Ratzlaff Family Christmas...in January

We celebrated our Ratzlaff family Christmas the second week in January this year. Everyone was able to come for the festivities. Paul, Jodi, Josh & Debi arrived on a Thursday and stayed through Sunday. Friday night Curt took us on a tour of the Gibbs Racing facilities. He took a new, challenging job with the Nationwide team as the race engineer for #20, Joey Logano. He has lots to accomplish before the first race in February.

After the tour, we had Donatos pizza at Curt & Robbe's apartment in Uptown Charlotte!

Family Tour at Joe Gibbs Racing with Curt

Donato's Pizza at Curt & Robbe's apartment

Making Crepes for breakfast...yum!

Paul & Jodi

We did a little gift exchange in the afternoon, then some good eating. It was such a nice weekend to be together. Paul received an XBOX Kinetics from Jodi, so we were all very entertained watching and taking turns playing. Elise loved it too.

Opening Gifts - Baby pillow for Carlson's

Onesies from aunt Jodi

Roomies

"Tangled" hair

Full Kitchen...lots of goodies!

Lightning basketball to work off some of the Christmas dinner

Sisters

It was so fun to be together. Our next Christmas gathering will be a very different dynamic with 2 new additions to the family. Debi is due April 10th & I am due shortly after on May 1st. A little boy for the Carlson's & a sister for Elise.

New Room for Elise

Box-pleated Scalloped drapes, Amy Butler Love collection fabric

With the upcoming arrival of our second, I've chosen to leave the nursery decorated the same, and move Elise into the former guest room. She wanted her new space to be pink and purple - and so we painted the walls Lily Lavender, and I found this Amy Butler fabric to incorporate a fun color scheme. The pattern is a bit wild, but I felt that it was appropriate for her room & it's something that will grow with her for several years. We've come up with a plan to lay out the room, but getting the furniture & decorating the walls is still a work in progress. I just hope to have it complete by April.
We asked Elise if she would let her new sister come in her room and she said, "yes, but only if I tell her she can." .....Ahh, and so it begins. She's enjoying having her new space to play.

Happy New Year!

Well, we are embarking on another new year. John and I can tell we're getting old - we didn't even stay up to watch the clock strike midnight on New Year's Eve. But, we are looking forward to all the blessings and new experiences that await us in the next 12 months.
We are staying very busy, but we hope to stay current on our blog ( or at least within a month or so) so that you can follow us along as the year unfolds...