Happy New Year!

So now that it's the middle of January, I'm finally getting around to doing a post with our Christmas pictures and an update of our our activities during the first part of the new year. We had a wonderful Christmas- lots of time to relax with family and celebrate the season. Norah had lots of fun opening her presents, though it took her over a week to open everything since she only wanted to open one present at a sitting. What fun is a gift if you can't play with it immediately? Everyone was very generous, and she will be enjoying her new toys, books, clothes, etc. for some time! We were lucky to have both of my sisters home for Christmas, but missed being able to see everyone in Missouri this year.

All dressed up for Christmas Eve mass... Leaving cookies for Santa

Playing with her toys on Christmas morning... Sisters!

The day after Christmas we were able to travel to the Bay Area to see my extended family there. Norah loves playing with her great-grandparents and aunts and uncles, and Dan and I enjoy the time to catch up with everyone. Thanks to Rachel, Ali, and Grace for entertaining her this year so Dan and I could finish our dinners!

Visiting in Livermore... Showing off her new tutu in Castro Valley

I got to take two weeks off work this year, but Dan wasn't quite so lucky, so we spent most of the week between Christmas and New Year's in Fresno hanging out. I love just being able to spend days at home with Norah- though her Aunt Maggie and Aunt Laura demanded some of her time as well. Oh, the busy life of a 19-month old! My Dad got to celebrate his (big) birthday with his whole family before Laura headed back to Chicago, then we enjoyed a quiet weekend of family time and Wii before we all had to go back to work on the 3rd.

Norah's new ride (she finally opened it just before New Year's)... A basketball from Daddy

Now we're back into our usual routines of work, and Dan starts his final semester of his MBA program this coming week. He has turned into an amazing student- with a 4.0 through five semesters of classes! Norah and I are so proud of him! Norah continues to enjoy her days with Grandma while I'm at work. (I think she wishes I worked more often, since she always seems a little disappointed to leave when I arrive to pick her up at the end of the day.) She has been taking a gymnastics class this fall and winter, and she just had a recital yesterday to show off all the skills she has learned. She invited her Daddy, Grandma, and Grandpa to come and watch and really enjoyed being able to show off for them. Since she's had such fun with gymnastics so far, we decided to continue the class this spring- though she gets to move up an age level now, so she'll be with the bigger kids this time around.

Happy 2011 to all!