Swimming update

Levynn had been swimming underwater pretty well for some time. But last weekend she suddenly decided to do the crawl, unprompted, and she looked great at it. So we brought the camera down with us this time. And then she wanted to do the backstroke, too. And do multiple forward rolls in a row.

Perhaps that inspired Lincoln, who decided to do a little independent swimming of his own.

Check them out!

Let's get out and do something!

We had been looking ahead to this day's events for a while, but not until this morning did we get the feeling that it had been a long time since the four of us had gone out on the town together. Considering the lack of updates on this blog, you may have been thinking the same thing.

The occasion was the annual benefit for Lincoln's old preschool program. We like to visit anyway, but it also was our chance to get inside the church's newly built addition in which the preschool now resides.

Mom took some photos as she wandered around.

A ghost!

The addition reminded us of the Art Institute's own 2009 addition, the Modern Wing, with its open spaces, floor-to-ceiling windows, ample light, and stairway.

And the Art Institute's new exhibit, Picasso and Chicago, just happened to be our next destination.

Then the kids ran in Millennium Park's snow a little.

It was good to get out!

Winter fun, or what we can get of it!

This sad sum of snow, fallen over several days no less, is the most we've gotten this season. Not great timing for Uncle Dan's awesome snowboard gift, huh?

But we jumped at this chance, even on a mid-week school day, as Dad and the kids dropped off backpacks, got dressed in our gear, grabbed the board and a sled, and hit the road for our favorite hill.

Perhaps Levynn needs a bigger hill, though.

What do you think?

That was a few days ago. Today, we went to the Hancock Observatory for a little "Skating in the Sky," as it's called.

You can see why.

And the synthetic surface is good for the confidence. (It's really cold outside, too.)