CHRISTMAS EVE

So one of the things I love most about Christmas time are the awesome traditions that both my family and Chad's family do. We start at Chad's parents with the traditional breakfast for dinner. This year the boys were in charge of cooking the food and they did a fabulous job.We then do the red balloon tradition which involves sending a balloon to Jesus and to someone we miss in heaven. Rhonda told the story of why we have this tradition and then we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus and the kids blow out a candle on a cake for him. This year Paislee was old enough to understand and decide who she wanted to send her other balloon to. So I asked her, "Paislee who is in heaven that you miss that you would like to send a red balloon to for Christmas." She thought for a moment and then answered with, "Grandpa Marshs (Marv) Mommy, I miss him." It totally brought tears to my eyes because she really misses him and asks me all the time when he is coming back from heaven. After sending the balloons off to heaven we then exchange gifts. This year Paislee got a Barbie styling head and some safari animals from Nathan. We gave Chad's parents a digital frame with the pictures already loaded for their viewing pleasure. On our way driving over to my my Uncle Kim's and Aunt Kelly's for some finger foods and visiting Paislee made this comment, "Mom I can't wait until Santa comes because after he comes then the Easter bunny will come." Are you kidding me kid, you are nuts!
As for Christmas Eve traditions on my side, my mom buys her three little girls matching dresses each year to wear on Christmas Eve. This year they were black & red and she also bought them the cutest stinking black coats with fur in the hood. The girls looked adorable, like always. To finish up my family's Christmas Eve traditions we go to Grandpa & Grandma Huntsman's house to get Santa sleeping gear.The kids get a Christmas pillow case made by Grandma Huntsman to sleep on and pj's to sleep in so that Santa will come and visit them that night. After the kids have their pj's on they exchange drawed names and then right after we always hear Santa's bells and we hurry and head home. When we got home Paislee was so excited to do our own little family traditions. She started by putting Santa's cinnamon roll and egg nog out (his request, he told us that gets tired of cookies). Chad and I then sign her good girl certificate which she needs to have with her stocking so Santa would know she was good and would take her certificate and leave her presents on its place.
Paislee message to Santa: