up to holidays; the bunny ears pop up as you put your foot down) to stomp down the hall in.

Wowsers!  It was a bike year.  Dad, Mom and Bridgette all got bikes from Santa.  Bridgette's was the best though because it had "stabilizers."

Gretchy!  She returned for what is now becoming a Christmas tradition.

Tennis rackets!  Everyone, including Aunt Gretchen, got tennis rackets and balls from Santa.  We're looking forward to lobbying some shots at each other.

Fireplace pose.  Please appreciate the new banner hung up between the stockings this year.  Bridgette helped me put this together with all the classic Christmas colors: hot pink, lime green, aqua blue... ;-)

What?! More presents under the tree?

Helping Vivienne.  She wasn't up for tearing open her own packages this year, but Bridgette was more than willing to help.

Look!  A "Vivienne" doll.  How cool.  Grandma Tobler couldn't resist giving this namesake dollg  as a gift to our Vivienne.  Vivienne the Doll now sits in the green chair in our Vivienne's room.

Skate board!  Santa also gave everyone (including the adults) a skate board.  Santa may have been playing a sneaky trick trying to see who could break his or her ankle first.

My sewing machine.  Thanks Kevin.

Sometime during the morning, Grandma and Grandpa Tobler came over.  We were there second or third stop on their rounds to visit grandchildren.

We had a great big breakfast, including the Hickory Farms sausages and cheeses that both Gretchen and Kevin picked up as part of holding up their old family traditions.

During breakfast, Uncle Derek and Aunt Bridget called, and we had delightful visit with them.  What better thing to do than catch up with family on such a great day?!

While the adults were talking, though, Bridgette rode her bike in the house - circling through the hallway, living room and kitchen.  Round and round.  This is something you only get to do on Christmas morning itself.  After that, everything on wheels goes permanently outside.

After breakfast, everyone was ready to play.  It was a lovely, wonderful, perfect day.