2010 so far...

Well, we're almost two months into the New Year already.  Every year by the end of the holiday season I look forward to the "quiet" month of January, but it turns out life is just as busy as always.  Ah, but we love (almost?) every minute of it.  Here's what we've been up to so far in 2010.  Well, ok, actually we'll start with the end of 2009 (does that make sense?  maybe I should just go to bed...  I'll just post these few pics first):

We celebrated Christmas a few times with various family members (I have yet to see the movie Four Christmases but someone told me about it and it sounds like one we should see).  Here are the kids with their cousin Tim, and with their cousins Oscar and Lucy:

 

 

While home for Christmas we took the kids and cousin Oscar sledding at the infamous local "Sugar Bowl":

The second last night of the year we had a visit from some long-lost second cousins (actually, they're not lost - we know where they live...)  We are all kind of hockey fans:

We had a fun fondue New Year's celebration here at our house.  Then soon it was back into the school routine, but I guess Lewis was still tired out because he fell asleep in the sled one afternoon as I was dragging it across the bumpy field on the way to school:

 We've had lots of snow in the last couple of months.  Lewis "helps" me shovel the walk and the kids like to build snowmen when the snow is just right (I think the accessories may still be out in the yard under some more snow...):

 

 

While his sister learns at school, Lewis has been busy trying out all his Christmas toys.  

He was especially proud of the Tinkertoy "scarecrow":

Jaina loves to participate when she's home too:  

We got to get up a little bit earlier one January morning and go to watch the Olympic torch relay, which practically went right past my friend Rachel's front door...

And, most recently, someone got his first pair of "real skates" and loved the test run:

And now, spoiled lucky ducks that we are, we will again be escaping the winter weather for a week, on a family trip with my in-laws!  Photos to come shortly (?) upon our return!