December (mainly Christmas) 2011

After arriving home from a long and fun trip to WV and a stop in Mt. Airy it was time for our annual tradition... picking out a Christmas tree!  December was a great month with it all of course leading up to Christmas which included visits from both sets of grandparents. 

Grady helping Mom decorate

 But first... the tree.

Grady was kind enough to help Jessica decorate the tree.  He really loved pulling out the decorations and of course quickly hope into the box holding them as soon as it was empty.

We are hoping that I got all of the ornaments off of the tree before throwing it in the compost heap about a month after this photo was taken!




 We had our normal winter fun of Sunday's watching the NFL with Leslie, Jonathan and of course Lilly.  Grady and Lilly got to spend a lot of time together this year and really enjoyed playing the piano.

Lillian and Grady Playing Piano

The month flew by and included some pretty drastic changes in our lives.  As many know Jessica had been working part time since August and staying home with Grady two extra days a week.  After some very eventful weeks she was offered the opportunity to go back to full time at Imagsmith and she accepted.  She did not actually start her first full week until January.  Grady has also started full time in daycare at the local YWCA as a result of all the changes so much of December was spent planning these adjustments to our lives.

Then came Christmas and many visitors!

Grady with Santa!

Grady didn't quite know what to make of Santa but he was happy with what he left under the tree.  Toys!  Lots of toys that came with the funnest boxes!

Grady playing with Grandpa

Grandma and Grandpa Loftis came to visit over Christmas Eve and Christmas day.  We went to the Christmas Eve service at Central Methodist Church downtown and it was so packed that we actually watched it in the basement on a live broadcast on a big screen.  It worked out well since Grady didn't really feel like sitting so I walked around with him for most of it without bothering anyone (I hope).

Grady and Grandma

 

 

Check out my new kicks!

We opened presents at home on Christmas morning and then made our way over to Aunt Catherine's apartment for a nice Christmas Day lunch.  Of course there were even more presents there (and cat toys which apparently are way more fun than kid toys).

It was a great visit with Grandma and Grandpa Loftis and we then prepared for more visitors who were making their way north from a weekend in Atlanta.





Grandma and Grandpa Hunter had made a trip through the south to see everyone and visited Asheville on their way back to WV.

Grady and Grandma Hunter

Grady and Pop Pop

We had a nice walk down to the dog park to get a little exercise.  

Grandma and Buddy walk with Grady

Grady going on his own adventures

Grady wants to walk all the time... no more carrying.

After all of our visitors were gone it was time to have a little fun with our new toys...

Justin with Yoda and a Storm Trooper

Beware of Yoda, Geno

It was a very warm December and we got to spend more time outside than normal. Which allowed me to get some great shots like this one.

 

 And finally we rang in the new year!  It was our first full year with Grady and I can't think of one that has been better.  So Happy New Year (a little belated) from the Hunter's!  Looking forward to 2012.

Happy New Year!