Christmas 2012

We had a crazy busy holiday season this year - Grandma and Grandpa Casey visited us for the first part of the break, and then we all headed to Grammy and Grandpap Rosella's in Pittsburgh for the latter half - and for their 50th anniversary!

In keeping with Casey tradition, the loot and year was captured for posterity by the kids.

Presents were opened on Christmas Eve - here's Grandma looking at the ornament Harper made for her

 A fine owl!

And Grandpa got a gingerbread man from Luke!

Harper's baby doll accessories were a hit - Luke helped himself to them with his doll, Max, while Harper blew up Peter's cell with the toy that came in her dolly diaper bag

Aunt Roberta sent us  pretzel cookies from MN - including all of our initials.  Harper holding her H up high

Luke gobbled his L up before we could get a proper picture

 CHOMP. SWALLOW.

Santa streaker interlude!

Santa delivered our stockings on Christmas Eve - and Luke left him a very helpful note (click to enlarge).  Dictated to Mama, drawn by Mama to his exact specifications, and Luke made the "snow" with the hole punch

Everyone dug right in

The traditional Christmas Stocking Dreidel 

Xmas Moooousssstaaaache!

YOU MUST PAY THE RENT!

Technology was employed this year - we did some virtual present opening with the Casey Conerys in Minnesota via iPads and laptops!  So here are all the grandkids (and Uncle Steve?) "under the tree"

Thank you, Steve Jobs!

Luke opening his beloved backscratcher from Ian.  He seriously had one in his top 3 requests all season

(See? He loooooves it)

After all of the hullaballoo, Luke and Harper had fun with Harps' new soft blocks from Grandma and Grandpa

  ...and the backscratcher and bristle blocks

The day after Xmas, we packed up the car and headed for Grammy and Grandpap's in Pittsburgh. We won't mention how their 50th anniversary was celebrated with 2 sick adults and a double ear infection from Harper.  Nope.  Not mentioning it.

It snowed

and snowed

and snowed

Luke got to go sledding!

Harper ate as much snow as she could fit

We visited Pittsburgh's amazing Children's Museum while we there.  And Luke was trapped by a "mag-a-net"

He delivered "news about a hurricane Sandy"

They raced magnet cars

Harper checked out the pendulum

Luke getting dry after waterplay

The REAL Daniel Striped Tiger!  Harper was adamant that she wanted "to hug hims [sic]"

Fun with the sand

and fun with the clay

fun with the art

Fun?

Lastly, Harper and Luke modeling their cool shirts from Cousin Peter, Freshman at University of Glasgow!

Future Belle & Sebastian fans

Making "angry faces'

Bears on heads!

Birthday Bear Photo Bomb!

PUPPETS!

Harper Reading

Another mostly "for Grandparents and Aunts/Uncles Only" post - Harper reads bedtime stories to Mama.  Apologies for the camera work, but it was a little tricky because she was leaning against the DP.  Check out her nutty New Yawkish accent.

The books she "reads" include The Very Busy Spider, There's Something in My Attic (Mama was a little shocked how much she knew of this one verbatim), Diary of a Wombat, and Goodnight Gorilla.

Family Photo Shoot, 2012

For the second year in a row, we were lucky enough to make family photos happen courtesy of our very talented photographer-friend, Sean Sime.  (NYC-area people, HIRE HIM NOW)  The efforts of his lovely and talented wife, Sarah, cannot go unthanked either, for it was her wacky faces, goofy dances, and dangling of cookies out of frame that allowed Sean to capture at least 3 of the 4 of us smiling in most of the pictures.  Next, year, Harper Casey, NEXT YEAR.

Herewith, some of the best/most notably goofy.

Luke is not sure about this rock, you guys.  And Harper is being wrangled mightily by Daddy

PEEK-A-LUKE!

 Dancing in the street

Perfect height proportions in 2012

TA DA!

The Mutual Admiration Society Convenes

Happy 2nd Birthday, Harper!

Viruses and flus and ear infections be damned, Harper celebrated her 2nd birthday in style last month!

Here, the Birthday Girl awaits the arrival of her guests, party hat perfectly in place

Her BFF from school, Claire, joined us for the afternoon

 They donned the party favor necklaces and rings and had loads of fun with Aunt Slater's Zoo

Harper & Max worked on their sound

Daddy, once again, delivered a fantastic cake!

Harper was very excited

 At cake cutting time, Luke promptly requested "Elmo's eyeball"

So of course Harper requested "Elmo's noooooose"

YUM!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HARPER!

And the party kept going after hours with Luke and Harper having the most fun of all with a cardboard box and a styrofoam block they shredded into "snow."  We are still sweeping it up