The Creatures Were Stirring

Christmas Eve we hosted our traditional dinner of soup followed by the world's greatest Christmas Pageant. This tradition actually started in 2005 when we found we were going to be all alone and family-less on Christmas day. We were very lucky that our friends, the Hortins and the Kimballs, were in the same situation. Seven years later, they've both moved and we've had a few different families over over the years, but I'm very grateful that we always manage to fill the house.
For the second year in a row we had an Oregon Love fest with the McGuire sisters. It was even more fun because MY sister was here, too!! You probably don't believe she was here because there is not one single solitary picture of her. She absolutely refused to have herself photographed. Possible reasons:
1. Kyle is secretly a vampire and she is now been turned and she didn't want us to find out when she didn't appear on the screen.
2. She had joined the Blackfoot Tribe and adopted the belief that cameras steal your soul.
3. Our Thai hairdresser back home gave her the worst haircut ever and she wants no record of it.
But I do have proof that her adorable daughter was here.

Sadie was dying to be Mary and Lindsay had to pinch hit for her achy pregnant mama as the donkey as they road to Bethlehem. Although there was no room in the inns, they found a quiet stable. The Angel(s) appeared and announced the good news to the Shepherds. Eventually the Wisemen made their pilgrimage as well. And then it was time for COOKIES!!
Oh the mess! But oh the fun! Dustin was quick to remind the kids that he read on the internet that Santa does not like too many sprinkles. It did not help.I will say the cookies are getting prettier every year as the girls get older.

Shockingly there was a knock at the door and who could it be?? Well, no one. But there were. . .
PRESENTS! And just like every other year, in those presents were. . .
PAJAMAS!! The kids changed anywhere they could and then went CRAZY!!! We attempted to take a picture:And then we let them go wild.There was a crazy fun dance party and Christmas Taboo before everyone left and we settled in for a nice, relaxing Christmas Eve. All the presents were wrapped and ready to go, the boys just needed to put a bike together.

Around 10 pm were sitting in the living room laughing when Nate wanders out thinking it was Christmas Morning already. He had been asleep for a total of 30 minutes. This was just a foreshadowing of our evening. All night long you could hear the pitter patter of little(big) Nate feet. I guess at one point Kyle heard him ringing the bell on Sadie's new bike around 1 am.