The Ricci's in Arizona: Our Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We just got back from our trip to NY for the holidays. We had a great time with our family (even if we did get Strep and give it to 11 people in the family!) We crammed in several very important events while we were home - Cosie's 17th Birthday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Eli's Baptism, Jase and Lindsay's Engagement Party, New Years Eve, New Years Day and our Goodbye dinner. Not to mention SNOW, and LOTS and LOTS of playing with cousins. I didn't get pictures of it all, but I will warn you... this is a very LONG post!

Our arrival... Happy Birthday Cos!
We were very excited to get to have a birthday party because we always miss those! Thanks for waiting for us for this one!

SNOW

The first day we woke up to snow. JT and I were the first ones up... Sam and Eli slept in. Below are some pics of JT discovering that it snowed overnight. so cute.

We had to go out... he couldn't wait and I didn't have the heart to make him!

Playing in the Snow Collage

Candids of Our Happy Boys in New York

"Hi, Poppy!" JT did this all by himself and said, "Hey, Mom! Look, I am Poppy!" Thankfully I had the camera close by!

Christmas Eve

Ricci Christmas Collage

The boys had fun at our Ricci Christmas where they played with cousins and Uncle Buddy tortured them about opening their presents. After our Christmas Dinner here, we went to Aunt Debbie and Uncle Toms for Christmas Eve with the Ciras but I didn't get any pictures of that (very unlike me, but I will blame it on the strep and craziness of Christmas!)

All of a sudden, Sammy realized that it was getting pretty late and he had to get home so that Santa wouldn't pass him by! We packed up and got back to YaYa and Poppy's fast so we could continue a couple of traditions...
Reindeer Dust
Sam got this from his teacher so the reindeer and santa would be able to find us.

Cookies for Santa and Carrots for the Reindeer
(Of Course!)

A very excited Sammy boy
This year, Sammy was very cute. He really got it all and was SO excited. I love the magic of Christmas, especially when I see it through his eyes!

A very sleepy John Thomas
He tried to hold on, but all the excitement got to him!

The stockings were hung (well, placed) by the chimney with care...

Santa came!

and left a special letter for the boys.

Christmas Morning Collage

Sammy's top presents this year.. Nintendo DS and a D-Rex Virtual Dinosaur
JT's top presents this year... a Pocket Rocket Motorcycle and a Leapster
Eli was just a happy baby on his first Christmas morning.

10th Annual Christmas Dinner

Cousins.

Brothers.

Poppy.

Eli Nicholas Baptism
Saint Mary's Church
December 26, 2009

Getting ready with his Godparents, Aunt Lisa and Uncle Buddy. Eli was the 7th to wear the christening gown originally worn by Poppy 69 years ago.

A beautiful picture.
Thank you Lisa and Jase for being Eli's Godparents.

Happy Boy... he was so excited to have this day all about him. He was giving everyone smiles! He is a very happy baby!

All the cousins blessing the water for Eli.

In the name of the father...

All done.

The Godparents

Our Family

YaYa and Poppy

Grandma and Grandpa

Our Family with "New York Sammy" (Sam tends to be a little wild and crazy in NY... not the same as Arizona Sammy!)

The Cousins

The pictures to follow are great, but I think they need to be prefaced with the camera was given to the kids!

Thank you to YaYa and Poppy for throwing an after baptism party in honor of Eli Nicholas!

More kid shots... just hangin around the pictures below were taken by John Thomas.

Playing Spit with Carly... I believe when I left the record was 3 -1 with ME as the winner! Better luck next year, Car!

The First Annual SNOW BOWL
Uncle Matt and Uncle Fred took the kids to the field for alittle football game. We have missed the Turkey Bowl the last 2 years, so we are starting a new tradition! We have enough kids to field 2 teams, so why not! Just wait until Eli is old enough to be the line backer! Poppy went along and took some shots of the action.