Christmas Eve 09

We spent Christmas Eve at my parents house this year. It was an evening filled with wonderful food, and Christmas Eve family traditions. After dinner, we all got to open one present. Every year on Christmas Eve for mine and Pauls whole lives we got to open one present on Christmas Eve, it was always new pajamas. So it was a no brainer that we would carry this on into our family traditions. For Sawyers first Christmas I found matching pj's for Paul and Sawyer and have been doing it every year since. This year, somehow Paul got me a pair of pj's to match his and Sawyer's, it was so fun to have our whole family in matching pj's. After we all put on our Pj's we watched a Christmas movie and, read The Night Before Christmas. After that we set out our cookies and milk for Santa, and this year Sawyer decided we need to leave something for the reindeer luckily Grandma had some celery. Then it was off to bed for us. What a wonderful time we had just being together and celebrating. Here are some pictures of our Christmas Eve. Enjoy!!


O Christmas tree.

Sawyer in front of the tree!

I wonder what it is????

Opening his Christmas Eve present.

Sawyer and his new jammies.

Sawyer and grandma.

Sawyer and grandpa.

Sawyer helping daddy open his present.

Daddy and Sawyer in their pj's

Sawyer with Grandma and Grandpa!

Our Family in our matching jammies!

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

My grandpa celebrated his 83rd birthday this past Monday. It was such a joy to be able to celebrate with him. We went over to his house for a family dinner. It's so neat that Sawyer not only has a grandpa but a great grandpa in his life. It's so fun for me to see the generations together. We had a wonderful time being together and celebrating. Here are a few pics from party. Enjoy!



The family having a Birthday dinner.

Mommy and Sawyer putting the candles on the cake.

The Birthday boy!

Sawyer with his great-grandpa and Betsy.

Blowing out the candles.

Great-Grandpa needed backup

Helping blow oout the candles.

Christmas cookie time!

Every year the girls in Pauls family get together for a "baking day" We spend the day together making our Christmas cookies. We make all kinds of cookies, including roll out sugar cookies. The kids love these because when they are cool enough they get to decorate them. His family doesn't using frosting, they "paint" the cookies. It's a special icing made of egg whites, powdered sugar and vanilla. It's thin enough for the kids to use paint brushes and paint the cookies. Later in the day the husbands and brothers show up, we have a family dinner and go look at Christmas lights. It's become one of my most favorite Christmas traditions, I really look forward to it every year. Here are a ton of pictures of the day. Enjoy!!!

My sister-in-law Laura hard at work.

Isn't she precious!!!!

The boys waiting to make cookies.

Faye and Ananbelle making roll out cookies.

Roll out sugar cookies, pixies, and peanut butter cookies.

Wil making "spritz" cookies.

Thaddeus with the "cookie gun"

Sloan making "spritz" cookies.

Sawyer with the "cookie gun"

The boys(minus Evan).

The girls!

All the cousins!

My nephew Wil painting cookies.

Sawyer painting cookies.

My niece Sloan painting cookies.

My nephew Thaddeus painting cookies.

My niece Anabelle pianting cookies.

Our painted cookies!

Decorating the tree at Grandpa and Grandma's house!

My parents decided to wait to decorate their tree until Sawyer and I came into town. So last Thursday Sawyer and I headed over to my parents and helped decorate the tree. It was so much fun to share the experience with my mom, dad and Sawyer, just like when I was a kid. It was so neat to share the ornaments that I made, and loved as a kid with Sawyer. I only have a few pics, as I was busy decorating. Enjoy!

Grandma and Sawyer hanging the first ornament.

Grandpa and Sawyer hanging up the star!

Grandpa and Sawyer when we were all finished.

All done!

We're on our way!

As Sawyer and I were boarding the plane, the pilot stopped Sawyer and asked if he would like to see the cockpit. I thought he was just going to let him look inside. I was wrong. He took Sawyer in and let him sit on his seat and hold the steering wheel( I'm not sure what they call them in air planes). It was amazing, I have never seen so many buttons. Sawyer was in awe. It was a really cool experience. Here are some pics. Enjoy!!

Sawyer's Christmas Musical!

Sawyer had his first school performance last week. It was so cute, they had programs with all the kids names in them, and a beautiful set. The kids were adorable and did a really amazing job. The chapel and music teachers have been working with them since October(and it shows). The kids new the words to the songs and the motions to go along with them. We had so much fun watching our little guy, and thanks to technology and my super smart husband our families back home were able to watch right along with us. It was a wonderful program, and really displayed the true meaning of the holiday season. What a wonderful reminder of the most amazing gift we have all been given. I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season. Merry Christmas! If you are interested in watching Sawyer sing, you can go to qik.com/pbalcombe and watch the video. Here are some pics. Enjoy!
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The set.

Our little Sheep.

The little shepard next to him, is his friend Shepard!

Wave to your parents

Oh No!

Go tell it on the mountains.

Sawyer's class.

They asked all the kids what their favorite thing about Christmas was. He said Baby Jesus!

Hi Mom.

Sawyer's class.

I think he's had enough of the hat.

Our family!

Sawyer and his freind Macy after the show!