Saturday, December 31, 2011

NYE 2011


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!

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Christmas Day Fun in Charlottesville

 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)

 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!


Carter had to wear a new outfit!

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

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!

Sunday, December 25, 2011

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!!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Eve in North Carolina

 
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!