almost February finally

January...The New Year's resolutions are already out the window...looking forward to getting onto February now...Anna is 11 1/2 months and I can't believe it!  She stands well, no steps yet, eats big people food, plays with her brothers ( Christian was chasing her around last night crawling, she would crawl then look back and see Christian coming and scream and laugh then start crawling away again really fast, so funny.)  We all had the stomach flu (except me miraculously) as it passed through our house. Jack performed as an Arabian dancer in his little Pre-K production of the Nutcracker.  That is about all my exciting news.  :)

 

Atlantic City

I got to go to one last dance convention last weekend in Atlantic City, New Jersey.  It was The Pulse and has such celebrity faculty as Mia Michaels, Brian Friedman, Cris Judd, LaurieAnn Gibson, Desmond Richardson, Dave Scott, and Sonya Tayek.  I got to take class with most of these awesome choreographers over two days.  It was a lot of fun.  I met a couple of really fun people.  I got some really cute Nappytabs sweats and shorts.  And Matt and I went on a date and lost a little bit of much.  Very little.  Slots aren't that fun.  Anyway, it was an unforgettable weekend.  I hugged Mia Michaels!  Anyway...

Sonya, Desmond, above.
Sonya, LaurieAnn, Brian Friedman, left.

me and Cris Judd.

Mia Michaels at the luncheon.  I did get a picture with her but it is on someone else's camera.

Our room at Bally's.

A room with a view.

Fun times!

oh man...

There has been so much that its too much. 

We took family pictures in December with the whole family.  Here are my three.

Christmas was nice, but, Anna was sick, fever/cold, and Jack was just getting over pneumonia.  Otherwise very fun visiting with family from far away and celebrating.

 New Years was fun.  Matt and I went to our first grown-up party and had a great time.  Then went to watch the countdown at home with the fam. 

 

So far 2010 has been more sickness.  We've got some stomach bug that has been making the rounds around ours and other families homes that we know.  So far its hit three of us, Jack, Anna, and now Matt.  I am hoping that is where it ends.    
Otherwise things are good.  We have a home.  We are together as a family.  We know our loved ones our safe.  I don't think I can complain about too much else when I am that blessed. 

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

We had our first Blizzard here in Bel Air since...a few years ago?  Its been awhile.

We were snowed in all weekend and got lots of baking and cleaning up done.

The boys tried to play outside in the middle of it but sledding was impossible and Jack had started getting a fever late Saturday and came in not feeling so good.

He just has a virus so it'll pass.

 Matt tried shoveling halfway through the storm and all the work he did was covered in about 10 minutes.

 

These are our garbage cans on our back porch.  You can see how deep it got.

The plow came by on Sunday and you could really see how much snow there was after that.

Fun to finally have some snow this winter!

there and back

Anna and I got to take a quick weekend trip to California last weekend to spend time with my family and see my little brother dance in Berkeley with his company.  Oh it was a fun trip.  Anna did pretty well considering the three hour time difference.  She was all smiles usually.  It was so great to see everyone.  Here are just a few of the memories.

checking out the view from up here

meeting up with cousin Elise

Off to San Fransisco for shopping!

Loving the playtime with Grandpa and cousin Neil (I think Grandpa is too!)

Mom, sister Mary, and Me in our new matching tee's

Going to see Santa soon!  Picture time with cousins, Aidan, Elise, Neil, and Molly

Huh, so this is what he looks like up close...

Big night out to Berkeley to see Dallas perform

me, Mary, Mom, Bridget

Our little Dallas with his big sisters

Newest cousin Alan got blessed on Sunday so Anna and Neil got all dressed up for the occasion

Trying to get a picture with all the cousins that were there...

Will, Alan, Gabriela, Claire, Madelin, Anna, Neil, Molly, Aidan, Elise, Grace

the whole family and still missing 7 people!

mom, dad, me, Anna, Eldy, Gabriela, Madelin, Alan, Casey, Bridget, Aidan, Neil, Molly, James, Elise, Mary, Will, Claire, Alex, Kari, and Grace

not pictured: Matt, Ellis, Christian, Jack, Cole, Hayley, and Dallas

My newest nephew, Alan Enrique McMurray, about 3 weeks

me and my sibs, Casey Bridget, Mary, and Alex

Anna decided this time in California (since last time she figured out how to roll over) she would start to stand up on her own and balance and then get so excited that she was doing it that she would sit.  What a big girl.