While it's been cold and miserable outside, we've been doing a parent-child gymnastic class on Saturday mornings. Madeline has loved it, and enjoys practicing her forward rolls and cartwheels. Today was our last day, so here she is with her certificate of completion.
Not a moment goes by at home that Madeline doesn't have on one of her "dancing dresses". Evie has now figured out that this is what we wear when we're at home- kind of like socks and pants. So she will now bring a skirt over to me and want me to put it on her too. 
Now when we wear our "dancing dresses" we also must dance. The soundtrack to "A Bug's Life" is on repeat on our kitchen ipod.
Unfortunately, the Bears didn't make it to the Superbowl, but we decided it was a good excuse to get good friends together and have great snacks and chili. Alison and Chris were our wonderful hosts.
Adam, Maureen, Rori, and Doug get some good seats in front of the 65" tv.
Farah and Micah
Madeline and her best buds.
It certainly was the storm of this century! Starting around 2pm Tuesday snow started falling. Dan left work at 2:30 and arrived at 3:30- not because the roads were terrible, but because of everyone else going home early! 
We tried to get a leg up on the accumulation by shoveling often. Madeline even helped! As the night wore on, winds picked up and snow fell heavily. Visibility out our window was limited, but we could see snow blowing in the streetlights and we even heard thunder! We were just praying that our power would stay on and the porch roof wouldn't collapse.
It certainly was a winter wonderland Wednesday morning! Snow was still falling heavily in the morning, but I went out to brush off some of our Arbor Vitae. This snowdrift that I'm climbing over in the picture was about 4 ft tall!
Believe it or not, this is a picture of the middle of our street looking down Cardinal Lane. 
Before heading out to play, we spent some time in the basement doing our usual races- Madeline on the bouncer and Evie on the horse.
View from our bedroom window- snow was hanging off the roof and the wind made some interesting snowdrifts on the pergola.
Madeline comes out to play! (And finally agrees to wear her snow pants).
Dan takes a turn at shoveling and makes some good progress... before we graciously accept help from a kind neighbor with an industrial sized snowblower!
The girls and I take a sled ride around the block.
Going through an especially big snowdrift.
... or "Baby Wash" as Madeline called it. Laura flew in from Denver to celebrate Baby Murray's impending arrival with good friends and family. Except for a minor shipping glitch from Babies R Us, it was a wonderful celebration!
Jaime (Hunter's sister) and daughter Annie with Laura
Part of "the Committee" helping out
Lovely lunch of Chicken and Mango Salsa and Spinach Bread with salad.
Annie helps open gifts
Twinsies with their dancing skirts!
Another January birthday... another Bears game. We celebrated Grandma Schmitt's birthday with the Bears v. Packers on the big screen, yummy snacks, and Italian Beef sandwiches. Unfortunately Bears lost their chance for a 2011 Superbowl, but we enjoyed the day nonetheless.
More singing, cake, and candles!
The following Sunday we got to celebrate Evie's birthday again with the Hay side. Secondary entertainment was the Bears game!
Aunt Vicky and Uncle Phil came through again with another great chair!
Happy Birthday Baby!
Dan had to be out of town for the week of Evie's birthday, so we actually did our first celebration a few days early. We sang and she was able to enjoy some cupcake for the FIRST TIME!
That night we enjoyed birthday dinner and Grandma & Grandpa's house and Grandpa got to give her some ice cream- a privilege he's been waiting all year for!
