Sledding!

Did someone say snow?!?!?

Where's the snow?

This has been such a weird year for snowfall that we finally had to take matters into our own hands and seek higher ground. Last weekend we packed up the troops and headed up Big Cottonwood to the Spruces campground. Wow, did we find the snow. About 12 inches of pretty fresh powder. It was lovely.

Look at those happy snow-going faces!

We packed sandwich fixings for an outdoor picnic in a nearby snowbank. Penny is convinced that "monster" (read: muenster) cheese is the best cheese.

Lucy has been asking for a long time about trying out some skis. Turns out she is a natural! Or at the very least was into it enough to not mind falling down a lot.

We borrowed some snowshoes and Penny enjoyed tromping around with her giant feet. While exploring we came upon someone else's snowman. He seemed like he was quite the old-timer.

Merry Christmas!

Halloween!

I love Halloween. This year was a busy one. I helped with Penny's class party and then went home to frantically prepare for a party of our own + trick-or-treating + crazy kids on sugar highs! Yikes!

This was the posture for the entire parade. Blank looks, arms crossed, good luck getting a high five from this monster.

They are so little and sweet! Well, at least semi-sweet.

I snuck into Lucy's room for a picture or two.

Monsters of the land and sea variety.

Penny's class raised butterflies this year in their room. We got to see them released into a strange new world.

Lucy eating lunch with her friends, Greta and Brynn.

Madsen's 1 -4

The Garden at Night

I think we've been to Red Butte Garden's "Garden at Night" almost every year since Lucy was born. It gets better every year. I really love that place.

Ladybug Lucy and Penny the Pink Monster; if you've never met my girls, the choice in costumes pretty much explains all you need to know.

Penny in all her scaly, furry glory.

Ladybug Lucy

We took turns transforming into owls in the blacklit forest.

Penny proudly displaying her homemade, very poisonous, bioluminescent mushroom. I'm not sure all of them are poisonous but Penny's definitely is.

Hogle Zoo

I have come to the conclusion that the zoo is the place to be this time of year. The weather was beautiful, the crowds non-existent and the animals seemed to be happily enjoying the sun.

Lucy has been wanting to make like a monkey and swing all the way across these rings for a long time now. I lucked out and caught her moment of success.

We enjoyed the sun, too, while lounging on the backs of giant spiders.

I thought she should be a little more nervous about drinking straight from the Lion's mouth, but that Penny has nerves of steel!

Lest you think we didn't see any animals. See, look how happy this guy looks!
He's practically giggling he is so happy.

Yellowstone

We just got back from a quick trip to Yellowstone and since I've been terrible at sharing pictures from anything else this year, I thought I would hurry and give this a go.