The annual December marathon...

December is a month full of shopping, twinkling lights, merry music, happy energy and more activities squeezed into a three week period than are humanly possible in which to partake! Add on top of that all of the special performances expected of our Choirs at Christmas, and you have the annual December marathon! After three weeks of having an obligation every night of the week (except for 1), a couple of lazier days, thanks to our Christmas vacation, are much appreciated. And, since I now have nap time on my hands, I can catch up on my much-neglected blog. Thank you for being patient with me! There are so many things to report... too many to put in one post. So, keep your laptops open! The Ritter Life will have posts galore over the next week!

Thanksgiving 2010 was a wonderful time spent with my side of the family. While things just weren't the same with my Grandad Rhodes around at the Rhodes Thanksgiving, cracking jokes and doting on all of the babies, it was wonderful to have time to catch up with my aunts, uncles and cousins. Mom also organized a Thurlkill Thanksgiving. It was a relaxed wiener and s'mores roast - a great time! It was also wonderful to have the opportunity to stay in a cabin on Lake D'Arbonne with my parents, brother's and sister's families and all of our nieces (well... the second niece is on the way!) and nephews during our stint in Louisiana. We were even able to celebrate Christmas with my family while we were there. It's the first time in several years that we've had the joy of sharing Christmas as a "complete" family. It was was a wonderful time, and seems to be the beginning of a new tradition for the Rhodes, Jr. family. Here are a few pictures from our Thanksgiving with the Rhodes and Thurlkill families, as well as our "Christmas Day".

All the boys

Mike and Sam check out the beautiful cabin view
Madelyn and Isaac - too cute!

The Pruitt Family

The Rhodes Family

The Ritter Family

Oh, Christmas Tree!





Before the gift exchange





Santa after playing with the grandboys...



Greyson tears in...

Sam loves his train set!

Vroom, vroom!

No wonder all the grandkids are so good lookin'...

The Thurlkill clan

Walking to the pier behind the cabin


Isaac loves the water

Stay tuned... there's more to come!