Welcome 2013

Well here it is 2013 all of the sudden and we wonder what this year will hold? To kick off another new year we got away to visit the Minnesota Moorlach's and, as always, had a wonderful time soaking up all the cozy family time a Minnesota winter has to offer. Admittedly the pictures are a bit random, but hopefully I can capture the three great days we spent together!

So we start with celebrating Grandma Marilyn's birthday.  Here she is with a good chunk of her grandchildren waiting to blow out the candles on her ice cream cake.  Yes indeed it is a challenge to get a good picture of all those kids when there is ice cream cake waiting.

Here Hilary tells the assembled children the story of her diabolical tale several New Year's Eve's ago.... Look here!  To this Hilary and I say.... "This is why we blog."

We spent a delightful couple of hours snow tubing on a nice hill in Eagan.  A delightful couple of hours that was also punctuated with some kids whining about various things and ended with helping a mom who broke her wrist on some ice.  But it still pooped the kids out and it was very fun....

Ava Jane - no way to miss her in that coat!

Amelia in her beloved panda hat.....

Moorlach cousins making their way up the hill....

The next day the gang headed off to the Minnesota Science Museum while I enjoyed lunch with my sister and did packet pick up for the Polar Dash Hilary and I ran New Year's Day.   Here Ava and Amelia work on a pot....

Then it was New Year's Eve! John texted me this picture, commemorating Ava kicking off her 2013 looking about 16 years old.  I was, of course, already in bed.

New Year's Day Hilary and I ran the Polar Dash 10K.  Yes, it was -2.  But we had an unexpectedly great race, putting down negative splits and finishing in a time neither of us expected. Well, at least I didn't expect. I think I speak for both of us when I say we felt great after about the first mile when we thawed out. Crazy, cold moms kicking off the new year in a most favorite way....

Random photo dump - here are a couple of photos I grabbed off Amelia's iTouch.  This completely lovely photo of Ava taken on Christmas Eve. The look on her face is just.... so very Ava.

And Mr. Orbit, waiting on the couch with the blanket for some cuddles....