On the 29th we got to celebrate our dear friends' daughter's birthday. Bryna and I were the best of friends when we were young, and now Ryann and Evie are only two weeks apart. Unfortunately, the live in Boston so we see them only a few times a year.
Happy Birthday sweet girl!
A few days after Christmas we made an impromptu trip down to Quincy to visit my grandma and a few cousins who were in town. It was just a one-day trip; on the train from 8:30-noon, visit from 12-5, back on the train from 5:30-9pm and asleep in our own beds. The girls do really well on the train with all there is to see and everyone there to entertain them. The laptop and a few movies don't hurt either.
We surprised my grandma at the care facility where she lives, and she was just thrilled to see us! At 92 she looks smaller and more frail every time I see her, but she still has the sparkle in her eye and warm laugh that I love to hear. Her vision and dexterity are still good so she is still able to do needlework. Here, Laura picks out a baby blanket from the many she has made.
Of course the kids loved watching the birds. (I think birds in nursing homes must be universal).
Gathering for a meal at my Aunt Elaine & Uncle Bill's house.
Madeline loved playing with her second cousins!
Santa must have known that we have growing girls, so he brought a slew of new clothes...
... along with Barbie band-aids and a few other things. 
After attending 9 am mass (we've officially given up on fighting the crowds Christmas Eve), we went over to Grandpa & Grandma Schmitt's for Christmas Brunch. Yum Yum! I could eat breakfast foods at every meal! 
Next Christmas we'll get to spend it with our little Murray cousin!!
We were especially happy to be able to celebrate Christmas this year! Dan took the whole week off to prepare for Christmas and spend some time with us. Unfortunately, we spent the whole week caring for sick kids. Monday night Madeline woke up with a fever, terrible barking cough, wheezing, and having trouble breathing. After putting her in the steam shower and getting up several times during the night, we decided that she must have Croup. Tuesday night Evelyn was in the same boat. For the next three nights, one of us was up with one of the girls at all times. What a scary illness! Finally on the 23rd fevers were gone and everyone got a good night's sleep and the cleaning, sanitizing, and preparing began.
Will & Jenny
If you didn't already know, Madeline is very much into dancing. I can't convince her to take a class, but she loves pretending to be a ballerina and wears a tu-tu whenever we are home. Right before Christmas Grandma Hay invited us to go see the Joffrey Ballet Academy of Dance's performance of The Nutcracker. (One of her co-workers has a daughter in the Academy). We were thrilled to take the train downtown, see real ballerinas, and spend the day together.
Our train got us downtown a few hours before the show, so we stopped at Macys to do some sightseeing and check out the Walnut Room. We were unable (and unwilling) to wait for hours to get a table and have lunch there, but we got to see the beautiful Christmas tree.
The Nutcracker performance was fantastic! It was a very intimate setting so we could see everything, and it only lasted about 45 minutes- perfect for Madeline. She was riveted the entire time, and when we got to meet Julia, Madeline just glowed!
After the performance we had a bit of time before catching our train home, so we stopped in at Borders to relax and get a hot drink. Madeline found a Christmas princess storybook and loved hearing the stories (multiple times!) Grandma even let her take it home as a souvenir of the day. What an experience!
Madeline helps Grandma make Peppermint Pies for Thanksgiving dinner
and cuddles with Aunt Laura.
Uncle Mark and our sick girl. Evelyn had a fever lasting Monday-Friday of Thanksgiving week. After visiting the doctor on Tuesday, we found out she had an ear infection. This made our holiday a little more difficult as someone had to stay home with her all the time. Dan and Madeline went to Thanksgiving lunch at the Hay's, then Madeline and I went to dinner at the Schmitt's.
The ear infection and fever cleared up by Friday... just in time for the stomach bug to arrive Friday night. :( Although she only had the worst of it for 2 days, it really wiped her out for the next week. FORTUNATELY, no one else in our family got it! But this was a terrible bug that wiped through our playgroup with a vengance. Blech!
