Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving, we went to visit my Dad and Melodie in Denver. We were so excited to go  down because all of my sisters were there and two of my brothers came into town. We loved seeing everyone and enjoying the delicious food that we had. Ross and I also celebrated our 5 year anniversary on the day after Thanksgiving. 

On Thursday morning, the neighborhood held the Turkey Trot. It was about mile around the neighborhood. We were all especially excited to participate because it started right on my Dad's street. Madison and I were going to participate but it had started snowing that morning so it was pretty cold. We did jump in for the picture though. 

Ross won first place this year! He won a gift card to Coldstone so we used it for our anniversary. I was very proud of him for winning. 

 Madison colored a cute Snowman face. 

 Will, Madison and I before the Turkey Trot. 

Joe and Rianne brought their dog Lazarus to Thanksgiving also. Madison loved Lazarus. She laid out this blanket for them to sit on.  

 I'm pretty sure she was trying to give Lazarus kisses here. Lazarus started to take a nap on the blanket and so Madison wrapped the blanket around him and said "my doggy is taking a nap." It was really cute.

 Rianne, Anneli and I with a photobomb from Emma and Davis. 

 Emma, Davis, Anneli, Rianne and I.

 Anneli and Madison really enjoyed watching all the other kids be crazy. They were so much into running around like crazy kids with them. 

 Josie and Madison. This combo is trouble. 

 Wyatt, Lincoln, Rachel, Reagan, Josie, Madison and Moriah at the kids table. 

 Ross and Madison using the mortar and pestle. 

Ross and I had convinced my Dad to buy this awhile ago at Costco. Ross has been looking forward to using it ever since. Luckily, he was able to use it on this trip. 

Jason smoked the turkey this year. It was delicious. As his reward he got the drumstick. 

We had an awesome time in Denver visiting with family for Thanksgiving! 

Halloween

I probably should have written a blog post about Halloween a while ago but things have been busy here. We did a lot of Halloween activities around Laramie and so it has taken us awhile to recover from all the excitement. Luckily, our candy is almost gone. The good stuff is at least. 

Ross is still busy with school and work. I think we are all just looking forward to Thanksgiving and then the semester being over. Madison and I have been doing lots of fun activities lately. We had our first snow storm the other day. Madison loved it. She checks outside first thing every morning to see if it has snowed. 

Madison dressed up like Smurfette this year for Halloween. I think her costume turned out really cute. 

 We carved pumpkins for Family Home Evening on the Monday before Halloween. Madison didn't care to go near the pumpkins but she enjoyed coloring pumpkin faces while Ross and I carved. I tired to carve a bucking horse (steamboat) and I failed miserably. They were low quality pumpkins so don't doubt my skills. (I'm talking to you JanStar) The only way that I could salvage the pumpkin was by turning it into a heart. 

I don't dress up for Halloween very often but I couldn't resist this costume. I was really glad that I was able to get more uses out of this syringe. I scared a lot of children at our ward Halloween party. I was really proud of that. I think I scared a few adults too. 

 Madison liked using the stethoscope.  

  Not quite the right placement. 

Doctor Smurf 

Madison won these at a little game at the retirement home trick-or-treating. All the residents had chairs around the room that all the kids could go trick-or-treating at. They also had a lot of games and treats. It was fun. I begged Madison to pick up these glasses so she could tease Ross. 

Our favorite activity was going to the Cowgirls volleyball game. Ross dressed up as Kip from Napoleon Dynamite. We got there a little early and all the volleyball girls were staring at him and laughing. It was hilarious. 

Ross and Pistol Pete. Pistol Pete was pouring popcorn all over people and Madison was not ok with him making another mess. 

 Our friend Sarah invited us to go the fire station to see the fire trucks and meet the firefighters. It was really fun. She was a little nervous about it first but then she really started to enjoy it. She liked to go upstairs and sit on their couch and see their kitchen. 

 Madison inside the fire truck. 

Madison with her sticker from the firemen. 

Madison and I made a mobile from that we saw in the friend a few weeks ago. Here she is with the finished product. 

Our friend Roger had a birthday this week. We had him and his aunt over for pizza to celebrate. It was a fun little birthday party. 

Ross, Madison and Roger. 

Madison and I also put together a grateful tree for us to get ready for Thanksgiving. She is so excited about it. She'll get the leaves off the counter, grab a pen and then write M's all over the leaves. Then she'll tell me that she is grateful that she can get baptized when she is 8 years old. Its adorable. I am really grateful for Madison and her sweet example. She teaches me new things everyday. 

Young Women in Excellence

A few weeks ago I was called into Young Women's. I am still so excited about it. It has been fun to get to know the girls and to be able to teach them. Last night we had Young Women in Excellence and I made some decorations for it. The theme was "Personal Progress can change the world." I was so excited when I heard the theme because I have been wanting to make some crafts using maps. I am obsessed with maps and globes lately. 

I think for my birthday or for Christmas I received the Giant Flowers cartridge for my Cricut. I was really excited about it but every time I tried to use it I failed miserably. This week I decided that I was going to figure it out. I read the reviews on the Cricut website and someone said that there are great tutorials on YouTube. I looked them up and was able to figure it out really easily. I can't believe how beautiful they turned out. I did metallic spray paint in the centers and on the back. I was able to make about 8 of them.

This flower is my favorite because its a map of New York City.. 

I also made some pinwheels out of an old map. 

I also made these rosettes out of a map.

The origami boats. Please ignore that this is in a vase full of candy corn. 

This is the finished center pieces. I liked the way it turned out but we didn't have the proper vases for it. It still looked really nice. All the girls loved the flowers. I think we are going to give them one for Christmas or for their birthdays. 

The YW President had this beautiful globe and I was considering "accidentally" putting it in my car. 

This was a little display on the food table. It turned out really cute. 

I love doing stuff like this. I think everything turned out and I'm glad that we were able to create a special evening for the young women! 

Fall in Laramie

It has been so long since I've blogged that I don't even know where to begin. Ross started school awhile ago and he is enjoying it. He is in his last year of classes so we are very excited about that. He is also working a few hours a week at Walgreens. I think that it has been good practice for him to be in a pharmacy. Madison and I have been watching a little baby from church during the week. Madison really enjoys that. She loves to help me get bottles ready for the baby. I was excited to start working with the young women at church. They are all really nice girls. I think it will be a fun experience for me. 

 Madison and I discovered the cool glasses that we could make from the bristle blocks. She loves to wear glasses like Ross does. Her baby also needed some glasses. 

 I got a kit at Michael's to make this cool Halloween house. It was a fun activity for Madison and I to do one afternoon. 

 Madison likes to give her pony a bottle. She also likes to put them to bed and in timeout for not sharing. 

 We try to head to the park and much as we can lately. The weather has been beautiful and we have really enjoyed soaking up the last bit of summer. I'm sure it won't last very much longer. 

 Ross was inducted into the Pharmacy Leadership Society recently. I'm proud of all the hard work that Ross puts in at school and with his different organizations. 

 Madison feeding Emmalyn a bottle. 

 Madison ready to go eat lunch at the park with friends.

Ross and Madison at the first football game of the season. Madison wears her "Cowboy pretty dress" at least once a week. We have been going to all the home football games and the volleyball games. A few weeks ago we even went to a soccer game. She loves going to the games. I think she asks me everyday if we can go to a volleyball game. All three of us are excited for basketball season to start next month. 

Madison and I even drove down to Fort Collins with a friend to watch the volleyball team play Colorado State. It was fun to do that but we were disappointed that the Cowgirls lost. 

Ross was a part of the Student Health Fair that the Pharmacy school sponsors. He had lots of information about quitting tobacco. He made a giant E Cigarette. Ross did an awesome job with his booth! Madison really liked the Jolly Ranchers that he had. 

 At the beginning of the semester Ross got an email about a Pharmacy school float for the Homecoming Parade. Ross thought of a great idea to have the slogan "Best Pokes Around Since 1946" and have people with giant syringes. All week we have been making these giant syringes and putting everything together for the float. This is the finished product. I thought that it turned out pretty well. We are still waiting to hear if the float won. 

Madison was so excited ride on the float. She did a great job throwing candy.  

Ross giving Madison a shot. She wasn't quite sure what to think about that.