Mexico in January

Last month Kim and I traveled down to Playa del Carmen in Mexico.  Kim's parents had rented a place down there for the month and we were excited to join them in the fun for part of the time.  Some of Kim's family from Minnesota were also there and we enjoyed hanging out with them as well.  It was a good mix of adventure and relaxation, and the weather sure beat Chicago's during January. 

At Xcaret Eco-Park with Kim's Parents.  This was a cool park with Mayan Ruins, shows, a nice beach and many exotic animals. 

Having dessert in Playa del Carmen.  There were many neat stores...some with humorous signs.

Snorkeling by our condo.  This area was an inlet with a fresh water spring and the brackish water contained some really neat species of fish.

Petting a sting ray.  

Special thanks to all those who made it possible by watching Lucy and Lila. That includes Doug and Susie VG, Kristin and Eric, and Mary. Not to forget those who watched dogs and pet fish as well. 

Blizzard of 2011

Well, we made it through the "Great Blizzard" just fine with some stress and some funny stories.  Mostly from when we lost power and heat for the night and next morning of the blizzard.  That made for a dark, quiet, and cold night but kudos to the power company for braving the elements to get it working the next morning.  We were all a bit amazed by the amount of snow and the drifts. 

Here we took the girls on a sledding ride to gaze in wonder at the piles of snow.

Of course, we all became a bit stir crazy after a while and the girls had a blast being goofy and playing.  Here we caught Lila Bird after she found Kim's lipstick.   

Can you say....?

Sorry it's been a while with the blog posts; there are a number in the works.  For now, here's a video of little Lila bird with some of her new words.