NYE 2011

We didn't have exciting New Year's Eve plans but it was a great one, nonetheless. Sean absolutely loves riding his new scooter (from Santa) and was outside riding it around the neighborhood several times today. We had to take advantage of the great weather in the 60's. Sean and I did some shopping together and made some Christmas exchanges while Carter hung with Daddy. Before dinner we took a long walk around the neighborhood, I'd say about .5 a mile and Sean rode his scooter the entire time! We came home and Dan made another great dinner, Chicken picatta, parmesan orzo rice, and veggies and bread (which he was able to use several new Christmas gifts to prepare). It was delicious and a great family NYE. I can't say that I stayed up to "ring in the new year" but that was ok, I needed sleep. Carter has been sick with a cold and has been having trouble sleeping, last night she slept through without any problems, thankfully. She has been waking up a lot because she is so stuffed up, poor thing!  Sean boycotted his nap today and then after that long scooter ride had trouble even staying awake during our stories before bed. He literally fell asleep as his head hit the pillow! 

The fall of 2011 started with a great event, Carter's birth but there were quite a few bumps in the road along the way and so we are hoping 2012 will be a great year and everyone can be healthy and happy! 

Happy New Year!

  

The new scooter!

 Picking up some speed!

 He isn't nervous about riding in the road like he used to be! Thank goodness!

 Carter is hanging in her exersauser!

 Happy even though she is sick.

 Back for round 2 and a walk around the neighborhood

 Carter enjoyed the walk

 Going up a big hill!

Whew fast!

Lunch with the girls!

Carter and I joined a few friends for a girls lunch. One of my close freinds, Andrea, had a baby a week and a half after me. Her daughter's name is Lola. Carter and Lola will be going to the same babysitter on Monday, so they'll be friends for sure. We got a few cute pics of the babies interacting with each other. I think Carter liked Lola! More fun times are on the way for sure!

 They've met before but they really seemed to look at each other this time!

 So cute!!

 Carter and "Miss" Lauren

Carter and Emily

Christmas Day Fun in Charlottesville

After we got all our presents sorted out and organized we were able to have a nice relaxing family day together. Sean got to play with all of his new toys (and beat everyone in air hockey) and we also did some family pictures before dinner. Carter got to wear his pretty new Christmas dress. After that, Carter went to bed, and the rest of us enjoyed a delicious Christmas dinner! It was a great day!

 Carter played with her new baby doll.

 Getting some snuggles from Aunt Annie

 Reading a story with Poppi

 She likes Aunt JoAnn!

 Sean sneaking in the newly engaged couple's picture!

 Aunt Al, Uncle Dave, and the kids

 Will he love to cook like Daddy!?

 3 generations of Rettigs!

 All the guys and their new aprons! Yes, we encourage them all to cook!

Nana and Poppi and the kids

 The Whole Gang (minus Aunt JoAnn-thanks for taking the pic!)

 Time for some more air hockey! Beating Drew this time!

Time to eat!

Christmas Morning December 28th in Charlottesville (#3)

Once again, it was Christmas morning for the Rettig family and Sean's excitement for opening presents had not diminished! He came into our room to wake us up around 7:30 am and we all headed downstairs to open our stockings. He was happy to see that there was a kitchen set waiting for him downstairs that will stay at Nana and Poppi's house. We all opened our presents in our PJ's and then had home-made sticky buns thanks to Nana, which is a family tradition (I really look forward to those sticky buns each year!) We were all spoiled once again with lots of great gifts. My most favorite gift from that Christmas would have to be our brand new camera. I literally wore the other one out. You know I get good use of our camera! So, now I have a new one to take pics with and post on my blog. Between the new camera and my new bloggie (which is a hand held type of video camera the same size as a regular camera) I'll be keeping everyone in the loop with the Rettig fam! Whew, we finished Chritsmas #3 and by then had forgotten what we even had already been given! We are so lucky to have such generous families! Carter has a new wardrobe from now until Summer. She might wear a new outfit everyday for a month! Sean got quite a few cute new outfits as well. Christmas is over and Sean is sad but if he is anything like me as a kid he'll just start looking forward to next Christmas already!!

 Opening up his first gift.

 Carter loving on Aunt Annie

 Sean got a real toolkit, like actually a real hammer...he is pretty excited!

Sean and all the guys got matching aprons! Go Giants!

Playing a little air hockey on his Sean sized air hockey table!

Carter had to wear a new outfit!

On the road again, to Charlottesville

Whew, on to the next family and the 3rd (yes, 3rd) family Christmas! We left NC with a car load of presents and spent the next few days in Charlottesville with Dan's side of the family. It was so fun to have everyone under the same roof and we had two reasons to celebrate.  Christmas and Dan's sister, Anne (or Annie as Sean calls her ) got engaged! Our first order of business after their arrival was to celebrate their great news! We celebrated with champagne, Sean did with juice! It was a nice way to start our Christmas Eve!

 Showing Nana and Poppi how big I am!

 Love for Aunt Al

 Yay for the happy couple!

 Celebrating with two of his faves!

Christmas in NC (#2)

Once again, it was 7:30 am and several people were awake on Christmas morning and our littler sleeperhead (Sean made that word up and it kind of stuck) was still sound asleep. So, we went in and woke him up to bring him downstairs to open his stocking from Nama and Poppy. At our house, we have a family tradition of opening up stockings right away in our PJ's and then everyone showers, we have a huge family breakfast, clean up, and then dig in on the presents. Yes, I know you are all thinking that it is torture for kids to do that to wait that long but really it was never an issue for my sister and I. We like that we take our time and spend the morning opening gifts slowly. Most people are done before we even get started! This year was no different, we had a nice family breakfast around 9:15 am that my Grampa and Dad made (home made pancakes, yum!) and then Sean decided to be "santa" this year and hand out all of the gifts. Him knowing most of his letters paid off because he was able to "read" the labels enough to give the correct gifts to the correct person most of the time. He actually got so caught up in handing out gifts it was several minutes before he realized he hadn't opened one yet. We thought that was super cute that he was happy to hand out gifts instead of rip through all of his. His biggest gift from Nama and Poppy was the last one and of course the biggest hit with Sean. His own firehouse! He literally screamed out loud when he opened it. It was a great day with family where we were all spoiled as usual!

 Opening up his stocking

 Helping Great GrandPoppy (that is what Sean calls him) make pancakes

 Sean's breakfast

 Handing out the first gift

 Looks like Carter is getting the hang of this present thing..

 Good job handing out gifts!

 Ooh fun airplanes!

 Opening up her own gift!

 He was in love at first sight with his fire house!

The aftermath!!

Christmas Eve in North Carolina

Christmas Eve morning we drove down to NC to be with my family for Christmas. Sean was excited to see his family but also for more presents! It was great to get to spend some time with my grandparents who live in NY. They hadn't seen Sean since last Christmas, but he quickly warmed up to them. Our first order of business was to decorate sugar cookies (a tradition). My grampa and I frosted while Sean and my grama did the sprinkling. After that we took some family pictures, courtesy of Auntie Jenn and then exchanged our home-made gifts for the 11th year(another family tradition). It was a great Christmas eve and we got some great family photos!

 

Decorating cookies with Great Grama (G.G.)

 Look at her eyes checking out the wrapping paper!

 Cuties!

Nama and Poppy and the grandkids

 The whole gang!

 The Rettigs

 Grama and Grampa Bliss with the great grandkids

 Carter and Auntie

 Someone likes to look at herself in the mirror!!

 Grampa got a fourth of July decoration from Jenn

 Dad got a home-made frame from Grampa (he literally made the frame!!)

 Grama got home-made hand scrub

 I got several new hand made scarves

 Dan got a picture frame from me (no I did not make the frame!)

 Nama got a picture frame from Dan with the kids hand/foot prints in it

Auntie and Sean got sock snowmen from Nama

It was another successful Christmas Eve and home made gift exchange!