Ballard Family Christmas

We had our Christmas celebration with Beau's side of the family on the Tuesday before Christmas. We had a great time together.

Elijah sitting with all his closest friends...

Brooklyn and Sadie having some yummy carrots for dinner...

Time for presents!!

Elijah doing his happy dance...

Stay tuned for more Christmas pics...

Sadie-Bell

When I'm at work a lady from church, Jackie, keeps Sadie for us. Her daughter, Rachel is an aspiring photographer. I knew she had taken some pictures of Sadie and have been asking for them. I finally got them. She put some on a CD. They're not posed or anything, but I think they definitely capture some of Sadie's precious expressions. Most of these are from our last devo for the summer out at one of the parks (so they're a few months old).


This is how she usually looks at you. Like "is that the best you can do?"...


Sadie and Mackenzie...

I know you're fighting the urge to just kiss your screen right now!

We're recuperating from our Christmas adventures. I'll blog about that soon.

Out of Order

There are lots of new posts below, but they published out of order so scroll thru and make sure you didn't miss any!!! Just busy busy around here. Last minute errands and grocery shopping. Tomorrow I'm making some pies for a lady at church and doing just a little baking. We'll be enjoying time home together as a family Christmas Eve and Christmas morning and then we'll be in Stephenville for the weekend. Hope you are all safe and have a blessed Christmas.

Luke 2:1-20
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Make and Take

Yesterday we drove back from Houston just in time for the Make and Take Children's Christmas Party at our Church. It's a really neat idea. Everyone brought sugar cookies and decorations. We decorated the cookies and packed them to deliver to our shut-ins and people who may need a little extra holiday cheer this year.

Elijah decorating his cookie...

They were able to eat one cookie they decorated. Can you see the glaze over Elijah's eyes? We were really tired...

Sadie got a little taste of a cookie...

Jessica led the kids in some singing and then did a devotional. Yup. That's my friend Jessica, who had a baby 6 days ago! Elijah was chosen to help lead "Jesus Loves Me"

When Life Happens

Aimee and I have been planning our trip to Houston for months. We were actually planning on me and the kids going back in November, but decided to push it back to December so Beau could come. We had all these grand plans. Beau, the kids and I were going to arrive in town Friday afternoon. We were going to have Indian food with the Welches on Friday night (that actually did happen). Saturday, Aimee and I were going to hang out, get a pedicure and just be together. Saturday night we were all (Scogins and Spencers) going to have an early dinner and go to Festival of Lights. Sunday was church, more hanging out and more church. Monday - brunch and our departure. Well, it didn't go exactly as planned because, well, life happened...literally.



Thursday morning Aimee called me and thought she was in labor. I assured her she probably wasn't (she wasn't even 37 weeks). By dinner time she was admitted and in the full throws of labor.



Friday morning, just a few hours before we left for Houston Grayson Lee Scogin was born...


It pretty much derailed our weekend plans, but I was so happy to be there (almost) when Grayson was born.



Friday when we got to town I went straight to the hospital to see Aimee and Grayson. Beau and the kids stayed and played at Bibby and John's. Then we left the kids there and went to eat Indian food with the Welch Family.

Saturday I spent the afternoon with Aimee at the hospital and that evening Bill and Jan brought Grant over for dinner. The boys didn't eat, though, they just played...

Saturday, Sadie pulled up for the first time all by herself...

What? That's a big deal??

Then Bibby and John wanted to give the kids some gifts. Let's just say they went a little overboard...

Sunday afternoon we went over to Gary and Aimee's (she came home that morning). The kids had a few more gifts...

Elijah got Madagascar...

We got Grant the best book ever. The Little Engine That Could (he LOVES trains)...

They, of course, had to sit together to watch the movie...

Monday morning Aimee, Gary, the boys (that's so weird to now say boys), and Jan came back over for brunch.

My sweet girl...

Now she's a lean, mean, pulling up machine!

Elijah dancing and pretty much being a ham...

Aimee and sweet baby Grayson...

Doesn't Aimee just look beautiful...glowing. (She's just happy she's not pregnant anymore!)

Scroll down for lots of new posts!

Elijah's Christmas Pageant

Elijah's preschool had their Christmas Pageant on Thursday. It was not the best theatrical performance I've ever been to, but it was probably the most fun!

Sorry the pics are so dark. I had to stand pretty far away and zoom in.

Being helped on stage...
Each class would enter in and our preacher would read a part of a poem called "I am". Each class represented a different thing. There were shepherds, cows, Marys, Josephs and so on. Elijah was a Joseph. When he saw us out in the audience he ran off stage and came out to hug us...

Then promptly went back to his position on stage...

The funniest part. One of the little kid classes (1 yr olds) were stars. When they started coming down the isle they all started crying. By the time they got on stage they were bawling. David started reading their part and said "I am the star, bright and shiny!" It was so funny.

Singing more songs...

The whole group...

My girl. She'll be able to go to preschool next year!

We got the whole thing on video. You can't hear anything though because of all the bright and shiny stars crying for their parents!

Elf Gifts

We started something last year for Elijah. We have this advent box. Every night the Elves come and see if Elijah has been good (so they can go back and report to Santa). If he's been good they leave him a little gift to open in the morning.



He got a little flower pot with seeds and dirt to grow his own flowers...

Mixing it all together...

The next day he got a blue tootsie pop...