Another year has gone by and our baby boy is turning TWO/It seems as if just yesterday you were so tiny, so fragile and so small/ In the blink of an eye you are growing so big and so tall.

We had a birthday party for Grayson on January 2nd--we are so thankful to everyone who could make it at the end of a very busy holiday season!!  We had the party on campus in the building where Kyle's office is-it was perfect (although a little chilly) and had plenty of space for the kids to run around.  Gray loves Thomas and friends--so we decorated the room and his cake with a train theme.  Rocky-the U of R mascot, popped in for a visit...Gray had a great time.  The best part, for me, was when we sang happy birthday to him.  He seemed so happy when we were all singing to him...

Winter came down to our home one night Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow, And we, we were children once again. ~Bill Morgan, Jr.

A few pictures of Gray from early January-his first time out in the snow-he liked it...he has been sledding once as well-but it was dark and we couldnt get any good pics.  I took him over to campus when Kyle got out of work, and we took him down the hill in front of Kyle's office a few times.  He really liked it-but it was pretty cold-so we only stayed for a little while. 
A few pics of him in his snowsuit-he wore it last year and it was big, so we thought we would try it on him again--it's a little snug with his hands and feet tucked up in it, but it will fit this winter with his boots and mittens on...we just think he's so cute in it!  Thanks again, Aunt Phyllis!
A couple pics of Gray opening up some presents from Aunt Linda and the Griffins--he loves the new books!! 

Christmas is a time when you get homesick - even when you're home. ~Carol Nelson

We had a great Christmas day--and Gray had a great 2nd birthday!!  We woke up at Mom and Dad Ortons, then headed up to Ballston Lake to stay with the Kolodzies-Mom and Dad Struble and Big Grandma had already been there since the 23rd.  We had a yummy breakfast and then opened a few gifts-and then Mat had to head off to work...it took us til about 2 to open gifts-between naps and lunch!!  It was nice to take our time and the kids also wanted to play with the toys as soon as they opened them-so we let them do that...it was a quiet and wonderful day!  After the kids went to bed-we played a little Wii-it was fun to watch everyone trying it out for the first time!  Lisa and I had a particularly intense sword fight!!  I think she won one, and then I won!  We stayed up there until Sunday...it was so nice to see everyone and made me wish, once again, that we lived near our families!!

This is my wish for you: peace of mind, prosperity through the year, happiness that multiplies, health for you and yours, fun around every corner, energy to chase your dreams, joy to fill your holidays! -- D.M. Dellinger

We celebrated Christmas Orton-style with Mom and Dad Orton, Sara, David, and Griffin.  We started out with our annual game of BINGO-and our handmade gifts.  Kyle and I won the Leddy's gift-a pretty pillow with a tree on it.  Mom and Dad won our gift-a clock that we made with a picture of Griffin and Gray on it, and the Leddys won Mom and Dad's gift-a beautiful tiled tray.  We then opened gifts-and Griffin and Grayson had a great time!  I think opening gifts is so much more enjoyable with the little guys!!  After that-Ryan and Jane Skyped in from Costa Rica--we missed them so much, so it was great to be able to "see" them!! After that, we had a wonderful dinner (prime rib-yum!) and headed out to the Richardson's for their annual Christmas Eve party.  What a wonderful way to get Christmas started...

"Christmas isn't a season. It's a feeling." Edna Ferber

Kyle, Gray, and I celebrated our family Christmas on Saturday, the 19th.  Kyle and I put together Gray's new train table after he went to bed on Friday, and set it up in the living room...he was super excited when he came down in the morning and saw the train and track set up.  Gray loves trains-he doesnt really do the whole push them around the track thing yet, but he loves carrying then around and making train noises...he is really starting to talk now-stringing together 2 and 3 word phrases...Kyle got a water fountain hook-up for our bathroom sink, and Gray loves to go in for a drink-he says, "Mommy's turn," "Gray-Gray's turn," "Dada's turn..."--he is such a fun little guy!

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time. -- Laura Ingalls Wilder

We had a little get together so we all could exchange presents.  It is amazing how much the kids have changed in the past few months.  I love that we are all able to get together and the kids love seeing each other.  Gray talks about his friends all the time--and by that, I mean he says-"Braedan," "Payton," "Paige." 

I love the bottom left picture-Gray checking out Paige's shoes-he does love shoes!!

“A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.”

I was able to get away for the weekend before my birthday for a long-awaited trip to visit my friend, Melissa, in NYC.  I flew in on Thursday night and stayed until Sunday afternoon.  I had a great time-we went to the Today Show, walked around and saw the holiday sights, met up with our friend Heather who was coming into the city to see a show, saw the play, "Oleanna," and then did some celebrity stalking-there are a lot of big names in a lot of the Broadway shows right now.  We saw Hugh Jackman!!  I had a wonderful time and was so glad to catch up with Melissa and have some me-time...but I was also glad to get home to see my two guys!!  Thanks to Kyle for making it possible for me to go and to Melissa for making it such a great time!